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Unholy: Two Jews on the News

Unholy Media
  • 4.7 (502)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Yonit Levi of Israel's Channel 12 News and Jonathan Freedland of The Guardian are two of the most prominent journalists in the world today. They are also Jews. Each week, join what MSNBC's Rachel Maddow calls "two great, smart smart smart hosts" as they dissect and debate current events shaping Israel, Jewish life - and the wider world. Their blend of nuanced discussion and sparkling conversation, featuring a dazzling range of guests, is why New Yorker editor David Remnick calls himself a “proud, avid listener," why Ira Glass says he "completely enjoys this show" and why Malcolm Gladwell calls it an "incredibly fun podcast". For a weekly fix of globally informed talk – including nominations for the greatest act of chutzpah and outstanding mensch of the previous seven days – there’s only one destination. Make every Friday morning Unholy.  Contact us via: unholy@unholy-media.com

  1. War with Iran Day 6: The Gulf Under Fire, Tough Questions for Trump - With Gideon Rachman

    4D AGO

    War with Iran Day 6: The Gulf Under Fire, Tough Questions for Trump - With Gideon Rachman

    Watch us on Youtube: https://youtu.be/zNwIQcrIMDs Recent update episodes: War with Iran day 4 - Living under fire (March 3) Khamenei Is Dead. What Now for Iran? - with Dr. Suzanne Maloney (March 1) US and Israel strike Iran; Khamenei reported dead - with Amos Harel (Feb 28) America and Israel are at war with Iran. non-stop sirens in Tel Aviv, the Gulf states are under fire, and the Trump administration is hit by a barrage of tough questions in Washington. This week, Yonit and Jonathan take stock of a historic and disorienting first week. Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, joins to assess the war from the outside: Trump shifting justifications for war, Israel's military logic-- and who will fill the regional power vacuum if Iran is weakened. And: Jonathan reports from Sydney, where he visited Bondi Beach and spoke to a Jewish community still shaken by the shooting in December — and Yonit, running on five nights of no sleep, describes what it's actually like to stop your car on the side of a highway when the sirens go off. Also: a wedding in a shelter, four floors underground. 0:00.000 Chapter: US & Israel war against Iran - day 6 22:31.671 Chapter: Shifting Justifications for War 25:22.534 Chapter: Israel's Strategic Calculus 28:27.274 Chapter: Changing Dynamics in American Support 31:12.981Chapter: The Role of Allies in a New World Order 34:19.257 Chapter: Future of Regional Powers in the Middle East 37:16.299 Chapter: The Complexity of Regime Change 40:07.423 Chapter: Responses from Gulf States and the Path Forward 42:47.830 Chapter: Understanding the Iranian Threat 42:56.867 Chapter: Current Events in the Middle East 43:59.964 Chapter: Reflections on the Conversation and Future Outlook     Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    45 min
  2. War with Iran - Day 4 - Living Under Fire

    6D AGO

    War with Iran - Day 4 - Living Under Fire

    Watch us on Youtube: https://youtu.be/hcbffED7ISw Recent update episodes: Khamenei Is Dead. What Now for Iran? - with Dr. Suzanne Maloney (March 1) US and Israel strike Iran; Khamenei reported dead - with Amos Harel (Feb 28)   Day 4 of the Israel–Iran war: What does life look like inside Israel right now? Yonit and Jonathan reconnect for the first time since the beginning of the war with Iran. What does war feel like minute-by-minute? What does it mean when sirens sound every hour and a half — day and night? What happens to a society when workplaces close, schools shut, airports empty, and families move between safe rooms and bomb shelters as routine? Yonit describes the exhausting rhythm of preliminary alerts, the psychological strain of constant disruption, and the quiet resilience of Israeli civilians navigating a conflict that feels both immediate and existential. They discuss: ▶︎ The difference between June’s confrontation and this new phase ▶︎ The strategy behind Iran’s high-frequency missile fire ▶︎ The role of deterrence — and whether this is the beginning of the end for the Iranian regime ▶︎ The balance between exhaustion and resolve inside Israel ▶︎ And ultimately: who decides when this ends?   Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context of the Conflict 00:43 Living Under Fire: Daily Life in Israel 04:10 The Psychological Impact of Constant Alerts 10:29 Public Sentiment and Resilience Amidst Conflict 15:28 The Role of Leadership and External Influences 22:29 Looking Ahead: The Future of the Conflict Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    24 min
  3. Emergency update: Khamenei Is Dead. What Now for Iran? - with Dr. Suzanne Maloney

    MAR 1

    Emergency update: Khamenei Is Dead. What Now for Iran? - with Dr. Suzanne Maloney

    As reports confirm that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, Yonit is joined by Dr. Suzanne Maloney for a searching conversation about what this moment means for Iran and the wider Middle East. They examine Khamenei’s worldview in the years leading up to his death, the ideological roots of the regime’s hostility toward the West, and the deep divisions within Iranian society. The discussion turns to the question now confronting Tehran — who can succeed a figure so central to the system — and to the profound uncertainty facing Iran as it enters a post-Khamenei era with no clear path forward.   Chapters 00:00 The Legacy of Khamenei 02:54 Post-Khamenei Iran: What Lies Ahead? 05:42 The Future of the Islamic Republic 08:23 Regional Implications of Khamenei's Assassination 10:59 The Divided Iranian Society 13:58 Transitioning to a New Era   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    16 min
  4. Emergency update: US and Israel strike Iran; Khamenei reported dead - with Amos Harel

    FEB 28

    Emergency update: US and Israel strike Iran; Khamenei reported dead - with Amos Harel

    Jonathan is joined by military analyst Amos Harel to assess the latest Israeli and US strikes against Iran — and what may come next. Together they examine the logic behind the operations, the degree of coordination between Jerusalem and Washington, and how Iran is likely to respond next. They also ask the harder questions now hanging over the region: whether this marks a turning point for the Iranian regime itself, how far escalation could go, and what the strikes reveal about the shifting balance of power in the Middle East. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    19 min
  5. Modi's Big Visit, Iran Tensions and a Republican Clash over Israel - with Matti Friedman and Alon Ushpiz

    FEB 26

    Modi's Big Visit, Iran Tensions and a Republican Clash over Israel - with Matti Friedman and Alon Ushpiz

    Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aPuKq78g6X4   Follow us on social media and join Patreon to get more of Unholy: https://linktr.ee/unholypod     As the US–Iran talks in Geneva keep the region on edge, Yonit  is joined by journalist Matti Friedman, to make sense of Israel’s uneasy calm — daily life continuing under the knowledge that everything could change in minutes. They reflect on Purim anxiety, old antisemitic tropes resurfacing, and Narendra Modi’s unusually warm visit to Israel, set against Knesset infighting.  They also dive deep into the evolving India–Israel relationship with former ambassador Alon Ushpiz: affection, technology, security interests, and how much (or little) Islam really drives the alignment. Plus: the backlash to Hugh Laurie’s mourning of Tehran producer Dana Eden, a Chutzpah award for Tucker Carlson and Mike Huckabee, and a Mensch salute to Israel’s women’s hockey team. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    45 min
  6. Trump on the Brink of War and Work in the AI Age - with Barak Ravid and Noreena Hertz

    FEB 20

    Trump on the Brink of War and Work in the AI Age - with Barak Ravid and Noreena Hertz

    Watch us on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Wsz-rgYJeTgCatch Jonathan on tour in Australia As the Middle East enters another moment of acute tension — with one of Trump’s advisers saying there is a “90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks” — Yonit speaks with Barak Ravid, diplomatic correspondent for Axios and Channel 12, about what is happening now and what Donald Trump may be weighing as events continue to unfold. From geopolitics to technology, Yonit is then joined by Noreena Hertz — academic, economist, and bestselling author — for a conversation about the future of jobs in the age of AI, why women may be particularly vulnerable to unemployment, and how these technological shifts are exacerbating antisemitism. Plus: a sports edition of Mensch and Chutzpah — crossing borders and disciplines, from American and European arenas to stories that run from basketball courts to bobsleigh tracks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 4m

  7. FEB 19 · BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Bonus episode: The Israeli Divide - Ashkenazi and Mizrahi

    Yonit is joined by Matti Friedman for a clear-eyed discussion about some of the deepest fault lines in Israeli society. Together, they unpack the long-standing divide between Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews, tracing it back to waves of immigration, unequal power structures, and the cultural hierarchies that took shape in Israel’s early years. They reflects on how discrimination and exclusion have shaped political identities and voting patterns, while also highlighting the often under-acknowledged contributions of Mizrahi Jews to Israeli culture, security, and public life. The conversation moves beyond slogans, offering a more nuanced understanding of Jewish identity as something layered, evolving, and inseparable from history.

    30 min
  8. Gen Z in Iran and violence in the West Bank - with Holly Dagres and Amos Harel

    FEB 12

    Gen Z in Iran and violence in the West Bank - with Holly Dagres and Amos Harel

    Watch us on Youtube: https://youtu.be/P3ahIBALMZQ Follow us on social media and join Patreon to get more of Unholy: https://linktr.ee/unholypod Catch Jonathan in Australia: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT20e6vDQDU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== As Benjamin Netanyahu boards a flight to meet President Trump, his government is attempting to rewrite the memory of October 7, removing the word “massacre” from its proposed memorial day bill. Yonit and Jonathan are joined by military analyst Amos Harel, who examines rising tensions in the West Bank, the growing influence of the far right, and the fragile balance between the IDF and the Palestinian Authority. Plus: a special conversation with Iran analyst Holly Dagres, who lived in Iran as a teenager, on the resilience and defiance of the country’s younger generation — and what change, and the future, might hold. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 25m
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Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
502 Ratings

About

Yonit Levi of Israel's Channel 12 News and Jonathan Freedland of The Guardian are two of the most prominent journalists in the world today. They are also Jews. Each week, join what MSNBC's Rachel Maddow calls "two great, smart smart smart hosts" as they dissect and debate current events shaping Israel, Jewish life - and the wider world. Their blend of nuanced discussion and sparkling conversation, featuring a dazzling range of guests, is why New Yorker editor David Remnick calls himself a “proud, avid listener," why Ira Glass says he "completely enjoys this show" and why Malcolm Gladwell calls it an "incredibly fun podcast". For a weekly fix of globally informed talk – including nominations for the greatest act of chutzpah and outstanding mensch of the previous seven days – there’s only one destination. Make every Friday morning Unholy.  Contact us via: unholy@unholy-media.com

Information

  • Creator
    Unholy Media
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    302
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Unholy Media
  • Show Website
    Unholy: Two Jews on the News
  • Provider
    Unholy Media LTD

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