Tel Aviv Diary Podcast

Marc Schulman
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Twice weekly, Marc Schulman shares sharp, pragmatic insights into Israeli affairs and global tech—drawing on decades as a Newsweek columnist and Apple developer. Veteran journalist and historian Marc Schulman offers sharp, unfiltered insight into current events in Israel. An American-born commentator who has lived in Israel on and off since 1975, Marc wrote a long-running weekly column on Israel for Newsweek and brings decades of deep engagement with Israeli politics, society, and history. His perspective is iconoclastic, pragmatic, and often challenges conventional narratives. Each episode combines personal observations with sharp political analysis, covering everything from the weekly rallies at Hostage Square to the intricate negotiations surrounding ceasefire deals. Marc doesn't shy away from difficult topics—whether it's critiquing government policies, analyzing the military draft controversy, or exploring the broader implications of regional conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Beyond Middle Eastern affairs, the podcast ventures into global politics, economics, and emerging technology, examining how international developments impact daily life in Israel. From trade policy critiques to AI's revolutionary impact on truth and reality, Marc brings a historian's perspective to contemporary events. Tel Aviv Diary is essential listening for anyone seeking an authentic, ground-level view of Israeli society during wartime—complete with the frustrations, hopes, and hard truths that come with living through historic events as they unfold. Raw, honest, and deeply personal, each episode captures the weight of the moment while grappling with questions that extend far beyond Israel's borders. marcschulman.substack.com

  1. “Paying With Our Blood”: Batya Kalish and Bashar Iraqi on Crime, Policing, and the Breaking Point in Arab Israeli Communities

    3D AGO

    “Paying With Our Blood”: Batya Kalish and Bashar Iraqi on Crime, Policing, and the Breaking Point in Arab Israeli Communities

    In this episode of the Tel Aviv Diary podcast, I sit down with Batya Kalish, director of the Social Venture Fund for Jewish-Arab Equality and Shared Society (SVF), and Bashar Iraqi, a Palestinian Arab citizen of Israel from Tira who is active in efforts to combat crime inside Arab society and is involved with the community initiative Qulnuna. Together, we try to understand what is driving the relentless wave of murders in Arab Israeli towns and mixed cities—and what can realistically be done to stop it. We begin with a wide-angle look at Arab society in Israel: real progress in education and higher education, an emerging middle class, and striking gains for Arab women in academia—alongside severe gaps in municipal services, chronic discrimination, and a growing vacuum of state capacity. Bashar traces the longer arc from 1948 through martial law and the ruptures of recent decades, arguing that crime did not explode “out of nowhere,” but accelerated as illegal weapons spread, trust collapsed, and enforcement became inconsistent. Batya adds a structural layer: financial exclusion, predatory loan-sharking, and the recruitment pool created by tens of thousands of young people who are not in employment, education, or training—conditions that allow organized crime to function like a parallel authority. The conversation turns blunt. Bashar describes a reality where bullets are heard at night “as if living in Gaza,” where victims are often uninvolved family members or bystanders, and where the state’s ability to act is clear—when it chooses to act. We debate policing, discrimination within the system, and the political context, including the impact of governments that briefly prioritized the issue—and those that did not. We end with a hard question: can anything change soon? Bashar argues that participation, civic power, and equal enforcement are essential, and that both societies will ultimately have to build not just coexistence, but a better way of living together. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe

    45 min
  2. Tel Aviv on Edge: Waiting for Iran, Hezbollah Strikes in Lebanon, and Trump’s Tariff Shock — Plus My AI Coding Revelation

    5D AGO

    Tel Aviv on Edge: Waiting for Iran, Hezbollah Strikes in Lebanon, and Trump’s Tariff Shock — Plus My AI Coding Revelation

    Recorded in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, February 21, I try to capture the mood that’s settled over the city—an anxious, pervasive uncertainty as Israelis brace for the possibility of another confrontation with Iran. A month after President Trump publicly encouraged Iranians to take to the streets, Tel Aviv feels tense in a way that’s different even from the Gaza war: people remember last June’s 12-day exchange, the shelters, the missiles that slipped through, and the sense that the next round could again put the center of the country in the crosshairs. You can see it in the streets, in the early-closing cafés, and in the questions everyone is asking—about flights, business, travel, and whether daily life can suddenly freeze for days at a time. I also look at Israel’s pre-emptive actions in Lebanon, including reported strikes in the Bekaa Valley targeting Hezbollah’s long-range missile infrastructure, amid concerns Hezbollah could join any escalation with Iran. From there I revisit the Trump “Council of Peace,” the unresolved endgame in Gaza, and the way Israeli politics is sliding into an election campaign where “left” has become a catch-all accusation—despite the fact that much of the opposition is led by figures with deep security credentials and broadly similar positions on the long-term need for a two-state outcome, just “not now.” Finally, I pivot to Washington: the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Trump’s tariff powers, the president’s escalating announcements anyway, and what that kind of whiplash does to business planning and global trade. I close with a personal reflection on AI—how tools like Claude Code are reshaping what a single developer can do in hours instead of months, and why I think Wall Street may be misreading what that means for big SaaS platforms. As always, thanks for listening—please subscribe, and if you can, consider becoming a paid subscriber to support Tel Aviv Diary. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe

    32 min
  3. Fighting the “Tsunami” of Antisemitism: ADL’s Marina Rosenberg on Data, Diplomacy, Iran’s Propaganda—and the Battle for the Online World

    FEB 17

    Fighting the “Tsunami” of Antisemitism: ADL’s Marina Rosenberg on Data, Diplomacy, Iran’s Propaganda—and the Battle for the Online World

    In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, I’m joined by Marina Rosenberg, Senior Vice President for International Affairs at the ADL (Anti-Defamation League)—a former Israeli diplomat whose life and career bridge continents and identities. Born in Buenos Aires and raised on Kibbutz Yechiam in the Galilee, Rosenberg spent more than 16 years in Israel’s Foreign Ministry, serving in multiple postings and ultimately becoming Israel’s ambassador to Chile. She describes what it was like to serve as the first female Israeli ambassador to Chile, and how being a young woman in diplomacy—whether in Latin America or in early, behind-the-scenes engagement with Gulf states years before the Abraham Accords—often proved less of a barrier than outsiders assumed. We then turn to the ADL’s mission and the moment we are living through. Rosenberg explains how the ADL—founded in 1913—works not only in the United States, where it operates through a network of 25 offices, but also internationally across Israel, Europe, and Latin America. She details the organization’s three-pronged approach: security and monitoring, policy advocacy, and education—including programs aimed at empowering Jewish students on campuses and new curricula designed for non-Jewish schools, adapted to local cultures and languages. She also describes the ADL’s emphasis on measurable evidence: data collection, global surveys, and comparative tracking across major Jewish communities through initiatives like the J7 task force. A central theme of our conversation is the transformation of modern antisemitism—especially in the post–October 7 environment—and how online platforms have accelerated radicalization across borders and languages. Rosenberg discusses ADL research on hate online, the limits of regulation, and the alarming vulnerabilities emerging in large language models and other AI tools—alongside the ADL’s work pushing for accountability from tech platforms and for stronger public policy outside the constraints of America’s First Amendment framework. We also explore her argument that the international picture is uneven: while the United States has seen dramatic growth in incidents over the past decade, other countries experienced different trajectories, with sharp escalations in some places only after October 7. The discussion widens to state-linked propaganda and geopolitics. Rosenberg lays out ADL’s view of Iran as a leading exporter not only of terrorism but also antisemitism, including the spread of Spanish-language messaging targeting audiences in Latin America and beyond. She reflects personally on the long shadow of the 1992 Israeli embassy bombing in Buenos Aires and the 1994 AMIA attack, and the continuing demand for accountability decades later. We close on a hard-won note of realism—and hope: the necessity of building coalitions beyond the Jewish community, insisting on moral clarity from political leaders, and asking allies to speak up rather than waiting in silence. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe

    42 min
  4. Friday the 13th in Tel Aviv: Netanyahu, Trump, and a Country Living on Edge

    FEB 13

    Friday the 13th in Tel Aviv: Netanyahu, Trump, and a Country Living on Edge

    In this week’s Tel Aviv Diary podcast, I’m speaking from Tel Aviv at a moment when the most important details for our immediate future are also the most elusive. Prime Minister Netanyahu is back from a fast, unusually secretive meeting with President Trump — no press conference, no statement, and almost no leaks — leaving Israelis to fill the vacuum with guesses, fears, and competing theories about where the Iran crisis is headed. Under the surface of daily life, the tension is unmistakable: sudden GPS disruptions hint at jamming, suppliers don’t know what to order, and the psychological strain of “waiting for something to happen” is becoming its own kind of trauma. I break down why the nuclear issue remains, in my view, the central existential danger, and why the missile debate often obscures the real strategic question: can there be a deal that truly ends Iran’s path to a bomb — and if so, what price would the region pay for it? From there, I turn to Gaza and the sobering reality of outcomes that are likely to be less than anyone hoped for, alongside the long-term costs Israelis are only beginning to confront, including widespread PTSD after a prolonged war. I also address the political battle over memory itself — including the attempt to soften or rewrite the language around October 7 — and what it says about the country as we edge toward elections. Finally, I take a detour into the accelerating world of AI and what the recent leap forward means for work, productivity, and the future — before closing with a look ahead to next week’s guest from the ADL. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe

    33 min
  5. Japanese Investment, Israeli Innovation: Noa Asher on What Comes Next

    FEB 10

    Japanese Investment, Israeli Innovation: Noa Asher on What Comes Next

    In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, I’m joined by Noa Asher, newly elected chair of the Israel–Japan Chamber of Commerce and a veteran of Israel’s economic-diplomacy world. Noa takes us through her personal and professional journey—from Jerusalem to Harvard’s Kennedy School, from startup-era law to an 18-year career in Israel’s Foreign Trade Administration—before landing in two posts that shaped her view of global business: commercial work in Chicago across the U.S. Midwest, and then six pivotal years in Tokyo (2014–2020). Noa argues that 2014 marked a turning point in Israel–Japan economic relations, describing how Japanese companies began to view Israel not as a political risk, but as an innovation engine—spurred by events like the Keidanren delegation, Rakuten’s acquisition of Viber, and the wave of new bilateral frameworks in R&D, cyber, health, and investment promotion. She also explains what changed after the war, why Japan’s risk-averse business culture matters, and why Israel’s brand in Japan may have slid back toward the familiar headlines of conflict. We also dive into her current work at NTT Innovation Laboratories Israel, where she describes the machinery of cross-border dealmaking: identifying real corporate needs, finding Israeli solutions, and navigating the cultural gap between startups and Japanese conglomerates. From cybersecurity and digital health to AI and the promise of zero-latency networks, Noa makes the case that Israeli tech can still deliver—even under pressure—and lays out what it will take to bring Japanese momentum back. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe

    42 min
  6. Oman Talks, Netanyahu’s Washington Dash, and a Friday in the Far North — Plus: America’s ICE Shockwaves and the AI Acceleration

    FEB 7

    Oman Talks, Netanyahu’s Washington Dash, and a Friday in the Far North — Plus: America’s ICE Shockwaves and the AI Acceleration

    This week’s Tel Aviv Diary opens with the uncertain aftermath of the Friday negotiations in Oman—talks that produced not a breakthrough, but what sounds like a framework for more talks. Iran, as Marc argues, has mastered the art of stretching diplomacy into an endless process, and the early signs suggest exactly that: no agreement to halt enrichment, remove stockpiles, or tackle missiles and other demands. Marc examines why President Trump, despite his pre-meeting rhetoric, appears reluctant to send bombers—especially under pressure from Gulf allies wary of regional disruption, market instability, and the unpredictable consequences of war. For Israelis, it remains a strange moment: the temptation to “solve” Iran versus the exhaustion of a country still trying to recover, with air defenses improving but the unknowns still looming. Then the political drama shifts to Washington. As Marc was preparing to upload the episode, news broke that Prime Minister Netanyahu is making an emergency visit to the U.S. this Wednesday to meet President Trump—officially to discuss Iran, but in reality, Marc suggests, also to prevent an American deal that focuses only on the nuclear file while leaving missiles and regional behavior aside. Marc weighs the political logic of an in-person meeting with Trump, the optics surrounding Netanyahu’s schedule, and what the sudden urgency may reveal about Jerusalem’s fears of a narrower American agreement. From there, the diary becomes literal. Marc takes listeners on a Friday trip to Israel’s far north—Metula, the Dado lookout, the view of Lebanon close on three sides, and Mount Hermon capped with snow. There are on-the-ground impressions: how quickly the highways now shrink the country, the quiet that feels peaceful and deceptive, the partial return of residents, and Kiryat Shmona’s stubborn stillness—beautiful, struggling, and in many ways unchanged since the 1970s. The episode closes with two wider lenses: American politics (ICE, immigration, and the unsettling breadth of the Epstein revelations) and the accelerating AI revolution—from multi-agent experiments that feel like science fiction to tools like Claude that can compress hours of work into minutes, raising both productivity and dread about what comes next. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe

    36 min
  7. From Little Rock to Tel Aviv: Ambassador Simon Geissbühler on Diplomacy, Democracy, and Swiss Neutrality

    FEB 3

    From Little Rock to Tel Aviv: Ambassador Simon Geissbühler on Diplomacy, Democracy, and Swiss Neutrality

    In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman welcomes Swiss Ambassador Simon Geissbühler for a conversation that moves from personal history to the mechanics of diplomacy in a region at war. Geisbühler begins with his own unlikely route into foreign service: raised outside Bern, trained in history and political science at the University of Bern, and drawn to the United States in 1994 for a year at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as a competitive diver—a “Deep South” education, he argues, that later helped him better understand America beyond Washington and the coasts. From there he traces a career built more on curiosity than ambition: completing doctoral research rooted in large opinion-poll data, then taking Switzerland’s highly competitive diplomatic exams and entering service in 2000. From the early biography the discussion opens into a broader portrait of Israel as seen by a new ambassador who arrived on August 7, 2024, ten months after October 7. Geisbühler describes three first impressions: the intensity of Israel’s internal tensions and social cleavages, the country’s relentless pace—where “signals” are hard to separate from “noise”—and the diversity of landscapes, communities, and political outlooks that is often missed abroad. He also speaks candidly about his prior connection to Israel through Holocaust scholarship and research work at Yad Vashem, and about why he believes Israel’s diversity can be a form of soft power rather than merely a source of friction. A major portion of the episode serves as a clear, practical primer on Switzerland’s political system: a federal structure modeled in part on the U.S. bicameral legislature, a deliberately weak executive with a rotating presidency, and—above all—direct democracy through frequent referenda and popular initiatives. Geissbühler explains how the system shapes public engagement, the media ecosystem, and the incentives citizens have to stay informed—while also acknowledging modern vulnerabilities to disinformation. The conversation then turns to Swiss–Israeli relations, emphasizing the large Swiss community in Israel, the embassy’s focus on science, culture, and especially innovation links between two countries that are both highly inventive but in different ways. The final third moves into diplomacy in the shadow of the Gaza war: the strain on bilateral relations, Switzerland’s effort to “consolidate” ties amid backlash, and a detailed look at Swiss participation in the CMCC in Kiryat Gat, where Switzerland sent experts including on humanitarian aid and international humanitarian law—after endorsing a Gaza-related plan. Geissbühler also unpacks what “neutrality” means in law versus policy, why Switzerland debates its boundaries, and how global geopolitical shifts are pushing neutrality back into Switzerland’s domestic politics. The episode closes with Switzerland’s quiet roles in mediation and back-channel communication most notably as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran since 1980 and Geissbühler’s argument for humility: in an overcrowded diplomatic arena, Switzerland can matter most when it finds the niche where it can do what larger powers cannot. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe

    52 min
  8. From Young Judaea to Times of Israel: Miriam Herschlag on Journalism, Trauma, and Jewish Anxiety

    JAN 27

    From Young Judaea to Times of Israel: Miriam Herschlag on Journalism, Trauma, and Jewish Anxiety

    In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman is joined by Miriam Herschlag, the Opinion and Blogs Editor at The Times of Israel, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from the deeply personal to the sharply contemporary. Marc and Miriam go back decades — to Jerusalem in the early years of their lives here, and even earlier through Young Judea ties that connect Miriam with Marc’s wife, Amy. The tone is warm and wry, but the moment is heavy: the conversation opens on the day Israel learned that the remains of Ran Gvili, the last hostage still held in Gaza, had been recovered and returned for burial — a development that closes a 14-year chapter in which Israelis, living or dead, were held in Gaza. The episode captures the bittersweet relief of “bringing everyone home,” while grappling with what that closure does — and does not — resolve. Miriam then traces her own journey: from New York to Young Judea leadership, to early experiences in Israel including Yerucham, and ultimately to aliyah in an era when — as she tells it — the Interior Ministry could turn someone Israeli in days, not years. She recounts the formative years in Israeli broadcast journalism, including the early English news broadcasts at the IBA and the surreal acceleration of Israel’s media environment during the Gulf War — when technology, unions, and emergency collided to move the news operation from film into video and a 24-hour footing. Along the way, Miriam reflects on the unromantic mechanics of reporting tragedy, the psychological distance newswork creates, and the moments when that distance collapses. It’s an intimate look at how a journalist becomes Israeli — not as an idea, but as an immersion. From there, the discussion turns outward: what Miriam has learned after more than a decade shaping one of the most influential platforms in Jewish public life. She offers a candid view of the Jewish diaspora after October 7 — from the rise of what she calls “October 8 Judaism,” to political homelessness, fear, and the struggle to rebuild community. She also explains what it means to curate a high-volume opinion and blogs ecosystem — tens of thousands of posts per year — while trying to balance community with diversity of views, and where editorial lines are drawn when rhetoric turns toxic. The episode then confronts the looming challenge of our time: AI, misinformation, and the erosion of trust. Miriam describes AI as “fire” — a force that can both destroy and illuminate — and shares how it is already reshaping writing, editing, elections, and the basic question of what “human” content even means. It’s a conversation about Israel, journalism, and Jewish life — and about the uneasy future arriving faster than anyone feels ready for. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe

    56 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Twice weekly, Marc Schulman shares sharp, pragmatic insights into Israeli affairs and global tech—drawing on decades as a Newsweek columnist and Apple developer. Veteran journalist and historian Marc Schulman offers sharp, unfiltered insight into current events in Israel. An American-born commentator who has lived in Israel on and off since 1975, Marc wrote a long-running weekly column on Israel for Newsweek and brings decades of deep engagement with Israeli politics, society, and history. His perspective is iconoclastic, pragmatic, and often challenges conventional narratives. Each episode combines personal observations with sharp political analysis, covering everything from the weekly rallies at Hostage Square to the intricate negotiations surrounding ceasefire deals. Marc doesn't shy away from difficult topics—whether it's critiquing government policies, analyzing the military draft controversy, or exploring the broader implications of regional conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Beyond Middle Eastern affairs, the podcast ventures into global politics, economics, and emerging technology, examining how international developments impact daily life in Israel. From trade policy critiques to AI's revolutionary impact on truth and reality, Marc brings a historian's perspective to contemporary events. Tel Aviv Diary is essential listening for anyone seeking an authentic, ground-level view of Israeli society during wartime—complete with the frustrations, hopes, and hard truths that come with living through historic events as they unfold. Raw, honest, and deeply personal, each episode captures the weight of the moment while grappling with questions that extend far beyond Israel's borders. marcschulman.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Marc Schulman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    86
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Marc Schulman
  • Show Website
    Tel Aviv Diary Podcast

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