The Pluralist Podcast - with Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg

Orly Erez-Likhovski and Josh Weinberg

Where Israel’s hardest questions meet Jewish values. This podcast brings Israeli lived reality and Diaspora perspective into honest conversation about religion and state, democracy, pluralism, and Jewish responsibility. Hosted by IRAC Executive Director and attorney Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Vice President for Israel and Reform Zionism at the Union for Reform Judaism, each episode creates space for thoughtful dialogue — without slogans, and without simplifications.

  1. 2d ago

    Israel After the Vote: Who Won, What’s Next, and What Kind of Country Will Israel Be?

    Israel After the Vote: Who Won, What’s Next, and What Kind of Country Will Israel Be? Israelis have cast their ballots. But the election results tell a complicated story. Netanyahu's Likud emerged as the largest party, while his governing coalition lost its parliamentary majority. Who will form the next government? And will the election lead to meaningful political change? In this episode of The Pluralist Podcast, recorded together in Jerusalem just one day after the election, Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), and Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Vice President for Israel and Reform Zionism at the Union for Reform Judaism, examine the results and what they could mean for Israel's political and democratic future. Beyond the winners, losers, and coalition calculations lies a larger question: What kind of Jewish and democratic state will emerge from this election? 💙 Support the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC): https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/PluralistPodcast Orly and Josh explore the changing balance of power, including the significant losses suffered by the ultra-Orthodox parties and the potential decline in influence of the far-right parties led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. They discuss what this could mean for religious freedom, military service, judicial independence, and the future of Israeli democracy. The conversation also examines the extraordinary voter turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel and the difficult negotiations ahead. If parties opposed to Netanyahu hold a majority of Knesset seats, why are some unwilling to cooperate with Arab political representatives to form a government? For Reform and liberal Zionist Jews around the world, the results bring both disappointment and reasons for hope. Millions of Israelis expressed their dissatisfaction with the outgoing coalition and voted for a different future. But will their elected representatives be able to translate that desire for change into a new government? Because an election determines who has the opportunity to govern. What happens next will reveal whether Israel can turn the demand for change into meaningful progress. In This Conversation Reading the results: Why did Netanyahu's Likud emerge stronger while his governing coalition lost its parliamentary majority?The changing balance of power: What could the reduced influence of the ultra-Orthodox and far-right parties mean for religious freedom, equality, and Israeli democracy?The Arab vote and political representation: What does the extraordinary turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel mean, and will their elected representatives have a role in shaping the next government?The coalition puzzle: Could Israel see a government supported by Arab parties, a unity government including Netanyahu, or another election?Why Netanyahu still attracts support: What do the results reveal about security concerns, political identity, and the divisions within Israeli society?Holding on to hope: How can Israelis and Diaspora Jews remain engaged and work toward a more democratic, equal, and pluralistic Israel despite the disappointment of the results?🎧 Subscribe to The Pluralist Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and share this episode with someone who wants to understand Israel beyond the headlines.

  2. Oct 23

    Why Were Rabbis Detained While Harvesting Olives in the West Bank? Rabbi Joel Mosbacher

    Why Were Rabbis Detained While Harvesting Olives in the West Bank? What happens when rabbis and activists travel to the West Bank to help Palestinian farmers harvest olives — and instead find themselves detained by Israeli authorities for hours? Rabbi Joel Mosbacher, Senior Rabbi of Temple Shaaray Tefila in New York City, joins Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg for a special episode of The Pluralist Podcast, recorded live in Jerusalem just one day after his detention. Joel was part of a group of approximately 80 Israeli and international volunteers participating in an olive harvest organized by Rabbis for Human Rights and T'ruah. What began as an act of solidarity with Palestinian farmers turned into an unexpected confrontation with Israeli authorities, hours in police custody, and fears of deportation. 💙 Support the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC): https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/PluralistPodcast Joel recounts what happened that day — from the arrival of Israeli police and soldiers at the olive grove to the detention of the activists, the uncertainty surrounding their legal status, and the efforts that ultimately secured their release. The conversation also examines the broader reality of settler violence in the West Bank, the response of Israeli law enforcement, and the role of Jewish and international activists who accompany Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. But Joel is clear that the activists are not the victims at the center of this story. The Palestinian farmers who face intimidation and violence are the people whose experiences deserve attention. For Joel, participating in the harvest was an expression of his Jewish values and his commitment to Israel. “Jewish life is meant to be lived in the world and not just in the synagogue.” Describing himself as a “heartbroken Zionist,” Joel explains why loving Israel does not mean agreeing with everything it does — and why Jewish leaders must sometimes take difficult public stands, even when members of their own communities disagree. The conversation raises a larger question: What does it mean to live our Jewish and Zionist values, rather than simply teach them? In This Conversation An olive harvest that ended in police custody: How did a peaceful morning helping Palestinian farmers turn into hours of detention and the threat of deportation?Who is the law protecting? What does Joel's experience reveal about the treatment of Palestinian farmers, settlers, and activists in the West Bank?The politics behind the detention: Why were dozens of activists detained, and was the incident intended to discourage others from coming?When Jewish values come into conflict: What happens when some invoke Jewish law to justify taking Palestinian property while other Jews risk detention to protect it?The difficult choices facing Reform rabbis: How do you take a public stand on Israel when members of your own congregation strongly disagree?The responsibility of a “heartbroken Zionist”: Can criticism of Israel be an expression of love and commitment — and what does that require us to do? About Our Guest Rabbi Joel Mosbacher is the Senior Rabbi of Temple Shaaray Tefila in Manhattan. A longtime advocate for social justice and faith-based community organizing, he helped establish the national gun violence prevention campaign Do Not Stand Idly By. 🎧 Subscribe to The Pluralist Podcast and share this episode with someone who should be part of the conversation.

  3. Oct 22

    Two Elections, One Jewish Future: Michael Koplow on Rebuilding the U.S.–Israel Relationship

    With elections approaching in Israel and the United States, how might the political choices made in both countries reshape the relationship between Israel and American Jews? And could a change in Israel's government begin to rebuild trust? Dr. Michael Koplow, Chief Policy Officer at Israel Policy Forum, joins Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg to explore America's changing relationship with Israel, the growing divide between Israeli and American Jewish priorities, and what political change might accomplish. 💙 Support the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC): https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/PluralistPodcast Koplow explains why Israel faces growing challenges among both Democrats and Republicans, as debates in Washington increasingly focus on military assistance, arms sales, and Israeli government policies. He also challenges the assumption that replacing Netanyahu would be enough to restore American confidence in Israel. New leadership and rhetoric could help, but rebuilding trust will require meaningful policy changes. The conversation raises a larger question about Jewish peoplehood: American Jews have long considered Israel when making political decisions, but do Israeli voters recognize how their choices affect the security, identity, and everyday lives of American Jews? In This Conversation Why Israelis and American Jews see the threats facing Israel so differently after October 7What a different Israeli government could realistically changeWhy Israel's challenges with Republicans may be harder to address than those with DemocratsHow debates over U.S. military assistance and weapons sales are changingHow American Jewish voters navigate commitments to democracy, Jewish identity, and IsraelWhether Jewish institutions adequately represent liberal Jewish concernsWhat Israeli voters should understand about their responsibility toward American JewsFurther Reading from Michael Koplow Judaism, Zionism, and the Promises of America Why American Jews should remain engaged in both American society and Israel, without feeling forced to choose between their Jewish, Zionist, and American identities. https://www.sourcesjournal.org/articles/judaism-zionism-and-the-promises-of-america The Israel Vibes Shift How changing American attitudes are affecting U.S.–Israel relations. https://israelpolicyforum.org/2026/09/24/the-israel-vibes-shift/ Jewish Safety Is Necessary, But Not Sufficient On antisemitism, Jewish identity, and attachment to Israel. https://israelpolicyforum.org/2026/08/13/jewish-safety-is-necessary-but-not-sufficient/ The Future of American Jewry Is on Israel's Ballot Michael Koplow and David Halperin on the responsibilities of Israeli voters toward American Jews. https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-future-of-american-jewry-is-on-israels-ballot/

  4. Oct 15

    Israel's Election: What's Really at Stake for Israeli Democracy, Equality, and Religious Pluralism?

    Israel's election is approaching, but the decisions that will shape the country's future won't end when the votes are counted. With Israelis preparing to vote on October 27, we're sharing a special Reform movement election webinar featuring Times of Israel political correspondent Tal Schneider, IMPJ CEO Anna Kislanski, and IRAC Executive Director Orly Erez-Likhovski. Moderated by Shoshana Dwek of Arzenu, the conversation brings together an analysis of Israel's political landscape and a discussion of what's at stake for democracy, religious freedom, and Reform Judaism. 💙 Support the work of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/PluralistPodcast 🎧 Subscribe to The Pluralist Podcast and share this webinar recording with someone who wants to better understand Israel's upcoming election. Israel enters this election after four years marked by war, political divisions, and profound challenges to its democratic institutions. The political landscape is unusually difficult to predict, with voter turnout, smaller parties, and the negotiations required to form a coalition all playing significant roles. Understanding these dynamics is essential to making sense of what happens on election day — and afterward. For Israel's Reform movement, the election is also an opportunity to advance a concrete agenda for the country's future. Anna Kislanski and Orly Erez-Likhovski discuss proposals for equal recognition and public funding of liberal Jewish institutions, religious freedom, stronger democratic protections, and equality for all Israelis. Rather than focusing only on opposing legislation or reversing government policies, they describe the importance of preparing specific proposals that can translate shared values into government action. The conversation also connects these developments to the future of Israel–Diaspora relations. Reform Jews around the world have a meaningful stake in the Jewish character of Israel, and lasting partnerships with Israeli communities can help strengthen religious pluralism and a shared commitment to democracy. In the webinar, they discuss: ·       The political landscape ahead of the October 27 election, including voter turnout, polling uncertainty, and coalition negotiations ·       The issues influencing Israeli voters, from security and military service to judicial reform and economic concerns ·       The Reform movement's priorities for the next government, including equal funding, institutional recognition, and Jewish education ·       Religious freedom in Israel, including marriage, conversion, civil burial, and the Western Wall ·       Concrete policy proposals to strengthen democratic institutions, women's equality, and religious pluralism ·       Protecting election integrity and addressing the risks of disinformation and intimidation ·       Jewish-Arab shared society, racism, and equal citizenship ·       How Diaspora Reform Jews can strengthen their relationships with Israeli communities and remain engaged beyond the election Originally presented as a Reform movement election webinar, this recording is being shared through The Pluralist Podcast to make the conversation accessible to a wider audience.

  5. Oct 6

    October 7, Where Are We Three Years Later? Memory, Accountability, and Moving Forward

    Three years after October 7, can we begin again — without forgetting what happened or the questions that remain unresolved? As Israel marks three years since the October 7 massacre, Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg reflect on how the day has changed Simchat Torah, Israeli society, and the relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jews — and what it means to remember while also choosing life and looking toward the future. 💙 Support the work of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/IRAC5787 🎧 Subscribe to The Pluralist Podcast and share this episode with someone who should be part of the conversation. The conversation begins with Simchat Torah and the challenge of celebrating a holiday forever connected to October 7. Orly and Josh ask whether it is possible to begin anew while so much remains unresolved — particularly the absence of accountability for the failures of October 7 and the government's handling of the hostage crisis. They also look at what happens after the immediate crisis ends: how returned hostages and their families rebuild their lives, how Israelis are choosing to commemorate October 7, and whether the extraordinary solidarity between Israelis and Diaspora Jews after the attack can endure. And they wrestle with a harder question three years later: how to hold Israel's trauma alongside Palestinian suffering, and how liberal Zionists can remain deeply connected to Israel while confronting government failures, racism, violence, and the consequences of the war. The conversation ultimately returns to Simchat Torah and to the possibility of beginning again — not by forgetting, but by remembering and choosing life. In the conversation, they discuss: How Simchat Torah has changed since October 7 — and whether it is possible to celebrate againWhy Israel still has not established a state commission of inquiry into the failures of October 7The unresolved questions surrounding the hostages and government accountabilityHow returned hostages and their families rebuild their lives after captivityHow Israelis are choosing to commemorate October 7 three years laterWhat October 7 revealed about Israeli civil society and the solidarity of Diaspora JewsWhether the connection between Israel and North American Jews has changed since the immediate aftermath of the attackHow Israelis and Diaspora Jews are grappling differently with Palestinian suffering and the consequences of the warThe challenge of maintaining a nuanced, liberal Zionist position amid growing polarizationAnd what it means, three years later, to remember — and choose life

  6. Sep 23

    How Jews Can Organize Without Walking Away: Rabbi Jonah Pesner on Democracy and Israel

    What does it take to organize liberal Jews at a moment when democracy is under pressure, political alliances are strained, and many people are exhausted? As 5787 begins, Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg sit down with Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, to explore how Jewish values can be translated into political action — and how progressive Jews can stay engaged with both democracy and Israel in a deeply polarized time. 💙 Support the work of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/IRAC5787 📝 A Call to Shared Responsibility Ahead of Israel's National Elections A Diaspora statement supporting Israel as the Jewish homeland and affirming peace, democracy, pluralism, and the rights and dignity of Palestinians. Sign the letter here: https://bit.ly/4jdYQAc 🎧 Subscribe to The Pluralist Podcast and share this episode with someone who should be part of the conversation. The conversation looks at what it takes to organize liberal Jews at a moment of democratic strain, political exhaustion, and growing polarization in both the United States and Israel. Together, they examine why democracy can be understood as a Jewish responsibility, how effective organizing turns broad concern into focused action, and how progressive Jews can remain in coalition with people who disagree sharply about Israel. They also explore Israel’s changing place in American politics, the strain in the relationship between liberal American Jews and Israel, and what meaningful partnership between Jews in Israel and the Diaspora should look like in the year ahead. In the conversation, they discuss: Why democracy is not just a political system, but a Jewish responsibilityWhat successful organizing actually looks like — and why movements need to choose battles they can winHow to keep people engaged when fear, anger, and exhaustion start to take overWhat the upcoming U.S. and Israeli elections reveal about the political moment facing liberal JewsWhether political change in Israel could begin repairing Israel’s standing in AmericaHow Israel and AIPAC became flashpoints in U.S. campaigns — and when political criticism crosses into antisemitic tropesWhat it takes to stay in coalition with people who strongly disagree about IsraelWhy “calling in” can sometimes accomplish more than calling outHow liberal Jews can remain deeply connected to Israel without defending everything Israel doesAnd what Israelis and Diaspora Jews should actually expect from one another in 5787

  7. Sep 17

    What Happened to Religious Zionism? Tomer Persico on Fundamentalism, Power, and Jewish Extremism

    What does it mean to reckon honestly with extremism when the threats are coming from very different directions? Just before Yom Kippur, Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg sit down with Dr. Tomer Persico—scholar of religion, liberalism, Jewish identity, and fundamentalism—to explore the rise of Jewish extremism in Israel, the crisis facing liberal Jews, and whether these trends can still be reversed. 💙 Support the work of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) Subscribe to The Pluralist Podcast and share this episode with someone who should be part of the conversation. ✍️ Read and subscribe to Tomer Persico’s Substack 📖 Buy In God’s Image: How Western Civilization Was Shaped by a Revolutionary Idea As Yom Kippur approaches, Tomer argues that liberal Jews are being asked to hold several difficult truths at once: to confront racism, Jewish fundamentalism, and violence carried out in the name of Judaism, while also pushing back against antisemitism, the justification of terrorism, and efforts to delegitimize Israel entirely. That tension is challenging, but this is precisely where our Jewish values should help us navigate complexity with honesty and nuance. In our conversation, we discuss: What Israeli society should be reckoning with as Yom Kippur approaches.How Religious Zionism changed—and how fundamentalist currents within it gained political influence.Why Tomer distinguishes mainstream Religious Zionists from Kahanists, Hilltop Youth extremists, and other fundamentalist movements.How the theology of Rav Kook, the Six-Day War, and the 2005 disengagement from Gaza shaped the Religious Zionist movement.Why Jewish terrorism in the West Bank has been tolerated—and whether the state can still confront armed extremist groups.How liberal Jews can acknowledge serious Israeli wrongdoing without abandoning Zionism or Israel’s right to exist.Why parts of the progressive left have come to view Islamist terrorist organizations as liberation movements.Whether political change can repair Israel’s international standing and reverse deeper trends within Israeli society.Why Tomer remains hopeful about liberalism despite its current global crisis.And whether liberal Jews can reclaim Judaism itself from those who present racism and fundamentalism as its most authentic expression.

  8. Sep 10

    Beginning Again From Where We Are: Rabbi Dalia Marx on Rosh Hashanah 5787

    What does it mean to begin a new year when we are not starting over? Just before Rosh Hashanah, Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg sit down with Rabbi Professor Dalia Marx—scholar of Jewish liturgy, author, and one of the leading voices in Israeli Reform Judaism—to explore what teshuvah, prayer, and hope can mean in this moment. 💙 Support the work of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) Donate to IRAC Subscribe to The Pluralist Podcast and share this episode with someone who should be part of the conversation. 📖 Buy From Time to Time: Journeys in the Jewish Calendar http://time.ccarpress.org/ 🎵 Listen to “Adaraba,” discussed in the episode https://youtu.be/JFlGge5Dtjw   After years of war, political division, religious extremism, protest, and trauma, Dalia argues that Rosh Hashanah does not ask us to forget what has happened or abandon justified anger. Instead, teshuvah begins with a deeply optimistic Jewish idea: that there is something good within us to return to—and that we must allow ourselves to believe that things can be different. In our conversation, we discuss: What Rosh Hashanah means when the calendar changes but the problems around us do not.Why October 7 pushed so many Israelis to search for prayer, ritual, and spiritual meaning.What Israelis should carry with them into 5787—and what they should leave behind.How Havdalah became part of the language of protest and what Jewish ritual offered that politics alone could not.Why Dalia believes liberal Jews must offer a compelling Jewish alternative to religious extremism.Whether a society can do teshuvah—and what accountability, repair, and changed behavior would actually require.Why justified anger should be channeled rather than simply abandoned.The difference between teshuvah and forgiveness.And what Dalia would say from the pulpit as we enter a new Jewish year.

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Where Israel’s hardest questions meet Jewish values. This podcast brings Israeli lived reality and Diaspora perspective into honest conversation about religion and state, democracy, pluralism, and Jewish responsibility. Hosted by IRAC Executive Director and attorney Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Vice President for Israel and Reform Zionism at the Union for Reform Judaism, each episode creates space for thoughtful dialogue — without slogans, and without simplifications.

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