Hebraica

Robert Nicholson
  • 4.4 (13)
  • Society & Culture

Hebraica is a weekly newsletter and podcast about Jerusalem and the world shaped by it. Through essays, conversations, and occasional dispatches, it explores Israel and the Near East from the inside out—the languages, beliefs, histories, peoples, and ideas that still shape events today. Written and hosted by Robert Nicholson.

  1. Sep 18

    The Hebraic Revolution

    What is Hebraica really about? Friedrich Nietzsche believed the ancient Jews launched a revolution in human values that eventually conquered Rome and transformed the Western world. He called it a catastrophe. Robert thinks he was right about the revolution and wrong about almost everything else. In this episode, Robert explains the cause behind all his other causes: the Hebraic Revolution, the strange new way of seeing God, man, and history that emerged from Jerusalem. Nietzsche named the war “Rome against Judea, Judea against Rome." Robert claims a side.

  2. Sep 10

    Why America Can’t Defeat Radical Islam—and Doesn’t Need To

    Can America defeat radical Islam? It's the question everyone is asking as we commemorate 9/11—but it could be the wrong question.  Twenty-five years after the attacks that changed his world, Robert revisits the War on Terror, Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Iran, and a new argument for overwhelming victory—the “Carthage Doctrine”—to ask what military power can and cannot accomplish. He argues that we cannot destroy an enemy’s deepest beliefs through force, and ultimately don’t need to. Wise statecraft can break an enemy’s capacity for harm without deluding itself into believing it can break his will. Drawing on the Hebraic roots of Western civilization, Robert makes the case for limited victories abroad and cultural renewal at home: hold back the jungle, cultivate the garden, and don’t destroy what you’re trying to save. Gregg Roman, The Carthage Doctrine: How the West Can Defeat the Enemies It Failed to Understand (2026)Robert Nicholson, "Two Ways to Win in Iran," Providence (Mar. 27, 2026). Robert Nicholson, "The Unconquerable Islamic World," Wall Street Journal (Aug. 19, 2021).

  3. Sep 3

    Can Christianity Coexist With Israel? The Church and the Jewish People

    In this episode of Hebraica, Robert takes up two listener questions: the tension between the Church’s universal mission and Israel’s particular identity, and the harassment of Christians by some Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem. He argues that the two questions are connected. Christianity emerged from Israel, inherited Israel’s God, Scriptures, Messiah, and vision of history—and yet much of Christian history treated the Jewish people as if they had outlived their purpose. Using the images of seed and fruit, root and branch, he explores how Christians can affirm Jesus as Israel’s Messiah while also affirming the continuing identity, freedom, and vocation of the Jewish people.

  4. Aug 25

    The Hero's Journey vs. the Hebrew's Journey

    Watching Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey got Robert thinking about one of the most powerful stories in Western culture, the Hero’s Journey, and the very different story outlined by the Bible. In this episode of Hebraica, Robert compares Odysseus and Abraham—the hero and the Hebrew—and asks what happens when we measure our lives against the wrong story. The Hero’s Journey promises struggle, transformation, victory, and return. The Hebrew’s Journey is a pilgrimage shaped by faithfulness, promise, exile, and a story that may not be completed in our own lifetime.

  5. Aug 18

    Who Are the Settlers?

    Israeli settlers are back in the headlines. But who are these people, what do they believe, and why is a violent fringe hijacking the rest?  In this episode, Robert travels back to a Shabbat evening in Ofra, the murder of an innocent young man, and the trauma of the Gaza disengagement to understand what drives Religious Zionism and why its radical edge is gaining ground. Ali Sawafta, "Israel sends troops into West Bank homes besieged by Jewish settlers," Reuters (Aug. 13, 2016)Nurit Yohanan, "In Qusra and beyond, settlers are chasing Palestinians out and taking over their homes," Times of Israel (Aug. 12, 2026)Reports re: the murder of Dvir Sorek, Times of Israel

  6. Aug 11

    The Jew Is My Brother

    What does a Christian owe his Jewish neighbor in a time of rising antisemitism? In this episode, Robert explains why he’s come to see the Jewish people not simply as friends or neighbors, but as brothers—and why that conviction carries practical obligations. Drawing on the New Testament and the history of Jewish-Christian relations, he makes the case for a covenantal brotherhood that goes beyond politics, theology, or sentiment. A brotherhood lived out in action.

  7. Aug 4

    Armenians, Jews, and the Minority Shuffle

    Why does Christian Armenia maintain close ties with Iran while Israel has built a strategic partnership with Muslim Azerbaijan? In this episode, Robert explores the strange logic of Middle Eastern alliances and introduces the “minority shuffle”—the way small, vulnerable peoples navigate a region dominated by larger powers. From Armenia and Israel to Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, he shows why minorities rarely choose their friends according to sentiment or shared identity, but according to survival.

  8. Aug 2

    Field Note: The Lost Art of Reading the Times

    Where the modern world promises universal rules, the Hebraic tradition sets the world against the backdrop of time. The effect on judgment is enormous. Drawing on verses from Ecclesiastes to Proverbs, Robert looks to Solomon for clarity in a moment of temporal distortion and distraction. The upshot: wisdom means knowing not just where we are, but when we are.

See All (20)

4.4
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Hebraica is a weekly newsletter and podcast about Jerusalem and the world shaped by it. Through essays, conversations, and occasional dispatches, it explores Israel and the Near East from the inside out—the languages, beliefs, histories, peoples, and ideas that still shape events today. Written and hosted by Robert Nicholson.

Information

  • Creator
    Robert Nicholson
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hebraica
  • Show Website
    Hebraica

You Might Also Like