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Archive
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| God and Gov: Israel Edition |
| December 29, 2016 |
What did the founders mean when they declared Israel a "Jewish state"? And we meet Israel's hottest TV stars: the sweet Yeshiva boys of "Liturgical Poet." |
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| Just How Jewish Is 'the Jewish State'? |
December 29, 2016 |
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In late 2014, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu introduced a controversial bill that would officially declare Israel a Jewish state. Many Israelis saw Netanyahu’s proposal as an attack on non-Jews, who make up around 20 percent of the population. But Israel has been calling itself "the Jewish state" since the very beginning--so what did Israel’s founders mean by that, and why is it so controversial? Two experts debate, in this encore edition of our God and Government series, from October 2015.
We begin with a look at Israel's government-run system for organ donation, which brings in donors at just a quarter of the rate in the United States. Many doctors worry that the heavy influence of Orthodox Jewish thinking in the country's legal code is hurting the survival rates of those in need. Produced by Dalia Mortada.
Michael Karayanni, professor of law at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem
Michael Brenner, director of the Center for Israel Studies at American University |
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| 'Everything Is Spiritual': In the Studio with David Broza |
December 29, 2016 |
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David Broza launched his career in 1977 and is now one of Israel's best-known musicians and activists. While he doesn't go to synagogue every week, he finds solace in the quiet stillness of prayer, a practice he first discovered as a rebellious teenager. Now nearly 60, he tells us that "the art of contemplation has stuck with me." From October 2015.
Take a listen to all of the songs he performed just for us, live in studio:
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| Israel's Newest TV Stars: Nice Jewish Boys From A Synagogue Near You |
December 29, 2016 |
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One of the most popular TV shows in Israel right now is a reality singing contest in the spirit of American Idol and The Voice. But the contestants aren’t singing pop songs or trying to win record contracts. They’re singing liturgical music--sacred songs you would hear in religious services. So why has a show about synagogue music captured the imagination of a country where most Jews don’t even go to synagogue? Laura Kwerel has the story, from October 2015. This story won a Wilbur award in 2016.
Liel Liebovitz, Israeli-American journalist and co-host of the podcast Unorthodox
Read Liel's article on Ha’Paytan in Tablet magazine, and watch a full episode of the show.
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