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Dr. Daniel Gordis explores whether the clock is ticking away on a two state solution, the meaning of settlements, and the Israeli relationship with American Jews. He discusses why it is important to have a basic understanding of Israeli history to be able to form an opinion and why Israel should be held accountable to the same standards to which the world holds every other country.

Dr. Daniel Gordis examines Israel’s relationship with President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump and the Middle East events that shaped those relationships. He explores then Secretary of State John Kerry’s attempt at peace during the 2014 Operation Protective Edge, the U.S. negotiated Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, Netanyahu’s address to the joint session of Congress and Israeli thoughts about it all. Dr. Gordis also discusses President Trump’s moving of the U.S. embassy, recognition of Israel’s annexation of the Golan, the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, its withdrawal from Syria, its refusal to respond to Iranian attacks on the Saudi oil fields and its failed peace plan.

Dr. Daniel Gordis examines the tumultuous events of Israel’s political history of the early 2000’s. This time period includes the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and moving to the Camp David peace talks with President Bill Clinton, the four years of the second intifada, construction of the security wall, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and the election of Hamas.

Dr. Daniel Gordis explores the rebirth of the Jewish people in Israel. He examines the status of womens’ rights, Mizrahi rights, and LGBTQ+ rights. He also discusses the role of the ultra orthodox in Israeli society, the renaissance of Jewish thought, the explosion of Jewish literature and theatre as seen through its books and television shows.

Beginning in 1974, with Arafat’s “olive branch and gun” speech to the United Nations and its “zionism is racism” 1975 resolution, Israel began to understand its position on the world stage. Dr. Daniel Gordis examines the Palestinian peace process from all angles including the creation of Hamas, Jordan renouncing its claim to the west bank, the first intifada, the Oslo Accords, the 1994 peace treaty with Jordan and the1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin.

Dr. Daniel Gordis explores the myriad changes that occur in Israel during the decade following the Yom Kippur War. From the resignation of Golda Meir, to the rise of the Likud party, peace with Egypt, the prevention of a nuclear reactor in Iraq to the Lebanon war. Dr. Gordis examines how these events impact the country.

Dr. Daniel Gordis explores the six year period between June 1967 and October 1973 and the false sense of security and confidence felt by members of the young state. He also discusses the 1973 Yom Kippur War, poses the question of who actually wins the war? Despite winning militarily, does Israel lose spiritually? To this very day, has Israel recovered from the Yom Kippur War?

Dr. Daniel Gordis explores the concept of pan-Arabism, the 1967 war and the factors that cause Israel to begin to look like the modern day Israel we know today. Dr. Gordis discusses the events leading to the war, including the input of the British, French and Americans, as well as the six days of the war, and the results of that war. Finally, he touches on the 1987 debate as to whether to return captured land and the resulting burden of having “occupied” land that exists to this day.

The 1960’s in Israel begin with the arrest and capture of the notorious Nazi, Adolf Eichman. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Gordis explores how Eichman’s trial affected the Israeli people and the Jewish community as a whole as well as the American Jewish leaders’ response to this. The 1960’s also brought Israel’s development of nuclear capabilities, and in 1964, the creation of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) for the purpose of the destruction of the Jewish State.

In the early 1950’s, a newly independent Israel found itself with porous borders in which there were tens of thousands of cross border incursions each year. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Gordis explores how this, along with the Sinai campaign of 1956, influenced Israel’s foreign policy with respect to its Arab neighbors, as well as the psyche of the Israeli people at that time.

While many believe Americans always supported Zionism, Americans Jews have had conflicted feelings with Zionism throughout the years. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Gordis discusses American Jews’ relationship with Israel beginning in 1915 and continuing through present day.

Israel began as a socialist nation. Dr. Daniel Gordis explores Israel’s socialism including the kibbutz, utilities and medicine. Dr. Gordis also discusses the status of Israeli Arabs and the military authority over Israeli Arabs between 1948-1966 as well as the status of Mizrahi Jews and intellectual life of the country during its early years.

Why do the ultra-orthodox Jews maintain power over certain issues in Israel to this day? Dr. Daniel Gordis answers this question as well as discussing the controversial issue of reparations in the early 1950’s and how it affected Israel.

Directly after Israel won the War of Independence, Israel held its first election. Dr. Daniel Gordis discusses Israelis’ feelings about the election, the parliamentary structure and how the Israeli government actually works through today.

Dr. Daniel Gordis explores the very complex issue of the origin of Palestinian refugees, the reasons that 700,000 Palestinians left Israel during the Israeli War of Independence and the difficult moral questions remaining.

On Nov 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to allow the creation of Israel leading to the War of Independence which ultimately did not end until early 1949. Dr. Daniel Gordis explores the sentiment of the Jewish people in Israel at that time and explains the transformation of the Jewish psyche from the victim hood … Continue reading Gordis 7 – The Creation of Israel →

In the decade before the establishment of Israel, three paramilitary groups emerged that played a critical role in the state’s establishment. These groups were each run by a man who ultimately becomes one of Israel’s prime ministers: (1) the Haganah, run indirectly by David Ben Gurion; (2) the Irgun (Etzel), run by Menachen Begin; and … Continue reading Gordis 6 – The Military Might Leading to Statehood →

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, waves of Jewish immigrants made Aliyah to the region, each bringing particular experiences and ideas to the land that would become a Jewish state in 1948. Dr. Daniel Gordis describes these waves, the eruption of violence and antisemitism that met them, and first talk of partition, including … Continue reading Gordis 5 – Aliyah, in Waves →

Just 20 years after the first Zionist conference, Great Britain issued the momentous Balfour Declaration in 1917 in support of a Jewish state in Palestine. The next year, thousands gathered at Mt. Scopus to lay the cornerstone of Hebrew University, as Jews begin building the infrastructure of a future, developmentally advanced state. Dr. Daniel Gordis … Continue reading Gordis 4 – Momentum Towards a Jewish State →

From the labor Zionism of Ze’ev Jabotinsky to the revisionist Zionism of AD Gordon to the spiritual Zionism of Ahad Ha’am, various interpretations and manifestations of Zionist thought developed through the 20th century and into the 21st. Dr. Daniel Gordis sorts it all out and suggests how each informs Israeli culture and society.