As Israel marks its 77th Independence Day, we step back from the headlines to reflect on the extraordinary, improbable story of its survival and triumph.

Aviva Klompas opens with a moment from November 1947: just hours after the UN vote to establish a Jewish state, Golda Meir warned a jubilant crowd that the dream would not come easily. It would have to be fought for—and it would come at a cost.

Israel’s early years were defined by war, scarcity, and isolation. But against overwhelming odds, the state didn’t just survive—it reinvented itself, again and again, turning the impossible into the possible.

Each week on Boundless Insights, we tackle hard news: war, hostages, internal turmoil. But today, we remember where Israel began—and why hope remains central to its story.

Dr. Michael Oren joins the episode to bring that story to life. He reflects on pivotal moments that reveal the many faces of Israeli identity: courage, innovation, grief, and defiance. Together, we revisit the spirit of the founding generation, the resilience that shaped the nation, and the enduring hope that still lights the way forward.

A celebration of Israel at 77—through memory, storytelling, and the enduring miracle of the Jewish state.

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Israel is facing a domestic crisis with sweeping implications for its democracy, national security, and political leadership.

In a sworn affidavit to Israel’s Supreme Court, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of demanding personal loyalty above the rule of law. Among the explosive allegations: that Netanyahu urged him to spy on Israeli citizens, interfere with the premier’s corruption trial, and defy Supreme Court rulings in the event of a constitutional crisis.

Bar says he was fired not for any professional failings—but for refusing to turn the Shin Bet into a political tool and refusing to protect the prime minister from legal accountability.

This episode isn’t just about one affidavit. It’s about the integrity of Israel’s institutions, the balance of power in a democracy without a written constitution, and what happens when security and politics collide.

To break it all down, host Aviva Klompas is joined by historian and former Israeli ambassador to the United States, Dr. Michael Oren.

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Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/

Since October 7, antisemitism has surged across American college campuses—setting off one of the fiercest debates in higher education today. In response, the Trump administration has launched an aggressive crackdown: threatening to pull federal funding, investigating elite universities, and detaining foreign students accused of supporting terror groups. Supporters see this as long-overdue protection for Jewish students. Critics call it a dangerous overreach aimed at silencing dissent and reshaping academia.

Host Aviva Klompas sits down with Alyza Lewin, President of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and a leading legal voice in the fight against campus antisemitism.

In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore the line between protected speech and targeted harassment, what Jewish students are experiencing on the ground, and whether the federal response will ultimately safeguard civil rights or erode academic freedom. Alyza offers a frank and clear-eyed assessment of the legal and political stakes—and what students, families, university leaders, and lawmakers need to grapple with next.

Guest Bio:

Alyza D. Lewin is President of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, where she leads legal and educational efforts to combat antisemitism and defend civil rights, particularly on college campuses. She is also a partner at Lewin & Lewin, LLP, specializing in litigation, mediation, and government relations.

Lewin successfully represented Avi Zinger in securing the rights to sell Ben & Jerry’s in Israel and argued the landmark Zivotofsky v. Kerry case before the U.S. Supreme Court, which helped pave the way for U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. She has also litigated key terror finance cases, clerked on Israel’s Supreme Court, and led the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists. A graduate of Princeton and NYU Law, she is a member of the New York and D.C. bars and a trained mediator.

Referenced in this episode:
Trump’s Jewish Cover Story by Yair Rosenberg in The Atlantic

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Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/