To celebrate Israel’s 77th Independence Day, the crew asks “What is Israeli in our eyes?” Plus, midrashic covers of classic Israeli songs!

Linda and Noah talk about (1) Head of the General Security Agency, or Shabak, Ronen Bar’s affidavits to the Supreme Court that one journalist says “will shape the security and democratic future of the State of Israel”; and (2) The strange quantum-entanglement of the Holocaust and October 7th, and whether we learn anything about the one event from the other.

All this and, ahead of Memorial Day, last words left by soldiers for their families.

Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: The controversy behind this year’s picks to light the Mesuot.

Miriam Herschlag, Sara Hirschhorn and Noah Efron talk about (1) The open-letter from Airforce reservists and retirees, calling on the Government to end the war, the army’s scorched-earth response, and the flood of letters-of-support for the original letter – What’s it all mean?; and (2) The decision by Hebrew University’s elite publishing house, Magnes, to shelve plans to publish a Hebrew translation of Mein Kampf, and whether or not there is a place on Israeli shelves for Hitler’s now-100-year-old manifesto.

All this and a singular record launch, a memorial tribute to Yaakov Kirschen, the auteur behind “Dry Bones,” and meeting a legend of Israeli song.