Balagan

The Ultra-Orthodox Challenge for Israel's economy with Professor Dan Ben David

The Corona crisis uncovered sensitive challenges Politicians refused to own, but are big and have a far bigger impact on Israel’s future. The Ultra-Orthodox communities’ separatism from the state of Israel, refusing to integrate into Modern Israel, while using their political power to budget their way of living, of the state’s budget, growing in numbers yearly and becoming a challenge for the state of Israel. How long can this go along?

Professor Dan Ben-David, A world knowen researcher of Economic Growth & Development and Israel Economy, President and Founder of the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research is here with me to discuss the challenges with the “Hardeim” and what the state of Israel needs to do.

To read more of Prof. Ben-David and the Shoresh institution please check their website at - https://shoresh.institute/

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A different Approach in Israel's society & Politics with Yair Assulin

Democracies are failing. Civil society is in a crisis. In Israel, it is more sensitive due to the big disagreements around state and religion, the occupation, corruption, and much more. But' our guest has a different point of view with an interesting solution - 

Yair Assulin, born in 1986, studied philosophy and history at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The Drive is the first of two novels he has written and for which he won Israel's Ministry of Culture Prize and the Sapir Prize for debut fiction.

 

To read more about Yair and his book "The Drive" that was translated into English please check the following link - https://newvesselpress.com/authors/yair-assulin/#:~:text=Yair%20Assulin%2C%20born%20in%201986,Sapir%20Prize%20for%20debut%20fiction.

Why Israel doesn’t have a Constitution with Eeki Elner

Unlike in the US, the state of Israel doesn’t have a constitution, but a set of Basic Laws.

The idea of a constitution was brought in the declaration of independence, who gave a mandate to the “Founding Assembly” to form a constitution, based upon it the political formation of Israel will be built.

The Founding Assembly did not fulfill its purpose, and the question of a constitution is very sensitive in Israel and we are here to explain what happened, does Israel even need a Constitution, and what is the status today.

Eeki Elner, the founder and CEO of the Israel Leadership Institute, The Israel Leadership Institute North America - based in Ohio, and a Motivational speaker, has a long-lasting public career. Among his past roles is Advisor to the Minister of Education (Prof. Amnon Rubinstein), who was a co-founder of the Freedom of Religion Coalition in Israel and many other activities. Eeki served as the CEO of “Constitution for Israel” under Professor Uriel Reichmann and is her to enlighten us on what was done in order to form a Constitution.

The Israel Leadership Institute website - https://israeleader.com/en/

Israeli Democracy is under attack. Is it really in danger? with Uri Zaki

Israeli Democracy is under attack. Is it really in danger? That was my discussion with Uri Zaki.

Uri is the founder of The Front & Chair of the Meretz Executive Board  

Following military service as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces, Uri embarked on a career that that focused on promoting peace and challenging the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.  He was a senior advisor to former Justice Minister and peace camp leader, Yossi Beilin. He took part in the talks that formulated the Geneva initiative and was the main spokesperson of the initiative.

Between 2010-2013 Uri was the Director of B’Tselem USA, a Washington-based non-profit representing the Israeli human rights organization in the US. Uri later was the Israel Advocacy & Public Outreach Consultant at Human Rights Watch.

Uri held several positions in the Meretz Party, among them Chair of Young Meretz, Member of the Executive Board, and President of the Governing Assembly. In the 2019 national elections, he was the Director of the Strategic Team of the campaign.

In 2020 Uri was elected as the party’s Executive Board.

Uri serves on the Financial Committee of the Association of Civil Rights in Israel.

Today, Uri leads the Front (for the Protection of Democracy) – a unique organization in the Israeli progressive landscape that acts as an assertive “attack-dog” against the new-right and its anti-democratic infrastructure via opposition research, media campaigns, and legal action.  

Uri holds a law degree (LLB) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a Master’s degree (LLM) in Human Rights Law at the Emile Zola Chair for Human Rights at the College for Academic Management Studies.

Uri is a frequent contributor to the Israeli, American and international media. Uri was the co-host together with the late Ari Fuld of the weekly show “Israeli Frenemies” on ILTV.

 To learn more about the Front - https://hachazit.org.il/

Solidarity in NOT a bad word with Nir Reisler

In days of Polarization, Along with Nir Reisler, we discussed the special views of Berl Katznelson – One of the Intellectual founders of the Labor Zionism, who was able to include Nationalism, Socialism & Universalism under one roof.

We were also able to make the distinction between Socialism and Communism and between Nationalism and Patriotism.

Nir Reisler is the Editor of “Seventy Faces to Zionism” and the Content Manager of the Berl Katzanelson Foundation.

20 Years to the 2nd Intifada with Dr. Ido Zelkovitz

September 28^th 2000 marked the 1^st day of the 2^nd Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada. More than 1,000 Israelis and 5,000 Palestinians died in this bloody era. Along with Dr. Ido Zelkovitz, we tried to understand, what happened, what’s sparked the 2^nd Intifada, and what was Yasser Arafat’s (Former chairman of the PLO and President of the Palestinian Authority) part in the Intifada.

Dr. Zelkovitz is an Israeli historian and researcher of the modern Middle East. He is a research fellow at the University of Haifa, a Policy fellow at Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Affairs, and the Head of Middle Eastern Studies at the Yisrael Valley College.

Why most Israelis LOVE Donald Trump

Along with my friend Kobby Barda, author of “The Key to Understanding Donald J. Trump: The president who broke the rules of the game”, we discussed the most controversial president Donald Trump and why he is so popular in Israel. 

The book is available on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Key-Understanding-Donald-Trump-president-ebook/dp/B082HSZ4DH 

The czar, Charedim & Netanyahu. Why is Israel failing dealing with Covid-19 with Jeff Becker

Bibi made Israel first! Israel has scored a record of averaging 4,000 tested positive Israelis a day, making Israel the state with most sick people per capita. Why is this happening? What are the political aspects of the failed policymaking and when will be a change, Will Bennet challenge Netanyahu and what is happening with Yair Lapid & Yesh Atid party?

#BalaganPodcast #Netabyahu #YairLapid #IsraeliPolitics

A rising star - Benjamin Netanyahu's rise in Israeli Politics

There is no doubt that Benjamin Netanyahu is a skillful politician. But when did he first step in the political arena and how he dealt with "the Princes" of the Likud Party? Eli Vered Hazan tells us.

 

The Likud Party between 1977 to 1983

Along with Eli Hazan we review the Begin’s era as PM - From the “Mahapach”) Reverse / Change) in 1977 until Menachem Begin’s retirement. What were the biggest changes the Likud entered in Israeli politics of those days, what reforms were made, and what was the relationship withing the Likud’s leadership.