The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Iran fired over a dozen missiles and several drones at the United Arab Emirates on Monday, renewing attacks on the Gulf state for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold last month. Berman explains how US President Donald Trump really doesn't want to go back to war. But, at the same time, he might.
Lebanon’s parliament speaker said on Monday there could be no negotiations with Israel without a halt to the war that has raged on in southern Lebanon in spite of a ceasefire. Since the Iran negotiations are so intrinsically tied to the conflict in Lebanon, Berman speaks about Israel's difficult position.
In the final half of the program, we turn to the concept of "strategic independence." We hear how European leaders on Monday said that Trump’s snap decision to pull thousands of US troops out of Germany is a fresh sign that Europe must take care of its own security. And earlier this week, we heard from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future defense procurement will focus on expanding Israel’s capabilities and its independence. Berman weighs in.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Iran restarts attacks on Emirates as US fights to restore traffic in Strait of Hormuz
Lebanon’s Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker: No talks with Israel until war ends
Europe seeks to ‘take charge’ of its own defense as US to cut presence of troops
Netanyahu says project to counter drone threat underway, but ‘will take time’
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the war with the US and Israel, calling it unacceptable. Meanwhile, Trump said the United States would on Monday morning begin an effort to “guide” stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, which he is branding "Operation Freedom." Fabian fills us in on an IDF briefing he attended on Friday, which assessed the Iran war's achievements so far.
Amid constant tit-for-tat explosive conflict between Hezbollah and the IDF, the ceasefire doesn't exist in southern Lebanon, states Fabian. We delve into the Iranian-backed terror group's use of relatively cheap drones that are guided by fiber optic cables, making them effectively immune to electronic jamming.
US President Donald Trump’s ​plan for the Gaza Strip, which was initially embraced by Israel and Hamas, calls for Israeli troops to withdraw from the enclave and reconstruction to ⁠start as Hamas lays down its weapons. As Hamas is not showing any signs of disarming, how is the IDF preparing?
Religious Zionist rabbis from a range of institutions representing the community expressed their concern over a plan to allow women to serve with men in the Israel Defense Forces Armored Corps, with at least some vowing to instruct the students not to serve in tanks as long as that remains a possibility. Fabian delves into the recent conscription data of fighters from the haredi community versus female fighters.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Trump: Latest Iran terms unacceptable; US on Monday to start guiding ships out of Hormuz
IDF official says Iran war will be ‘one big failure’ if enriched uranium not removed
Hezbollah fires rockets at troops in Lebanon, no injuries; IDF strikes terror sites
Ministers set to discuss renewing Gaza war as Hamas refuses to disarm — report
Religious Zionist rabbis say students will not enlist in Armored Corps with women
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and edited by Ari Schlacht.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Jewish world and real estate correspondent Zev Stub joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
WATCH the full episode here:

With London Jews feeling scared and angry about last week's stabbing attack of two men in Golders Green, Stub discusses the community sentiment that the government isn't doing enough to fight antisemitism, and similarities to events in Canada and Australia.
Stub reports on his trip to the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, noting that the local economy, weakened by more than two years of war, has only 60% of residents who have returned after being evacuated.
There is a need for more ultra-Orthodox housing, Stub discusses, reviewing possible government plans to create three Haredi hubs in the south and raising questions about economic viability and the various social service issues inherent in an ultra-Orthodox city.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.For further reading:
Starmer booed at site of Golders Green terror; promises to tackle antisemitism, extremism
‘The city is dead’: Israel’s north struggles to recover as war leaves uneven economic scars
Housing snapshot April 2026: Home prices continue slide, bringing yearly drop to 1.7%
Separate cities or shared space? Ministries at odds over huge Negev housing plan for Haredim
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Jewish world and real estate correspondent Zev Stub joins host Jessica Steinberg on today's Daily Briefing. (ToI)
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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
This week, before diving into our two films for this week, we revisit the 1960 film "Exodus" with a few reflections based on listeners' responses -- and Hoffman's musing while sweeping.
We then hear about the movie maven's night out enjoying the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, and the E-Street Band's longtime Jewish musicians.
The first film we chew over in this week's episode is a short, 13-minute indie production called "How to Make Challah" by Sarah Rosen. The intergenerational look at New York Jewry is framed within footage filmed by Rosen's aunt of her grandmother making challah in 1975.
Now #1 on Netflix in Israel, Sadie Sandler's new "Roommates" left the team almost speechless, but they valiantly rallied at the sight of Jewish acting greats Natasha Lyonne, Nick Kroll and Carol Kane. Chloe East stars as Celeste, joined by Sadie Sandler as Devon. Does her apple fall far from the Adam Sandler tree?
Stick around to see if "How to Make Challah" and "Roommates" got an "oy," "meh" or "not bad" in this week's The Reel Schmooze.
The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur.
On Sunday, former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid announced a joint run for this year's Israeli elections.
Immediately, polling showed that the combined electoral slate, dubbed “Together,” would win a total of 26 seats if elections were held Monday, placing them ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud as the Knesset’s largest party, according to Channel 12.
Later in the week, Opposition Leader Lapid told Bennett that he was willing to take third place, rather than second, on their joint electoral slate if it would help secure a broader merger with Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot.
On this week's episode, in the spirit of the newly completed NFL draft, we play fantasy football and weigh the merits of the current parties and politicians vyying for the Knesset in this year's election.
And so this week, we ask Haviv Rettig Gur what matters now.
What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Haviv Rettig Gur (courtesy) / Green Bay Packers quarterback Taylor Elgersma (19) throws during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, August 16, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
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