'The government doesn't make its case': 5 Israeli Thinkers on criticizing Israel

'The government doesn't make its case': 5 Israeli Thinkers on criticizing Israel

Author: 18Forty August 25, 2025 Duration: 19:58
What is the most legitimate criticism leveled against Israel today?
We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question.
Here are our top 5 answers from:

5. Benny Morris
4. Uri Zaki
3. Einat Wilf
2. Yishai Fleisher
1. Michael Oren

18Forty launched its new website! This is your address for today’s biggest Jewish questions. Please enjoy rummaging through our trove of podcasts, essays, videos, and more. Happy searching!

What does it mean to live a meaningful life? How do we navigate doubt, find purpose, or understand suffering? 18 Questions, 40 Mystics explores these profound human inquiries through a distinctly Jewish mystical lens. Hosted by Rabbi Benji Levy, this series from 18Forty engages in deep, personal conversations with a diverse global community of thinkers-including rabbis, kabbalists, artists, and teachers-each deeply immersed in mystical tradition. The format is elegantly simple yet expansive: eighteen core existential questions posed to forty different voices, yielding a rich tapestry of perspectives drawn from ancient wisdom and contemporary experience. Listeners will encounter discussions that weave together spirituality, daily practice, and the inner dimensions of faith known as pnimiyut. This isn't about abstract theory; it's about the practical and soulful insights that arise when earnest questioning meets lived spiritual knowledge. Whether you're well-versed in Jewish texts or simply curious about the intersection of mysticism and modern life, each episode offers a unique point of reflection and inspiration. The conversations are intimate and revealing, designed not to provide monolithic answers but to illuminate the many paths toward understanding. Tune in for a journey that is as much about the questions we all share as it is about the diverse, thoughtful responses from those who have dedicated their lives to contemplation. This podcast serves as a rare gateway into the minds and hearts of today's leading mystical practitioners.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 74

18 Questions, 40 Mystics
Podcast Episodes
Uri Zaki: 'The war has to end in Gaza' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:07
Uri Zaki supported Israel's war against Hamas from the getgo—but the killing of six hostages and Sinwar's assassination were a turning point. Now, he thinks it needs to end.Uri Zaki is a left-wing political thinker and a…
Lahav Harkov: 'We are winning' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:22
Israel's multi-front war changes by the day—but Lahav Harkov thinks Israel is winning.A long-time journalist covering Israel's domestic and international affairs, Lahav speaks with an insider's investigation and knowledg…
Rivka Ravitz: 'Being separated is at the core of being Haredi' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:30
Rivka Ravitz may be a long-time Haredi political thinker, but that doesn't mean she thinks politics is always the answer.Since her father-in-law first employed her in the Knesset at age 18, Rivka has spend decades workin…
David Stav: 'Israel as a state should not be a religious state' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:59
Israel should not be a religious state, Rabbi David Stav says, and then its citizens could more freely welcome religion into their lives.The Chief Rabbi of Shoham, an Israeli town with a large secular populace, Rabbi Sta…