'There is no hope—but there is faith': 5 Israeli Thinkers on the country's future

'There is no hope—but there is faith': 5 Israeli Thinkers on the country's future

Author: 18Forty September 8, 2025 Duration: 24:54
Do you have more hope or fear for Israel and the Jewish People?
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. Gadi Taub
4. Shani Taragin
3. Rachelle Fraenkel
2. Yossi Klein Halevi
1.  Anshel Pfeffer

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
Michael Oren: 'We are living in biblical times' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:55
Israel is a heroic country, Michael Oren believes—but he concedes that it is a flawed heroic country.Michael Oren—our 40th Israeli thinker—served as Israeli ambassador to the U.S. from 2009-2013 under Prime Minister Benj…
Micah Goodman: 'I don't want Gaza to become our Vietnam' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:13
Micah Goodman doesn't think Palestinian-Israeli peace will happen within his lifetime. But he's still a hopeful person.Named by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews, Micah is a public intellectual, w…
'The head of the snake': 8 Israeli Thinkers on the threat of Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:20
Two weeks ago, Israel struck Iran's nuclear facilities, military sites, and leaders. Iran launched a barrage of missiles into Israel. Now, the war has only intensified.Today's episode features eight Israeli thinkers disc…
Elli Fischer: 'The Torah ideal is for Israel to be a religious state' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:54
The Torah wants Israel to be a religious state, Rabbi Elli Fischer says. Just, maybe, not right now. A historian, writer, translator, and educator, Elli Fischer extensively explores the relationship between Jewish law an…