In this episode Benji and Avi sit down (and then stand up when he walks in, and then sit down again after he sits down) with Rabbi Seth Farber! We find out how he is the descendent of smugglers and grand rabbis, why his face is on the dartboards of so many religious parties, and how ITIM - the NGO he founded - helps well-meaning Israelis navigate the labyrinths of the Chief Rabbinate, especially when it comes to important lifecycle events. We dive deep into (clean?) mikvah waters, and find out how he and his team at ITIM have touched the lives of tens of thousands of Israelis and made life here a little easier, and a little more Jewish. A warning to our listeners - this episode touches on some sensitive topics, especially relating to certain issues around burial, so please keep that in mind.

Send us a text

Benji and Avi spent Passover in the north of Israel, and in this episode they discuss the repairs and improvements Israel has made there, as well as the repairs and improvements they need to make to their post-Passover physiques. On the way, they dish on everything from the comeback of rudeness in American culture, to the most conscientious urologist in Israel. They're spillin' the matzoh, with no gefilters!

Send us a text

Join Benji and Avi for a tour of what's maddening this March. High-altitude inequality, an incomplete Egyptian pantheon, Trump, Bibi - there's a lot to cover!

Send us a text

In this episode, Avi tells us what he really thinks about the Palestinians while Benji suffers in more ways than one.

Send us a text

In this episode, Benji and Avi sit down with Michal Cotler-Wunsh, Israel's special envoy for combating antisemitism. We discuss Michal's childhood playing hide-and-seek with senior politicians in the Knesset, her immigration experiences, life as an MK, and Israel's long-forgotten war against color TV. Michal shares her deep insight into the post-October 7th outbreak of of global antisemitism, and how we can confront it.

Send us a text

In this episode, Benji and Avi sat down with Alex Haruni, owner of the fabulous Dalton Winery in the north of Israel and all around great guy. We talked with Alex about wine in general, what's special about making wine in Israel, and the particular challenge of making wine in Israel when rockets are falling in your vineyards. We learned as much as we drank (a lot)!

While describing his riveting and globe-spanning family history, Alex discussed the fascinating story of the crypto-Jews of Mashhad. An illuminating article on the subject, written by his aunt, can be found here.

Thank you to our sponsor: The Keter Travel Passover 2025 program at the Isrotel Design Gomeh hotel in Migdal, Israel on the shores of the Kinneret. For more information or to book your rooms at the program, contact Mike Smigel at mikesmigel@gmail.com or visit the Keter Travel website at www.ketertravel.com.

Send us a text

In this episode, Benji and Avi cover a lot of ground - missiles flying over Raanana (and sometimes landing there), the US elections, the replacement of Israel's defense minister, bigamy, Molotov cocktails and much more. It's another normal week in an abnormal world. Enjoy!

Send us a text

In the days leading up to Yom Kippur, Benji and Avi were looking for ways to avoid asking themselves the tough questions that a serious introspection would demand - and they found it! In this, our pilot Q&A episode, we answered questions sent in by listeners. From the situation in Israel to ET the extraterrestrial, we covered a lot of ground. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. If you have questions you'd like us to address in a future Q&A, please send them in using the link below.

Send us a text