In the 1990s, a scrappy instant messaging service from Israel became an international sensation. A hundred thousand new users joined every day, and the young internet couldn’t get enough. The man who backed the company early, Dr. Yossi Vardi, knew the world was about to change when he first saw the software in action, but he never imagined it would change this much.

This time, we will tell the story of the improbable rise of ICQ. How one company created a generation of tech dreamers and helped turn Israel into the Startup Nation.

Guest: Dr. Yossi Vardi

Host: Elad Simchayoff, Executive Producer: Gusti Yehoshua Braverman, Producer: Nir Goraly, Sound Design and Mix: Daniel Shemer

It began as a network of Islamic charities: Schools, clinics, and food drives serving Gaza’s poorest families. But within a few years, that network evolved into Hamas: a militant organisation waging jihad against Israel, the absolute ruler of Gaza, and the orchestrator of the October 7th attack.

Born from the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood and guided by an antisemitic charter, Hamas built an empire of arms and billions of dollars. It became one of the most powerful terror groups in the world, and it all started with one man in a wheelchair. Today, we bring you - The Origin Story of Hamas.

Join us for more on: israelipuzzle.com Guest: Shlomi Eldar

Executive Producer: Gusti Yehoshua Braverman, Host: Elad Simchayoff, Producer: Rom Atik, Sound Design and Mix: Assaf Rappaport

In the 1960s and 70s, hundreds of thousands of young volunteers from the UK, Sweden, the US, and across the Western world came to Israel to live and work on kibbutzim. For a generation of idealistic, left-leaning youth, the kibbutz offered a rare opportunity: A living, breathing experiment in equality, community, and hard work under the Mediterranean sun.

For many, it was an unforgettable chapter of connection between the Western Left and Israel. But that bond didn’t last.

What began as a love affair gradually turned into disillusionment. The same cultural and political movements that once celebrated Israel’s socialist experiment now lead the campaign against it.

Join us for more at: israelipuzzle.com

Guests:

Professor Yaara Bar-On, Paul Mor, and Yoav Bril

Host: Elad Simchayoff, Executive Producer: Gusti Yehoshua Braverman, Producer: Nir Goraly, Sound Design and Mix: Daniel Shemer