At Passover Seders all around the world, a place setting was laid before a chair left empty for one of the 133 hostages held in Gaza. We look back at the 200 days of anguish, hope, and despair that divide Simchat Torah on October 7 from this week’s holiday.

Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. —Going Too Farsi? (Or, the Persian Incursion)— We — with the help of the US, UK, Jordan and other capable allies — buffly rebuffed the biggest missile and drone attack on Israel ever. But what does it tell us about the past and augur for the future? —Passover, 5784— How is this Passover different from all other Passovers? Plus, a bereaved father on solidarity, flower-girls, fruit bats and more music of our times.

Marking six months since the massacres and the start of the war, Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Us, Here— Whether and how we Israelis have changed, in light of all that has happened. Are we different than we were six months and one week ago? —Us, There— Whether and how we Jews around the world have changed, in light of all that has happened. Are we different than we were six months and one week ago? —Iran’s Promised “Persian Incursion”— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Are we losing sleep over Iran’s promised “Persian Incursion”? Plus, the presence of October 7 around the Seder table. And, more music of our times.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Families 2.0— The organization of the families of the hostages has decided to change strategies, linking its campaign to bring the hostages home to the campaign for “elections now.” Is the fight to get the hostages home entering a new phase? —Sidelocks & Sidearms— A Supreme Court injunction cuts off, cold-turkey, funding for army-aged, ultra-Orthodox Yeshiva students who learn instead of serve. Couldn’t they have let the turkey get to room-temperature? —Snap Judgement— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Should a photographer who watched and snapped his shutter while people were being killed, raped and kidnapped get a prize for a picture he took? Plus a farewell to one of the country’s greatest novelists and activists. And, more music of our times.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and newly-minted Doctor of Thinkology Gilad Halpern discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Abstention Dissension— There seems to be a very fast decline in US-Israel relations, after the Americans abstain on a UN Security Council resolution that Israel expected them to veto. Are Israel and America, like Ross and Rachel, on a break? —Standard Deviation— An expert in urban warfare says Israel is more careful to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza than any other army in history. But even if that is true, does it matter? —The Great Rupture in American Jewish Life— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Is Peter Beinart right that there is a “great rupture in American Jewish life”? If he is, should we worry? Plus a farewell to a man who spent decades rebuilding violins that survived the Holocaust, often when the musicians who played them did not. Plus more music of our times.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and ubermensch writer Bradley Burston discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Despite It All, Peace?— Is all we are sayin’, just give peace a chance? —Amalek— Is it like reverse anti-Semitism? —The End of Israel— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Kafka said, “A book must be an ice-axe for the frozen sea within us.” This one is. Order Bradley Burston’s new book, The End of Israel: Dispatches from a Path to Catastrophe, here! Plus a glimpse into the worlds of ultra-Orthodox parents of kids who grew up ultra-Orthodox and were murdered at the druggy, dancy, free-lovey Nova festival. Plus more music of our times.

Miriam Herschlag, Allison Kaplan Sommer and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —אַ סוף צו אַ גאָלדען עלטער אין אַ גאלדענע מדינה— This month’s Atlantic cover story argues that the “Golden Age” for American Jews has come to a close and, with it, maybe the “Golden Age” for America and the “Golden Age” for Jews. Is the US putting the “mean” back into “reversion to the mean”? —Retracted— A well-regarded literary journal retracts an essay by an Israeli on account of, well, what exactly? Is it a literary crime to be an Israeli in 2024? —Hurricane— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: This year’s Eurovision is gonna be a sh*tshow. Plus poetry on the moon and more songs of these troubled days.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Jerusalem, Mon Amour?— What’s it mean that Jerusalem just elected to its city council a straight-up majority of ultra-Orthodox men? —Reckoning?— Is it time for soul-searching and spiritual reckoning over the death and destruction in Gaza? —Five Months— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Five months since October 7, we are awfully tired. All that and remembering Beige Shohat, plus more songs of these troubled days.

Miriam Herschlag, Allison Kaplan Sommer and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Going Local— They say that, in a democracy, even the most humble among us can be elected to public office. Now we know it’s true! —Mayor for Life— Few positions have more job security than mayor of a major city in Israel. —Jon Stewart Goes Viral on the Gaza War— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Jon Stewart goes viral on the Gaza war. All this and a memorial tribute to MK Charlie Biton, and more songs of our troubled times.

138 days in, The Promised Podcast looks back. —Premonition— —City of Slaughter— —Sally— —The Wheat Grows Again— —The Battalion’s WhatsApp—

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Elections Now?— Billboards all over the country and full-page ads in the papers call for new elections now. Is this a good idea? —The Draft on the Draft: Getting the Shaft?— A crisis is a terrible thing to waste. —Wartime Hookups— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What is it about war that makes people want to pair off? All that and risking the lives of dozens of young men to save the lives of two old men, plus more moving songs of these troubled days.

Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Negotiating With Terrorists— Hamas finally sets out their demands in exchange for releasing the 136 living-and-dead Israeli hostages dragged to Gaza from their homes. Is there anywhere to go from here? —Bar-Raving Time!— Itamar Ben-Gvir is having a moment. —The New York Talk Times— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: The New York Times brings together five historians to explain how Israelis and Palestinians got to where we got. How’d they do? All that and more moving songs of these troubled days.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —A Few Murderous Apples— A dozen United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) workers killed, raped and kidnapped on October 7, and one in four Gazan men who work for UNRWA have ties to Hamas. What can you say to that? —Soldiers of the Dream— Have the reserve soldiers in Gaza discovered the secret to making Israel a better, more decent place? —What Those Dog-Tags Are All About— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What’s up with those dog-tags millions of Israelis wear these days? All that and still more music of our time.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —General Malaise— Former IDF Chief of Staff and member of Israel’s “War Cabinet” says the government is not telling us the truth or making the right decisions when it comes to the war. What now? —In the Shadow of the Shoah— Seventy-nine years after the Nazis surrendered, there’s more talk of the Holocaust than ever. How come? —Sending Your Kid off to the Army When the Country’s At War— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What is it like to drop your kid off at an army induction camp? All that and new, soulful music of our time.

Linda Gradstein, Allison Kaplan Sommer and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Why Did the Army Fail Us?— The first job of the army is to protect us at our borders. —Why Do We Still Believe In the IDF?— Even after everything went wrong, and so many people died, we still trust the IDF. Why? —A New “Normal”— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What’s it like for us to try to get back to some sort of “normal”? All that and a sad voice calling in the wilderness, plus new music for our times by some of the grand eminences of Israeli music.

Miriam Herschlag, Allison Kaplan Sommer and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Phase III— The last phase of the Israel-Hamas war is starting. Why don’t we feel relieved? —South Africa v. Israel— Eighty years after the Holocaust ended, Israel is on trial for genocide. —How Do You Podcast a War?— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: How do you podcast this war? (With Jen Richler, genius producer “Can We Talk?”) All that and the music of Idan Amedi, who was injured badly this week as an IDF reservist in Gaza.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Basic— Israel’s Supreme Court decides, by the thinnest of margins, to overturn an amendment to a “Basic Law” passed by the Knesset. Is that a good thing? —October 90th— Are we stuck reliving over and over the nightmare of October 7? —A New PTSD Treatment— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Will oxygen help wipe our trauma clean? All that and new music for coping with grief and worry.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Back to the Basics of Bouncing Bibi?— Do you oust the man who is leading you in war? —“Under Renovation”— Does Israel have any Left left at all? —Watching the War in Cinematic 4K— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: The IDF, the government, and the public broadcast corporation Kan are making polished high-def videos about the war. Is it bizarre, maybe counter-productive, to make “cinematic” videos about what is, after all, a terrible business? All that and a heartfelt tribute to a heroin dealer and Eviatar Banai’s covers of classic songs for these days of violence and grief.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —What They Think About Us— More than half college-age American kids think Israel should be “ended and given to Hamas”? Really? —What They Think About Them— 72% of Palestinians on the West Bank think Hamas’s decision to do what it did on October 7 “was the correct one”? Really? —What We Think about Us & Them— Four in five Israelis tell pollsters that the suffering of Gaza civilians shouldn’t change how Israel fights the war? Really? —Adam Unrehearsed!— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Don Futterman reads part of his new novel, Adam Unrehearsed! It’s like hearing Crime & Punishment read by Dostoyevsky, or the Bible read by God! All that and songs of these times, mostly sung together.

William Blake once counselled “to see a world in a grain of sand.” In this very special podcast episode, Noah tries to see our troubled world right now, in a Whatsapp thread or a TikTok “For You.” —The Battalion WhatsApp— —Dog of War— —Post Hoc, Ergo TikTok—