Today the media loves to discuss “settler violence,” but it is rarely interested in its historical origins. This episode picks up the story of Yehuda Etzion and Menachem Livni who had set out to trigger redemption by any means necessary. As it turns out, events went in another direction and their actions continue to have…
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In politics as in physics – for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Prime Minister Menachem Begin’s signing of the Camp David Accords with Egypt’s Anwar Sadat did not produce a singular response, but it did send shock waves through every aspect of Israeli society. Among the idealists of the settlement movement,…
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It is rare that someone who begins a movement is still leading strong fifty years later. Daniella Weiss was part of the original settlement of Judea and Samaria in the early 1970s, specifically Elon Moreh and Kedumim where she served as mayor. She remains an outspoken force within the Jewish settlement movement today with the…
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Is anyone else feeling a little frayed around the edges? Here is an interlude where I give some insight on how to avoid snapping under the pressure of our world, and even how to fray with grace. Send me an email at ravmikefeuer@gmail.com if you want to set up a counseling session about how to take these…
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The domestic political upheaval of the Menachem Begin victory in 1977 was followed quickly by an international earthquake in 1978 when Israel and Egypt agree to make peace. Here is the story of how shifts within two societies, and two leaders, led to the signing of the Camp David Accords. Learn about the tension Egyptian…
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Menachem Begin’s upheaval victory in the 1977 Israeli elections was the beginning of revolutionary change for the Jewish State, not the end. Some who rejoiced will be bemused, others who were skeptical will be surprised. This episode explores the aftermath of Begin’s election as it intersected fault lines within his society and within himself. Learn…
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There are few events in the history of Israel’s democracy which have had a greater impact than the elections of 1977. When all the votes were counted three decades of Labor Zionist rule had come to an end and Menachem Begin and his Likud party was victorious. It is known in Israeli history as ‘the…
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Many people look at the world today and feel the foundations of American power shaking – and most are afraid. Here is an episode about empires, made in the spirit of Hanukkah. Rav Mike takes a look backward to seek wisdom for survival in imperial transitions Am Yisrael has weathered in the past, touches on…
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Have you ever wondered why exactly Hanukkah lasts eight days? You may be familiar with the ‘jar of oil’ answer, but this interlude will give you a lot more to think about. Tune in to Rav Mike’s annual class on Hanukkah in honor of the yarzheit of his father, Charles Feuer, obm.
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Heroism is a precious quality, and one strong enough to change the world. Here is the story of the Israeli mission to free hostages held by Arab terrorists in Entebbe, Uganda perhaps the most heroic mission of its time. At its heart lies a person who in many ways embodies the qualities of his generation…
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