The Shabby Shenanigan of Shimon Shilling / The Promised Podcast

We discuss the behavior of former PM and President Shimon Peres; learning to love Israel's culture wars, and celebrating Israel in the age of ambivalence.

Apr 28, 2015 6:27 AM

“Say it ain’t so! Tell us we’re dreamin’, Shimon!” — Raphi Kotz

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Don, Noah, and special guest Debra Kamin discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pillorying Peres for pilfering
We discuss whether former PM and President Shimon Peres deserves to be pilloried for shilling for Israel’s richest and most rapacious bank, Bank HaPoalim, in exchange for $30,000 a month. “Say it ain’t so! Tell us we’re dreamin’, Shimon!”

The Culture Wars: “Burn, baby, burn!”
We discuss an essay by brilliant journalist, writer, cultural critic, screenwriter, and documentary film maker Nissan Shor, arguing that Israel is in flames, but the best thing to do is bring a bag of marshmallows and develop our appetite for destruction.

Celebrating Israel in the Age of Ambivalence
We ask how Independence Day should be celebrated in 2015, an age when ponderous ceremonies and jets-flying-overhead-in-formation may not be the sources of inspiration they once were, and when ambivalence saturates the land.