A New Generation’s View of Israel: Identity, Service, and Hard Questions with Adam Penkin

This week on Tel Aviv Diary, we step away from the familiar voices of seasoned officials and veteran diplomats to hear from a very different Israeli generation. Our guest, Adam Penkin, offers a candid and strikingly nuanced look at the country through the eyes of a young man shaped by a global upbringing, elite combat service, and ongoing reserve duty during Israel’s most turbulent years.Born in London, raised in Hong Kong, and brought to Israel as a teenager, Penkin speaks openly about his unexpected path into one of the IDF’s most prestigious combat units, the realities—and moral tensions—of reserve duty from Gaza to the northern border, and how service changes a person’s sense of the country. From his perspective on Palestinians and settlers to the failures of Israeli political culture, the crisis of civil–military trust, and the future of coexistence, Penkin brings honesty, introspection, and intellectual depth rarely heard in public conversations today.This is an episode about a generation caught between war and idealism, identity and responsibility, frustration and hope. It is a conversation that challenges assumptions and widens the lens on Israel in 2025. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe