Tel Aviv Diary Podcast

In this reflective episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman marks two historic milestones: 1,000 days since October 7th and the 250th anniversary of American independence. Speaking from Tel Aviv, Marc reflects on a lifetime lived between two countries—born and raised in America, shaped by American history, but rooted in Israel as home.The episode moves between personal memory and national reckoning: the meaning of July 4th, the legacy of America as a haven for Jews, the rescue at Entebbe during the U.S. Bicentennial, and the very different mood surrounding America’s 250th year. Marc examines the parallels between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the politics of division, the erosion of democratic norms, and the weakening of America’s role as a moral force in the world.Turning to Israel, Marc reflects on the thousand days since October 7th, the hostage crisis, the strategic failures of the war, and the growing recognition that Israel’s diplomatic position has rarely been worse. He discusses the Herzliya Conference, Nitzan Alon’s remarks on the hostage negotiations, the launch of Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, and why the coming Israeli election may be one of the most consequential in the country’s history.This is a more personal and historical episode—about patriotism, disappointment, memory, responsibility, and the urgent need for new leadership in both Israel and America. 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

Marc Schulman speaks with Devora Mason, a Canadian-Israeli tech and capital strategist whose career has moved from Jerusalem’s startup scene to venture capital, infrastructure, and AI-driven investment. Mason discusses her new venture, Acadia Green, which focuses on the physical infrastructure behind artificial intelligence: data centers, energy, and the capital needed to build them.The conversation ranges widely: why AI is becoming an energy and sovereignty issue, why family offices are looking for direct access to infrastructure deals, and why Israel remains central to the technologies that power data centers even when most of the projects are abroad. Marc and Devora also discuss the shift of talent from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, the decline in foreign delegations since the war, the challenges facing women founders in Israeli tech, and the broader question of whether AI represents a new industrial revolution—or something far more disruptive. 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

This week on the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, Marc Schulman returns to his Tel Aviv studio after several days in Budapest to examine one of the most consequential weeks Israel has faced since the fighting with Iran came to an end. Rather than focusing on the battlefield itself, Marc argues that the real story is what happened afterward: the diplomatic fallout, the strategic mistakes, and what he believes is a profound failure of long-term planning by Israel’s leadership.Marc explains why he believes Israel’s gamble on regime change in Iran failed the moment the regime survived, leaving Israel strategically weakened and increasingly dependent on an American administration that quickly shifted its priorities. He discusses the new U.S.-Iran understandings, the implications for Lebanon and Syria, the continuing military presence on multiple fronts, and why he believes Israel’s current security strategy is stretching the country’s manpower, economy, and diplomatic standing beyond sustainable limits.The episode also examines the growing political battle ahead of Israel’s elections, including the latest polling, Gadi Eisenkot’s emergence as the leading challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the controversial agreements with the ultra-Orthodox parties over military service. Marc explains why he believes Israel’s next government will need to rethink not only its politics but its entire national security doctrine.Beyond Israel, Marc analyzes the surprising Democratic primary victories in New York by candidates highly critical of Israel, what those results may signal about the future of American politics, and how changing attitudes inside the Democratic Party could reshape the U.S.-Israel relationship.Finally, Marc turns to the rapidly accelerating world of artificial intelligence. Drawing on his own daily experience using AI to write, research, program, and redesign major projects, he reflects on why AI is simultaneously the most exciting technological revolution of his lifetime and one of the most unsettling. Whether we welcome it or fear it, he argues, it is already transforming the way we work—and the pace of change is only accelerating.A wide-ranging discussion of strategy, diplomacy, Israeli politics, American politics, technology, and the difficult choices that lie ahead for both Israel and the wider world. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman begins with a candid assessment of the rapidly evolving strategic landscape facing Israel following the latest marathon negotiations between the United States and Iran. Marc examines the implications of linking the Lebanon conflict to the future of the Straits of Hormuz, the growing tensions between Jerusalem and Washington, and the uncomfortable reality of Israel’s dependence on American military, diplomatic, and economic support. He argues that while many Israeli politicians speak of standing up to the United States, the country has not yet developed the military and industrial independence necessary to do so. The result, he suggests, is a strategic dilemma that will require years of planning and investment to overcome.Marc also reflects on the broader lessons of the past several years, including what he sees as Israeli overconfidence in Lebanon, the limits of military power, and the need for a long-term strategy that recognizes both Israel’s strengths and its vulnerabilities. As conflicting claims emerge from Washington and Tehran about inspections, sanctions, and future agreements, he explores why Israel finds itself with fewer options than many would like to admit and what that could mean for the future of U.S.-Israel relations.The second half of the program features an in-depth conversation with Emmy Award-winning journalist, filmmaker, and activist Yuval David. Fresh from participating in an international LGBTQ delegation to Israel and Tel Aviv Pride, David shares how visitors from around the world experienced Israel firsthand, often finding a reality very different from the one portrayed in international media. Together, Marc and Yuval discuss the rise of antisemitism, the growing influence of social media on public opinion, the challenges facing Israel’s public diplomacy efforts, the shifting attitudes of younger generations, and the struggle to counter misinformation in an increasingly polarized world.The conversation concludes with a thoughtful discussion about resilience, Jewish identity, bridge-building, and how individuals and communities can navigate difficult times without surrendering hope. At a moment when Israel faces military, diplomatic, and societal challenges on multiple fronts, this episode explores both the strategic realities of the present and the longer-term battle for public opinion, legitimacy, and the future of the Jewish people. 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

In this urgent episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman speaks from Budapest after news that four more Israeli soldiers were killed in Lebanon. What began as a planned discussion on Hasbara and Jewish identity became, by necessity, a hard look at Israel’s worsening strategic position after the U.S.–Iran agreement.Marc argues that the deal was less a nuclear agreement than a bargain to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—one that gave Iran money, legitimacy, and time while leaving Israel exposed. He examines the growing rupture with Washington, J.D. Vance’s troubling remarks on Israel, the danger of believing Israel can “go it alone,” and the failures of leadership that have left the country without a clear strategy in Lebanon, Iran, or Gaza.The episode closes with a look at Israel’s political future, the rise of Gadi Eisenkot in recent polling, and the immense task awaiting any new government: rebuilding the IDF, repairing relations with America and world Jewry, and restoring strategic clarity after years of drift.#Israel #Iran #Lebanon #Trump #Netanyahu #Eisenkot #Hezbollah #Budapest #TelAvivDiary #Podcast #MiddleEast #Security #Politics #IDF 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

In this episode of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, Marc Schulman speaks with Rabbi Uri Regev, President of Hiddush — Freedom of Religion for Israel — about one of the most important internal battles shaping the future of the Jewish state: the struggle over religion and state.Rabbi Regev, a Reform rabbi, attorney, and longtime legal advocate, discusses his journey from Tel Aviv to the leadership of Israel’s religious freedom movement, the continuing fight for civil marriage, civil burial, gender equality, and the right of Israelis to live free from religious coercion.The conversation also examines the growing power of the ultra-Orthodox parties, state funding for schools that do not teach core curriculum, the draft crisis, and the impact of October 7th and the war on Israeli attitudes toward faith, politics, and democracy.At its heart, this is a discussion about whether Israel can still fulfill the promise of its Declaration of Independence: liberty, justice, equality, and freedom of religion and conscience for all. 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

n this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman speaks with Inbar Harush, one of the leading voices behind the movement for “Service for All” in Israel and a key figure in shaping Yashar’s policy platform under Gadi Eisenkot.Harush, a former CEO of Aharai and former adviser to Defense Minister Benny Gantz, lays out one of Israel’s most urgent structural crises: the erosion of the “people’s army.” She explains how, even before October 7, only a shrinking share of Israel’s 18-year-olds were serving in the IDF, and why the current demographic trajectory threatens the very foundation of mandatory service. The discussion moves from Ben-Gurion’s original vision of a national army to the present reality in which large parts of Israeli society—especially the Haredi community—stand outside the service framework.The conversation then turns to the Haredi draft crisis. Harush describes the autonomy built over decades between the state and ultra-Orthodox institutions, the vast public funding that sustains it, and the way the system has allowed communities to avoid military or civil service while remaining largely outside the reach of the state. She argues that the only serious answer is a new national authority responsible for mandatory service for all Israelis—military service where possible, and meaningful civil service where not.Harush also discusses why October 7 changed the debate, why partial solutions have failed, and why she believes integration into the IDF can be done without erasing Haredi identity. Drawing on successful pilot programs, including intelligence tracks and Haredi hesder-style yeshivas, she argues that with the right structure, budgets, and political will, real change is possible.Finally, Marc and Inbar discuss her decision to join Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party. Harush explains why she sees Eisenkot as a leader capable of restoring trust, rebuilding state institutions, and moving Israel back from tribal fragmentation toward a shared civic identity. It is a conversation about military service, education, political leadership, and the future of the Israeli state.#Israel #TelAvivDiary #IDF #Haredim #GadiEisenkot #Yashar #InbarHarush #October7 #IsraeliPolitics #ServiceForAll #BenGurion #NationalService #IsraeliSociety #Podcast 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman speaks with author Avi Shahaf about his new book, Pain and Healing: Testimonies from the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum. Shahaf, a former organizational consultant who has spent years studying narrative research and human dignity, interviewed Israeli and Palestinian members of the Bereaved Families Forum—people who lost loved ones in the conflict yet chose reconciliation over revenge.The conversation moves from the deeply personal stories in the book to broader questions facing Israeli society today: whether people-to-people encounters can still matter in an age of separation, whether dignity can be restored in Israeli schools and public life, and why some Israelis have chosen to leave the country since October 7. At the center of the discussion is a difficult but vital question: in a society marked by pain, fear, and anger, where can hope still be found? 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

In today’s hybrid episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman opens from Tel Aviv on Friday, June 5, with a wide-ranging assessment of Israel’s current political and strategic moment. He discusses the rising political momentum behind former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, the shifting opposition landscape, Netanyahu’s continued hold on power, and the growing concern over Israel’s standing in the United States. Marc also examines the ongoing war in Lebanon, the strain on the IDF after prolonged combat and reserve duty, the uncertain U.S.-Iran track, and the growing challenge posed by violent ultra-Orthodox protests against state institutions.In the second half of the episode, Marc speaks with filmmaker Gaylen Ross, director of Sapiro v. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford. Ross discusses the remarkable and largely forgotten story of Aaron Sapiro, the Jewish lawyer who took on Henry Ford after Ford’s newspaper, The Dearborn Independent, made him a central target of its antisemitic campaign. The conversation explores Ford’s obsession with Jews, Sapiro’s role in the American cooperative farm movement, the risks of bringing a libel suit against one of the most powerful men in America, and the historical importance of the apology and the closing of Ford’s antisemitic publishing operation. Ross also reflects on documentary filmmaking, forgotten figures in Jewish history, and how stories like Sapiro’s can bring the past vividly into the present. 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

In this wide-ranging episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman sits down with veteran journalist, analyst, and i24NEWS broadcaster Owen Alterman for an in-depth discussion of one of the most important questions facing Israel today: the changing relationship between Israel and the United States. Drawing on his years of research and writing on American Jewry, demographics, and public opinion, Alterman examines how support for Israel has evolved over the last two decades and why many of the trends now worrying Israeli leaders were visible years ago. The conversation explores the origins and evolution of the BDS movement, the demographic transformation of the American Jewish community, and the growing influence of Americans who identify as having no religious affiliation.Schulman and Alterman delve into the dramatic shifts taking place among younger Americans, particularly on college campuses, and discuss the role of social media, academia, and changing demographics in shaping attitudes toward Israel. They debate whether Israel’s declining standing among younger generations is primarily the result of Israeli policies, broader societal changes within the United States, or forces beyond Israel’s control. The discussion also examines the growth of the Muslim population in the United States, the decline of evangelical influence, and the challenges facing traditional pro-Israel advocacy efforts. Throughout the conversation, both men wrestle with a difficult question: can Israel reverse these trends, or is it confronting a long-term structural shift in American society?The conversation then turns to current events, including the ongoing conflict in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s increasingly sophisticated drone attacks, and the mounting casualties suffered by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. Schulman expresses concern that Israel is becoming trapped in another prolonged conflict without a clear strategy for victory, while Alterman argues that Israel’s growing dependence on Washington is limiting its freedom of action. The two discuss President Trump’s handling of Iran negotiations, the possibility of a new agreement with Tehran, and the extent to which Israel’s leadership can influence American policy at a time when public support for Israel appears to be weakening.Despite the sobering subject matter, the episode concludes with a thoughtful reflection on Israel’s resilience and identity. Borrowing from the historical contrast between Athens and Sparta, Schulman and Alterman debate what kind of society Israel seeks to be and whether the country can preserve its democratic and civilian character while confronting mounting security threats. It is a candid, intellectually rich conversation about demographics, diplomacy, war, public opinion, and the strategic challenges that may define Israel’s future for decades to come. 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

In this solo episode of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, Marc Schulman looks back at six turbulent weeks since the ceasefire between the United States, Iran, and Israel was announced. What was supposed to be a temporary pause has turned into a dangerous diplomatic limbo, with President Trump moving between threats of renewed war and hints of a possible agreement with Tehran. Marc argues that Israel may have emerged from the war in a weaker strategic position: Iran remains in power, its nuclear program is unlikely to disappear, sanctions may be eased, and the Strait of Hormuz has become a powerful Iranian bargaining chip.The episode also turns to Lebanon, where Hezbollah’s use of fiber-optic drones has exposed a serious Israeli vulnerability and raised difficult questions about the IDF’s readiness, manpower, and post–October 7 security doctrine. Marc argues that Israel cannot fight forever wars or try to destroy every possible threat in advance; instead, it must rebuild its ability to defend against threats quickly and effectively when they arise.Marc then examines Israel’s shrinking support in the United States, the dangers of losing bipartisan backing, and the approaching Israeli election campaign, where questions of leadership, competence, and Netanyahu’s political future loom large. He also briefly surveys American politics ahead of the midterms, Trump’s continued grip on the Republican Party, and the possible consequences if Democrats regain control of Congress.Finally, Marc turns to AI: an update on his own experience using Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini for programming and writing; Google I/O’s casual announcement about the approach of the “singularity”; and the troubling lack of serious political oversight as artificial intelligence advances at an extraordinary pace. The episode closes on an uneasy note: Israel faces deep strategic challenges, while humanity itself may be racing toward an AI future it has barely begun to debate. 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

In today’s episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc sits down with Israeli entrepreneur, investor, and author Yaniv Rivlin for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of Israel’s economy, society, and startup culture after years of political turmoil, war, and uncertainty.Rivlin recounts his journey from growing up in Katzrin in the Golan Heights to studying at Harvard, working in philanthropy and social impact, launching Bird’s shared scooter operations in Tel Aviv during the height of the mobility revolution, and later founding an investment company focused on small and medium-sized businesses in Israel’s geographic periphery. Along the way, he reflects on why Israeli entrepreneurship continues to thrive under pressure, the role of the military and close-knit social networks in building the country’s tech ecosystem, and the “chutzpah” that continues to define Israeli business culture.The discussion then turns to the deeper strains facing Israeli society after years of COVID, political division, and the post–October 7 reality. Marc and Rivlin examine the widening gap between Israel’s highly successful private sector and what they describe as a struggling and often paralyzed public sector. They discuss the challenges facing small businesses, the collapse of tourism in parts of the country, delayed government compensation, demographic and economic shifts toward Tel Aviv, and whether Israel’s north and south can truly emerge as new centers of growth. The episode closes with a candid exchange about Israeli politics, resilience, and cautious optimism about where the country may stand five years from now. 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

This edition of Tel Aviv Diary combines Marc Schulman’s weekly reflections on Israel’s political and security situation with an in-depth interview on one of Israel’s most important emerging technology sectors: autonomous mobility.Marc opens the episode with a candid assessment of the war on Israel’s northern border, as Hezbollah drone attacks continue and another Israeli soldier is killed in South Lebanon. Drawing on historical parallels from earlier Israeli operations in Lebanon, he discusses the danger of becoming trapped in an endless low-intensity conflict and questions whether Israel’s current security doctrine — the idea that every threat must be eliminated militarily — can realistically provide long-term stability. The conversation then turns to Iran, the uncertain role of President Donald Trump, and the growing concern in Israel that too much of the country’s strategic future has been tied to a single American political figure and a single high-risk policy gamble.Marc also reflects on the approaching Israeli elections and explains why he has decided, for the first time, to move beyond commentary and actively support former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and his new political movement. He describes spending the day campaigning in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market, the reactions he encountered from voters, and why he believes Eisenkot may represent a rare figure capable of reducing some of Israel’s political and social polarization after the trauma of October 7.The second half of the episode shifts from politics and war to technology and the future of transportation. Marc interviews Elad Hofstetter, Chief Business Officer of Innoviz, one of Israel’s leading LiDAR and autonomous driving companies. The discussion explores how LiDAR technology works, why many in the automotive industry believe cameras alone are insufficient for safe autonomous vehicles, and why companies such as BMW, Volkswagen, Mobileye, and others are investing heavily in sensor fusion systems that combine LiDAR, radar, and cameras.The interview also examines the changing economics of autonomous driving technology, the growing role of artificial intelligence in mobility systems, and the broader evolution of the autonomous vehicle market after years of hype and delayed expectations. Hofstetter explains how Innoviz manufactures its systems, how the company survived the difficult consolidation of the LiDAR industry, and why the field may finally be reaching a real commercial turning point. The conversation concludes with a discussion of how technologies originally developed for autonomous vehicles may increasingly find applications in defense and drone detection — subjects now impossible to separate from daily life in Israel. 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

In today’s edition of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman is joined once again by geopolitical and intelligence analyst Ehud Haik for an in-depth discussion on one of the most uncertain moments of the current war. As conflicting signals emerge from Washington and Tehran, Marc and Ehud examine whether the United States and Iran are moving toward another round of fighting or toward an unstable diplomatic arrangement that neither side fully trusts. They discuss the strange events of the previous night, the ongoing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, and why both the Americans and Iranians appear to be calibrating escalation carefully while still preparing for the possibility of a much larger confrontation.The conversation explores Iran’s internal power structure, the growing role of the Revolutionary Guards, and the belief in Tehran that time may be working in Iran’s favor as President Trump’s political leverage gradually weakens heading toward the American midterm elections. Marc and Ehud analyze whether the Iranian strategy of prolonging negotiations could succeed, how China and the Gulf states fit into the broader picture, and why the United States may ultimately feel it cannot allow Iran to dominate the Strait of Hormuz or continue advancing toward a nuclear capability. They also discuss the dangerous reality that neither side appears to be observing a true ceasefire, creating the constant risk that a limited exchange could spiral into a much larger war.The second half of the podcast turns inward toward Israel itself and the growing debate over the country’s long-term strategic direction. Marc and Ehud argue that Israel may now be in a worse strategic position than before the latest round of fighting, particularly in Lebanon. They discuss Hezbollah’s recovery, missed diplomatic opportunities with Lebanon and Syria, and what they describe as an increasingly dangerous belief inside the Israeli government that military force alone can solve every strategic challenge. Ehud warns that Israel is drifting toward what he calls a “Sparta model” — a society permanently mobilized for endless war — and explains why he believes that vision is economically, socially, and politically unsustainable.The discussion also addresses the deeper crisis inside Israeli society: the erosion of democratic norms, growing political violence, tensions surrounding the judiciary and security services, and the widening divide between competing visions of Israel’s future. Marc and Ehud examine how the trauma of October 7 reshaped Israeli politics, why many former political rivals are now finding common ground, and whether a future election could produce a broad coalition focused less on left versus right and more on preserving democratic institutions, restoring competence, and preventing further fragmentation of Israeli society.A wide-ranging and candid conversation on war, strategy, diplomacy, and the future direction of Israel and the Middle East. 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

In this joint episode of Tel Aviv Diary and In This Moment: A Rabbi’s Notebook, Marc Schulman sits down with Rabbi Joshua Hammerman for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation on the state of Israel, American Jewry, and the fragile relationship between them.Broadcast during Schulman’s visit to the United States, the discussion captures a moment of profound anxiety and uncertainty. Both men reflect on the growing sense of fear among American Jews—driven by rising antisemitism, campus hostility, and political polarization—alongside a striking shift in public opinion, where Israel is no longer broadly supported across the American political spectrum. At the same time, they explore the Israeli experience of the past several years: a society shaped by war, repeated missile attacks, mass reserve duty, and an ongoing struggle over the country’s democratic institutions.The conversation moves between the political and the personal. They examine the impact of leadership—both in Israel and the United States—including the roles of Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump, and the consequences of increasingly centralized decision-making. They revisit critical turning points, from the Iran nuclear deal to October 7, and debate whether different choices might have altered the trajectory of events—or whether deeper forces were always at work.A central theme is the growing disconnect between Israeli and American Jewish realities. Schulman describes the daily pressures of life under fire in Tel Aviv, while Hammerman outlines the social and political pressures facing Jews in America, including the erosion of church-state boundaries and the reemergence of both traditional and new forms of antisemitism. Each challenges the other’s assumptions, underscoring how differently these communities now experience the same conflict.The discussion also turns to the battle over narrative—how Israel has struggled to communicate its story in a world dominated by visual media—and the long-term implications of losing the “public relations war.” They explore generational divides, the influence of social media, and the decline of unified Jewish leadership in the United States.Despite the gravity of the issues, the episode ultimately looks toward the future. Drawing on history—from the Holocaust to the peace with Egypt—they ask whether transformative leadership is still possible. Could a figure like Anwar Sadat emerge again? Is there a path to restoring trust between Israel and American Jewry? And can both societies find a way to move beyond trauma toward a renewed sense of purpose?This is a candid, unscripted conversation between two longtime colleagues and friends—one rooted in Tel Aviv, the other in American Jewish life—grappling with some of the most urgent questions facing the Jewish people today, and ending, deliberately, with a search for hope. 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

On the eve of Yom HaZikaron, Marc Schulman is joined once again by Yitzhak Sokoloff for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation about memory, sacrifice, war, and the uncertainty hanging over Israel’s future. As Israel comes to a standstill for Memorial Day, they reflect on the singular weight of Yom HaZikaron in Israeli life, the rising number of fallen soldiers, and the emotional burden carried not only by bereaved families, but by an entire country still living through war.From there, the discussion turns to the larger national picture: the unresolved campaigns against Hezbollah and Iran, the gap between military reality and political rhetoric, and the growing danger Israel faces in the information war abroad. Along the way, they confront painful questions about leadership, morality, deterrence, Jewish identity, and what it means for Israel to defend itself while also trying to remain true to its deepest values. It is a sobering, thoughtful episode about grief, strategy, and the struggle to preserve both security and soul in one of the most difficult periods in Israel’s modern history. 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

In this Friday afternoon episode of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, recorded on April 17 in Tel Aviv, Marc Schulman opens with what he sees as one of the clearest signs yet that the war is winding down: the return of Knaf Tzion, the Israeli government plane, from Berlin to Israel. From there, Marc examines the newly imposed ceasefire in Lebanon, President Trump’s decisive role in shaping Israeli policy, and the widening gap between what the Israeli government promised and what it can actually achieve. At the heart of the episode is a blunt argument: Israel’s leaders continue to promise outcomes they cannot deliver, from eliminating Hezbollah to fundamentally transforming the strategic landscape, and ordinary Israelis, especially those in the North, are once again left disappointed.Marc then turns to the deeper structural problem exposed by nearly three years of war: Israel does not have the military manpower to sustain the ambitions of its government. He lays out, in stark terms, the growing burden on reservists, the overextension of Israeli ground forces across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and multiple borders, and the basic reality that air power alone cannot achieve the political goals being sold to the public. He also looks ahead to what may come next with Iran, arguing that the most likely endgame is some version of a renewed nuclear agreement rather than the sweeping victory once promised. Along the way, he reflects on missed diplomatic opportunities, especially in Lebanon, and asks whether any path to stability remains open.The episode closes with a warning about Israel’s eroding support in the United States, especially among Democrats, following the Senate vote in which 40 Democratic senators opposed funding arms to Israel. Marc argues that Israel’s crisis in American public opinion is not simply a hasbara problem but the result of years of strategic neglect, poor diplomacy, and a failure to understand the cost of certain tactical decisions. He also offers a brief look at the U.S. midterms, shares his latest thoughts on the astonishing speed of AI development, and explains why tools like Claude and other large language models are already transforming business and creative work. A wide-ranging episode on war, diplomacy, American politics, and the future, all from Tel Aviv at what may be the start of a new phase. 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

In this episode of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, Marc Schulman is joined by Joel Rubin, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Obama administration, former congressional staffer, former executive director of the American Jewish Congress, founding political director of J Street, and a longtime figure in Democratic and Jewish public life in Washington. Speaking from the American capital while Marc records from Tel Aviv, Rubin brings a distinctly Washington-based perspective to a conversation centered on where Israel stands after more than two and a half years of continuous war, how the Middle East map has shifted, and why Israel may be in a stronger strategic position regionally than much of the American media is willing to acknowledge.The discussion then turns to the increasingly troubled state of American politics on Israel. Marc and Rubin examine the growing hostility toward Israel inside parts of the Democratic Party, the rise of anti-Israel and at times openly antisemitic rhetoric in both political camps, and the profound role social media algorithms are playing in shaping public opinion. Rubin argues that the old assumptions Israelis often make about unconditional Republican support and complicated but dependable Democratic backing no longer hold. They discuss Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, J Street, AIPAC, the 2028 political horizon, the tensions between Jewish and Arab Americans after October 7, and the broader question of whether the American Jewish community is entering a period of political and communal fragmentation.The episode also asks what Israel can actually do to improve its position in the United States, beyond slogans about hasbara. Marc presses Rubin on how a future Israeli government might reconnect with Democrats, younger Americans, and Jewish communities that no longer view Israel through the same lens as previous generations. Rubin argues that Israel must lean into its real strengths, democracy, diversity, technology, and openness, while also learning to engage critics rather than speaking only to supporters. The conversation closes with a sober but important look at the future of the American Jewish community and with Rubin discussing his forthcoming book, Saving Democratic Foreign Policy, which argues that Democrats must rebuild public trust if they hope to lead the United States on the world stage again. 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

Two days into the ceasefire with Iran, Marc Schulman reports from Tel Aviv on a night that began with hope and ended in a rush to the shelter as missiles from Lebanon shattered the quiet. In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, he examines the fragile reality of the current moment: why Israel may be nearing a diplomatic opening with Lebanon, why military force alone cannot bring lasting quiet in the north, and why the coming negotiations with Iran may determine whether this war ends in strategic gain or long-term failure.Marc also reflects on deeper moral and political questions raised by the war: the human cost of Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the challenge of confronting religiously driven movements such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Iranian regime, and the growing danger of Israel’s eroding support in the United States. He closes with a look at a major AI development from Anthropic and what it may signal about the speed, power, and risks of the next technological era. 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

In today’s Tel Aviv Diary podcast, Marc Schulman is joined by Yair Zivan, Israeli-born communications strategist, former adviser and spokesperson to Shimon Peres and Yair Lapid, and one of the sharper centrist voices in Israeli public life. Their conversation unfolds in real time under fire, with sirens interrupting the interview and sending Marc to shelter before they resume. That interruption becomes part of the story itself: a reminder that for Israelis, the war is not an abstraction, but a daily reality measured in seconds to shelter, shattered apartments, canceled flights, and the constant strain of uncertainty.The discussion begins with the war against Iran and the question hanging over Israel’s military success: can tactical victories be turned into lasting strategic gains? Zivan argues that the war’s stated goals are justified — ending the nuclear threat, reducing the ballistic missile danger, and weakening the regime enough to create an opening for the Iranian people — but warns that military action alone is never enough. Again and again, he says, this government has shown that it knows how to launch operations but not how to build a diplomatic and strategic framework that secures a durable outcome. From Gaza to Lebanon and now Iran, the same pattern repeats itself: battlefield achievements without a coherent political endgame.Marc presses him on the failures of leadership at home, and the two speak candidly about what they see as a deep crisis at the top of the Israeli government. They discuss the lack of planning for the home front, the economy, education, and civilian life, despite the clear expectation that a broader war was coming. They also examine the widening gap between Israel’s extraordinary military performance and the government’s inability to translate that into either diplomatic success abroad or stability at home. The result, they argue, is a country showing tremendous resilience from below while being let down from above.A major part of the episode focuses on the United States and the dangerous erosion of bipartisan support for Israel. Zivan argues that one of the biggest myths about Benjamin Netanyahu is that he is a master diplomat when it comes to America. In reality, he says, Israel has lost ground not only with Democrats but increasingly among parts of the Republican right as well. Marc adds his own perspective from years of American media appearances, describing how even longtime pro-Israel voices now question Netanyahu’s judgment and political alignments. Together they explore the consequences of this failure of diplomacy and advocacy at a time when Israel’s case, in their view, should be far easier to explain to the world.The conversation then widens into politics and political philosophy. Zivan discusses his book, The Center Must Hold, which makes the argument that centrism — moderation, complexity, compromise, and liberal democracy — is the necessary antidote to polarization and extremism. Marc challenges him on whether centrism can still thrive in a political age shaped by social media bubbles, ideological tribes, and base-driven politics. Zivan responds that centrists must stop complaining and learn to communicate with more conviction and passion, insisting that moderation is not weakness and compromise is not betrayal. It is one of the most thoughtful sections of the interview, moving beyond immediate headlines into the deeper question of how democracies can govern themselves effectively in fractured times.The final section turns back to Israel’s political future. Marc and Zivan discuss the coming elections, the shape of the opposition bloc, the failures of the current coalition, and the importance of rebuilding state institutions — above all the education system, which Zivan calls central to Israel’s economic strength, national security, and long-term survival. The episode closes on a broader and more hopeful note, as Marc asks where Zivan wants to see Israel in twenty years. His answer is striking: an Israel fully integrated into the Middle East, grounded once more in the values of the Declaration of Independence, and secure enough that daily life is no longer dominated by sirens, shelters, and the fear of the next round.This is a serious and wide-ranging conversation recorded in the middle of war, but it is also a conversation about what comes after war: what kind of country Israel wants to be, what kind of leadership it needs, and whether it can still recover the strategic and moral clarity that so many Israelis feel has been lost. 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

In this Erev Chag edition of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, Marc Schulman reports from Tel Aviv after a harrowing morning of repeated missile attacks on central Israel, the south, and the north. He describes a city moving toward the holiday in an atmosphere of exhaustion and unease, with normally crowded pre-Chag streets and markets noticeably subdued after four back-to-back attacks shook the center of the country. The episode also reflects on the tragic death of a 10-year-old girl in Bnei Brak, where inadequate access to shelters once again exposed the deadly consequences of Israel’s uneven civilian protection.From there, Marc turns to the larger strategic picture: uncertainty over President Trump’s expected address, unanswered questions about Israel’s goals in Iran and Lebanon, and deep skepticism about what “victory” now means. He argues that military force alone cannot define Israel’s future, warns of missed diplomatic opportunities with Syria, and raises concerns about reports of a possible American withdrawal from NATO. Personal, political, and deeply reflective, this episode captures a country entering Passover not with celebration, but with fatigue, worry, and growing questions about how this war ends—and what kind of future may follow. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, recorded on Friday, March 27 in Tel Aviv, Marc Schulman reflects on a war entering its fourth week with no clear end in sight. He examines the growing strain on Israelis living under daily missile and rocket fire, especially in the north, where residents are being told to remain in towns that still lack adequate protection. Marc argues that the government has failed both strategically and morally: it launched a multi-front war without a realistic plan for victory, while leaving civilians, small businesses, and entire communities to absorb the consequences.The episode also takes a hard look at the assumptions driving the war itself. Marc questions the belief that air power alone can deliver victory, drawing on historical lessons from World War II to Hamas and now Iran. Killing top commanders, he argues, does not destroy systems, regimes, or ideologies. If the hope was that pressure from the air would bring regime change in Tehran, that outcome now appears increasingly unlikely. Meanwhile, Israel is paying a mounting price at home, with exhausted citizens, a battered economy, and a north once again trapped in a dangerous cycle that military force alone cannot solve.In the final part of the episode, Marc widens the lens to two larger issues. First, he considers the political dimension in both Israel and the United States, including Donald Trump’s role in shaping the course of the war and the risk of a rapid end that would amount to strategic failure dressed up as victory. Then he turns to a very different existential threat: artificial intelligence. Reflecting on a recent interview with Tristan Harris, Marc warns that while AI is already proving extraordinarily useful, it is advancing far faster than governments are prepared to regulate. The result is a striking and unsettling episode that moves from the immediate dangers of war to the longer-term dangers of a world changing faster than its leaders can understand. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, I begin with a grim update from Tel Aviv after a night that was anything but quiet. Repeated missile warnings sent us to the shelters at 1:00 a.m., again at 4:30, and then once more at 7:20 in the morning, when a missile with multiple warheads struck in Tel Aviv, landing uncomfortably close to home. It was a stark reminder that for those of us living here, this war is not an abstraction but a constant, physical presence.The main conversation, recorded the night before, features former intelligence officer and security consultant Ehud Haik. Together we try to make sense of a war whose opening phase has brought undeniable military successes, but whose strategic endgame remains deeply uncertain. Ehud argues that President Trump’s push toward negotiations may be the only realistic path forward if the alternative is a prolonged air war with no political resolution. We discuss whether regimes can truly be toppled from the air, what history teaches from Japan to Serbia, and why Iran’s size, resilience, and internal dynamics make this a far more complicated conflict than many imagined at the outset.We also turn to the broader failures of strategy closer to home: Israel’s reliance on force without diplomacy, the repeated lessons of Lebanon and Gaza, and the danger of tactical victories turning into long-term political defeats. Along the way, we examine the role of the United States, the possibility of a regional nuclear chain reaction, and the troubling sense that while missiles may be intercepted, no one yet seems able to articulate a coherent political destination. It is a sobering, candid conversation recorded in real time, in the middle of a war whose outcome remains painfully unresolved. 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

In this March 20 episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman speaks from Tel Aviv after the first full night of sleep in days, a brief pause in a war that has now reached the three-week mark. With Iranian missile fire shifting toward Jerusalem, Ashdod, Haifa, and the north, Marc steps back from the daily alerts and asks the larger question: What exactly has Israel accomplished, what were the real goals of this war, and how does it end?This episode examines the military success Israel has achieved in Iran—eliminating senior leaders, destroying missile launchers, factories, and key parts of the regime’s military infrastructure—while also confronting the far more difficult political and strategic questions that remain unresolved. Marc discusses the uncertainty over regime change, the unresolved issue of Iran’s enriched uranium, the critical role of U.S. support, and the growing risk that Israel could emerge from the war having won tactically while losing ground strategically and diplomatically.He also turns to the home front: the exhaustion of Israeli civilians, the government’s failure to prepare the country properly, the lack of shelters in the north, the plight of small business owners, and the growing strain on a society that has now lived under tension, war, and political crisis for years. This is a wide-ranging and deeply personal episode about war, resilience, American politics, Hezbollah, Trump, Netanyahu, and the fear that success may prove far harder to define than anyone imagined. 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

In this hybrid episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman begins not with theory or politics from afar, but with the immediate reality of life in wartime Tel Aviv. Just before recording, missile alarms once again sent him, his dog, and his laptop down to the shelter, part of a now-familiar routine as Iran continues its attacks on the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Marc reflects on the exhausting rhythm of interrupted nights, repeated alerts, and the emotional swings that come with living through a war that still has no clear end. He weighs the latest developments, including Israeli strikes on senior Iranian regime figures and the possibility, however uncertain, that sustained pressure on the regime could produce a larger political unraveling inside Iran. At the same time, he is candid about the ambiguity of the moment: the fear of a long war of attrition, the strain on Israeli society, the question of whether the Iranian regime can truly be shaken, and the uneasy sense that everything may depend on decisions being made far above the heads of ordinary people trying simply to get through the day.From that raw and current opening, the episode shifts to a previously recorded interview with Yuval David—actor, journalist, commentator, activist, and fellow of the Middle East Forum—for a wide-ranging discussion about the battle over public opinion, Jewish identity, and the future of Israel and the diaspora. Yuval speaks about his work in strategic communications, his efforts to counter antisemitism and anti-Israel disinformation, and the challenge of operating in a world where social media, propaganda, and emotional sloganeering often overwhelm facts. Together, Marc and Yuval explore the changing nature of antisemitism in America, the erosion of the political center, the failures of pro-Israel advocacy over many decades, and the need not only to fight hatred but also to strengthen Jewish education, Jewish confidence, and Jewish public presence. The conversation is frank, sober, and often deeply personal, grappling with whether optimism is still justified in such a bleak moment.What emerges is an episode that captures both the immediacy of war and the longer struggle over meaning, identity, and endurance. Marc brings the perspective of someone speaking from a city under missile threat, while Yuval offers the voice of an advocate trying to shape the broader information war in the United States and beyond. The result is a conversation about resilience in two senses: physical resilience under fire, and moral and communal resilience in an age of disinformation, polarization, and rising hostility toward Jews and Israel. This is an episode about fatigue, uncertainty, argument, and persistence—and about the stubborn insistence that even in dark times, one keeps speaking, keeps fighting, and keeps hoping. 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

In today’s Tel Aviv Diary podcast, recorded on Friday, March 13, Marc Schulman reports from a subdued and uneasy Tel Aviv on the 14th day of the Israel-U.S. war against Iran, as fighting with Hezbollah continues in the north. The streets of Tel Aviv are unusually empty for a beautiful Friday afternoon, a visible sign of a public mood that has shifted from early resolve to growing exhaustion and doubt. Marc reflects on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s first press conference of the war, his uninspiring message to the public, and the deepening sense among many Israelis that this conflict—unlike the war forced on Israel after October 7—was a war of choice, and one whose outcome remains dangerously uncertain.This episode moves from the personal to the strategic. Marc describes the rhythms of life under missile alerts in Tel Aviv, the strain of living never more than a few minutes from shelter, and the contrast between the relative quiet in the center and the relentless attacks on northern communities such as Metula. He examines the central gamble at the heart of the war: the hope that the Iranian people will eventually rise up against the regime. It is, he argues, too early to declare that possibility dead—but if it does not happen, Israel may be left facing the worst possible outcome: a still-hostile Iranian regime, enough enriched uranium for multiple bombs, and a world furious over the economic consequences of war in the Gulf.Marc also turns to the Lebanon front, where Israel now faces renewed questions about Hezbollah’s surviving capabilities, its restored command-and-control systems, and the prospect of yet another war of attrition in the north. Alongside this, he reflects on the troubling absence of serious planning and disciplined decision-making at the top, both in Jerusalem and Washington, and on the wider consequences of this war for Israel’s diplomacy, the global economy, and American politics. The episode closes on one welcome note of optimism: the effort by Israeli high-tech figures led by Asaf Rappaport to rescue Channel 13, preserving one of the country’s major independent and liberal media voices at a moment when those voices matter more than ever. This is a candid, weary, and deeply human dispatch from a country still functioning, still enduring, but increasingly unsure where this war is leading. 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

Title:Tel Aviv Diary: War, Iran, and the Long View — A Conversation With Yitzhak SokoloffLong Description:In this special episode of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, Marc Schulman is joined by his longtime friend Yitzhak Sokoloff for a wide-ranging and deeply reflective conversation on the war with Iran, the goals of the current military campaign, and the uncertainty surrounding what comes next. Speaking not only as observers but as historians, Zionists, and old friends who have been discussing these issues for decades, Marc and Yitzhak examine the central question now facing Israel and the United States: even after important military successes, can enough be achieved to truly change the strategic reality? They discuss the limits of air power, the hope that the Iranian people might eventually rise up against the regime, the role of the Revolutionary Guards, and the danger of assuming that the fall of a dictatorship is either inevitable or easy.The conversation also turns to the American dimension of the war, including President Trump’s shifting rhetoric, the meaning of U.S. military intervention, and the broader message this conflict sends to Russia, China, and the wider world. Marc and Yitzhak reflect on how much damage has already been done to Iran’s capabilities, while also wrestling with the possibility that the war could stop short of its maximum objective. From there, the discussion broadens into an equally urgent subject: Israel’s collapsing position in American public opinion, the failures of Israeli public diplomacy over decades, the influence of Qatar and other actors on American universities and media, and the growing estrangement of young American Jews from Israel. This is not a superficial exchange of talking points, but an honest and often sobering examination of how Israel fights not only on the battlefield, but also in the information sphere and in the moral arena.In the final part of the episode, the discussion becomes personal and philosophical. Marc and Yitzhak, who first met more than fifty years ago as students at Columbia, reflect on the Israel they imagined in their youth and the Israel they live in today. They speak candidly about war, morality, religious extremism, historical memory, and the unfinished nature of the Zionist project. Despite the pain, the uncertainty, and the many failures they identify, the conversation ends on a note of stubborn hope: that Israel remains strong, that history is still being written, and that one day the dream of a different Middle East—including perhaps even a democratic Tehran—may yet become reality. This is an episode about strategy, history, and endurance, but above all it is about keeping faith with reality while still holding on to hope. 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

In this Friday edition of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, I describe Tel Aviv on the seventh day of the war between Israel, the United States, and Iran. I begin with the reality on the ground here: the Iranian missile barrages have steadily declined in size, but the disruption to daily life remains constant. Even when only one or two missiles are fired, everyone still heads for shelter, because debris from interceptions can be deadly and, as we have seen, even a single missile getting through can cause terrible loss of life. I describe what life has looked like in Tel Aviv this past week—the partial reopening of stores, the routine of running downstairs with only minutes to spare, the unusual number of attacks on Jerusalem, and the emotional strain of living hour by hour under constant alerts.I then turn to the broader military and political picture. Hezbollah has now fully entered the fight, launching rockets and drones from Lebanon, including attacks toward the Tel Aviv area, while Israel has expanded its operations against Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs and elsewhere in Lebanon. I discuss Iran’s widening attacks on Gulf states, why that strategy appears to be backfiring, and the growing question at the center of this war: how does it end? Can the Iranian regime be weakened enough for the people to rise up? Will Trump declare victory and stop? Or will Israel and the United States continue dismantling Iran’s military and industrial infrastructure piece by piece until little remains? I also examine the strange logic behind some of Iran’s decisions, including attacks that have only widened international support for the campaign against it.In the final section, I touch on another subject that has been very much on my mind: the intersection of AI, politics, and war. I discuss the dispute between Anthropic, OpenAI, and the U.S. Defense Department over military AI use, why Anthropic’s insistence on rejecting mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous lethal decision-making matters, and why I believe those limits are not “woke” but essential safeguards. This episode is part war diary, part political analysis, and part reflection on the broader forces shaping the world around us—from the bomb shelter in Tel Aviv to the future of artificial intelligence and military power. 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

In this episode of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, I’m joined once again by Dan Perry—former editor in chief of AP for Europe Africa and Middle East ; and a longtime observer of Israel and the region. We talk in real time as the latest war unfolds: why Dan says the conflict was “telegraphed,” what still surprised him, and why the visible, concurrent U.S.–Israel military partnership feels historically unprecedented—and strategically consequential.We also dig into the contrast that hangs over everything: the stunning operational success against Iran versus the catastrophic failure of October 7. Dan and I debate what the next phase could look like—whether this ends with a pause and coercive diplomacy, a push for regime change, or a pivot north toward Hezbollah—and why each option carries risks that could shape the region for years. Recorded Monday night, March 2, and released Tuesday morning, March 3, with a brief update on another mostly quiet night in Tel Aviv. 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

In this episode of the Tel Aviv Diary podcast, I sit down with Batya Kalish, director of the Social Venture Fund for Jewish-Arab Equality and Shared Society (SVF), and Bashar Iraqi, a Palestinian Arab citizen of Israel from Tira who is active in efforts to combat crime inside Arab society and is involved with the community initiative Qulnuna. Together, we try to understand what is driving the relentless wave of murders in Arab Israeli towns and mixed cities—and what can realistically be done to stop it.We begin with a wide-angle look at Arab society in Israel: real progress in education and higher education, an emerging middle class, and striking gains for Arab women in academia—alongside severe gaps in municipal services, chronic discrimination, and a growing vacuum of state capacity. Bashar traces the longer arc from 1948 through martial law and the ruptures of recent decades, arguing that crime did not explode “out of nowhere,” but accelerated as illegal weapons spread, trust collapsed, and enforcement became inconsistent. Batya adds a structural layer: financial exclusion, predatory loan-sharking, and the recruitment pool created by tens of thousands of young people who are not in employment, education, or training—conditions that allow organized crime to function like a parallel authority.The conversation turns blunt. Bashar describes a reality where bullets are heard at night “as if living in Gaza,” where victims are often uninvolved family members or bystanders, and where the state’s ability to act is clear—when it chooses to act. We debate policing, discrimination within the system, and the political context, including the impact of governments that briefly prioritized the issue—and those that did not. We end with a hard question: can anything change soon? Bashar argues that participation, civic power, and equal enforcement are essential, and that both societies will ultimately have to build not just coexistence, but a better way of living together. 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

Recorded in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, February 21, I try to capture the mood that’s settled over the city—an anxious, pervasive uncertainty as Israelis brace for the possibility of another confrontation with Iran. A month after President Trump publicly encouraged Iranians to take to the streets, Tel Aviv feels tense in a way that’s different even from the Gaza war: people remember last June’s 12-day exchange, the shelters, the missiles that slipped through, and the sense that the next round could again put the center of the country in the crosshairs. You can see it in the streets, in the early-closing cafés, and in the questions everyone is asking—about flights, business, travel, and whether daily life can suddenly freeze for days at a time.I also look at Israel’s pre-emptive actions in Lebanon, including reported strikes in the Bekaa Valley targeting Hezbollah’s long-range missile infrastructure, amid concerns Hezbollah could join any escalation with Iran. From there I revisit the Trump “Council of Peace,” the unresolved endgame in Gaza, and the way Israeli politics is sliding into an election campaign where “left” has become a catch-all accusation—despite the fact that much of the opposition is led by figures with deep security credentials and broadly similar positions on the long-term need for a two-state outcome, just “not now.”Finally, I pivot to Washington: the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Trump’s tariff powers, the president’s escalating announcements anyway, and what that kind of whiplash does to business planning and global trade. I close with a personal reflection on AI—how tools like Claude Code are reshaping what a single developer can do in hours instead of months, and why I think Wall Street may be misreading what that means for big SaaS platforms. As always, thanks for listening—please subscribe, and if you can, consider becoming a paid subscriber to support Tel Aviv Diary. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, I’m joined by Marina Rosenberg, Senior Vice President for International Affairs at the ADL (Anti-Defamation League)—a former Israeli diplomat whose life and career bridge continents and identities. Born in Buenos Aires and raised on Kibbutz Yechiam in the Galilee, Rosenberg spent more than 16 years in Israel’s Foreign Ministry, serving in multiple postings and ultimately becoming Israel’s ambassador to Chile. She describes what it was like to serve as the first female Israeli ambassador to Chile, and how being a young woman in diplomacy—whether in Latin America or in early, behind-the-scenes engagement with Gulf states years before the Abraham Accords—often proved less of a barrier than outsiders assumed.We then turn to the ADL’s mission and the moment we are living through. Rosenberg explains how the ADL—founded in 1913—works not only in the United States, where it operates through a network of 25 offices, but also internationally across Israel, Europe, and Latin America. She details the organization’s three-pronged approach: security and monitoring, policy advocacy, and education—including programs aimed at empowering Jewish students on campuses and new curricula designed for non-Jewish schools, adapted to local cultures and languages. She also describes the ADL’s emphasis on measurable evidence: data collection, global surveys, and comparative tracking across major Jewish communities through initiatives like the J7 task force.A central theme of our conversation is the transformation of modern antisemitism—especially in the post–October 7 environment—and how online platforms have accelerated radicalization across borders and languages. Rosenberg discusses ADL research on hate online, the limits of regulation, and the alarming vulnerabilities emerging in large language models and other AI tools—alongside the ADL’s work pushing for accountability from tech platforms and for stronger public policy outside the constraints of America’s First Amendment framework. We also explore her argument that the international picture is uneven: while the United States has seen dramatic growth in incidents over the past decade, other countries experienced different trajectories, with sharp escalations in some places only after October 7.The discussion widens to state-linked propaganda and geopolitics. Rosenberg lays out ADL’s view of Iran as a leading exporter not only of terrorism but also antisemitism, including the spread of Spanish-language messaging targeting audiences in Latin America and beyond. She reflects personally on the long shadow of the 1992 Israeli embassy bombing in Buenos Aires and the 1994 AMIA attack, and the continuing demand for accountability decades later. We close on a hard-won note of realism—and hope: the necessity of building coalitions beyond the Jewish community, insisting on moral clarity from political leaders, and asking allies to speak up rather than waiting in silence. 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

In this week’s Tel Aviv Diary podcast, I’m speaking from Tel Aviv at a moment when the most important details for our immediate future are also the most elusive. Prime Minister Netanyahu is back from a fast, unusually secretive meeting with President Trump — no press conference, no statement, and almost no leaks — leaving Israelis to fill the vacuum with guesses, fears, and competing theories about where the Iran crisis is headed. Under the surface of daily life, the tension is unmistakable: sudden GPS disruptions hint at jamming, suppliers don’t know what to order, and the psychological strain of “waiting for something to happen” is becoming its own kind of trauma.I break down why the nuclear issue remains, in my view, the central existential danger, and why the missile debate often obscures the real strategic question: can there be a deal that truly ends Iran’s path to a bomb — and if so, what price would the region pay for it? From there, I turn to Gaza and the sobering reality of outcomes that are likely to be less than anyone hoped for, alongside the long-term costs Israelis are only beginning to confront, including widespread PTSD after a prolonged war. I also address the political battle over memory itself — including the attempt to soften or rewrite the language around October 7 — and what it says about the country as we edge toward elections. Finally, I take a detour into the accelerating world of AI and what the recent leap forward means for work, productivity, and the future — before closing with a look ahead to next week’s guest from the ADL. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, I’m joined by Noa Asher, newly elected chair of the Israel–Japan Chamber of Commerce and a veteran of Israel’s economic-diplomacy world. Noa takes us through her personal and professional journey—from Jerusalem to Harvard’s Kennedy School, from startup-era law to an 18-year career in Israel’s Foreign Trade Administration—before landing in two posts that shaped her view of global business: commercial work in Chicago across the U.S. Midwest, and then six pivotal years in Tokyo (2014–2020).Noa argues that 2014 marked a turning point in Israel–Japan economic relations, describing how Japanese companies began to view Israel not as a political risk, but as an innovation engine—spurred by events like the Keidanren delegation, Rakuten’s acquisition of Viber, and the wave of new bilateral frameworks in R&D, cyber, health, and investment promotion. She also explains what changed after the war, why Japan’s risk-averse business culture matters, and why Israel’s brand in Japan may have slid back toward the familiar headlines of conflict.We also dive into her current work at NTT Innovation Laboratories Israel, where she describes the machinery of cross-border dealmaking: identifying real corporate needs, finding Israeli solutions, and navigating the cultural gap between startups and Japanese conglomerates. From cybersecurity and digital health to AI and the promise of zero-latency networks, Noa makes the case that Israeli tech can still deliver—even under pressure—and lays out what it will take to bring Japanese momentum back. 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

This week’s Tel Aviv Diary opens with the uncertain aftermath of the Friday negotiations in Oman—talks that produced not a breakthrough, but what sounds like a framework for more talks. Iran, as Marc argues, has mastered the art of stretching diplomacy into an endless process, and the early signs suggest exactly that: no agreement to halt enrichment, remove stockpiles, or tackle missiles and other demands. Marc examines why President Trump, despite his pre-meeting rhetoric, appears reluctant to send bombers—especially under pressure from Gulf allies wary of regional disruption, market instability, and the unpredictable consequences of war. For Israelis, it remains a strange moment: the temptation to “solve” Iran versus the exhaustion of a country still trying to recover, with air defenses improving but the unknowns still looming.Then the political drama shifts to Washington. As Marc was preparing to upload the episode, news broke that Prime Minister Netanyahu is making an emergency visit to the U.S. this Wednesday to meet President Trump—officially to discuss Iran, but in reality, Marc suggests, also to prevent an American deal that focuses only on the nuclear file while leaving missiles and regional behavior aside. Marc weighs the political logic of an in-person meeting with Trump, the optics surrounding Netanyahu’s schedule, and what the sudden urgency may reveal about Jerusalem’s fears of a narrower American agreement.From there, the diary becomes literal. Marc takes listeners on a Friday trip to Israel’s far north—Metula, the Dado lookout, the view of Lebanon close on three sides, and Mount Hermon capped with snow. There are on-the-ground impressions: how quickly the highways now shrink the country, the quiet that feels peaceful and deceptive, the partial return of residents, and Kiryat Shmona’s stubborn stillness—beautiful, struggling, and in many ways unchanged since the 1970s. The episode closes with two wider lenses: American politics (ICE, immigration, and the unsettling breadth of the Epstein revelations) and the accelerating AI revolution—from multi-agent experiments that feel like science fiction to tools like Claude that can compress hours of work into minutes, raising both productivity and dread about what comes next. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman welcomes Swiss Ambassador Simon Geissbühler for a conversation that moves from personal history to the mechanics of diplomacy in a region at war. Geisbühler begins with his own unlikely route into foreign service: raised outside Bern, trained in history and political science at the University of Bern, and drawn to the United States in 1994 for a year at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as a competitive diver—a “Deep South” education, he argues, that later helped him better understand America beyond Washington and the coasts. From there he traces a career built more on curiosity than ambition: completing doctoral research rooted in large opinion-poll data, then taking Switzerland’s highly competitive diplomatic exams and entering service in 2000.From the early biography the discussion opens into a broader portrait of Israel as seen by a new ambassador who arrived on August 7, 2024, ten months after October 7. Geisbühler describes three first impressions: the intensity of Israel’s internal tensions and social cleavages, the country’s relentless pace—where “signals” are hard to separate from “noise”—and the diversity of landscapes, communities, and political outlooks that is often missed abroad. He also speaks candidly about his prior connection to Israel through Holocaust scholarship and research work at Yad Vashem, and about why he believes Israel’s diversity can be a form of soft power rather than merely a source of friction.A major portion of the episode serves as a clear, practical primer on Switzerland’s political system: a federal structure modeled in part on the U.S. bicameral legislature, a deliberately weak executive with a rotating presidency, and—above all—direct democracy through frequent referenda and popular initiatives. Geissbühler explains how the system shapes public engagement, the media ecosystem, and the incentives citizens have to stay informed—while also acknowledging modern vulnerabilities to disinformation. The conversation then turns to Swiss–Israeli relations, emphasizing the large Swiss community in Israel, the embassy’s focus on science, culture, and especially innovation links between two countries that are both highly inventive but in different ways.The final third moves into diplomacy in the shadow of the Gaza war: the strain on bilateral relations, Switzerland’s effort to “consolidate” ties amid backlash, and a detailed look at Swiss participation in the CMCC in Kiryat Gat, where Switzerland sent experts including on humanitarian aid and international humanitarian law—after endorsing a Gaza-related plan. Geissbühler also unpacks what “neutrality” means in law versus policy, why Switzerland debates its boundaries, and how global geopolitical shifts are pushing neutrality back into Switzerland’s domestic politics. The episode closes with Switzerland’s quiet roles in mediation and back-channel communication most notably as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran since 1980 and Geissbühler’s argument for humility: in an overcrowded diplomatic arena, Switzerland can matter most when it finds the niche where it can do what larger powers cannot. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman is joined by Miriam Herschlag, the Opinion and Blogs Editor at The Times of Israel, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from the deeply personal to the sharply contemporary. Marc and Miriam go back decades — to Jerusalem in the early years of their lives here, and even earlier through Young Judea ties that connect Miriam with Marc’s wife, Amy. The tone is warm and wry, but the moment is heavy: the conversation opens on the day Israel learned that the remains of Ran Gvili, the last hostage still held in Gaza, had been recovered and returned for burial — a development that closes a 14-year chapter in which Israelis, living or dead, were held in Gaza. The episode captures the bittersweet relief of “bringing everyone home,” while grappling with what that closure does — and does not — resolve.Miriam then traces her own journey: from New York to Young Judea leadership, to early experiences in Israel including Yerucham, and ultimately to aliyah in an era when — as she tells it — the Interior Ministry could turn someone Israeli in days, not years. She recounts the formative years in Israeli broadcast journalism, including the early English news broadcasts at the IBA and the surreal acceleration of Israel’s media environment during the Gulf War — when technology, unions, and emergency collided to move the news operation from film into video and a 24-hour footing. Along the way, Miriam reflects on the unromantic mechanics of reporting tragedy, the psychological distance newswork creates, and the moments when that distance collapses. It’s an intimate look at how a journalist becomes Israeli — not as an idea, but as an immersion.From there, the discussion turns outward: what Miriam has learned after more than a decade shaping one of the most influential platforms in Jewish public life. She offers a candid view of the Jewish diaspora after October 7 — from the rise of what she calls “October 8 Judaism,” to political homelessness, fear, and the struggle to rebuild community. She also explains what it means to curate a high-volume opinion and blogs ecosystem — tens of thousands of posts per year — while trying to balance community with diversity of views, and where editorial lines are drawn when rhetoric turns toxic. The episode then confronts the looming challenge of our time: AI, misinformation, and the erosion of trust. Miriam describes AI as “fire” — a force that can both destroy and illuminate — and shares how it is already reshaping writing, editing, elections, and the basic question of what “human” content even means. It’s a conversation about Israel, journalism, and Jewish life — and about the uneasy future arriving faster than anyone feels ready for. 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

This week on Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman surveys a familiar Israeli paradox: a country living at the edge of war while trying to pretend—at least some days—that normal life is still possible. Up north, Israel continues striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and along the Lebanese–Syrian border, even as talk resurfaces about pressure on Beirut to explore formal peace negotiations. Marc traces the long arc—from childhood hopes on the border in the 1960s to today’s reality of Hezbollah’s entrenchment—and explains why what many Lebanese may want and what the state can actually deliver remain painfully far apart.The focus then shifts to Iran: the regime’s intensifying crackdown, the persistent rumors of imminent U.S. action, and the strategic question Israel cannot escape—if Washington strikes, does Tehran automatically retaliate against Israel, or does deterrence cut the other way? Marc also looks outward, at the striking imbalance in global attention: the comparative silence surrounding Iranian repression, the media choices that elevate some suffering over others, and the lone high-profile voice at Davos said to have raised the issue publicly—President Zelenskyy.Back in Israel, Marc digs into two domestic stories: a proposed 1.5% tax on “unused” private land that he argues would disproportionately hit Arab towns where planning approvals have long been withheld, and the Supreme Court’s decision that revealed the identity—and mental condition—of a man who infiltrated sensitive wartime meetings, puncturing the political narrative of “treason” pushed by Netanyahu’s allies. He closes with a rapid tour of other pressures shaping the week: calls to quit the WHO, talk of leaving the Paris climate accords, Gaza’s murky short-term path, the tragedy of two infants in an illegal daycare, and the broader question of governance, enforcement, and responsibility in ultra-Orthodox society—before ending, as always, with a quick readout on the accelerating AI race and what it’s doing to daily life. 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

In this wide-ranging and unsparing conversation, Marc Schulman is joined once again by veteran Washington correspondent Laura Rozen, whose reporting on U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East spans two decades. What begins as a discussion about Trump’s latest diplomatic theatrics quickly becomes a deeper examination of how global decision-making now works—or no longer works—when power is concentrated in the hands of a few leaders and stripped of institutional process.Rozen and Schulman dissect the emerging “Gaza Board of Peace,” the strange language surrounding it, and what it reveals about Donald Trump’s worldview: diplomacy as spectacle, permanence, and personal control rather than policy. They explore why Israel benefits from Trump’s leverage—particularly in securing a hostage deal—while being unnerved by his unpredictability and transactional diplomacy. Netanyahu’s position, weakened domestically yet dependent on Trump, runs as a constant undercurrent throughout the discussion.The conversation then widens to Iran, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Europe, probing the absence of coherent U.S. national-security decision-making, the hollowing out of expertise, and the replacement of structured policy with social-media pronouncements. Rozen offers rare insight into how decisions on Iran are being made, who is actually in the room, and why even major military or diplomatic moves appear to lack a “day after” plan.At the same time, the episode does not shy away from Israel’s own crisis of governance: the erosion of foreign-policy institutions, the paralysis of Netanyahu’s government, the slow grind of the judicial process, and the broader sense that both Israel and the United States are being led by aging, embattled leaders governing through grievance rather than strategy.The episode closes on a more reflective note—touching on Israeli television, the role of fiction in making sense of chaos, and the personal toll of covering a world in constant crisis—before Schulman encourages listeners to follow Rozen’s Substack, Diplomatic, for her ongoing reporting.This is an essential episode for listeners trying to understand not just today’s headlines, but the deeper structural breakdown shaping global politics right now. 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

On a cool, unusually relaxed Friday morning in Tel Aviv, the city feels like it has exhaled. After two tense days of rumors, alerts, and the sense that a U.S. strike on Iran might be imminent, the immediate danger appears—at least for now—to have receded. But that calm comes with a bitter underside: Iranian demonstrators who were encouraged to take enormous risks are now facing a regime that still kills, while Washington appears to be stepping away. I look at the possible reasons behind Trump’s reversal—logistics, Gulf pressure, internal U.S. politics, and the hard reality of what it would take to sustain a campaign—and what that means for Israel’s missile-defense readiness after last year’s confrontations with Iran.Then we shift back to Israel’s own unresolved fronts: the Trump administration’s announcement that “stage two” of the Gaza plan has begun, the stalled reality of reconstruction and disarmament, and the lingering failure to return the last hostage’s body. Domestically, the countdown to elections tightens as the budget deadline approaches and Netanyahu fights to pass a draft-exemption law for the ultra-Orthodox—using political deals that many Israelis see as corrosive to the state. Finally, I take a tour through the week in AI: Google’s Gemini integrating with everyday services, Apple’s reported pivot, Anthropic’s Claude as a genuine working partner, and OpenAI’s move into medical records—along with a warning about where all of this leads if AI ever gets a body. Shabbat Shalom from Tel Aviv. 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

This week on Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman sits down with Ruthie Blum—journalist, and commentator —for a wide-ranging conversation that begins with biography and ends in the fog of history-in-the-making. Schulman and Bloom first met as on-air foils on i24News—“the right-wing woman” and “the left-wing man,” as Bloom puts it—but their discussion quickly shows how much the political map has shifted, and how often today’s arguments scramble old labels. What emerges is not a debate for sport, but a candid conversation between two people who disagree on some fundamentals, yet share a sense that the ground has moved beneath everyone’s feet.Bloom recounts a life shaped by New York’s intellectual world and by her parents, Norman Podhoretz and Midge Decter, figures associated with the original neoconservative turn—liberals who migrated toward conservatism in the late Cold War era. Her own political instincts, she says, were formed early: a suspicion of elite hypocrisy, a preference for merit, and an impatience with fashionable ideology. She describes arriving in Israel in 1977 intending a single year at Hebrew University—and then staying, building a life that took her from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv and from “Dear Ruthie” at The Jerusalem Post to editing roles and ultimately to her current work at Jewish News Syndicate, alongside a weekly video podcast with former ambassador Mark Regev (“Israel Undiplomatic”). Along the way, Schulman and Bloom spar and converge on a theme that recurs throughout the episode: equality of opportunity versus equality of outcome—and what happens when a country’s opportunities are shaped by geography, class, and war.From there, the discussion widens to Israel’s immediate strategic uncertainty. With Iran dominating Israeli attention, the episode captures a society living on alert—sandals by the bed, jokes about shelters, and a sense that “unfinished business” hangs in every direction even after the return of most hostages. Schulman and Bloom treat predictions with skepticism, emphasizing how hard it is to understand events while they are still unfolding—and why Israelis, in particular, have learned to live inside contingency. They discuss how Iran’s trajectory could reshape the region’s other arenas—from Hezbollah to Gaza—without claiming certainty about what comes next.The conversation then turns to Qatargate, leaks, and the way foreign money and influence seem to seep through multiple systems—Israeli politics, Western universities, and media ecosystems. Bloom, who worked briefly inside the Prime Minister’s Office before and after October 7, offers dry humor and sharp skepticism, while Schulman presses on accountability and institutional trust. Their disagreement here is real, but so is their shared frustration: Israel’s governance battles, they suggest, are intensified by structural problems—no constitution, unclear boundaries between branches, and power vacuums that politics rushes to fill.Finally, the episode shifts to America, where both hosts express deep concern over the mainstreaming of antisemitism—first on the left and now increasingly on the right. Bloom outlines how figures with large platforms have normalized or echoed antisemitic tropes, and why that matters more than fringe theatrics. Schulman asks the historian’s question—how did this travel from the margins to the semi-mainstream?—and Bloom traces a combustible mix: resentment politics, isolationism, and conspiratorial narratives that now circulate with alarming speed.The episode closes on a rare note of optimism—Bloom recounts her son, a Gaza veteran, telling younger coworkers that despite the exhaustion and trauma, Israel has also achieved outcomes that would have seemed impossible before October 7. It’s a complicated hope, not a cheerful one—but it is the kind Israelis recognize: measured, hard-earned, and spoken without illusion. 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

January 9, 2026 finds Israel in a familiar but unsettling posture: waiting. In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman surveys a region caught between ceasefire talk and battlefield reality—Gaza’s “stage two” remains opaque, Hamas appears financially entrenched through control and taxation of incoming goods, and the final unresolved issue of a captive’s remains hangs over the process as a warning from past agonizing precedents.On the northern front, the picture is similarly suspended. Hezbollah has been weakened and partially constrained, yet not decisively disarmed; Israeli strikes continue, but larger decisions are deferred as Jerusalem and its neighbors watch Iran. Marc explores the historical problem of predicting revolutions—how regimes fall (or don’t), what outsiders misunderstand, and why Iran’s trajectory could reshape the entire Middle East, from Hezbollah’s funding to future nuclear diplomacy and the region’s diplomatic alignments.The episode also flags a quiet but potentially consequential development: reports surrounding Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s visit to Somaliland and speculation about an Israeli military foothold near the Bab al-Mandab—an outpost that could matter for Red Sea security and future Houthi contingencies. At home, Israeli politics shifts toward election season, with the ultra-Orthodox draft and workforce participation debate at the center, and party primaries intensifying the country’s internal divisions. Marc then turns outward to U.S. politics—from Venezuela and the expanding reach of presidential power to the broader implications of force, norms, and precedent.January 9, 2026 finds Israel in a familiar but unsettling posture: waiting. In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman surveys a region caught between ceasefire talk and battlefield reality—Gaza’s “stage two” remains opaque, Hamas appears financially entrenched through control and taxation of incoming goods, and the final unresolved issue of a captive’s remains hangs over the process as a warning from past agonizing precedents.On the northern front, the picture is similarly suspended. Hezbollah has been weakened and partially constrained, yet not decisively disarmed; Israeli strikes continue, but larger decisions are deferred as Jerusalem and its neighbors watch Iran. Marc explores the historical problem of predicting revolutions—how regimes fall (or don’t), what outsiders misunderstand, and why Iran’s trajectory could reshape the entire Middle East, from Hezbollah’s funding to future nuclear diplomacy and the region’s diplomatic alignments.The episode also flags a quiet but potentially consequential development: reports surrounding Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s visit to Somaliland and speculation about an Israeli military foothold near the Bab al-Mandab—an outpost that could matter for Red Sea security and future Houthi contingencies. At home, Israeli politics shifts toward election season, with the ultra-Orthodox draft and workforce participation debate at the center, and party primaries intensifying the country’s internal divisions. Marc then turns outward to U.S. politics—from Venezuela and the expanding reach of presidential power to the broader implications of force, norms, and precedent. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc speaks with Russell Robinson, CEO of Jewish National Fund USA, about how descendent of a century-old institution—best known to many for the iconic blue donation box—became a driver of some of Israel’s most ambitious nation-building projects.Robinson recounts his own unlikely path from El Paso, Texas, into Jewish communal leadership, and the pivotal moment Ronald Lauder recruited him to help tackle what he calls Israel’s looming water catastrophe. He walks through the thinking behind the Lauder Water Plan, the hard choices between desalination and large-scale water reuse, and why long-term infrastructure planning—quietly and persistently—can change a country’s trajectory.The conversation then moves from water to geography and demography: the push to develop the Negev through “Blueprint Negev,” the effort to strengthen Israel’s north, and on-the-ground work in places like Kiryat Shmona—from a new regional medical center to housing and education initiatives. Robinson argues that Israel’s future depends not only on projects, but on people—especially teenagers—and makes the case for long-term Israel programs as the most consequential investment American Jewry can make in the next generation. 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

In this thought-provoking episode of Tel Aviv Diary, host Marc Schulman sits down with Dr. Chuck Freilich, former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council and current senior fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School and Columbia University, to explore a bold alternative to the seemingly impossible Israeli-Palestinian stalemate.With decades of experience in Israel’s defense establishment and three published books on Israeli national security, Freilich presents an innovative three-part proposal that moves beyond the conventional two-state framework. His plan centers on a confederation between Jordan and the Palestinians, multilateral land swaps involving Egypt to expand Gaza while allowing Israel to incorporate major settlement blocs, and an Israeli civil separation from most of the West Bank while maintaining security control.The conversation tackles the hard questions: Why has the traditional two-state solution effectively died, especially after October 7th? How do you overcome extremists on both sides who have consistently derailed peace efforts? Can legal guarantees for Jordan’s Hashemite kingdom be trusted in today’s volatile Middle East? And perhaps most importantly, how can any agreement succeed without a Palestinian leader willing to truly end the conflict?Beyond the Palestinian issue, Freilich offers his perspective on Israel’s current strategic challenges across four fronts—Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran—and sounds the alarm on what he sees as the greatest existential threat: the deteriorating relationship with the United States. With support eroding on both the Democratic left and troubling signs emerging on the Republican right, he argues that saving the U.S.-Israel relationship must be the next government’s top priority.While acknowledging his proposal faces enormous obstacles and may only have slightly better prospects than the classic two-state solution, Freilich makes a compelling case for why new thinking is essential. As he notes, continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity—and after nearly 60 years of occupation, it’s time to think outside the box. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc is joined again by his friend Ehud Haik retired military officer, to take stock of Israel’s strategic reality—now that the landscape has shifted since Ehud’s last appearance. Last time they spoke it was before the ceasefire, beforehostages began returning, and before it was clear whether the regional balance had changed or merely rearranged itself. This conversation begins where Israelis are living today: Gaza, the uncertainty around what comes next, and the uncomfortable truth that Gaza can no longer be understood as an isolated front.Ehud argues that, tactically, Israel has redrawn the map—enforcing what he calls a new border, the “Yellow Line,” and doing so aggressively. But sustainability, he says, depends less on Israel’s capabilities than on what external forces will permit. From there the discussion expands outward: Iran trying to re-carve its place after setbacks; Turkey pushing to emerge as a regional superpower and attempting to insert itself into Gaza; and Qatar working to preserve its influence and, in Ehud’s view, to help keep Hamas alive in some form. The key variable hovering over all of it is Washington—specifically what Donald Trump will allow, tolerate, or decide, and how much leverage Turkey and Qatar may have in that calculus.The episode then pivots to the larger strategic dangers that may be building beneath the surface: the risk of Turkish “official” involvement in Gaza, the question of whether reconstruction becomes Israel’s primary leverage, and why a future war could arrive faster than people want to admit—especially if Hamas remains armed or if Turkey gains a foothold. From there, Marc and Ehud move into Iran: sanctions, internal regime pressures, executions, the nuclear question, missile production realities, and the widening advantage attackers gain in a cyber age shaped by AI. The conversation closes with Israeli politics and accountability: October 7 as a stain that cannot be erased, Netanyahu’s dependence on PR and delay, the draft crisis, and a warning that Israel may be rebuilding its future force structure without fully confronting what went wrong. Recorded on the eighth night of Hanukkah, the episode ends with a sober but fitting line: hope for the best—prepare for the worst. 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

In this hybrid episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman opens with a fast-moving roundup from overnight: the fallout from a Breslov Hasidim trip toward Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem/Nablus that ended in a hit-and-run of a Palestinian civilian, renewed friction around one of the West Bank’s most persistent flashpoints, and reflections—personal and political—on widening ultra-Orthodox riots in Jerusalem and Ashkelon as the conscription fight escalates.From there, Marc turns to the broader strategic picture: another alleged Iranian espionage arrest, anxieties about what a future “round two” with Iran could look like, and cautious skepticism about claims that another Lebanon war is inevitable. He also breaks down fresh polling signals—tightening numbers, shifting blocs, and what they may (or may not) mean as Israel heads toward an election deadline.The heart of the episode is an interview with Jack Lowenstein, a longtime Tel Aviv Diary subscriber living roughly 500 meters from Bondi Beach. Jack describes Australia’s Jewish community in a week of fear and solidarity—vigils, public Hanukkah lighting, the debate over “being seen” versus keeping a low profile, and sharp criticism of government and security failures. Their conversation widens into diaspora dilemmas: Aliyah as an “insurance policy,” the uneasy balance between safety and belonging, and why events far from Israel increasingly feel tied to Israel’s choices—and Israel’s image—at home. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman sits down with neighbor and new olah David Schlachter, who moved his family from the Bay Area to Tel Aviv in August 2024 after a decade-long plan collided with the realities of October 7 and rising antisemitism in the United States. David describes the family’s debate—stay in California or make the leap during wartime—and what it felt like to land, settle, and place three children into Israeli public schools just days before the school year began.David also shares his unusual sabbatical project: building a “demographic mosaic” of Israel by creating 100 profiles that mirror the country’s population—by age, gender, geography, and background—then interviewing and photographing real people to match each profile. The result is a portrait-driven book, “Hinenu” (“Here we are”), designed to capture Israel at a singular moment: diverse, wounded, resilient, and intensely communal. Along the way, Marc and David talk about Tel Aviv’s transformation since 2010—food, coffee, skyline, and all—and why, in Israel, strangers are often ready to tell their life story if someone simply takes the time to ask.Show notes: Hinenu: Israel at Ten Million is a new photography and oral-history book by David Shlachter that captures Israel through the lives of 100 people at the exact moment the country reached a population of ten million. Created during wartime and deep national uncertainty, the project pairs striking portraits with first-person stories that reflect Israel’s full demographic mosaic—Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, sabras and immigrants, elders and children—mirroring the latest census data.Intentionally apolitical, Hinenu (Hebrew for Here we are) is an act of listening: a human portrait of a society still becoming itself, told in its own voices.Learn more at www.HinenuBook.com 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

In this week’s Tel Aviv Diary (December 12), Marc Schulman reflects on newly released IDF-captured Hamas footage of six hostages later executed in the tunnels under Rafah—images of young Israelis lighting Hanukkah candles underground, trying to keep their spirits alive, as the country watches with grief and fury. Marc returns to Hostage Square after the storm, noting what has been dismantled, what still stands, and the clock still counting down—especially for the one last body not yet returned. He asks what comes next in Gaza as talk swirls around a Trump-backed plan, a looming committee, and conditions—Hamas disarmament, Israeli pullbacks, and controversial roles for Turkey, Qatar, and the Palestinian Authority—that collide with political realities in Jerusalem.From there, the episode widens to Israel’s northern front, the uneasy truce lines, and a larger argument about defense: how much of Israel’s future security will be manpower, and how much can be technology—interceptors, lasers, surveillance, and eventually autonomous systems—without repeating the blindness of October 7. Marc then turns to the budget fight and the ultra-Orthodox draft crisis, tracing the issue from Ben-Gurion’s original exemptions through the Tal Law era and Supreme Court rulings to today’s political brinkmanship, committee shakeups, and a bill widely viewed as preserving exemptions rather than producing the soldiers the army says it needs. Finally, he surveys American politics and AI: a Trump national security doctrine that, in Marc’s view, reads like disengagement from the world; big-tech moves that reshape culture and power; and a regulatory retreat that leaves AI accelerating with fewer constraints—ending the week with hard questions, sharp skepticism, and a Shabbat Shalom from Tel Aviv. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc speaks with Alon Ben-Noon, founder and CEO of NeuroSense Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NRSN), about Israel’s bid to change the prognosis for ALS. Ben-Noon traces his path from early years in Nahariya, studies in industrial engineering and an MBA, and work at Perrigo and Teva, to launching his own consultancy and eventually founding NeuroSense. He recounts how meeting ALS patient and activist Shai Rishoni pushed him from advising biotech companies to building one, and how that encounter led to the development of PrimeC, a combination drug designed to target key ALS mechanisms such as neuroinflammation, iron dysregulation, and microRNA imbalance.Ben-Noon explains what PrimeC has shown so far in trials—slowing functional decline by roughly 30–40% and improving survival by about 60% in a phase 2b study—and outlines the company’s next step: an international phase 3 trial in the U.S., Europe, and Israel, now cleared by the FDA. The conversation ranges from the scientific debate over whether ALS is one disease or many, to the realities of running a small public biotech company from Herzliya, raising capital, partnering with big pharma, and keeping focus through war and national trauma after October 7. Ben-Noon shares his cautious optimism about the timeline ahead, his hopes for eventually “beating ALS,” and why he believes Israeli ingenuity and persistence can help turn a devastating diagnosis into a treatable condition. 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

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diaries, Marc Schulman looks back at a fraught week in Israel and beyond. He begins with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s highly controversial request to end his corruption trial and the unprecedented intervention by President Trump, probing what it means for Israel’s judiciary, international standing, and political stability. Marc then turns to the new ultra-Orthodox draft law, explaining why it is seen by many Israelis as a “law of avoidance,” how it could entrench long-term exemptions, and why it is politically risky even within Likud’s own base.From there, the episode shifts to Gaza and Lebanon: the tentative outlines of a second-stage Gaza arrangement involving international forces and reconstruction money, the debate over whether Israel should risk another war with Hezbollah, and the economic toll of prolonged conflict as tourism collapses and missile defense still needs years of rebuilding. Marc also unpacks the renewed tensions between Yad Vashem and the Auschwitz Memorial over Polish complicity in the Holocaust, Europe’s conflicted stance toward Israel—from Eurovision boycotts to buying Israeli missile defense—and the latest slide in President Trump’s popularity as hard-line immigration policies collide with economic realities. He closes with reflections on AI: how he uses it as a research tool for his own history writing, why it threatens to hollow out student learning if misused, and what a serious rethinking of education might look like in an age when machines can draft the paper—but can’t ask the questions. 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