For the full episode, subscribe here to Inside Call me Back

This is a sneak peek from today?s members-only Inside Call Me Back, Part 2 of our 3-part series on Inside Mossad?s Shadow War with Iran with Ronen Bergman.

Dan and Ronen pick up where Part 1 left off, diving into the growing tension between Israel and the United States over whether?and when?to strike Iran?s nuclear program. From dramatic exchanges with Presidents Bush and Obama to deep divisions inside Israel?s own security establishment, this episode explores the early fault lines that would shape one of the most consequential strategic debates in recent history.

For the full series, subscribe here to Inside Call me Back

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What does freedom mean when pain is still present?

As Passover approaches, Dan Senor speaks with Rachel Goldberg-Polin about how this year?s Seder lands differently. In a moment shaped by war, loss, and uneasy relief, they explore how the rituals of Passover hold both joy and sorrow?and why that tension is the point.

From the Exodus story to the symbols on the Seder table, Rachel reflects on memory, meaning, gratitude, and the challenge of holding both relief and restraint. Less about retelling the past, this conversation asks what it means to be free right now.

In this episode:

02:24 ? Why This Passover Feels Different

08:09 ? Setting the Table: From Slavery to Nationhood

12:54 ? What Actually Happens at the Seder

16:15 ? The Power of Questions (and Why Answers Matter Less)

27:39 ? Bitterness, Memory, and Eating Our Pain

37:06 ? Relief vs. Glee: A Moral Distinction

39:06 ? Dayenu and the Discipline of Gratitude

This episode was sponsored by the Jewish Communal Fund. Learn more about JCF?s donor advised funds at jcfny.org.

This episode was sponsored by Hadassah. Please go to Hadassah.org to make a gift that helps Hadassah continue its longstanding, life-changing support for the people in Israel.

Purchase tickets to see Dan in conversation with Rachel Goldberg-Polin at the Streicker Center on April 20.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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Are the stakes of the Iran war higher than Israelis understand?

Micah Goodman joins Dan to try and understand the different narratives that drive this war: Iran?s war against the West, the Iranian people?s war of liberation, the United States? paradoxical relationship with Israel, and China?s hegemonic fantasies. While Israelis are primarily concerned with guaranteeing their own safety, Micah argues that the war puts all these narratives to the test, and that the stakes of winning (or losing) the war may define the future of the balance of power around the world.

In this episode:

- The ?Great Convergence?: Why This War Is Different

- The U.S.-Israel Paradox

- America First and MAGA (Can Israel?s Military Beat Conspiracy Theories?)

- Trump?s War Doctrine: Strength Without Quagmire

- The Global Stakes: China, Iran, and Deterrence

- Zionism and the Bigger Meaning of This War

This episode was sponsored by Hadassah. Please go to Hadassah.org to make a gift that helps Hadassah continue its longstanding, life-changing support for the people in Israel.

Find Theodore Herzl's The Jewish State here.

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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This is a sneak peek from this week?s members-only Inside Call me Back, which started a special three-part series on Israel?s shadow war with Iran.

The current campaign against Iran is just one chapter in a much longer war that has been taking place in the shadows for over three decades. This is the story of that war.

In this first installment, Ronen Bergman tells Dan about the first stage of the war: from the intelligence that led to the discovery of the nuclear program to Mossad?s assassinations of Iran's nuclear scientists, to groundbreaking cyber warfare. But did it work?

For the full series, subscribe here to Inside Call me Back

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

This is a news update from Ark News Daily. Subscribe here to Ark News Daily

In this episode:

-Iran hits Qatari gas hub

-Israel fights back on the energy war

-Trump and Netanyahu see light in the end of the tunnel

-Do Jews support the war?

Mentioned in the episode:

-Nadav Eyal on Call me Back about the Strait of Hormuz blockade

-For Heaven's Sake on the Jewish world's response to the war

-NPR poll on Jewish support for the war

-Israel Democracy Institute poll on Israeli support for the war

-JPPI poll on Jewish support for the war

More Ark Media:

Credits: 

Deborah Pardes, Andrew Tobin, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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Can the world?s most powerful militaries reopen the Strait of Hormuz?or is Iran already winning the economic war?

Eighteen days into Operation Epic Fury, Iran is increasing its pressure on the world?s energy supply chain. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively under lockdown, oil flows have slowed to a trickle, prices are rising, and the risk of broader escalation is growing. Ark Media contributor Nadav Eyal joins Dan to break down why America and Israel?s military superiority hasn?t been enough to reopen the strait, what Israel?s latest strike on Iran?s energy infrastructure signals, and whether the current campaign is quietly setting the stage for regime change.

In this episode:

06:18 ? 18 Days Into War: Where Things Stand

12:48 ? The consequences of Iran's selective-blockade

14:48 ? Can the US reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

20:24 ? The World?s Tepid Response

23:24 ? Decapitating Iran?s Leadership

26:54 ? Is Regime Change the Endgame?

This episode was sponsored by the Jewish Communal Fund. Learn more about JCF?s donor advised funds at jcfny.org.

Purchase tickets to see Dan in conversation with Rachel Goldberg-Polin at the Streicker Center on April 20.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

This is a news update from Ark News Daily. Subscribe here to Ark News Daily

In this episode:

- Israel hits top regime figures 

- Iranian regime showing cracks 

- Iran keeps bombing neighbors

- Trump admin aide quits to protest war

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Credits: Andrew Tobin, Deborah Pardes, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

This is a news update from Ark News Daily. Subscribe here to Ark News Daily

In this episode:

- Trump shifts focus to Hormuz

- Israel plans to capture southern Lebanon

- Arab world losing patience with Iran

- Some Israeli schools open up

Listen to Nadav Eyal and Amit Segal on the latest Call me Back episode.

More Ark Media:

Credits: 
Deborah Pardes - Host 
Andrew Tobin - News Writer

Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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What happens if the U.S. and Israel win the war militarily, but Iran?s regime survives?

Dan Senor is joined by Nadav Eyal and Amit Segal to assess where the war stands as it enters its third week. While U.S. and Israeli forces continue grinding down Iranian military infrastructure, the bigger questions are now economic and strategic, especially after Iran effectively weaponized the Strait of Hormuz and global energy markets.

They debate whether Washington and Jerusalem share the same endgame, what success would actually look like, and whether removing Iran?s enriched uranium stockpile could become the decisive turning point.

Subscribe here to Inside Call me Back

In this episode:

09:12 ? The Current Phase of the War: Grinding Through Iranian Targets

09:42 ? Iran?s Energy Gambit and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis

11:03 ? Oil Markets, Global Pressure, and Trump?s Political Timeline

25:18 ? The Strategic Debate Inside Washington and Jerusalem

28:00 ? Israel?s Ultimate Goal: Regime Change in Tehran

30:48 ? Could the U.S. End the War Before Israel Is Finished?

35:18 ? The Enriched Uranium Question and the ?Strategic Surprise? Scenario

37:00 ? If the Regime Survives: Did the War Actually Change the Region?

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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In a Call me Back bonus episode, we?re publishing this week?s episode of Ark Media podcast What?s Your Number, co-hosted by Yonatan Adiri and Yael Wissner-Levy. This week, despite recording between air-raid sirens and shelter runs, Yael and Yonatan break down Iran?s emerging strategy of economic warfare. Instead of matching Israel and the U.S. militarily, Iran appears to be targeting global pressure points?oil and gas infrastructure, fertilizer supply chains, financial hubs, AI data centers, and the Strait of Hormuz?to drive up global costs and force political pressure. The question: can this strategy actually move markets and reshape the conflict? 

In this episode:

00:00 - Numbers of the Week

05:00 - The WYNDEX

09:00 - Big Short #1: Lebanon signals a shift on Hezbollah

11:30 - Big Short #2: Israel?s budget politics and coalition stability

14:00 - Long Play: Iran?s economic warfare and the global energy stakes

38:40 - Words of the Week

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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This is a sneak peek from today's members only Inside Call me Back, in which Dan and Ilan discuss the Michigan synagogue shooting and the rise in global Antisemitism.

In the full episode:

In this Inside edition of Call me Back, producer Ilan Benatar turns the mic on Dan Senor to respond to listener questions and reflect on the surge in antisemitism worldwide. They discuss the attempted synagogue terror attack in Detroit, how narratives about Israel?s war with Iran could shape antisemitic rhetoric, and the difficult balance Jewish communities face between investing in security and investing in Jewish life.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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Is the Iran War actually heading toward an end, or just getting started? 

Almost two weeks into the conflict, the United States and Israel have laid waste to Iran?s external war capabilities. As the Pentagon signals the end of "Phase One," the focus shifts from destroying missile launchers to a much bigger question: can advanced technology and air superiority achieve what was once thought possible only with boots on the ground? Dan is joined by Rich Goldberg, senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to unpack the military scorecard, the high-stakes messaging of the oil markets, and the "science fiction" reality of modern AI-driven warfare.

In this episode:

05:20 ? Military Progress: Assessing the Damage to Iran?s Arsenal

09:25 ? Economic Warfare: Using Presidential Messaging to Control Oil Prices

11:05 ? Breaking the Siege: Ending Iran's Control of the Strait of Hormuz

14:05 ? Intelligence Debates: Is the Iranian Regime Near a Tipping Point?

26:10 ? The Ground War Debate: Why Air Superiority Might Be Enough

31:40 ? The High-Stakes Mission to Extract Buried Nuclear Material

36:35 ? Beyond Iraq: How AI and Technology Have Changed War-Fighting

42:45 ? The Future of the US-Israel Defense Tech Partnership

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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Could a buried stockpile of uranium decide the outcome of the war with Iran?

Dan is joined by Israeli journalist Amit Segal and military historian Fred Kagan to unpack reports that roughly 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% may still be recoverable from a bombed Iranian nuclear site. They discuss why that level of enrichment matters, what it would take for U.S. or Israeli forces to extract the material, and why the race to secure it could shape the next phase of the war. The conversation also explores the broader campaign against the Iranian regime, the possibility of regime change, renewed Hezbollah attacks in northern Israel, and what Iran might look like if the current leadership collapses.

In this episode:

01:50 ? Hezbollah?s renewed attacks on northern Israel

04:05 ? The broader military campaign against Iran?s regime infrastructure

08:20 ? The race to secure Iran?s buried 60% enriched uranium

12:15 ? Why 60% enrichment puts Iran close to nuclear weapons capability

16:40 ? What it would take for U.S. or Israeli forces to extract the material

23:30 ? Netanyahu?s ?surprises? and the strategy to destabilize the regime

28:55 ? The rise of Mojtaba Khamenei and what it means for the regime

35:10 ? Could regime change in Iran trigger a civil war?

Learn more about AEI?s Critical Threats Project. 

Learn more about the Institute for the Study of War.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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How did the oppressive Ayatollah regime convince the Western left that they?re the victims?

Dan speaks with Iranian-American lawyer and activist Elica Le Bon about the ideological narratives that form (and distort) the West?s reaction to the Iran war. Le Bon explains the deep divide between the Iranian people and the Islamic regime, the cycles of protests and repression, the imperialist roots of the regime?s long-standing obsession with Israel, and the Marxist prism through which the Western left understands the conflict.

In this episode:

06:30 ? Elica Le Bon?s family story and the legacy of the 1979 revolution

07:45 ? Life under the Islamic regime and the experience of repression

11:05 ? The gap between the Iranian people and the regime ruling them

14:42 ? Why the Iranian regime sees Israel as central to its ideology

20:32 ? How ideological narratives in the West shape perceptions of the war

23:42 ? The ?mind virus? of anti-Western and anti-Zionist thinking

26:46 ? Protest movements inside Iran and the risks people face

31:04 ? What a post-regime Iran could mean for the Middle East and the world

Listen to the latest episode of For Heaven?s Sake.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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This is a sneak peek from the latest Inside Call Me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. In this episode, Dan Senor is joined by Amit Segal to answer subscriber questions about the war with Iran and what victory might actually look like.

Has Israel already neutralized the strategic threats from Hamas and Hezbollah? Why might the political stakes of this war be higher for Donald Trump than for Benjamin Netanyahu? And if Iran?s regime weakens further, could the entire regional balance shift overnight?

To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting https://arkmedia.org.

In the full episode:

In this Inside edition of Call me Back, Dan Senor and Amit Segal answer subscriber questions about the war with Iran, the strategic stakes for Netanyahu and Trump, the possibility of regime change in Tehran, Qatar?s role in the region, and whether anti-Israel sentiment on the American right is growing. Along the way, they also discuss how the war is reshaping Israel?s alliances and why the U.S.?Israel partnership looks very different than it did in past conflicts.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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Why would a president risk a war in the Middle East in an election year? 

Dan is joined by Walter Russell Mead to unpack the strategic and political gamble behind the U.S. conflict with Iran. They discuss why Trump may have chosen this moment to act, how generational attitudes toward war shape the debate, and what success (or failure) could look like. The conversation also explores Iran?s potential strategy, its impact on Russia and China, and how countries like India are viewing the unfolding conflict.

In this episode:

- 05:45 ? Trump?s High-Stakes Bet on War

- 08:15 ? Why the Case for the War Feels Unclear to Many Americans

- 10:25 ? The Generational Divide on U.S. Military Power

- 15:40 ? Why Trump Chose This Moment to Strike

- 23:20 ? What ?Winning? the War Could Actually Look Like

- 26:20 ? Iran?s Endurance Strategy: Drag the U.S. Into a Quagmire

- 30:05 ? What Russia and China Want to See Happen

- 32:10 ? Why India Is Watching This War Closely

See Rachel Goldberg-Polin in conversation with Dan at The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center on April 20 to discuss her upcoming book "When We See You Again.? Purchase tickets before they sell out.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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Was America dragged into the Iran war by Israel, as some commentators seem to suggest?

An out-of-context statement by State Secretary Marco Rubio seems to give credence to the conspiratorial accusation that America is fighting Israel's war in Iran. Dan is joined by Nadav Eyal and Mark Dubowitz to discuss the truth behind these claims, the delicate politics behind the decision to launch the war, and how it all plays out in American public discourse. They also cover the possible succession of Iran?s Supreme Leader, the campaign against Iran?s nuclear and missile capabilities, and the broader strategy shaping the conflict?along with what outcomes Israel and the U.S. would ultimately consider a victory.

In this episode:

- 04:20 ? The strike in Qom and the disruption of Iran?s leadership succession

- 06:05 ? The possible rise of Mojtaba Khamenei

- 11:05 ? What the past 72 hours reveal about the military campaign

- 13:25 ? Why Qom is central to the Islamic Republic

- 15:05 ? The emerging strategy to pressure the regime from within

- 20:05 ? The debate in the U.S. over how the war began

- 37:35 ? Iran?s strategy for surviving the conflict

- 40:05 ? What Israel and the U.S. would consider a victory

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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How did Israel manage to eliminate Supreme Leader Khamenei and his top lieutenants within the opening strike of Operation Roaring Lion? How was the Iranian regime infiltrated? What tactical abilities were necessary to deliver the final blow? And how much of it was luck?

Ronen Bergman, senior correspondent for Yedioth Ahronoth and The New York Times Magazine, takes Dan through the story of Khamenei?s killing from plan to execution, and through the many ways in which things could have gone differently.

In this episode:

3:00 ? How did Israel know where Khamenei was hiding?
8:43 ? Was Iran careless?
14:50 ? How did the plan to strike Khamenei take shape?
15:34 ? 6am on the morning when it happened
22:01 ? Sponsor break: United Hatzalah
22:57 ? Immediate aftermath: What happened after the decapitation strike?
23:37 ? The second and third waves of the attack
28:33 ? Iran's attack on Arab states: another miscalculation?
33:25 ? What's the mood in Iran?

This episode was sponsored by United Hatzalah. Donate today at IsraelRescue.org/CallMeBack. Add this number to your phone right now if you live in Israel ? 1221, and for those visiting it?s 972-2-5-383838.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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What's the state of play after the first day of operation Roaring Lion? What tactical resources have the United States and Israel deployed and what's their division of labor? What are the operation's risks and opportunities? General David Petraeus joins Dan to examine the strategic and tactical planning and goals of the war.

General Petraeus is a retired four-star U.S. Army general and former CIA Director who led coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and is widely recognized for shaping modern U.S. counterinsurgency strategy. He's also co-author of 'Conflict' with Andrew Roberts.

In this episode:

- 1:00 ? Khamenei killed: The decapitation strike

- 3:00 ? Day one of the war: Epic Fury and Roaring Lion

- 5:00 ? How a strike like this gets built

- 8:00 ? The daylight gamble

- 12:00 ? U.S. forces in position

- 16:00 ? Regime change or something else?

- 20:00 ? U.S.?Israel coordination

- 28:00 ? What comes next for Iran

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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The United States and Israel have launched coordinated strikes against Iran, and the region is now at war.

In this emergency episode of Call Me Back, Dan is joined by Nadav Eyal and Mark Dubowitz to break down the opening operation, Iran?s retaliation across the region, and the high-stakes question at the center of it all: Is this about degrading nuclear and missile capabilities, or is this the beginning of regime change?

They discuss the decapitation strategy targeting Iran?s senior leadership, the possibility that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed, the international response, and what comes next. As sirens sound in Israel and ballistic missiles fly across the Gulf, this is real-time analysis of a historic turning point in the Middle East.

In this episode:

- Operation Epic Fury and Roaring Lion: How the war began

- Iran?s regional retaliation and the widening battlefield

- Targeting the leadership: Decapitation and the Khamenei question

- Nuclear reconstitution, Pickaxe Mountain, and the missile threat

- Regime change or strategic degradation?

- International reaction and Gulf alignment

- The American message and what it signals

- How this ends and what comes next

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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Rachel Goldberg-Polin joins Dan for a Purim special to explain why this is possibly the most misunderstood holiday in Jewish tradition. Rather than simply a fun masquerade for kids, Purim presents a profound meditation on hiddenness, courage, and stepping into one?s moment. Rachel walks Dan through the Book of Esther, unpacks its drama and philosophical depth, and explores why a story where God is never mentioned may be the most relevant text for a confusing, fractured age.

In this episode:

- The world of Persia and the backstory to Purim

- Vashti, Esther, and the making of a queen

- Haman, Amalek, and the logic of antisemitism

- ?For such a time as this? and the Esther moment

- Where is God in a story without God?

- Masks, hiddenness, and the illusion of randomness

- Unity, generosity, and the mitzvot of Purim

- Discovering your purpose when no one summons you

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

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As American military assets flow into the Middle East and Tehran prepares its response to Washington?s demands, Dan is joined by Nadav Eyal and Mark Dubowitz to assess whether President Trump is leaning toward diplomacy or decisive military action. They break down what?s real, what?s signaling, what would be the goals and scope of an American attack, and whether Israel is preparing to take part in it.

In this episode:

3:00 - Is Trump leaning toward a strike or a deal?

3:30 - What ?zero enrichment? really means and why it matters

9:30 - Pickaxe Mountain and Iran?s rebuilding nuclear infrastructure

11:00 - The scale of U.S. military deployments in the region

16:00 - Israel?s preparedness and the missile defense dilemma

22:30 - Hezbollah, Gulf states, and regional spillover risks

27:00 - Symbolic strike or regime-level operation?

39:00 - How politics, legacy, and red lines shape Trump?s decision

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

This is a sneak peek from the latest Inside Call Me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. Amit Segal joins Dan to separate spin from substance and answer the question on everyone?s mind: is a military operation truly imminent, and how should Israelis think about what comes next?

They also discuss Amit?s political worldview and how it compares to his father?s Jabotinskyite vision.

To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org.

In the full episode: 

Dan and Amit Segal take listener questions that dig deep into the Israeli divide. Will the election revolve around the Haredi draft crisis or the judicial reform? Should Antizionist Arab parties be able to run in Israeli elections? What is the future of Judea and Samaria and how long can Israel postpone the question of Palestinian statehood? And does Amit share his father's vision of a Jabotinsky right? 

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

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Do most people misunderstand the true nature of Antizionism?

Dan sits down with renowned computer scientist and public intellectual Judea Pearl to understand why he coined the term ?Zionophobia.? Pearl argues that Antizionism is not simply policy criticism but a rejection of Jewish collective sovereignty.

Pearl shares his personal story, that dates back to the founding of Israel, and explains how the murder of his son, Daniel Pearl, and the violence of the Second Intifada have reshaped his thinking about Israel, identity, and moral clarity. 

The conversation spans failed peace efforts, the politics of language, the meaning of indigeneity, and Pearl?s warning that Israel?s greatest long-term vulnerability may be the erosion of bipartisan American support.

Read Judea?s book Coexistence and Other Fighting Words

In this episode:

03:00 - From AI pioneer to Zionist advocate

24:00 - ?Zionophobia,? not anti-Semitism

29:00 - Terrorism, moral asymmetry, and the Carter controversy

35:00 - Education as the true battlefield

38:00 - Why peace efforts failed and what was misunderstood

41:00 - Indigeneity, sovereignty, and competing narratives

44:00 - The bipartisan question and Israel?s strategic future

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

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For years, normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel was seen as the ultimate goal of the Abraham Accords and the final step towards unlocking regional stability. But a sharp rivalry is heating up between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. Dan is joined by Yonatan Adiri and Yael Wissner-Levy to unpack the economic, political, and personal dynamics driving this feud, what it means for Israel, and why India and global energy corridors may matter more than most people realize.

In this episode:

00:18 - MBS?s Vision 2030 under pressure and the internal Saudi recalibration

10:40 - Mentor turned rival: How MBS and MBZ went from alignment to confrontation

18:45 - The Yemen flashpoint that ruptured the Saudi?UAE relationship

24:00 - Energy corridors, IMEC, and the India factor

28:30 - Is Israel collateral damage or strategically positioned?

34:50 - Why UAE?s ?infrastructure diplomacy? may be winning quietly

38:45 - The future of normalization versus regional integration

This episode was sponsored by United Hatzalah. Donate today at IsraelRescue.org/CallMeBack. Add this number to your phone right now if you live in Israel ? 1221, and for those visiting it?s 972-2-5-383838.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

This is a sneak peek from the latest Inside Call me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. Following Bret Stephens? controversial ?State of the World Jewry? speech, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, joins Dan to respond directly.

Is the Jewish community overinvested in fighting antisemitism? Did institutions miss the warning signs before October 7? And can Jewish identity flourish without first ensuring Jewish security?

To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org.

In the full episode: 

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of Anti-Defamation League, joins Dan to respond to Brett Stephens? controversial ?State of the World Jewry? speech, which argued that too many Jewish resources are invested in fighting Antisemitism, rather than building a Jewish life. Jonathan, whom Bret called out by name, tells Dan that the two mustn?t be seen as mutually exclusive. The two also discuss whether Jewish institutions should do some soul searching after being blindsided by Oct. 8, whether the Blue Square Alliance Superbowl ad missed the mark, and what the data?s showing about anti-Jewish trends in America.

Read Jonathan?s op-ed, American Jews need both security and identity
Register for the Never is Now Summit and use discount code ?Senor20?
Watch the Call Me Back episode from the 2025 Never is Now Summit
Watch Jonathan?s previous appearance on Call Me Back

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

Please take 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media?s LISTENER SURVEY

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Prime Minister Netanyahu?s meeting with President Trump ended without any clear declaration about simmering tensions with Iran, so Ark Media contributor Nadav Eyal joins Dan to try to read between the lines. What did Netanyahu hope to achieve? Does anyone know Trump?s plan? Is an attack on Iran still on the table and did Netanyahu move the needle? Could the talks with Iran be just a head fake?

In this episode:

- What Netanyahu asked for in Washington

- Why Israeli officials think the Iran talks may be ?dead on arrival?

- U.S. military buildup and strike contingencies

- Why Trump?s Iran policy is not about Israel ? and never has been

- The China factor: oil, energy, and Cold War II

-  Will Israel participate in a strike?

- The Board of Peace and a potential Marshall Plan for Gaza

- Why Hamas will only disarm under credible threat

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

Please spend 5 minutes to fill out Ark Media?s LISTENER SURVEY

___________________________________

What will Israelis really be voting on in the first election since October 7?

Today we are launching Israel Votes, a new Call me Back and Ark Media series that will be your hub for unpacking the Israeli election. Ark Media contributors Amit Segal and Nadav Eyal join Dan to set the stage, exploring how October 7, the war, coalition politics, deep social divides, and the Netanyahu brand will all play a role in the upcoming vote, which many Israelis feel may determine the character and future of the Jewish state.

In this episode:

06:45 - Why this election feels different from every Israeli election before it

08:55 - Netanyahu?s coalition problem and the ultra-Orthodox question

11:55 - How October 7 changed the political map and voter psychology

16:40 - Is this election a referendum on the past or a vote about the future?

21:00 - What Israel?s demographic and political trends mean for the outcome

26:45 - The opposition?s strategy and the Bennett factor

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

This is a sneak peek from the latest Inside Call Me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. 

Subscribe here to Inside Call me Back

Bret Stephens argues that while organizations like the ADL do valuable work tracking and responding to antisemitic incidents, the Jewish community has overinvested in fighting antisemitism as a primary strategy.

To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org.

In the full episode: 

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens joins Dan on the members-only edition of Call me Back to take questions about his speech at 92nd Street Y and the public conversation it started. Should we really stop trying to fight Antisemitism? Should the ADL be ?dismantled?? Can we define the psychology of Antisemitism? And what are the stories that define Judaism?

Watch Bret's full speech: https://youtu.be/1QMTjVuo9dE

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

Is the right way to fight Antisemitism maybe to? stop fighting it?

In this special episode, we share The State of World Jewry address delivered by New York Times columnist Bret Stephens at the 92nd Street Y. Stephens, who is also the editor-in-chief of SAPIR Journal, offers a bracing diagnosis of modern antisemitism and argues that it cannot be educated away, apologized for, or solved through allyship. Instead, he calls for Jewish confidence, cultural seriousness, and moral clarity in the face of rising hostility.

In this episode:

- Why antisemitism is about resentment, not misunderstanding

- The false promise of fighting antisemitism head-on

- The danger of approval-seeking and respectability politics

- October 8th Jews and the identity reckoning

- Jewish values as inherently countercultural

- Building strength instead of chasing acceptance

This episode was sponsored by SAPIR: Sign up for the SAPIR journal at sapirjournal.org/CallMeBack

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

Is there a deeper strategy underlying President Trump?s actions?

Dan is joined by historian, Free Press columnist, CBS contributor, and Senior Fellow at Hoover Institution Sir Niall Ferguson to connect the dots on how President Trump is using leverage, unpredictability, and selective force across Iran, Venezuela, Europe, and beyond. They discuss why a counter revolution in Iran has little chance without foreign intervention, what ?regime alteration? means, whether we're still living through Cold War II, and why Europe keeps taking the bait.

In this episode?

- Iran strike timing, targets, and endgame

- ?Regime alteration? vs. regime change

- Why Iran?s protests failed and fear works

- Turkey?s mediation and Erdo?an?s ambitions

- Saudi pressure and regional deterrence logic

- Cold War II and the authoritarian axis

- Davos, Europe?s weakness, and the Greenland distraction

- MAGA tensions, Israel, deterrence, and Taiwan

This episode was sponsored by United Hatzalah. Donate today at IsraelRescue.org/CallMeBack. Add this number to your phone right now if you live in Israel ? 1221, and for those visiting it?s 972-2-5-383838.

From the episode:

- Niall Ferguson?s essay in the Free Press, ?The Myth of Revolution in Iran?

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

This is a sneak peek from a recent conversation on Inside Call Me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. Dan and Nadav try to understand the strategic thinking of Iran?s top command and the role of surprise in deterrence.

To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org.

In the full episode: 

Nadav joins Dan in the hot seat to take listener questions on Trump?s proposed ?Board of Peace,? the limits of economic prosperity to deradicalize Palestinian society, and whether outside actors can actually create change in Gaza. They also discuss Qatar?s influence inside the U.S., and explore the politics of Israeli Arabs. Dan also provides his perspective on whether elite universities still matter.

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

Is Antizionism a Soviet invention for persecuting Jews?

Dan is joined by Shaul Kelner, professor of Jewish studies and sociology at Vanderbilt University, to examine the rarely-told history of Antizionism. Kelner explains how a framework designed to deny Jewish life under Soviet rule has resurfaced in the West long before October 7 and why many American Jews were unprepared for its scale and intensity.

In this episode...

08:00: The Soviet roots of Antizionism

15:00: How Antizionism entered the West

21:00 Marxism and ideological monoculture in American universities

28:00 Why American Jews are seduced by Antizionism

32:00: Stop debating semantics

This episode was sponsored by SAPIR: Sign up for the SAPIR journal at sapirjournal.org/CallMeBack

From the episode:

- Shaul Kelner?s book, A Cold War Exodus: How Americans Activists Mobilized to Free Soviet Jews

- Read Shaul?s article on American Antizionism in the Shalom Hartman Institute's Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas

- Attend The State of World Jewry Address at the 92nd Street Y

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

Is a U.S. strike on Iran back on the table? How could it reshape the Middle East? And what role could the Middle East play in the new world order taking shape these days? 

Dan Senor speaks with Mark Dubowitz and Yonatan Adiri about the rising likelihood of U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic, which targets are being considered, and how Iran could retaliate. They also unpack Israel?s internal debates on how to respond, the Saudi UAE rift and what it means for normalization, Turkey?s expanding footprint, and why India is becoming a more important regional player.

In this episode...

- Is a U.S. strike on Iran coming and what would actually be hit

- How Iran might retaliate and the debates inside Israel over next steps

- Whether military action is meant to pressure the regime or help bring it down

- Why Trump paused an attack and the regional forces shaping that call

- Saudi Arabia?s recalculation, its rift with the UAE, and the impact on normalization

- Turkey?s rise and why India is becoming a quiet power broker in the region

This episode was sponsored by SAPIR: Sign up for the SAPIR journal at sapirjournal.org/CallMeBack

From the episode:

- Listen to Yonatan?s podcast What?s Your Number?

- Listen to Mark?s podcast The Iran Breakdown

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

This is a sneak peek from a recent conversation on Inside Call Me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. Dan and Dr. Tal Becker challenge the claim that Saudi normalization is ?dead? and explain why a one-state framework fails to address the core of the Israeli?Palestinian conflict.

To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org.

In the full episode: 

Dan takes listener questions with Dr. Tal Becker on the new ?Board of Peace,? why it?s being framed as an alternative to the UN, and what it could mean for Gaza and beyond. Tal also weighs Israel?s concerns about Turkey and Qatar sitting on the Gaza Executive Committee. The conversation ends with a look at trends in American Jewry and a practical explanation for why Israeli leaders often adjust once they?re governing from the Prime Minister?s Office.

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

What will Phase II of Trump's plan for Gaza look like on the ground? Who?s  in charge of Gaza now, and who?s paying the bills? Dan is joined by Ark Media contributors Nadav Eyal and Amit Segal to cut through the fog around ?phase two? of the Gaza plan. They break down the new governing structure ? Trump?s ?Board of Peace,? the Gaza Executive Committee, a Palestinian technocrat government, and an International Stability Force ? and explain what will actually matter on the ground: money, security control, and whether Hamas truly disarms. They also assess Israel?U.S. friction, the odds of renewed fighting, what daily life in Gaza looks like right now, and how all of this collides with Israeli election politics.

In this episode...

- Understanding the Governance of Gaza

- Who Holds Power in Gaza? Money, Security, and Accountability

- Hamas After the War

- Phase Two, the Yellow Line, and Israeli Withdrawal

- The International Stability Force Explained

- Life in Gaza Right Now

- Gaza Meets Israeli Politics

- The Bigger Regional Picture

From the episode:

This episode was sponsored by The Shalom Hartman Institute: Learn more about the Community Leadership Program at https://go.hartman.org.il/CLP-CMB

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

In part two of Dan?s conversation with political scientist Yascha Mounk, the two discuss identity politics, its growing influence on the American left, and the danger this trend poses to pluralistic societies.

They examine why identity politics is so seductive, how it reshapes government, schools, and civic  institutions, and why Mounk believes it ultimately undermines both individuality and democratic cohesion. The conversation also turns inward, exploring Jewish identity: where it strengthens pluralism, where it becomes politicized, and why Jews, in particular, should be cautious about abandoning universal principles for group-based power.

In this episode...

- Why liberalism today feels unrecognizable

- What identity politics is and why it?s so appealing

- How universalism gave way to group-based politics

- When inclusion turns into segregation

- Jewish identity and the limits of identity-based politics

- Why free speech remains essential for a pluralistic democracy

From the episode:

- Listen to Yascha?s podcast The Good Fight

- Subscribe to Persuasion

- Purchase Yascha?s book, The Identity Trap

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

Is Antizionism the new common denominator of the left? Political scientist Yascha Mounk, founder of Persuasion and author of The Identity Trap, joins Dan to discuss whether the rise of Zohran Mamdani is indicative of a growing connection between socialist causes and hostility towards Jews. Drawing on his personal history, Mounk explains the different iterations of Antisemitism on the left and discusses with Dan whether it is categorically different from what we?re increasingly seeing on the American right.

The conversation went longer than normal, so stay tuned for part 2 in which Dan and Yascha discuss how identity politics consumed America and Jews should be wary of falling into the same trap.

In this episode...

- Yascha?s political upbringing

- The history of Antizionism on the left 

- What would Mamdani compromise on?

- Is the IHRA?s definition of Antisemitism dangerous to free speech? 

- The Western left?s silence on repression in Iran

This episode was sponsored by SAPIR: Sign up for the SAPIR journal at sapirjournal.org/CallMeBack

From the episode:

- Listen to Yascha?s podcast The Good Fight

- Subscribe to Persuasion

- Purchase Yascha?s book, The Identity Trap

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

This is a sneak peek from a recent conversation on Inside Call Me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. Dan takes listener questions with Ilan, starting with reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu may have urged President Trump to delay a strike on Iran. They also touch on Saudi Arabia?s opposition to an attack, the link between conspiracy thinking and antisemitism, and whether there?s a path back to bipartisan support for Israel in American politics. To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org.

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo 

While President Trump has made multiple threats against the Islamic Republic?s regime due to its violent crackdown against protesters, the world still waits to see whether the United States will indeed follow through. Karim Sadjadpour, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Ark Media contributor Nadav Eyal join Dan to discuss what shape might an American attack take, whether it has in fact already started, how Iran might retaliate, and whether this could be the end of the Ayatollah regime.

In this episode...

- Under the communications shutdown, can we know what?s happening in Iran?

- Israel expects an American action? But of what kind?

- Is the Ayatollah regime crumbling? 

- Is the United States already operating within Iran?

- Getting into the mind of the Supreme Leader

- How is Israel preparing? 

- What should the West do?

- Understanding Reza Pahlavi?s role

This episode was sponsored by Birthright: Invest in the Jewish future today at onetripchangeseverything.com.

From the episode:

- Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings.

- Nadav?s latest newsletter on Iran

- Read Karim?s latest piece in Foreign Affairs

More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Pattricio Spadaveccia, Yuval Semo 

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back https://inside.arkmedia.org

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: https://inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Read Karim's piece in Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/autumn-ayatollahs

Subscribe to Nadav Eyal?s Substack: https://nadave.substack.com/

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: https://arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: https://arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: https://instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: https://x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: https://instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: https://tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

As Iran enters another week of unrest, protests have continued to spread across the country, with demonstrations reported in multiple major cities. The regime has responded by sharply restricting internet and cellular access, making it difficult to assess the full scale of the crackdown as regional tensions rise and President Trump warns that the United States could intervene if protesters are killed.

To discuss what this moment could mean for Iran?s future, Dan was joined by Karim Sadjadpour, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a recurring guest on the podcast. Karim examines whether Iran may be nearing a tipping point, how the regime is attempting to suppress dissent, and what the fall of the Islamic Republic could look like, including the risks and challenges of political transition.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Subscribe here to ?What?s Your Number?: https://lnk.to/rfGlrA

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back inside.arkmedia.org

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Subscribe to Nadav Eyal?s Substack: https://nadave.substack.com/

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

In a Call me Back bonus episode, we?re publishing this week?s episode of Ark Media podcast What?s Your Number, co-hosted by Yonatan Adiri and Yael Wissner-Levy. This week, Yonatan and Yael were joined by Daniel Schreiber, co-founder and CEO of Lemonade, and Founder and Chairman of the Mosaic Institute for AI Policy. Daniel, Yael, and Yonatan discuss how a future Israel economy might fare in an automated world between the risks of massive workforce displacement and the potential of turbocharged productivity.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back inside.arkmedia.org

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Sapir Journal: https://sapirjournal.org/

Subscribe to Nadav Eyal?s Substack: https://nadave.substack.com/

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Check out Ark Media?s other podcasts: 

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

Few people expected to start 2026 with images of Nicolas Maduro in a New York prison. In the days since Madouro?s capture, many have argued that the Trump administration?s operation in Venezuela is another signal that the global system we?ve known for the better part of a century has dramatically changed. From the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, to Israel?s two-year multifront battle, to a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, geopolitical power dynamics are rapidly shifting. But to what end? Are we witnessing the emergence of a new world order?

To discuss the historical context and implications of the geopolitical moment we find ourselves in, Dan was joined by Call me Back veteran Brett Stephens. Brett is an opinion columnist for the New York Times, a senior contributor to NBC News, and the inaugural editor in chief of the Sapir journal. Bret previously worked as a foreign affairs columnist for the Wall Street Journal, and from 2002-2004 served as the editor in chief of the Jerusalem Post. 

(00:00) Introduction

(05:32) Unpacking the ?old world order?

(13:43) Where does Europe stand?

(16:55) What Europe could learn from Israel

(19:11) The Middle East and Turkey?s growing influence

(22:32) What to make of the mass protests in Iran

(25:12) The illusion of a rules-based global order?

(27:16) Trump: what he gets right and what he gets wrong

(32:28) Are we heading toward a great power war?

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Associate Producer

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back inside.arkmedia.org

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Subscribe to Nadav Eyal?s Substack: https://nadave.substack.com/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Check out Ark Media?s other podcasts: 

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

For more than a week, hordes of Iranians have taken to the streets and risked their lives to protest the Islamic regime. The regime?s attempts to suppress the protests are failing; instead, the unrest has spread from the capital city of Tehran to other cities and provinces. On Friday, President Trump warned that the U.S. would intervene if the Iranian state kills anti-regime protestors. 

Against this backdrop, on Saturday, in a shocking military escalation, U.S. special forces captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife while carrying out strikes on the capital city Caracas. Under Maduro, Venezuela has fostered warm ties with the Islamic Regime of Iran as well as Russia and China. Many see Trump?s action in Venezuela as an indication that he is willing to heighten American aggression against its enemies, including the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

To discuss what to make of the societal upheaval in Iran ? and how the historic events in Venezuela play a role here ? Dan was joined by Karim Sadjadpour. Karim is an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a recurring guest on this podcast on all things Iran.

Karim's piece on Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/autumn-ayatollahs

(00:00) Introduction

(05:20) What?s happening on the ground in Iran?

(07:41) The conditions needed for regime collapse

(15:26) The character of Iranian protestors

(18:40) How did Israel?s attacks in June affect this moment?

(22:47) Understanding the regime?s strategy to stay in power

(25:03) How does the Venezuela operation impact the situation in Iran?

(30:39) The fragility of the Islamic regime

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Associate Producer

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back inside.arkmedia.org

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Listen to What?s Your Number: lnk.to/GsOESP

Subscribe to Nadav Eyal?s Substack: https://nadave.substack.com/

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Check out Ark Media?s other podcasts: 

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

As we enter a new year, news unfolds rapidly when it comes to Israel and the Middle East. Over the past few days, Iran has witnessed the country?s largest anti-regime protests in the past three years, with crowds taking to the streets in several cities and clashing with security forces. On Monday, Prime Minister Netanyahu met President Trump at Mar-a-Lago, for the leaders sixth meeting over the course of Trump?s second term. President Trump made several bold statements to the press, including warning that if Iran continues building its missile programs, the U.S. will take swift and severe action. President Trump also remarked on the Gaza ceasefire, saying he intends to move to phase two of his peace plan, but also threatening ?hell to pay? if Hamas does not disarm quickly. 

To unpack the dramatic events unfolding in Iran, and to analyze yet another meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, Dan was joined by Ark Media contributors Nadav Eyal and Amit Segal.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Associate Producer

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

To support the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology: ats.org/callmeback

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back inside.arkmedia.org

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Listen to What?s Your Number: lnk.to/GsOESP

Subscribe to Nadav Eyal?s Substack: https://nadave.substack.com/

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Check out Ark Media?s other podcasts: 

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

(00:00) Introduction

(04:49) Dissecting the ?settler? umbrella

(10:11) The origins and evolution of the settler movement

(14:32) 50 shades of ideology: the various segments of settlers

(20:12) A hot potato: the reluctance to address Israeli extremist violence

(29:40) The ideology that underlies this violence

(37:18) How the Israeli government has changed its approach to extremist violence

(44:55) Closing thoughts and Nadav?s new substack

Today?s Episode: 

Critics of Israel often emphasize the phenomenon of extremist settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Yet it can be difficult to understand the scope of the problem from afar, given the anti-Israel bias and false reporting demonstrated by many media outlets, especially following October 7. To get to the bottom of this controversial issue ? and to filter signal from noise ? Dan sat down with Ark Media contributor Nadav Eyal and Rabbi David Stav. Rabbi Stav is the co-founder and chairman of the Tzohar rabbinic organization and serves as Chief Rabbi of the city of Shoham in central Israel.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Associate Producer

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back inside.arkmedia.org

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Benjamin?s previous episode on Call me Back: lnk.to/1kxj5B

Listen to What?s Your Number: lnk.to/GsOESP

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Check out Ark Media?s other podcasts: 

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

On this week?s episode of Inside Call me Back, we released the recording of an in-person conversation between Dan, Nadav Eyal and Tal Becker that took place a couple weeks ago at an event titled ?Where do we go from here? The future of Israel and Jewish Peoplehood? at the Tenafly JCC. They discussed the different roots of antisemitism in the West, the resilience and defiance expressed in living a Jewish life, and the changing attitudes towards Israel among American Jews. The conversation was so meaty that we wanted to share a sneak peek with our wider Call me Back audience. If you want to catch the full conversation, consider joining Inside call me back using by going to inside.arkmedia.org. 

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Associate Producer

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Support Birthright Israel: https://birthrightisrael.foundation/callmeback

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back inside.arkmedia.org

Follow Benjamin Birely on Instagram: HolyLandSpeaks

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Benjamin?s previous episode on Call me Back: lnk.to/1kxj5B

Listen to What?s Your Number: lnk.to/GsOESP

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Check out Ark Media?s other podcasts: 

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

Returning to the podcast for a special Christmas episode is Benjamin Birely, an American-Israeli Phd candidate and researcher in ancient historical texts at L?Orientale University in Naples, Italy. 

Today, as the world celebrates Christmas, Benjamin takes us back more than 2,000 years to a land very familiar, to guide listeners through the Jewish environment that defined Jerusalem in 1 A.D and the world of Jesus Christ. The story of that period is one of factionalism, religious and political tensions, civil war, and geopolitical drama ? and therefore one that will resonate with listeners today.

(00:00) Introduction
(03:58) the Jewish world of Jesus Christ
(07:15) Jewish factionalism in 1 A.D. Jerusalem
(15:13) Hellenization in Hasmonean Judaea
(21:30) King Alexander, Queen Shlomtzion, and Judean Civil War
(32:26) King Herod and the public mood
(39:04) The environment that bred Jesus Christ
(45:15) After Herod: rise of the Zealots

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Associate Producer

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back: https://inside.arkmedia.org

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

To order Walter Russell Mead's book: https://tinyurl.com/yc6vta9r

To read Walter Russell Mead?s column: https://tinyurl.com/4cbhve36  

Listen to What?s Your Number: lnk.to/GsOESP

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Check out Ark Media?s other podcasts: 

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

Our guest today is Walter Russell Mead, an author, academic, and foreign policy expert. Walter is a Professor of Strategy and Statesmanship at the University of Florida?s Hamilton Center, a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. He and Dan unpacked the Trump administration?s approach to several foreign policy issues, from Russia-Ukraine, to China, to the Middle East. They also discussed Israel?s strategic position in the region following October 7th and its two year, multi-front war.

(00:00) Introduction
(04:48) Unpacking Trump?s National Security Strategy
(15:06) Where does Trump?s NSS leave the Middle East?
(20:57) How important is Middle Eastern oil to Trump?
(23:45) How Trump sees America?s role in the world
(26:57) Today?s antisemitism in a historic context
(31:36) Demographic shifts: Muslim migrants in the West
(37:09) The geopolitical trends to track

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Associate Producer

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=inside

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Listen to What?s Your Number: lnk.to/GsOESP

Subscribe to Amit Segal?s newsletter ?It?s Noon in Israel?:arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Check out Ark Media?s other podcasts: 

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer?s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today?s Episode: 

This week, I sat down with Ark Media contributor Amit Segal for our weekly episode of Inside Call me Back where we delved into some thought-provoking listener questions. The questions prompted an interesting conversation so we decided to share a sneak peak of Inside Call me Back with the larger Call me Back audience. If you enjoy this type of conversation, or if you simply want to support our work, please consider joining us on Inside Call me Back by following the link at the top of the show notes or going to Arkmedia.org. 

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

BRITTANY COHEN - Production Manager

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATRICIO SPADAVECCHIA - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Associate Producer

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Community Management