Unpacking Israeli History
Join self-confessed history nerd Dr. Noam Weissman on a journey through the fascinating and sometimes controversial events and personalities that have shaped Israel’s past and present. Each week, Noam explores the layers of Israeli history, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the cultural forces at play—drawing on a variety of sources and perspectives. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply looking to better understand this complex region, you’ll find a nuanced, authentic, and thought-provoking take on Israel—free from oversimplification and political spin.
Episodes
May 27, 2025 • 41 mins
Unpacking Israeli History is coming to Chicago on June 8 for its first ever LIVE event! Buy your tickets now. DISCOUNT: Get 20% off your tickets using the discount code UIHCHI. NB: Click "Unlock" and enter the discount code before selecting your tickets.
Host Noam Weissman is joined once again by journalist and analyst Haviv Rettig Gur to unpack not just myths about Israeli security—but the deeper, more existential myths...
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May 20, 2025 • 38 mins
Unpacking Israeli History is coming to Chicago on June 8 for its first ever LIVE event! Buy your tickets nowDISCOUNT: Get 20% off your tickets using the discount code UIHCHI. NB: Click "Unlock" and enter the discount code before selecting your tickets.
Host Noam Weissman is joined by journalist and analyst Haviv Rettig Gur to unpack three of the most enduring and controversial myths surrounding Israeli history and identity. ...
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May 13, 2025 • 52 mins
Unpacking Israeli History is coming to Chicago on June 8 for its first ever LIVE event! Buy Your Tickets Now
DISCOUNT: Get 20% off your tickets using the discount code UIHCHI. NB: Click "Unlock" and enter the discount code before selecting your tickets.
This week, host Noam Weissman revisits one of Israel’s most explosive debates, why don’t most Haredim—often referred to as the ultra-Orthodox—serve in the IDF? As Israel endur...
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Unpacking Israeli History is coming to Chicago on June 8 for its first ever LIVE event! Buy your tickets now
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT: Get your tickets before May 19 using the discount code UIHCHI for a 20% discount on your tickets. Click "Unlock" and enter the discount code before selecting your tickets.
Feeling overwhelmed by the chaos of today's world? Host Noam Weissman turns to history for grounding—specifically, the overlooked...
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April 29, 2025 • 40 mins
This year has tested Israel and the Jewish people like never before. Amid devastating war, political chaos, and a global surge in antisemitism, Noam Weissman reflects on an astonishing truth: it could have been even worse. In this episode of Unpacking Israeli History, Noam revisits a few breathtaking stories of Israel’s legendary intelligence agency, the Mossad, whose secret missions have saved countless lives. From the brilliant s...
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April 22, 2025 • 39 mins
Host Noam Weissman explores the powerful origins and evolving meaning of Yom HaShoah ve HaGevurah, Israel’s official Holocaust Remembrance Day. Why doesn’t Israel observe Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27th like the rest of the world? The answer lies in a gripping story of resistance, memory, politics, and identity. This episode confronts painful truths, honors acts of defiance, and ultimately asks: how do we remember the Holoca...
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April 11, 2025 • 37 mins
This week, Unpacking Israeli History is sharing an episode from another great podcast produced by Unpacked: Jewish History Nerds. We hope you'll listen to the premier of season 4: The Star of David-A Symbol That Means Everything—and Nothing. Hosts Yael Steiner and Jonathan Schwab explore the history of the Star of David, also known as the Magen David or hexagram. What does the Star of David really mean—and how did it become the sym...
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April 1, 2025 • 45 mins
Host Noam Weissman explores the controversial ideas, and long-lasting influence of Meir Kahane—American-born rabbi, founder of the Jewish Defense League, and pioneer of the far-right ideology known as Kahanism. Once dismissed as a fringe figure, Kahane's ideas are making a troubling comeback, echoed in memes, political platforms, and even Israeli policy debates. Noam goes beyond the headlines to ask: Who was Meir Kahane--really? W...
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March 25, 2025 • 59 mins
Host Noam Weissman continues a powerful conversation with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Palestinian voice offering deep, honest insights into Gaza’s past, present, and future. In part 2, Ahmed shares personal stories, critiques both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, and offers a compelling vision for a post-Hamas Gaza. From the rise of Hamas, the failure of Palestinian governance, and the missed opportunity to build a thriving Palesti...
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March 18, 2025 • 56 mins
What happens when a proud American, native Gazan, and pro-peace advocate joins Unpacking Israeli History? In this groundbreaking episode, Noam Weissman sits down with Ahmed Fouad Alkatib for a deeply honest and nuanced conversation about Palestinian history, identity, and lived experience. From Gaza in the 1990s to the legacy of Hajj Amin al-Husseini, Sykes-Picot, and the Nakba, Ahmed offers a powerful, personal perspective. In par...
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March 11, 2025 • 54 mins
Host and avid basketball fan, Noam Weissman takes us courtside to one of the most iconic moments in Israeli sports history — Maccabi Tel Aviv’s historic 2004 Euroleague championship win. This isn’t just a story about basketball. It’s a deep dive into how a game became a symbol of Zionism, Israeli resilience, national pride, and cultural identity during one of the country’s darkest chapters — the Second Intifada. From Tal Brody’s le...
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March 4, 2025 • 35 mins
Host Noam Weissman tackles one of the most complex and debated topics in modern history: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this 30-minute crash course, Noam distills over a century of history, including the origins of Zionism, the Balfour Declaration, wars, peace efforts, and the tragic events of October 7. Whether you're a history buff or just looking for a clear, no-frills summary, this episode provides the context, nuance, an...
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February 25, 2025 • 20 mins
Host Noam Weissman reflects on one of the most devastating periods since October 7, 2023-- the past week, which brought us the deaths of Oded Lifshitz and 3/4 of the Bibas family. From the abduction of Yarden, Shiri, and their young sons Ariel and Kfir at Kibbutz Nir Oz to the deceptive handling of their remains, the brutal murders have left an indelible scar on Israel. The episode draws parallels with iconic historical images like...
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February 18, 2025 • 31 mins
Dive into the story of the 1946 King David Hotel bombing with part two in a gripping series on an event that re-shaped British policy in Mandate Palestine and influenced the future of Israel. Host Noam Weissman unpacks the Irgun’s daring operation, the sequence of warnings and events that led to the tragic loss of 91 lives, and the political fallout. Listen to survivor testimony about the bombing and hear how this historic act of r...
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February 11, 2025 • 35 mins
UIH wants to hear from you. Please fill out this survey to share your thoughts and ideas about the show. Find the survey here.
In the first episode of a gripping two-part series, host Noam Weissman explores one of the most controversial events in Israel’s past: the 1946 bombing of the King David Hotel by the Irgun. Was it an act of terrorism or a necessary step in the fight for Jewish sovereignty? Through historical context, first...
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February 4, 2025 • 63 mins
Host Noam Weissman explores the complex and often controversial history of Israeli settlements in the second episode in a two-part series. Noam unravels the strategic, religious, and political motivations behind the settlement movement, from the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War to today. Featuring firsthand accounts, expert analysis, and surprising perspectives from settlers and Palestinians, this episode challenges assumptions wi...
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January 28, 2025 • 41 mins
Join host Noam Weissman as he dives into the complex history and heated debates surrounding Israeli settlements. The first installment of a special two-part series explores the immediate aftermath of the Six Day War in 1967 to the ideological motivations of the Gush Emunim movement. Noam discusses how the terms “occupied,” “disputed,” and “liberated” each carry profound political and historical weight. Learn about key players who s...
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January 21, 2025 • 32 mins
This week, host Noam Weissman addresses listeners' questions and dives deep into the controversy surrounding the USS Liberty incident during the Six-Day War. He dissects the facts, debunks conspiracy theories, and explores how these narratives intersect with age-old antisemitic tropes. From historical context to contemporary debates fueled by figures like Candace Owens, this episode highlights the importance of distinguishing betwe...
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December 24, 2024 • 36 secs
Unpacking Israeli History is taking a short break. But we are continuing to work on new episodes, including some based your questions, so keep your ideas coming and get in touch at noam@jewishunpacked.com. We will be back in a few weeks. See you in 2025. Thanks for listening.
This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.
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For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:
Jewish History Nerd...
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December 17, 2024 • 38 mins
This week, we continue our two-part series on the complex story of Arab citizens of Israel, from 1967 to October 7, 2023. We explore the evolving identity of Israeli Arabs, focusing not only on challenges of the past, but also looking ahead at paths to peace, equality, and mutual understanding.
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