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
August 5, 2025 • 49 mins
BOOK TICKETS for Unpacking Israeli History LIVE in NYC - Sep 7 at 92nd St Y with special guest Dan Senor: https://unpacked.bio/uihny25 Use Promo code UIH20 to get 20% off your tickets
In the explosive finale of our 3-part series on the Suez Crisis, Noam Weissman unpacks the hidden aftershocks of Israel’s most underrated war. This episode reveals how the 1956 Sinai Campaign reshaped global alliances and Middle East power dynamics...
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July 29, 2025 • 42 mins
BOOK TICKETS for Unpacking Israeli History LIVE in NYC - Sep 7 at 92nd St Y with special guest Dan Senor: https://unpacked.bio/uihny25 Use Promo code UIH20 to get 20% off your tickets
This week, Part 2 of our Suez Crisis trilogy dives into the explosive events of 1956: Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal, enraging Britain and France. Behind closed doors, the three powers—Israel, Britain, and France—draft a secret plan to laun...
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July 22, 2025 • 36 mins
BOOK TICKETS for Unpacking Israeli History LIVE in NYC - Sep 7 at 92nd St Y with special guest Dan Senor: https://unpacked.bio/uihny25 Use Promo code UIH20 to get 20% off your tickets
Unpacking Israeli History kicks off a gripping 3-part series on the 1956 Suez Crisis—Israel’s most overlooked war. In Part I, Noam Weissman unpacks the roots of this conflict: from Nasser’s pan-Arabism and fedayeen attacks to Israel’s bold doctr...
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July 15, 2025 • 80 mins
BOOK TICKETS for Unpacking Israeli History LIVE in NYC - Sep 7 at 92nd St Y with special guest Dan Senor: https://unpacked.bio/uihny25 Use Promo code UIH20 to get 20% off your tickets
Unpacking Israeli History goes live in Chicago! Join host Noam Weissman and historian, statesman, and bestselling author Michael Oren for an extraordinary conversation on Israel’s Rubicon moments, missed opportunities, and the decisions that shap...
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July 8, 2025 • 67 mins
This week, host Noam Weissman explores the heated debate over the right of return in part 2 in a series on the origins of the Palestinian refugee crisis. Noam traces how the 1948 War of Independence created a massive exodus that still fuels conflict today. The episode covers key historical events and examines the moral and historical complexities Israelis and Palestinians rarely confront. Discover why six million Palestinians ar...
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July 8, 2025 • 54 mins
Host Noam Weissman dives into one of the most emotionally and politically charged topics in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the Right of Return. Noam breaks down key historical events and grapples with tough questions: Was the Palestinian exodus of 1947–1948 a planned expulsion or a tragic byproduct of war? The first installment in this two-part series on the rise of Palestinian refugees explores the power of language, nation...
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July 1, 2025 • 58 mins
Host Noam Weissman sits down with acclaimed Iranian-American writer Roya Hakakian to trace the complex and often misunderstood history of Persian Jewry. Roya shares her personal story growing up Jewish in Iran before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, explores why the country shifted from relative tolerance to theocratic repression, and reflects on why millions of Iranians today remain deeply secular despite their fundamentalis...
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June 26, 2025 • 70 mins
As a ceasefire takes tentative hold, host Noam Weissman sits down with Dr. Tal Becker — former Israeli peace negotiator and legal advisor — to unpack the complex war between Israel and Iran. Dr. Becker offers critical insight into Iran’s theology, the distinction between preemptive and preventive strikes, and why this war is less about bombs and more about values, narratives, and identity. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ...
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June 24, 2025 • 45 mins
As tensions erupt between Israel and Iran, we revisit one of our most powerful episodes: the secret story of Dimona, Israel’s nuclear program. In this updated re-release, Noam Weissman explores how Israel became a covert nuclear power, the role of France and the U.S., and the enduring policy of amimut—nuclear ambiguity. Why has Israel never officially confirmed it has the bomb? And how does that decision shape today's existential t...
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June 19, 2025 • 25 mins
In this special episode of Unpacking Israeli History, Noam Weissman breaks from the usual format to reflect on what it means to live through history as a Jew, a Zionist, and an Israeli ally. With biblical insight, historical depth, and cultural clarity, he unpacks the meaning of Zionism amidst war with Iran, rising global antisemitism, and media distortion. From Operation Am K’Lavi (“Rising Lion”) to the legacy of Jewish resilienc...
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June 17, 2025 • 53 mins
In this special episode of Unpacking Israeli History, host Noam Weissman shares a conversation with producer Rivky Stern, who unexpectedly finds herself in Israel with her young family as war with Iran breaks out. Rivky reflects on the emotional and psychological toll of daily life under rocket threat, offering a raw and deeply personal perspective from inside a conflict zone. Then, Noam revisits the legendary 1981 Israeli strike o...
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June 13, 2025 • 36 mins
In this urgent crossover episode of Unpacking Israeli History and Wondering Jews, host Noam Weissman is joined by military analyst and author Yaakov Katz to break down Israel’s unprecedented airstrike on Iranian nuclear and military targets. As events unfold in real time, they explore the historical roots, strategic timing, and existential stakes of the operation—drawing connections to Israel’s past strikes in Iraq (1981) and Syria...
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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 • 39 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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