I started the podcast “A Fresh Perspective” to offer a deep and innovative look at the core issues of Israeli and Jewish discourse. I didn’t want to just focus on daily politics or the latest headlines, but to explore deeper questions about identity, Judaism, Israeliness, society, and values—questions that resonate in my personal life and in all of ours.
Questions of identity are not about religion and state. They’re about whether or not we have a state. We choose yes. Our identity gets embedded into the state’s DNA, and from there, it’s passed down to future generations. It will determine the future of the State of Israel and the entire Jewish people.
In the podcast, we bring conversations on topics at the heart of public discourse: what does it mean to be a Jewish Israeli in the 21st century? Is it possible to create a society that offers groundbreaking solutions to modern challenges while preserving the eternal values that have sustained the Jewish people for 3,000 years? And how do we, as individuals and communities, merge the traditions we received from the past with the modern and advanced reality we live in today?
In the first four episodes of the podcast, we covered a wide range of topics—from Israel’s domestic and foreign policies to Jewish-Israeli identity and questions about Israel’s education system and how it influences our identity as Israelis and Jews.
In each of these episodes, we examined how Jewish history and values influence the decisions and challenges facing Israeli society and the Jewish world today. We also analyzed how Jewish-Israeli identity impacts the perception of reality and political and strategic decisions.
We hosted a variety of fascinating guests for deep conversations on essential topics. Among our guests:
MK Shelly Tal Miron: We discussed the evolution of the Israeli narrative, from the Holocaust and the founding of the state to the Abraham Accords. We delved into the struggle over Jewish identity, the tension between liberalism and religion, and the question of who defines the national story. The conversation explored the implications of the dominant narrative on foreign policy and Israeli society.
Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yom-Tov Samia: We talked about Israeli society and the social divides shaping it. We discussed how recent political events changed his outlook, his travels across the country seeking solutions to social challenges, and asked whether Israel resembles two parallel train tracks—one Jewish and one democratic? Or is that the essence of the problem? Does one part of the nation manage Judaism, and another democracy? And, of course, we discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the necessary changes in the Middle East.
Dr. Marwah Shalev Marom from Schechter Institute: We had an in-depth conversation about the Israeli education system and whether it needs preservation or reform. During the episode, we examined Jewish education in Israel, explored its history, and compared it to the Jewish education model in the U.S. We discussed a vision for Jewish education that would allow every child to experience Judaism as a shared heritage, and also the connection between religion and state in Israel. The conversation raised important questions about Jewish identity and how we can make Jewish education relevant for the next generation.
Ms. Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem: We talked about the Jewish-Israeli story beyond the Holocaust and the founding of the state. We discussed Mizrahi roots, the challenges of Jewish identity in Israel today, and the renewed antisemitism on U.S. campuses.
We analyzed the tension between Ashkenazim and Sephardim, the impact of the woke movement on Judaism, and the failed hasbara affecting our image in the world. Among other things, we discussed the social challenges also reflected in the discourse on Jewish identity in Israeli society, and how this manifests in the country’s domestic policy. We also talked about the influence of the Jewish narrative on Israel’s foreign policy, which connects us to the Abraham Accords and relations with Arab countries based on shared roots.
I see the podcast as an opportunity to open a window for young listeners. To let in some fresh air. To offer a new and important perspective on the challenges we face as a nation and a society.
In the upcoming episodes, we’ll meet one of the biggest venture capital investors in the country, who has just finished his first book about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in the Book of Genesis, and we’ll learn how he draws inspiration from the past to build the future. We’ll interview a former minister and MK who will explain why we must focus now on defining our borders to maintain Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
We’ll sit with a Givati company commander who fought heroically on October 7 and later lost an eye in Gaza. He will share how his identity gives him the strength to continue leading the fight against antisemitism on foreign campuses. And we’ll talk to a Qatar expert who will shed light on how the dangers posed by this small state challenge Israeli identity, and why we need to recalculate our course.
Join us on this journey—on APPLE, SPOTIFY, X, and INSTAGRAM. In each episode, we’ll take a fresh and deep look at the challenges and opportunities ahead of us from a new perspective.
Every episode is an opportunity to discover a new perspective, a fresh perspective, מבט טרי.
Terry Newman, entrepreneur, chairman of the public council of BINA, member of the World Jewish Congress, and an author in the midst of writing the book ‘The Jewish Century.’