The Promised Podcast
The “Means, Ends & Mean Ends” Edition
Published: July 17, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode of The Promised Podcast dives deep into the contradictions and complexities of Israeli society, focusing on how the country inspires both love and frustration in equal measure. Hosts Noah Efron, Linda Gradstein, and Gilad Halpern explore themes ranging from inclusive religious communities in Tel Aviv to the profound influence of songwriter Shaike Paikov; from controversy over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s wartime decisions as reported by the New York Times, to the dystopian proposal of a “Humanitarian City” for Gazans. Throughout, the episode grapples with questions of leadership, morality, memory, and the Israeli capacity for both warmth and exasperation.
Main Themes & Discussions
1. The Spirit of Tel Aviv: Warmth, Inclusion, and Live-and-let-live
[00:31–06:39]
Key Points:
- Yahad, an Orthodox but LGBTQ-inclusive religious community, faces eviction and urgent need for a new prayer space.
- At a Tel Aviv City Council session, politicians—across religious/political divides—united in support of Yahad.
- Quote: “We all need to mobilize to help this community find a permanent home in Tel Aviv Yafo. It is a community we can all be proud of.” — Deputy Mayor Chaim Goren, [02:49]
- Councilmember Reut Nagar shares a personal tribute, holding her infant:
- Quote: “When Gaia was born, I found a home in the Yachad community. We must find them a solution. We are with you, Chaim. A coalition of love.” — Reut Nagar, [03:38]
- Outcome: City officials quickly identify a new space for Yahad, symbolizing Tel Aviv’s “live and let live, thrive and let thrive” ethos.
- Tone: Affectionate, proud, and nuanced—celebrating the way Tel Aviv’s diversity is managed through warmth and practical solidarity.
2. In Memoriam: Shaike Paikov, Songwriter of the Land of Israel
[10:13–28:46]
Key Points:
- The hosts recount the funeral of Shaike Paikov, a legendary Israeli songwriter.
- His legacy: binding together generations and landscapes through iconic songs that became part of Israeli culture.
- Quote: “Shaika was for me the music of the land of Israel.” — Saraleh Sharon, [13:35]
- Paikov’s songs are “love songs to a place, not an abstract place, but to this place, these trees, these streams, these lakes, these mountains.”
- The episode explores how these songs helped create a new Israeli culture—fusing influences, inventing tradition.
- Reflections on cultural appropriation and the shift from “melting pot” statism to today’s celebration of cultural diversity, as exemplified by musicians like Dudu Tassa.
3. Discussion 1: The New York Times on Netanyahu—Means & Ends
[34:26–60:13]
The NYT Article: “How Netanyahu Prolonged the War in Gaza to Stay in Power”
[34:59–39:19]
Key Claims from the NYT exposé:
- Netanyahu ignored specific warnings about Hamas prior to Oct 7, 2024.
- He sought to shift blame to the IDF and Mossad after the attack.
- He deliberately slow-walked or scuttled ceasefire negotiations to keep his coalition, prioritizing political survival.
- He refused to make peace with Saudi Arabia rather than end the war.
- Despite security achievements, his decisions were self-serving.
Netanyahu’s official response:
Denies all claims, framing actions as purely in Israel’s interest and denying any viable deal was ignored.
Roundtable Reactions
[40:34–60:13]
Gilad Halpern:
- The role of journalism is consolidating, articulating what “everybody in their right mind knows.”
- While the facts are nothing new, “there’s more than a grain of truth” in the article’s claims.
- Argues, though, the picture is not that simple: Netanyahu’s leadership style is less about self-preservation and more about “not making any definitive decisions about the fate of Israel, leaving it open as much as he can, kicking the can down the road.” [41:53]
Noah Efron:
- Critiques the “metaphysical binary” in the article—that leaders are either selfless or purely self-serving.
- Argues that Netanyahu likely believes only he can best serve the public, and so personal ambition and the national good are deeply conflated.
- Quote: “Preserving his power and preserving the best possible future for the country are coterrancible. They overlap deeply…”
- Stresses the need to debate Netanyahu’s judgment and values, not simply his cynicism.
Linda Gradstein:
- Takes a harder line: Netanyahu is “an incredibly cynical politician,” self-serving above all.
- Points to his refusal to take responsibility for October 7 as evidence he cares most about himself.
- Quote: “I see him as very cynical, very self serving… To me, it shows a certain integrity to say, ‘I am responsible, I made a mistake.’” [47:57]
- Adds that the public has turned against the war, yet Netanyahu persists—thus, his motives are suspect.
Key Exchange:
- Gilad: Why hasn’t he resigned? If politicians believe they are best, what about accountability?
- Noah: “He represents a view almost half the country holds. Making this about character obscures the real, difficult political divides.”
4. Discussion 2: “Humanitarian City” for Gazans—A Dystopian Proposal
[61:46–78:51]
The Plan:
Defense Minister Yisrael Katz proposes building a “humanitarian city” on the ruins of Rafah—tent camps for over 2 million Gazans, “screened” on entry, cut off except for emigration.
Key Features:
- Gazans would be confined and have basic needs met, but under Israeli oversight and unable to leave except to emigrate.
- Framed by officials as offering protection and aid, in reality heavily criticized as a quasi-prison camp.
Criticisms:
- Israeli army advocates, legal scholars, international NGOs, and former PM Ehud Olmert call it a “concentration camp.” (Olmert: “I am sorry. This is a concentration camp.” [65:55])
- Over 5,000 Israelis sign an open petition against its establishment.
Roundtable Analysis:
Linda Gradstein:
- Confounded by the plan’s logic: “I find it very hard to understand why they think this is a good idea.”
- Suggests the real motivation is either to enable annexation by vacating northern Gaza, or as pressure on Hamas to accept a ceasefire.
- Warns of catastrophic reputational damage, especially for Diaspora Jews: “I think…for a lot of American Jews, it would be the last straw.”
Noah Efron:
- Objects to the term “concentration camp” for its Holocaust connotations, but sees the proposal as “a patently terrible idea.”
- Compares it to the infamous Ma'abarot tent camps for Jewish immigrants in the early state, predicting worse humanitarian outcomes.
- Attributes Katz’s mindset to a faith in “technological, architectural solutions to fundamentally political and moral problems,” but sees a fundamental failure of empathy.
Gilad Halpern:
- Parodies the government’s penchant for impractical schemes, likening it to “Baldrick’s cunning plans” from Blackadder.
- Quote: “All sorts of cunning plans…are being constantly brought up to deflect attention from that basic truism: that Hamas have to be pushed away diplomatically.” [77:45]
- Argues the whole plan is an evasion of reality; warns Israel would be stuck running every aspect of civil life for 2 million Gazans—a non-starter.
Linda:
- “Israel should be trying to get out of Gaza, not find a way to stay… Just such a bad idea.”
5. Voda Country: Personal Reflections
[80:25–98:32]
Gilad Halpern:
- Recounts being stranded during the ICA international academic conference in Denver due to an Israel-Iran flare-up, catching the bittersweet humor and logistical scramble of Israelis abroad under fire.
Linda Gradstein:
- Attends the Tel Aviv production of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," appreciating the joy, resilience, and irony of a Hebrew-language drag show beginning with a prayer for hostages—and ending with a rousing “I will survive.”
- “If a drag show can be at Habima getting everyone dancing—after all this—there’s something special about Israel.” [89:18]
Noah Efron:
- Shares a moving account of hiking in the Galil with friends, reflecting on cemeteries, song lyrics, and the overlapping melancholy and hope of Israeli memory—“We have built and we will build and rebuild and I know that I—and anyway, I have been rebuilt by it and I am a better person for it all.” [98:32]
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “A coalition of love.” — Reut Nagar, [03:38]
- “Shaika was for me the music of the land of Israel.” — Saraleh Sharon, [13:35]
- “Preserving his power and preserving the best possible future for the country are coterrancible. They overlap deeply…” — Noah, [44:37]
- “Israel should be trying to get out of Gaza, not trying to find a way to stay.” — Linda, [78:18]
- “I have a cunning plan.” — Gilad, channeling Blackadder, [74:54]
- “If a drag show can be at Habima getting everyone dancing—after all this—there’s something special about Israel.” — Linda, [89:18]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [00:31] Tel Aviv City Council & Yahad Community
- [10:13] In Memoriam: Shaike Paikov
- [34:26] NYT Exposé Discussion: Netanyahu & War Prolongation
- [61:46] Discussion: “Humanitarian City” for Gaza
- [80:25] Voda Country (personal stories)
- [103:44] Closing
Tone & Style
The episode weaves warmth, humor, melancholy, and fierce debate in a conversational yet probing style. The hosts balance factual reporting with deep personal and cultural reflection, engaging listeners whether they are intimately familiar with Israeli society or encountering its contradictions for the first time.
For listeners who missed the episode:
This summary captures the rich arguments, evocative stories, and signature interplay of affection and frustration that make The Promised Podcast a window into Israel’s soul—messy, musical, and impossible to pigeonhole.