Homeland: Ten Stories, One Israel

Homeland introduces another podcast from Unpacked: Unpacking Israeli History. Season 4 just launched, and we're running the first episode here, entitled Ma'alot: 30 Seconds That Devastated A Nation.

It was supposed to be a fun field trip. A little celebration in honor of Israel’s 26th birthday. Over a hundred religious high school students, exploring northern Israel and sleeping under the stars. But the three Palestinian terrorists who sneaked in from Lebanon had other plans. This is the story of the Ma’alot massacre. It’s a story of horror and blood. But it’s also a story of hope and resistance. A reminder that every hour of our lives matters.

Homeland introduces another podcast from Unpacked: Jewish History Unpacked. Whoever said history was boring clearly never heard these stories Join hosts Yael and Schwab each week as they take a dive into some deep cuts of Jewish history. From the Jewish Da Vinci Code to mass suicide pacts, explore true stories that feel larger than life.
This episode tells the story of Josephus Flavius. It's maybe one of the wildest characters in Jewish history, and that's saying something. That's largely because unlike most historians, he didn't just chronicle the story; as Yael tells Schwab in this week's episode, Josephus, or Yosef ben Matityahu, wrote himself into the story - and what a story it is. This week, we learn about Josephus and the siege of Yodfat, and they ask, what does it mean for us to write yourself into the story of Jewish history?

You asked, and we answered. This week, Homeland's writer, Adi Elbaz, and producer, Rivky Stern, do a special "behind the scenes" episode, where they answer some of your questions about Homeland. Some questions include: which character did you relate to the most? Why were there no Palestinian or Israel Arab characters? Do you think immigrants are really integrated into Israeli society? And much more.
~~~~ 
This show was made possible by support from the Koum Family Foundation, the Crain-Maling Foundation, the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation, and the Skolnick Family Charitable Trust.

Emily Cohen isn’t shy about approaching strangers. But when it comes to telling her own story, she’s a little more skittish. In the final episode of the season, Emily grapples with what it means to be proudly Jewish and Zionist in the Diaspora.
~~~~ 
For more background on this episode, check out these resources:

Film: Unsafe Spaces

2021 Online Antisemitism Report Card

University of Texas and antisemitism

“Diaspora,” West Side Gravy

~~~~ 
This show was made possible by support from the Koum Family Foundation, the Crain-Maling Foundation, the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation, and the Skolnick Family Charitable Trust.

Eden has blue hair, an obsession with manga, and a rich family history. She’s the daughter of parents who survived unimaginable hardships to live in the world’s only Jewish state. But once they made it to Israel, things didn’t exactly go as planned…
~~~~ 
For more on Ethiopian Jews, check out these resources:
On Ethiopian Jews in General:

Video: The Story of Ethiopian Jewry

Fast facts

Anu Museum Overview

What Is Sigd?

Ethiopian Jewish Women

On Operations Moses, Joshua, Solomon:

Film: Exodus 91

Before the operations

During the operations

Unpacking Operation Solomon

Anu Museum Documentary: 1, 2

Podcast: Ingathering of Exiles

On Discrimination:

Overview

Bloon donation scandal

Birth control scandal

Police brutality 1, 2

~~~~ 
This show was made possible by support from the Koum Family Foundation, the Crain-Maling Foundation, the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation, and the Skolnick Family Charitable Trust.