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Artwork for What Matters Now

What Matters Now

The Times of Israel
Hamas
Gaza
Israel
Israel-Hamas War
Self-Defense
Hostages
UNRWA
IDF
Wartime Diaries
Palestinian Civilian Deaths
Middle East Conflict
Military Ethics
Jewish Ethics
Talmud
October 7th
Gaza Strip
Burials In Jewish Law
Hersh Goldberg-Polin
Sahar Vardi
Rachel Goldberg

A weekly exploration of one key issue shaping Israel and the Jewish World right now.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for What Matters Now

Latest Episodes

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with author and public intellectual Micah Goodman.

In the sixth day of the United States and Is... more

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Jessica Steinberg speaking with Oscar film nominee Meyer Levinson-Blount.

“Butcher’s Stain" is nominated for Best Live Actio... more

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the head of Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council p... more

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Alice Miller, the CEO of Natan Worldwide Disaster Relief.

Miller is nationally known for h... more

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Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Meyer Levinson-Blount
Director of Butcher's Stain and Oscar nominee
Independent Filmmaker
Episode: Meyer Levinson-Blount: Oscar nominee's film 'Butcher's Stain' reveals life post-Oct. 7
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib
Head of Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project.
Realign For Palestine
Episode: Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib: Five likely scenarios for Gaza in 2026
Asher Cohen
Just completed his eight-year term as the president of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Hebrew University
Episode: What Matters Now to Prof. Asher Cohen: Academic boycott of Israel is 'catastrophic'
Eli Sharabi
Former hostage and author of the book Hostage.
Episode: What Matters Now to Eli Sharabi: Living with trauma and mourning
Deborah Conway
A well-known recording and performing musician with over 40 years of experience and contributor to the anthology Ruptured.
Episode: What Matters Now to Deborah Conway & Tamar Paluch: Australia is rife with antisemitism
Tamar Paluch
An occupational therapist, activist, and editor of the anthology Ruptured, addressing antisemitism through the lens of Jewish women.
Episode: What Matters Now to Deborah Conway & Tamar Paluch: Australia is rife with antisemitism
Menachem Rosensaft
Adjunct Professor of Law and Lecturer in Law
Cornell Law School and Columbia Law School
Episode: What Matters Now to legal expert Menachem Rosensaft: Israel is not committing genocide
Dennis Ross
Ambassador, diplomat, and author
Episode: What Matters Now to Dennis Ross: There is a deal to be made to end the Gaza war
Daniel Taub
Israeli diplomat, international lawyer, author, and screenwriter
Episode: What Matters Now to Daniel Taub: Still mourning, Israel is not ripe to talk peace - yet

Hosts

Jessica Steinberg
Host of What Matters Now
Amanda Borschel-Dan
Deputy Editor

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 589 ratings
  • Hollywood movie review

    I generally find the podcast very interesting, but a podcast about movies where only one participant is knowledgeable and is explaining the movie to a novice is not interesting. The conceit is that Borscell-Dan is a “tabula rasa,” and Hoffman is the expert explaining the film to her. Ick! She’s a smart cookie as a journalist, smart enough to assign someone who loves movies to partner Hoffman. Otherwise, it is a “mansplaining” 101 venture.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    womanbyherradio
    United States4 months ago
  • Lifeline

    Amanda Borschel-Dan, Lazar B, David H, et al are top of the line podcast journalists and a lifeline to Israel in turbulent times! We tune in first thing dailyand salute their brilliance.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    vincentthecat
    United States10 months ago
  • A real pain

    The only thing this Jordan person (yeah I know who he is) said was: “Medjanik”. How does anyone Jewish and a Variety critic doing Jewish films not know the name of Majdanek?!

    Oh and he was certainly smitten with Guy Pierce. Why else in the middle of describing his antisemitism would he drop the “information” (twice) that he’s handsome? (I myself don’t particularly think so.)

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    nucuplmnjuyh
    United Statesa year ago
  • Excellent

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ba
    a year ago
  • Inappropriate artwork

    Depicting Israel as having annexed all Palestinian Territories, despite those being ruled as illegally occupied by the International Court of Justice.

    Also worth noticing that Israel has violated 28 resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, which are legally binding on member-nations UN. Israel also violates resolutions by he Human Rights Council, and the fourth Geneva convention.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    juhujuhujuu
    Denmarka year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

There is praise for the depth of analysis and the diversity of topics covered, adding value in understanding complex geopolitical dynamics.
Listeners appreciate the intelligent and insightful content, particularly regarding current social justice issues and the Israeli experience.
Some critiques mention a perceived bias, suggesting that differing political viewpoints may influence listener reception, but many still engage with the content positively.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#250
Israel/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#38
Israel/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Meyer Levinson-Blount: Oscar nominee's film 'Butcher's Stain' reveals life post-Oct. 7
Q: What has this experience taught you about the community you portrayed?
Meyer stated that working with Omar and the diverse film set allowed him to learn about the Arab community and encouraged dialogue about their experiences.
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib: NGO admits Hamas controls Gaza's hospitals. Why now?
Q: Do you not see that there is some kind of potential for a re-education program in Gaza?
There's potential, but the state and the ideological context are vastly different compared to other regions, making implementation challenging.
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib: NGO admits Hamas controls Gaza's hospitals. Why now?
Q: Ahmed, do you think NGOs had a choice during the height of war?
Organizations had to find a way to operate amidst the violence, but the scale of compromise post-October 7th is unacceptable as it protected Hamas instead of the civilian population.
Yonit Levi and Jonathan Freedland: Two Jews on the news discuss all that is Unholy
Q: How has working on Unholy impacted your own work?
It deepened my sense of what the country was going through and allows for a greater emotional connection.
Yonit Levi and Jonathan Freedland: Two Jews on the news discuss all that is Unholy
Q: What is your focus right now?
I see many people in the diaspora who have become ardent pro-Israel without asking many questions.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About What Matters Now

What is What Matters Now about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on key contemporary issues impacting Israel and the Jewish world, this podcast offers insightful discussions around pressing topics such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, cultural identity, and social justice themes. Notable for featuring a mix of expert interviews and personal stories, the content resonates with listeners seeking a deeper understanding of complex situations and diverse perspectives in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. Episodes often cover recent developments and historical contexts, making them suitable for audiences interested in current affairs, humanitarian viewpoints, and Israel's societal dynamics.

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Which podcasts are similar to What Matters Now?

These podcasts share a similar audience with What Matters Now:

1. The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
2. Ask Haviv Anything
3. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
4. Unholy: Two Jews on the News
5. Honestly with Bari Weiss

How many episodes of What Matters Now are there?

What Matters Now launched 10 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact What Matters Now?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on What Matters Now?

Recent guests on What Matters Now include:

1. Meyer Levinson-Blount
2. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib
3. Asher Cohen
4. Eli Sharabi
5. Deborah Conway
6. Tamar Paluch
7. Menachem Rosensaft
8. Dennis Ross

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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