Ark Media is looking for two college summer interns – one who can support operations and another who can support product design. To apply, please follow the links below:

• Product: https://app.testgorilla.com/s/b1e1of2h
• Operations: https://app.testgorilla.com/s/7hy7zlpu

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

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To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org

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Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

Today’s episode:

Latest reporting from Times of Israel on wildfires: https://www.timesofisrael.com/fire-authority-needs-double-the-budget-to-cope-during-mega-fires-era-official/

Next week, President Trump is heading to Saudi Arabia to convene a summit with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. The agenda? Arms deals, AI partnerships, and a substantial Saudi investment pledge. Israel isn't on his itinerary, although Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has just announced that he will be traveling to Israel in advance of President Trump’s Middle East trip, and that Secretary Hegseth will be meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Katz and Israel’s military leadership. He will then travel to Saudi Arabia to accompany President Trump on his travels.

The Middle East visit will also take place against the backdrop of an important personnel change on Trump’s national security team – namely, the national security advisor Mike Waltz stepping down and moving to the UN.

To unpack what's at stake for Israel and the US, we're joined by Mike Singh, former senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council and now managing director at the Washington Institute, and Call me Back regular, Nadav Eyal, columnist for Yediot Ahronot.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Subscribe to Ark Media’s new podcast ‘What’s Your Number?’: lnk.to/HJI2mX

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

Today’s episode:

The Iran-backed Houthis fired a ballistic missile at Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday morning. The IDF said it tried to intercept the missile using Arrow and THAAD systems, but failed. A number of US and international airlines have since suspended flights in and out of Israel. This was the first time the Houthis had successfully hit Israel’s national airport. To help us understand what happened and possible next steps, we are joined by CallMeBack regular Nadav Eyal for an emergency episode.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

To help struggling Israeli combat veterans find their way back, please visit the American Friends of Israel Navy SEALs’ (AFINS): afins.us/warriorcare

Upcoming Event Notice: Dan Senor will be delivering this year’s State of World Jewry Address at the 92nd Street Y (92NY) on Tuesday May 13 at 7:30 pm. To register: 92ny.org/event/the-state-of-world-jewry-address

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Subscribe to Ark Media’s new podcast ‘What’s Your Number?’: lnk.to/HJI2mX

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

Today’s episode:

Flames that engulfed more than 5,000 acres around Jerusalem as Israel marked its 77th Independence Day. Dozens of Independence Day ceremonies were canceled, and according to many Israelis — the feelings of national solidarity that normally characterize this day were scarce. For the families of hostages in Gaza, this was their second Yom Haatzmaut without their loved ones. And yet, Israelis are nothing if not resilient. The country’s population has now surpassed 10 million people. Forty-five percent of all Jews on Earth today call Israel home. So, while there are reasons for concern, there are also reasons for hope.

Reflecting on how far Israel has come, and where it may go from here, we are joined by bestselling author and senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, Yossi Klein Halevi, to discuss the debt we have to Israel’s founders, and to the soldiers who have fallen in its defense.

For Yossi Klein Halevi’s books: tinyurl.com/ycfcn72u

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Subscribe here to Ark Media’s new podcast 'What’s Your Number? - https://lnk.to/3AQhX5

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Ark Media on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkmediaorg

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: https://arkmedia.org/

Dan on X: https://x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansenor

Today we have a special announcement: Ark Media, which we created as a home for Call Me Back, is launching its second podcast: What’s Your Number? - a weekly show focusing on Israel’s economy through a global lens.

Hosted by Michal Lev-Ram, an Israeli-born Silicon Valley-based tech journalist and contributing editor at Fortune, and Yonatan Adiri, an Israeli entrepreneur and former adviser to Shimon Peres, What’s Your Number? unpacks the latest developments in the Israeli economy. The podcast debuts this Thursday, May 1. Watch the trailer and subscribe here: https://lnk.to/3AQhX5

This episode of Call Me Back is something of a hybrid between our show and a preview for What’s Your Number? It was our pleasure to sit down with our new hosts, Yonatan Adiri & Michal Lev-Ram, to discuss the historic transformation Israel has been undergoing since October 7th, 2023.

Follow Michal on X: https://x.com/mlevram

Follow Yonatan on X: https://x.com/yonatanadiri

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Streaming Notice:

THE CHILDREN OF OCTOBER 7 — a new documentary film — reminds us all that Jewish children were slaughtered or taken hostage or made to watch the slaughtering of their parents in a systematic way not only in 1943, but in 2023. There’s a reason why antisemitism is called “the oldest hatred.” It’s also the most persistent. This is a difficult film to watch, but we are thankful to Montana Tucker and Eytan Schwartz for making it, and to Shari Redstone for finding it a home. That home is Paramount Plus. To watch the film, go to: https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/C3COr43yl99oKdjeWNsuo2Ma2OP4zvGv/

To watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/LMC0Vef3V98?

Upcoming Event Notice: Dan Senor will be delivering this year’s State of World Jewry Address at the 92nd Street Y (92NY) on Tuesday May 13 at 7:30 pm. To register: https://www.92ny.org/event/the-state-of-world-jewry-address

Ark Media on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkmediaorg

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: https://arkmedia.org/

Dan on X: https://x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansenor

Today’s Conversation: On Tuesday, ​Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar submitted a newsmaking affidavit to Israel’s Supreme Court, claiming he was dismissed by Prime Minister Netanyahu for refusing to carry out politically motivated orders. Bar also provided a 31-page affidavit to the court which is classified. Prime Minister Netanyhau has responded in the press to Bar’s charges and has until Thursday to submit his own affidavit to the high court.

In this episode, we discuss a number of the charges, explanations, and counter-charges. But the stakes here go well beyond politics. To understand the forces shaping this highly divisive debate, we are joined by journalist and author Ari Shavit, whose work has long examined the fault lines of Israeli society—most recently in his book, The Third Temple. {insert link}

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

YARDENA SCHWARTZ - Executive Editor, Ark Media

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

PLEASE FILL OUT OUR SURVEY: https://tinyurl.com/26dwpymb

Upcoming Event Notice: Dan Senor will be delivering this year’s State of World Jewry Address at the 92nd Street Y (92NY) on Tuesday May 13 at 7:30 pm. To register: https://www.92ny.org/event/the-state-of-world-jewry-address

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Ark Media on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkmediaorg

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: https://arkmedia.org/

Dan on X: https://x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansenor

On Saturday night, in an attempt to address two of Israel’s most critical concerns - the hostage crisis in Gaza and the US-Iran nuclear negotiations - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a pre-recorded statement, in which he said that Hamas has formally rejected Israel's offer for a new deal. And, against the backdrop of a report in the New York Times that President Trump had headed off Israeli plans for a military operation against Iran’s nuclear program, Netanyahu emphasized: "We are committed to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons."

With both Tehran and Gaza in mind, we turn to two of Israel’s leading journalists: Nadav Eyal, senior analyst at Yediot Achronot, and Amit Segal, senior political analyst at Channel 12 - to understand Israel’s standing on these two critical fronts.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

YARDENA SCHWARTZ - Executive Editor, Ark Media

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

PLEASE FILL OUT OUR SURVEY: https://tinyurl.com/26dwpymb

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Upcoming Event Notice: Dan Senor will be delivering this year’s State of World Jewry Address at the 92nd Street Y (92NY) on Tuesday May 13 at 7:30 pm. To register: https://www.92ny.org/event/the-state-of-world-jewry-address

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: https://arkmedia.org/

Dan on X: https://x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansenor

Ark Media on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Seven years after President Trump scrapped the Iranian nuclear deal, the U.S. is now engaged in direct negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran to try to reach a new deal. Yet the talks in Oman have so far raised more questions than answers, especially as Steve Witkoff has just clarified the administration's objective with regard to Iran’s nuclear program, and as new reporting emerges of possible U.S.-Israel deliberations over military options.

Joining us is Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Jonathan has been closely monitoring the negotiations and been in contact with relevant U.S. and Israeli officials.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

YARDENA SCHWARTZ - Executive Editor, Ark Media

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

LINK TO SURVEY: https://tinyurl.com/26dwpymb

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Upcoming Event Notice: Dan Senor will be delivering this year’s “State of World Jewry Address” at the 92nd Street Y (92NY) on Tuesday May 13 at 7:30 pm: https://www.92ny.org/event/the-state-of-world-jewry-address

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org

Ark Media on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkmediaorg

Dan on X: https://x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansenor

The growing CallMeBack community has evolved into something that we are still trying to fully understand. But we are developing a vision and a plan to sustain it, which will include some new podcasts and new podcasts hosts that we hope you’ll add to your feed of regular listens. That's why we've created Ark Media, which will be the home for Call Me Back as well as some other podcasts.

As we step into this next chapter, we want to get to know you better so here is a link to a 2 minute survey – we’d be grateful if you could fill it out and send our way. This is a separate survey from the one we provided almost a year ago, so please, even if you’ve filled out that survey, we ask that you spend 2 minutes on this one as well.

From all of us at Ark Media, we wish you a meaningful Pesach.