Podcasts

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Alternative peace activist Baruch Widen joins Yishai and together they discuss the The Plesner Committee and how the induction of ultra-orthodox Jews into the ranks of the Israel Defense Forces affects all Israelis. Yishai and Widen specifically talk about reactions from both sides of the issue and how an army that is more diverse could be good for both religious and secular Jews. They talk about how Israeli Arabs, which are also currently not required to service, should also be required to serve. At 22:01, Yishai shifts gears and presents a piece from NPR about Christian sites in Israel that are currently in the hands of the Palestinian Authority. To conclude, they talk about the biased nature of the NPR piece and discuss truth behind the information presented.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

Have you ever found yourself buying a t-shirt that you would never normally be seen dead in, simply because when you walked into the store, you saw the sign, “Buy one, get one free”? And what about the window-cleaning gadget that you picked up from a street vendor for only $2 because he promised you that this was a bargain price and it would do wonders for your windows? Both of these purchases were totally useless, and you will probably consign them to the garbage next Pesach. But you still bought them. Why? Because they were either totally free or cost you next to nothing.

Similarly, when you are stock trading, have you ever been tempted to invest in a commission-free trade? These sound really great. You can choose your investment and if you put in a certain minimum, you don’t need to pay brokerage fees. Wonderful – you are saving money. But are you really?

Dan Ariely, a researcher specializing in behavioral finance, talks about “the power of free.” This is when people are tempted to be more reckless simply because the offer is free. Dan noted that when a New York nightclub offered free tattoos to its customers, even though the conditions were very far from optimal cleanliness, many of them actually took up the offer. In fact, his researchers discovered that 68% of those who received tattoos would not have bothered if they had not been free.

When you pay a fee for stock trading, you are less likely to be reckless because the thought of wasting these few extra dollars on something that may not work acts as a deterrent. But when you get a free trade, you may find yourself feeling similar exhilaration to a gambler in a casino. When the roulette wheel spins and he wins a little money, he takes it and throws it back into the game – promptly losing everything. Falsely, he thinks that as he won once, he can keep on winning. A free stock trade, in the eyes of many, has to be a good deal by virtue of the fact that it’s free, but that is not necessarily the case. While you may win some, you are just as likely to lose.

Secondly, you should always ask yourself the question of why something is free. Take a closer look at it. For example, if you are offered an ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) without needing to pay a commission, why is this? Perhaps it is because the ETF is in some niche segment that you would never normally consider and is far less lucrative than other types of ETFs. It is therefore extremely important to remember that even though such a trade is offered as a free deal, nothing has changed about the underlying investment.

The “power of free” is definitely an absorbing subject. If you want to avoid getting sucked into low-quality trades or landing up with a free jar of free lemon chutney when you purchase a hideous red plastic vase for half price at the supermarket, learn more by watching Dan Ariely on YouTube, where he discusses this subject at greater length.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Jewish Press Columnist Yishai Fleisher is joined by Knesset-insider Jeremy Man Saltan.  They begin by discussing a bill that was recently presented that requires those that are evacuated by the Israeli government to be moved into finished homes that are ready for those that are evacuated and then move on to talk about the Levy Commission Report.  Yishai and Man Saltan talk about the potential of the ultra-orthodox serving in the Israel Defense Forces and at 18:45 they shift gears to present a talk, attended by Yishai, to American-born Israelis to why they should vote in the upcoming American elections which features former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai and Malkah further elaborate about the ban on ritual circumcision in Germany.  At 13:45, Yishai moves on to talk about the current Torah portion and how they also relate to the situation in Germany along with talking about the German government’s harsh treatment towards Jews in Israel.  The segment wraps up with a discussion of the Levy Commission Report; a report that states that the construction of Jewish communities outside of internationally recognized borders is n ot a violation of international law.

Unlike Previous posts, we are presenting this segment in two parts, this one is the show intro up to the introduction of the discussion of the Levy Report.

This second part is the discussion of the Levy Report in full along with the closing of the segment.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

Recently, an eighty-year-old client shared some important news with me. He had just received an inheritance from his mother, who had passed away at the ripe old age of 100. His mother had been fabulously rich, but towards the end of her life she had slowed down, and therefore had little use for her money.

“As for me,” her son sighed, “I’m no spring chicken myself, and I don’t see myself needing so much of it either. But I sure could have used it when I was younger ….”

My client’s story is not that unusual. Many times, people may work hard to build up savings, but their loved ones only reap the benefits after the older generation has left this world. This doesn’t only apply to family members, either. How many times do you see on the sides of a large building a sign saying, “Built in the memory of …,” or read about the “John and Jane Doe Memorial Fund?” Do you ever wonder if the aforementioned John and Jane Doe look down from the Other World to see what is being done with their legacy? Or, how about a trust that isn’t being distributed exactly according to its founders’ wishes? Maybe they could have been involved in some of the projects, making even better use of their assets. Perhaps they would also have gotten greater joy out of it if they had lived to see these achievements for themselves.

At the same time, the amount of money that you can give away is always relative. Obviously, the more that you have, the more you can give, but you need to make sure that your own financial situation is secure so you don’t suffer as the result of over-generosity to your family or to various charitable causes.

How do you know how much to give?

First, consult with your financial adviser and determine your net worth. Together, consider how much money you need to be able to live a fairly comfortable life. Make sure to account for the unpredictable nature of life and the markets, and then consider gifting some of the excess.

Philanthropist Lewis Cullman said, “It’s better to give money away when you’re alive than to give it away in your will because what do you care what people say? When you’re dead, you won’t be around to hear it.” When I interviewed Mr. Cullman on the Goldstein on Gelt show, he told me that he once asked Warren Buffett why he didn’t give away even more money to charity (This followed an initiative when Warren Buffett and Bill Gates signed the Gates-Buffett Pledge promising to donate at least half of their wealth over time to charity, and invited other wealthy figures to join them). When I asked Mr. Cullman why fifty percent of Warren Buffett’s wealth wouldn’t be a good deal, he replied, “It’s a very good deal. But if you have $30 billion and you give half of it away, you’ve still got $15 billion and that’s a lot of money!”

If you want to watch your grandchildren or your favorite causes benefiting from your assets, consider meeting with your financial advisor and creating a financial plan to determine exactly how much you can gift. Get a free ebook to gain more inspiration to gift your funds by reading the thought-provoking interview with Lewis Cullman.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai broadcasts from Caliber 3 range, a firearms training facility outside of Efrat. Hillel Ma'or, one of the instructors and assistants at the range, joins him. Together, they discuss Ma'or’s background and how he managed to come to both Judaism and Israel. Do not miss this inspiring and interesting segment!

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

When you opened your morning newspaper recently (or these days clicked on the headlines), what did you see? Let’s take a look at some of the things that you might have noticed:

• According to a report in The Wall Street Journal on June 21st 2012, the United States … unemployment rate went up by a tick to 8.2% - the first such increase in almost a year.
• Greece threatens to default… again!
• Facebook IPO stalls

For this reason, instead of basing investment decisions on today’s headlines, it might be wise to think about the fundamental reasons why you invest. How do you decide what stocks and funds to buy? On what do you base your investment decisions? Are they based on how many Americans are going to be working this year, or on where the world will be in five years?

Ask yourself two things: 1. What is your tolerance for risk? Can you hang on through the ups and downs? If no, don’t get involved in the market in the first place. 2. Do you need risk? Depending on the amount of money you have and your expenses, you may not need to take on so much risk.

If you have both tolerance for risk and your financial plan calls for risk, learn about stocks in the online stock course at www.LearnAboutInvestments.com. If you lack either or both of these traits, that’s fine. It just means that the stock market might not be the right place for you. It’s not for everyone.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai presents a recent presentation that he gave to the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem about the concept of creating an ‘international city’ in Jerusalem which would remove Jewish control from the city. Yishai discusses the origins of the idea and exactly how he sees fault in this concept.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai is joined by his wife and co-host Malkah to talk about a beauty pageant for survivors of the Holocaust that recently took place in Haifa. They specifically discuss the reaction that the event created throughout the media. At 11:16, they begin to discuss the recently-passed regarding the banning of ritual circumcision in Germany and how it compares to a new Israeli law encouraging new mothers to breast feed. The segment wraps up with Yishai and Malkah talking about their experience with the Israeli post office and amazing gift that the Fleishers received.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

What kind of investor do you think you are? Do you try to time the market and jump in at the right minute? Or are you a more cautious kind of person who spends hours researching market performance before you consider buying or selling anything?

In fact, it doesn’t really matter what kind of investor you think you are. The results of your efforts are translated into the profits and losses that appear in your portfolio. Therefore, even if you feel very confident and have a great feeling about a particular stock that everyone’s talking about, when push comes to shove, your emotions make very little difference. Actual market performance is, at the end of the day, what counts.

For many years, investors have always wanted to know what the true secret is to buying the right stocks. From the South Sea Bubble to the Great Depression, there are those who fell by the wayside when everything went wrong, while on the other hand, there were those who made the right moves and ended up living in luxury. So, what is it that helps some people get it right, while others don’t? Is there any real basis for investing by following your gut feelings? And, if the famous disclaimer, “past performance is no indication of future returns,” is actually true, what is the point of all of the research out there into markets, stocks, performance, etc. anyway? Perhaps the whole thing is one great gamble.

These questions, of why people invest the way they do, have occupied researchers in recent years, giving rise to the science of behavioral investing. One such researcher, Professor Terrance Odean of the University of California (Berkeley), studied the behavior of investors and reached the conclusion that “the average investor is his own worst enemy.”

According to Professor Odean, “the average investor is better off not trying to time the market.” From his research, he has found that individuals tend to get market timing and behavior wrong more often than institutional investors. There can be many reasons for this. For example, an individual is more likely to be driven by emotions such as fear or regret, whereas an institution is less likely to be driven by emotion. Secondly, as Professor Odean points out, “there are times when institutional investors know things that individuals don’t know, so they have an informational advantage or ability to process publicly available information in a better way.”

Based on Professor Odean’s research, the most efficient way to buy stocks may be to use the services of a money manager. Professional money managers hopefully won’t be blinded by emotion when making investment decisions (after all it’s their job!) and have more access to the right information than the average investor.

If you want to find out more about the theories of behavioral investing, watch a video of my interview with Professor Odean, which took place on the Goldstein on Gelt radio show.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

To commemorate the passing of Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, Alternative Peace Activist Yehuda HaKohen joins Yishai. They discuss the roots that Shamir rose from and how he dedicated his life to ensuring that Jews were represented and remained in the Land of Israel. Do not miss this moving tribute to an iconic Jewish and Israeli leader.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai and Malkah kick off this segment by discussing Yishai’s recent solar birthday and a trip to the coast in Netanya. They move on to talk about a new prize that was recently announced, presented to those that are influential to Jewish history. The segment continues with a discussion about a recent trip to Israel by Russian President Vladimir Putin and its affect on Israeli/Russian cooperation and wraps up talking about a missing Jewish millionaire.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

With the fortieth anniversary of the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany rapidly approaching, Yishai presents a series of clips from “One Day in September”, a documentary made about the massacre and the events that led up to and resulted from the murder of Israeli athletes. Following the riveting clips, Yishai presents an interview with Ankie Spitzer, the widow of Andre Spitzer, one of the athletes that were murdered by Arab terrorists in Munich. Do not miss this segment!

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

Did you know that in the United States, the probability of a first marriage ending in divorce is between 40%-50%, while in the United Kingdom, one in every three marriages that took place between 1995 and 2010 ended in divorce? In Israel the divorce rate is at around one third. Unfortunately, these figures have only grown in recent years. Therefore, when a couple gets married, the possibility of a future divorce is sadly neither impossible nor unrealistic.

With this in mind, when I recently wished a friend “Mazal Tov” on his daughter’s engagement, I broached the issue of prenuptial agreements in accordance with Jewish law. Though I discuss the topic all the time (not only with my kids, letting them know it’s a requirement as far as I’m concerned), I had never tried to encourage a rabbi, let alone a rosh yeshiva, of its importance. I was so relieved when my friend, a rosh yeshiva, turned to me and said, “Of course they’re signing one. People who don’t sign halachic prenuptial agreements are stupid.” I wish all my conversations on the subject were so easy, but the halachic prenup has not yet been accepted in all circles.

The purpose of the specific document, which must be done in accordance with Jewish law, is to make sure that no one person can blackmail another in order to receive a get, a Jewish divorce decree. Unfortunately, I have seen cases of this type of blackmail in my capacity as a financial advisor, so I know it happens. Such stories can be heartbreaking, with one side caught in limbo sometimes for many years.

So if you have a child getting married, make sure that he or she has a halachic prenuptial agreement signed well before getting to the chuppa. Even if your kids are too young to be in the dating world, start talking to them about it now, so it becomes just one more thing to check-off on the wedding to-do list.

For details on a halachic prenuptial agreement in Israel go to www.youngisraelrabbis.org.il/prenup.htm and in America go to www.theprenup.org/prenupforms.html.

Mazal tov, and may the bride and groom live happily ever after!

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Jack Berger, an activist that has been involved in a wide-range of pro-Israel causes, joins Yishai at Jerusalem’s Plaza hotel. They discuss Berger’s recent trip to Hebron and how important the city is to the Jewish People, including the comparison between the Chicago the American city and the street in Hebron. Yishai and Berger talk about the need for more Jewish heroes among American Jews. The second half of this segment (starts at minute 18:00) has Yishai presenting an interview with Guy Segeiv, a resident of Beit El who has recently been forced to move due to a judgment by the Israeli Supreme Court. They discuss the situation in Beit El first hand.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

What is the greatest present that you can give your children when they get married?

In certain communities, the answer is, “an apartment.” Many parents take on second or third mortgages, sell their own homes, or bury themselves in debt to make sure that an apartment comes along with the trousseau. While they may not be looking forward to paying off huge debts at an age when most people are retired, they will probably sigh and tell you that these days, you can’t find a decent match for your child unless it includes an apartment as well.

But in fact, there are three reasons why buying an apartment can be detrimental for you and your children:

You can’t afford it

You may jeopardize your retirement. You have worked all your life to support your family, providing your children with an education and everything they need to grow into fine, responsible citizens. As you grow older, your children should move on to support themselves and the savings that you have put aside can be used for your golden years.

You need to be fair to your children –don’t give to one unless you can give the same amount to all. Buying an extra apartment can be costly. If you have more than one child, huge resentment can arise between them if only one of them got the free apartment.

Not everyone is doing it

Although the rumor mills may say “everyone buys the bride an apartment,” it is just not true. I have been a financial advisor both in New York and in Israel and I have seen what goes on firsthand. Some folks help, and some don’t. This is very much a matter of individual choice.

If your future in-laws pressure you, just say no. Tell them your financial planner advised against it. You do not need to be forced into putting yourself into heavy debt to pay for an additional apartment that you really can‘t afford.

Would you sell your daughter for camels?

If the parents of your child’s intended absolutely refuse to marry their child to yours unless you pay up, are you really interested in this match anyway? We live in the modern world where people marry based on mutual goals, dreams, and love. If the other side’s main priority is how much money you have (and are willing to spend on the wedding/apartment), rather than your child’s sterling personal qualities, the future may not shine so bright.

Rather than putting yourself into debt or spending your retirement savings, encourage the young couple to build their home and future together on their own two feet. Their teamwork building their own home (both physical and spiritual) will create more of an everlasting edifice than even the most luxurious apartment from you.

If you want to know more about when it’s wrong to gift to your children, read Gifting Money to Children – Right or Wrong.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Alternative peace activist Baruch Widen joins Managing Editor of Jewish Press Online,Yishai Fleisher,. Together, they talk about the results of the Presidential election in Egypt and how these results will affect the relationship between Israel and Egypt. Yishai ends the segment by talking about difficulties he personally has faced living among Arabs and how they often make the choice to hate rather than love both Jews and each other.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Managing Editor of Jewish Press Online,Yishai Fleisher, along with his wife and co-host Malkah kick off by talking about the story of Caleb and how his trip to Hebron is similar to how we continue to visit Hebron today as a source of energy. They move on to talk about how the stereotypical view of Arabs by Religious Zionist Jews should examined and how it affects parenting in the Fleisher household. The segment wraps up with a discussion about Malkah’s recent trip to a firearms training center and how she was able to train with a legendary Israeli.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Managing Editor of Jewish Press Online,Yishai Fleisher is joined by friend and colleague Baruch Widen. Together, they discuss a recent trip to a Jerusalem bar for Yishai’s birthday and a related trip to a non-Kosher restaurant and encounter with an employee there. The two move on to talk about dialog between religious dialog in Israel and the segment wraps up with Yishai and Widen talking about the current situation in Syria.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

Can you imagine the following story ever happening to you?

An elderly lady came into my office a while back and told me that she was a novice investor who was very lucky. “Lucky?” I asked. She explained that she was lucky enough to meet a nice, kind person who had sold her a unique investment of raw land that was destined to be converted into a major city one day. When I asked her more questions, she had no idea, claiming that she didn’t understand investments, but was just so lucky that one day she would be rich.

“So what’s the problem?” I asked.

“I need more monthly income,” she admitted.

Here’s what really happened to her: The client was approached by a salesman who said that if she bought into his raw land deal, she would quintuple her money. Since the deal was raw land, there were no renters, and therefore no income from the deal. Thinking that there was a great future to this proposition, the client bought one unit of the deal. Then, when she realized how rich she could become, and since she desperately needed more money, she went to the bank and borrowed some money to buy another unit. Now she owned two units of raw, non-producing real estate, and had to make monthly payments to her bank to pay off mortgage she had taken out to purchase it.

When the client realized that she had used up all of her money for a high-risk investment and, as a result had negative cash flow, she came to me. I called the salesman and asked how she could get out of the deal. He said that the units were not sellable until the whole project was complete. The deal never worked out and now, years later, this poor lady is still suffering.

I don’t know if the raw land will ever be converted into a city. It seems unlikely to me, but I’m not an expert in real estate or city planning. However, I do know that even if the investment itself isn’t dumb, it was a poor idea for the salesman to sell it to this lady. It certainly wasn’t appropriate for her.

When you read these stories, you may think that “it could never happen to me.” However, anyone can make a mistake in judgment when it comes to investing, just like anything else in life. Therefore, when it comes to your own financial dealings, don’t just examine the potential return of an investment. Rather, consider whether the investment program itself is right for someone in your situation. If you have stories like this to share, please send an email directly to me at doug@profile-financial.com or contact me through my website.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai is joined by Yaakov Katz, military correspondent for the Jerusalem Post along with Israel correspondent for Jane’s Defense Weekly. They discuss tension that has been created since the Arab Spring between Israel and Egypt in the Sinai and how the region has become a hotbed for terror activity, along with drug and weapon smuggling. Specific problems between the Sinai and Israel are discussed along with potential solutions for these problems. The segment and this week’s show wraps up with Yishai talking about a faux sovereignty controlling in the Sinai and how we should ‘take off the masks’ in the Middle East in order to see the truth.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

What are your biggest dreams for your child’s future? For most parents, it is to see him or her grow into a good person, get a top education, make a decent living, and settle down and get married to a wonderful spouse. All of these are worthwhile expectations, and many of us would say that this is why we work so hard.

Yet as a financial adviser, I have seen many families where, when it comes to marrying off their children, the dream turns into a nightmare. The wedding is a financial free-for-all, with the expensive flowers, a top band, luxury caterer, and the fanciest hall in the city. The young couple dance off into the sunset (possibly to the apartment that Mom and Dad are also paying for) while the parents are left with huge debts. Sometimes, desperate parents take on loans that they know they will never be able to pay off, and they end up borrowing from one loan fund to pay off another until they drown in their accumulated debts. Stories abound of the unfortunate father who dropped dead of a heart attack just after the wedding because he just couldn’t cope with the stress.

But let’s ask an honest question here: What is more important? The wedding itself or the years of marriage that follow? Even if you had the money to pay for a lavish wedding, wouldn’t you rather give it to your newlywed children so that they can start building their own home? Or put some of it aside for the next wedding or for your own retirement, as you don’t know how things will be in a few years’ time?

Part of the problem, of course, is what society expects. We wouldn’t feel any pressure to keep up with the Joneses if the Joneses weren’t so fussy about the name of the hall or the caterer, or whether the bride borrowed her dress or actually bought one.

It’s time to change our expectations when it comes to weddings. What’s more important? A happy bride and groom who had a simple wedding and whose parents are healthy (both physically and fiscally), or the young couple who had the “top” wedding, but whose families cracked under the strain? A marriage is supposed to last forever, not the expenses incurred from the wedding.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

A riveting discussion about Jewish heroes is the theme of the show and Managing Editor of Jewish Press Online, Yishai Fleisher, presents a recent interview that he conducted with Lt. Col (ret.) Shai Ish-Shalom (in photo below), a member of the Israeli commando force that freed Jewish hostages in Entebbe, Uganda. Ish-Shalom talks to Yishai about his experience as a member of Sayeret Matkal, the most prestigious unit in the Israel Defense Forces along with his personal ideology about Jewish defense in both Israel and the Diaspora. Do not miss this!

Lt. Col (ret.) Shai Ish-Shalom and Yishai Fleisher (Photo Credit: JewishPress.com)

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Managing Editor of Jewish Press Online, Yishai Fleisher, along with his wife and co-host Malkah, talk about recent outing to the Jerusalem Light Festival. Yishai talks about how there are so many Jewish themes that could have been presented at the festival rather than what was chosen. Lashon hara against the Land of Israel is brought up and the segment concludes with a discussion of the plethora of ethic clothing available for religious women in today’s world.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

If you buy a property as an investment, there are two ways you can profit - either you sell it for more than you paid, and/or you collect rent. Let’s look at each of these and see why they often don’t work out:

Selling for a profit

If you buy a property for an investment, hoping to sell years down the line at a profit, remember, that it’s not always easy to sell an apartment. Though people talk about the dearth of housing in Israel, there are “For Sale” signs all over, even in Jerusalem. The best way to ensure a quick sale of property is to sell it at a low price, often at a loss. But even if you don’t need the money and can afford to hold onto the property, remember you have the “friction” of buying and selling in the form of taxes, lawyers’ fees, real estate agents, assessors, mortgage costs, and more.

Collecting rent

In some parts of Israel, rental income represents 2% of the value of the property. So if you’re looking at a rental apartment to provide cash flow, you haven’t found the best return. Moreover, there’s no guarantee that you’ll have renters for 12 months a year. If you presume that, on average, you’ll only be full 10 or 11 months a year, account for the fact that your income would be around 8% lower than if you were full all year round. And if you can’t rent the property out at all, then your money is tied up in a non-performing asset.

So if you are considering investing in real estate in Israel, the #1 thing that you need to know is that buying physical real estate could be a bad investment. That’s why for real estate investing, I prefer using REITs (real estate investment trusts), which trade on a stock exchange, pay dividends, are easy to buy and sell with low cost, and can be bought in the form of a mutual fund.

There are many reasons to buy property in Israel, not only financial. Some Zionists want to solidify their connection to Israel, or hope to one day retire there. Before you buy real estate (or any investment vehicle), make sure you understand your motivation and the pros and cons.

If you want to know about practical investing in Israel, sign up for my company’s investment newsletter and get a free investment ebook as a gift.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Managing Editor of Jewish Press Online, Yishai Fleisher, is joined by friend and colleague Baruch Widen. Together, they discuss a recent trip by Widen to the top of the Temple Mount and how difficult it currently is for non-Muslims to visit the holy site due to the situation created by the Israeli government. Change coming to the status of the Temple Mount is discussed, as is the introduction of Yishai’s new project to only speak good speech about the Land of Israel for 40 days. The segment wraps up with a discussion of how speaking positive about the Land of Israel helps rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Jeremy Man Saltan, Knesset insider, joins Yishai to discuss the situation and potential destruction of five buildings in the Givat Uplana neighborhood of Beit El. Rather than discussing the legality of the destruction, they talk about the attempts to find solutions through two laws that are currently in the Israeli Knesset. Don’t miss this riveting segment that presents an insider’s view to what is going on in the Knesset!

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

Have you ever dreamed of being like the mythical King Midas whose touch turned everything into gold? There is no question about it – gold symbolizes wealth and riches. Even though the Gold Standard is no longer the world’s main monetary system, this precious metal still carries a certain mystique.

Today plenty of people are looking to invest in gold. But is it really such a good idea? Many people got the “gold bug” over the past year, only to get shaken by its volatility. This may be because in January 2012, the London Bullion Market Association published a survey that predicted a rise in gold prices to $2,000 per ounce. However, since then, gold prices have oscillated sharply, only reaching $1600 at the end of May, having fallen as low as $1540 in the preceding days.

Despite its volatility, there are various reasons why people want to buy gold. Some investors have little faith in hard currency and prefer to invest in a commodity such as gold, which they believe will always have value. Indeed, the value of the precious metal often rises when other currencies fall, and in today’s shaky economy may be more dependable. History also works in favor of the gold investor. The gold rushes of yesteryear have left supplies depleted, and this scarcity adds significantly to the value of this precious metal.

However, not all is plain sailing. The scarcity of gold that makes it such a sought-after commodity also means that it may never again hold the currency value that it possessed in the past. Many people also argue that gold has no intrinsic value that can be measured logically. More to the point, unlike stocks and bonds, if you invest in gold bullion you will not receive any dividends or interest. Additionally, gold bars or jewelry may look very beautiful, but if they are extremely valuable, they shouldn’t be kept in an unprotected jewelry box. Safe storage and insurance policies come at their own costs.

If you are considering owning gold as part of a diversification strategy, make sure you believe in its inherent value, and aren’t blinded by its shine. For those folks who invest in gold and silver coins, remember that you can lose money in the gold market.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

The Managing Editor of The Jewish Press Online,Yishai Fleisher, recently attended a conference on the status of jerusalem and had the opportunity to record a question and answer session with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who talks about current state of Jerusalem and how it contrasts to its history and also plans for the future. Don’t miss the question asked to the mayor by Yishai at 7:07! The segment moves on to Yishai speaking Rabbi Benny Elon, a leader in the Religious Zionist movement and former member of the Israeli Knesset. The segment wraps up with presentations from leaders in the pro-Jerusalem world including Josh Reinstein, director of the Christian Allies Conference in the Knesset.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai presents a riveting talk from Zeev Orenstein, Middle East analyst, who speaks about revolutionary zionism at a memorial for Avraham "Yair" Stern, the founder of Lehi, a movement dedicated to ensuring a Jewish state exists in Eretz Yisrael.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai was recently serving in the Israel Defense Forces and in his absence, we present a 'best-of' segment that has Yishai and Malkah talking about marketing Hanukkah, the need for an Israeli NRA, and building a bridge in the Middle East.

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @YishaiFleisher Yishai on Facebook

A new fraudster has just turned himself into the police for defrauding investors out of millions of dollars (or shekels, actually, as this guy was in Israel). But the story is the same as when Mr. Ponzi himself was inventing the Ponzi scheme.

Want to blame the government or the regulators? As they say, all that blame and five bucks will get you a cup of coffee. I would not want to blame the victim, but let's look at some of the facts in the case. In fact, these points are the same in almost all of the fraud cases I have read about in my two decades on Wall Street:

The clients gave money directly to the investment advisor.

The clients did not get statements from a bank or brokerage account.

The clients believed the investment advisor who said he could make totally unrealistic gains ... guaranteed!

The clients believed there was little or no risk.

If these clients were children or severely mentally incompetent, I would agree with the argument that we need stronger regulations and better government oversight. But in the most recent case in Israel, and if we look at the biggest scandal ever - Madoff - we see that the clients were often very sophisticated professionals who were very experienced in all aspects of business.

Rather than going into the behavioral finance explanations for why even top-tier investors let greed trump caution, let's get practical. (If you do want to learn about the psychological aspects of what makes people do the wrong thing, you can listen to my interview with Nobel Prize Laureate Daniel Kahneman on my radio show. You can see that interview on YouTube.)

In this blog post, I want to make only one basic point, and if you finish reading this article with this one take-away, you can feel pretty confident that you won't get suckered into a fraudulent investment scheme. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This idea came from my mother (also a Wall Street veteran, and author of a book for children about how the stock market works).

If Ponzi scam victims considered this core concept before getting involved, this is what they might have thought: "You're promising me 1.5% profit every month. What do you think I am? Stupid? Not even Warren Buffet can do that."

They would have continued to think: "You are guaranteeing my principal? Who do you think you are? A government guaranteeing its bonds? Germany guaranteeing the Greeks? You couldn't possibly have enough money."

Finally, they would have considered who custodies the money: "You are saving me the trouble of opening my own bank account and putting my money into your own account? And then you will just print up statements on your own laser printer? Come on, buddy, I wasn't born yesterday."

Which investment scammer has you in his sights? Who knows? But one thing is for sure - if you start by asking the most basic questions and not believing the unbelievable, you're well on your way to protecting yourself. The scammer will just move on to his next victim.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai plays Glenn Beck audio and discussed the pros and cons of the Christian Jewish alliance. Then, Jeff Daube, Director of the Zionist Organization of America's (ZOA) Israel office on the difference between lobbying for Israel's behalf in Israel and America.

To download, right-click, and "Save Target As" HERE

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @Kumah Yishai on Facebook

For those of us who have already moved to Israel, the following sentence probably sounds very familiar: "I’d love to live in Israel, and I’d move there tomorrow. But –"

What are the usual reasons for your family and friends to postpone moving to the Jewish State?

1. The economy is so fantastic in America. This sentence is usually accompanied with a sigh and statements like, "I need my creature comforts. I just couldn’t live without my Starbucks coffee or Trader Joe’s." Well, perhaps you know something that Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke doesn’t. After all, he was the person who recently said that the "U.S. economy is expanding moderately, but there are still clouds on the horizon." Now compare that to Israel, where the IMF (International Monetary Fund) anticipates a growth rate of 2.8% in GDP during 2012 and the possibility that Israel may become a major gas exporter due to recent gas discoveries. Indeed, there may be reasons to think the American economy is gradually improving after the economic crisis of the past few years; after all, it has improved corporate earnings and lowered unemployment figures. But still remember that Israel is not a third-world country. And by the way, the quality of life has improved so much in Israel that the perception of needing to bring over essentials like washing powder and soft toilet paper or popular American consumer products is twenty years out of date. Indeed the influx of refugees across Israel’s borders show that it is one of the most desirable countries in the region.

2. I love paying day school tuition. These days, sending your child to a Jewish day school in Manhattan can cost you more than $30,000 per year. If, like many Jewish families, you have more than one child, this can become prohibitively expensive. Compare this to the relatively low tuition that we pay for schools in Israel that teach both Jewish and secular studies. This includes any kind of school that you want, from a secular Israeli day school to a Talmud Torah. Indeed, tuition costs and the quality of education has been a major factor for many families when considering whether to make aliya.

Moving to Israel involves many considerations, including financial. If you’re seriously considering moving to Israel, or if you already live in the Promised Land, make sure you know about living in dual currencies and investments/pension plans that straddle the ocean. There are two tax codes to consider, and different forms of accounting. Make sure you get advice, pre- and post- aliya, from professionals who are qualified to handle your investments. For a broad introduction to personal finance and investments, as well as specific information pertaining to the Israeli financial scene, read my book, Building Wealth in Israel.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai and Yehuda HaKohen (alternative peace activist and educator) discuss the ideas underpinning the future of peace in the Middle East and review the history. Yehuda has a deep understanding of history, and is a brilliant and insightful commentator on Israeli/Arab co-existence and the path forward. In the last section of this audio Yishai discusses the lesson of Moses and his choice to help the girls at the well in Midian - what can we learn from this story about leadership? Don't miss Leah Bat Tzion Fleisher who joins the show at minute 22:00!!!

Yehuda HaKohen is a seasoned political activist and reservist in the Israel Defense Forces. As Director-General of the Zionist Freedom Alliance, he has dedicated himself to the struggles for justice, peace and indigenous rights in the Middle East.  Yehuda teaches history at several Jerusalem institutions and organizes grassroots Jewish-Arab dialogue sessions for the purpose of fostering mutual acceptance and understanding.

To download, right-click, and "Save Target As" HERE

Yishai Fleisher on Twitter: @yishaifleisher Yishai on Facebook

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

To get an update on the current situation in the Israeli Knesset, Yishaiis joined by MK Dr. Aryeh Eldad, chairman of the Hatikva Party. Yishai and Eldad begin by Eldad talking about the core values of Hatikva and how they fit into the overall view of the party. The discussion moves on to talk about Jordan’s role in a solution between Israel and the Arabs and also the fate of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. The segment ends with a discussion about African refugees flowing into Israel and potential solutions for the issue.

To download, right-click, and "Save Target As" HERE.

Follow Yishai Fleisher on Twitter! @yishaifleisher and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YishaiFleisher

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai is joined by popular guest Baruch Widen (commentator on Arab society and Arab Jewish relations) to discuss a book by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe) on settling the Land of Israel. Yishai and Widen dig into the phenomenon of young American Jews moving to the Land of Israel and how programs such as Birthright (Taglit) are actually decreasing the intermarriage rate among young Jews.

To download, right-click, and "Save Target As" HERE.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai is joined by Elie Pieprz, the national director of I Vote Israel, an organization dedicated to assisting American-born Jews residing in Israel with voting in American elections. Yishai and Pieperz talk about the goals of I Vote Israel and how overseas votes can really make a difference in election results. The segment wraps up with Yishai presenting a musical piece.

To download, right-click, and "Save Target As" HERE.

If you’re in a high tax bracket in the United States, you may own some municipal bonds in an effort to minimize your tax bill.

First of all, what are muni bonds? As their name suggests, these are issued by government entities. When you purchase a municipal bond, you are essentially lending a sum of money to the issuer for a set period. Over this time, you receive interest payments and once the bond matures, you are paid back the original sum of money that you invested (presuming that the issuer doesn’t default).

In the United States, the great thing about buying “munis,” as we often refer to municipal bonds, is that some of them are tax exempt, meaning that the income they generate may not liable to federal, state, or even local income taxes (check with your accountant to understand your specific situation).

So what happens if you are a municipal bond holder and you decide to make aliya and move to Israel?

As an Israeli citizen, you are required to report your income worldwide to the Israeli tax authorities, and pay taxes on it. Israel taxes income from municipal bonds because the Israeli government doesn’t recognize the beneficial U.S. tax status that these bonds hold. As of May 2012, the tax rate you would pay on the interest would be 25%. New olim may still enjoy a tax break on all of their investments based on the 10-year tax holiday that they get. However, in many cases, when you move to Israel, you might want to consider selling your municipal bonds, because due to their tax-advantage status, munis tend not to have as high yields as other bonds. If you’re looking for fixed income, consider other types of bonds (such as corporate bonds, treasury bonds, and even bank deposits). As with all investments, there are risks with every type of bond, so be sure to get personalized advice from a licensed professional before investing.

Bond trading can be complicated, but I’ve tried to simplify a few of the important concepts in my article, Premium Bonds Are Not The Opposite of Junk Bonds.

If you are still concerned about what holding a potential oleh (immigrant to Israel) or new oleh should have in his investment portfolio, consult a financial planner with knowledge of the markets on both side of the Atlantic for further advice.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

With Shavuot over, the Managing Editor of Jewish Press Online, Yishai Fleisher and his wife and co-host Malkah discuss their experiences in Jerusalem during the holiday and the importance of both Shavuot and Ruth to the Jewish People. Yishai moves on to talk about and elaborate on Asifa, which was a recent meeting of Ultra-Orthodox Jews in New York City to examine the challenges of the Internet and in what context it fits into the Jewish world. The segment wraps up with Yishai and Malkah further mulling over solutions that can allow the Internet to be useful and Kosher at the same time.

To download, right-click, and "Save Target As" HERE.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR AUDIO)))

Yishai responds to items collected from the international media. A piece from NPR about the Arab boycott of the Temple Mount is presented and Yishai weighs in with his unique perspective of the situation. The second piece that wraps up this segment comes from David Sacks, a Hollywood writer and lecturer at the Happy Minion in Los Angeles. Sacks talks about the period between Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot and how the Temple Mount relates to them.

To download, right-click, and "Save Target As" HERE.

From the Knesset

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR INTERVIEW)))

In observance of Yom Yerushalayim, the Managing Editor of the Jewish Press Online, Yishai Fleisher, presents an inspiring talk that he recently gave at the Israeli Knesset for AmShalem, a political organization dedicated to restoring a moderate, embracing, and Zionistic view to Judaism. Yishai talks about his move to Jerusalem from Beit El, the history and views that surround his apartment in Jerusalem, and the importance of all of Jerusalem to the entire Jewish People. In addition to Yishai’s speech at the Knesset, a speech by Michael Fruend, founder and chairman of Shavei Israel, an organization dedicated to bringing Jews from such far-reaching places as India and China home to Israel. These speeches are engaging and inspiring, listen in!

Turning Victims into Aggressors

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR INTERVIEW)))

Yishai and Malkah kick discuss a recent violent situation that happened to them in their neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem while returning home from Shabbat Services.  Yishai talks about three different methods and thought processes that could end the cycle of violence in the Middle East, and the segment wraps up with a discussion about Jews returning to Judaism and also returning to Israel and how Binyamin Netanyahu fits into the wider Israeli spectrum.

Hitting Them Where it Hurts

Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, the director of the non-profit organization Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, and one of the winners of the 2012 Moskowitz Prize for Zionism, joins Yishai Fleisher to discuss stopping the flow of funds to terror organizations, defending victims and families of victims of terror attacks, and educating the public about terror and terror funding.  Yishai and Darshan-Leitner talk about how governments that provide funding for terrorist organizations can be held financially responsible for the attacks they have funded.

(((CLICK BELOW TO HEAR INTERVIEW)))

More than just a flag

With Shavuot rapidly approaching, the managing editor of the Jewish Press online, Yishai Fleisher, broadcasts the second segment from Beit Knesset Dati Leumi in Jerusalem and is joined by Rabbi Shimshon Nadel. Together, they talk about Yom Yerushalayim, the holiday that commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem during the Six Day War of 1967. Rabbi Nadel talks about his feelings regarding the Israeli flag and it’s importance to him. The two move on to talk about the observance of holidays and how some are more important and we end this segment with Yishai and Rabbi Nadel talking about Aliyah Day.

Changing Diaspora thinking

The Jewish Press' Yishai Fleisher is joined in a crowded square in the Old City of Jerusalem by alternative peace activist Yehuda HaKohen. They discuss the upcoming holiday of Yom Yerushalayim and how it, along with other holidays that have been added to the Jewish calendar since the founding of Israel in 1948, are affecting and changing the entire Jewish world. The two move on to talk about the American commitment to reverse Israel’s achievements during the Six Day War.   Yishai then interviews Alex Traiman about how Traiman’s home in the Ulpana neighborhood of Beit El is scheduled to be destroyed by the Israeli government.

The Scoop on the New Government

A new unity government was formed in Israel during the last week and in order to properly discuss the ins and outs of the new government and its foundation, the Jewish Press' Yishai Fleisher is joined by Jeremy Man Saltan, an insider on the Israeli Knesset and host of the definitive English-language Knesset blog. Together, they discuss the situation that created the new government including a wide-reaching agreement between Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and leader of Kadima Shaul Mofaz to create an overwhelming coalition government. Specifics about the new government are discussed along with thoughts on how long it could last.

Yishai Fleisher comments on a recent interview from the Charlie Rose television show featuring Peter Beinart, a well-known author, political pundit, and associate professor.  Rose and Beinart discuss the current state of the “two-state solution” concept and factors, such as continued Jewish settlement, that affect potential implementation.  Beinart presents his opinions on Middle East topics such as the Sinai and the US role in providing security in Israel, and the proposed Palestinian State.  Fleisher presents analysis of the interview throughout and reveals a different perspective.

Yishai Fleisher Analyzes Peter Beinart's Interview on Charlie Rose Show

Segment 1: Families Growing in Jerusalem

Yishai and Malkah reflect on the reaction to a recent article written by Yishai about Jonathan Pollard and the potential guilt we, as modern Jews, would face if he were to die in prison in the United States.   Yishai ponders the strong emotions expressed in the many comments posted on the article published originally on JewishPress.com and then re-posted on Ynet.  Malkah lets us in on a potential new career choice in stark contrast to her current position as an activist and journalist; and shares her exciting adventure helping a young family handle a new arrival on the holiday of Passover.  Yishai and Malkah end the segment by talking about their recent tour around Jerusalem on Segways.

Segment 2: Why Are Israelis So Happy?!

Yishai and Malkah dig into the world’s ‘Happiness Index’ to see how Israel ranks in contrast to the world’s other countries. Yishai talks about African refugees living in Israel and a potential solution to house them and make them feel at home in Israeli society. On the flip side, Israeli migration to the United States has changed significantly over the last ten years and our hosts analyze why the change is good for both Israel and the United States. Yishai laughs out loud reviewing a recent article posted in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz written by Nehemia Shtrasler and Shtrasler's premise that the Jewish People need to use the world’s guilt for the Holocaust in order to remain in good standing in the eyes in the rest of the world.

Segment 3: Political Analyst Mordechai Taub on the 2012 US Elections

Yishai is joined by Mordechai Taub, a political analyst who formerly worked for the Republican National Committee and now works for Israel’s Likud party, to discuss the American politics and the upcoming election.  All candidates want to appear pro-Israel but what does this actually mean?  Yishai and Mordechai examine the records of the Republican candidates in contrast with Israel policy advocated by President Barak Obama.  In one example, the discussion hones in on former President Jimmy Carter’s behavior during the Camp David Accords towards former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin compared to President Obama’s behavior towards Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu.   How does Israel and the Israeli people look at foreign powers? Are real policy differences between the two large parties in the US vis-a-vis Israel?  Mitt Romney and other Republican candidates are discussed and Mordechai Taub gives his prediction on the presidential election.  A recent report from Afghanistan completes this segment.

Segment 4: Beinart's Closed Zion

Yishai comments on a recent interview from the Charlie Rose show featuring Peter Beinart, a well-known author, political pundit, and associate professor.  Rose and Beinart discuss the current state of the "two-state solution" concept and factors, such as continued Jewish settlement, that affect potential implementation.  Beinart presents his opinions on Middle East topics such as the Sinai and the US role in providing security in Israel, and the proposed Palestinian State.  Yishai presents analysis of the interview throughout and reveals a completely different perspective.

Segment 1: Sharing Pesach Joy - Holiday Special

The Pesach preparations are done and the Seders have come and gone and this special Pesach edition of the Yishai Fleisher Show kicks off with Yishai and Malkah talking about how the preparations in the Fleisher house were done, including musical favorites that were chosen during the cleaning for the holiday.  ‘The Seder Started” by Lenny Soloman, a song that was present during the cleaning is presented for listening pleasure.  Yishai and Malkah talk about their wonderful Seder experience at home in Jerusalem.  Yishai introduces his recent article about Jonathan Pollard, a Jewish American (now Israeli citizen) who has been in prison in the United States since being convicted of espionage in 1987.  The segment ends with the discussion of a plea to release Pollard, presented by Israeli President Shimon Peres, along with the real reason why Pollard has not been released.

Segment 2:  Truly Selfless

Yishai is joined by Shmuel Sackett, the International Director of Manhigut Yehudit, a political organization dedicated to introducing authentic Jewish values into Israeli society.  Sackett talks about his personal experiences visiting Jonathan Pollard in prison.  Sackett stresses that Pollard refuses to be released if it were in trade for Arab terrorists, a policy that has been carried out by Israeli governments in the past. Sackett mentions how Pollard personally told him that there are persons in both the American and Israeli governments that would prefer to see him die in prison. Is anti-Semitism is the root cause of the failure to gain release for Pollard?

Segment 3:  Our Job is to Do Our Job

The third segment of this week’s show features the true meaning of Pesach, presented by David Sacks,  a television writer and producer responsible for programs such as The Simpsons, 3^rd Rock From the Sun, and Malcom in the Middle.  Sacks is the senior lecturer for The Happy Minyan, a Carlebach style congregation in Los Angeles, California.  Sacks talks about the need to have an open heart and how difficult it is to remain happy in every day life, including some insight from the Kotzker Rebbe.  Sacks discusses Jewish life events such as the brit mila (circumcision) and keeping kosher and how essential they are to the essence of being and living Jewish.   The final thought of this segment relates to how the heart and mind are in constant conflict and how important it is to realize both in order to find balance.

Segment 4: The Shell of Love

By popular demand, Yishai presents the second half of a lesson given by alternative peace activist Yehuda HaKohen at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem.  In contrast to the first half, which was presented last week, this part of the lesson focuses less on theoretical concepts and more on actually flushing out the Jewish heart.  HaKohen talks about how love breeds courage and destroys fear, evidenced in an event which occurred in the 1940s and resulted in twelve young Jewish men, members of the Lehi movement, being hung by the British government for opposing British rule in Eretz Yisrael.   HaKohen describes two of these young men, both named Eliyahu, and their various traits but makes it very clear that the one thing that binds them together is an absolute and undying love for the Jewish people but also a steely determination to bring the Jewish people home.  Both of these men were murdered in Cairo for attempting to assassinate the highest-ranking British official in the Middle East.  The thought that a Jew is not allowed to take revenge against another Jew is explained and expounded and how the bodies of these two young men were returned to Israel in the 1970s in order to receive full military burials.

The segment and this week’s show wrap up with the thought of how the 1948 War of Independence was seen as ‘won’ by many but in fact was not because Jerusalem was not held by the Jews and how revolutionary Zionists such as students of Rav Kook and those involved with the Lehi movement viewed the Jewish people as those not with a problem but rather with desire. The return of Jerusalem to the Jewish people fills that desire.

Segment #1:  Crunch Time is here 

It’s crunch time as Pesach is rapidly approaching and we kick off this week’s show with Yishai, being joined by his friend and colleague, Rabbi Shimshon Nadel.  Together, they discuss the intensity of not only cleaning one’s home for the holiday but also the importance of taking time to look inside during the holiday.  Yishai talks about his recent experience baking matzo and also his personal connection to the baking of unleavened bread along with how the Pesach holiday should be used as a time to deflate oneself and reevaluate.  Rabbi Nadel and Yishai talk about how Passover Seder should be rethought and how it should become less of a textual event and more one of true feeling of fire and night.  Halachic questions such as how to lean to the left comfortably during the Seder are mentioned and the first segment ends with Yishai talking about Pesach being a pilgrimage holiday and how important it is for the consciousness that Jerusalem is the center of the Jewish universe to exist in the hearts and minds of the Jewish People.

Segment #2:  A Jewish Heart From the Windy City

In the second segment of this week’s show, the current state of the Jewish people in the United States is explained and analyzed and to do that, Yishai is joined by Jack Berger, a self-described “Jew from Chicago” who has spanned the spectrum when it comes to all things Jewish in The Windy City.  Topics for this segment include how younger Jews, especially in more liberal movements, are becoming less and less connected to both Judaism and Israel, how large Jewish institutions are being built in cities in North America where there currently is little Anti-Semitism but where it could crop up in the near future, and how if one wants to support a large and thriving Jewish community, they should support the largest and most thriving, which is in the State of Israel.  The thought that the current generation will be the one that allows Jonathan Pollard to die in captivity in a United States prison is discussed, including how Pollard was almost released and how important it is to ensure that his release happens sooner rather than later.  Yishai talks about the issue of Jerusalem and how it is not considered the capitol of Israel in the eyes of the United States government and how this can be corrected in the future.

Segment #3:  It's Not Good to Hate

The beautiful community of Migron sits upon the rolling hills of the Benyamin region of Samaria and this week’s third segment is focused on how this community has become a hot topic across Israel.  Yishai presents three main reasons to why it is such an important issue and to reinforce why those reasons are important.  Aviela Deitch, a Migron resident and a spokesperson for the community, who resides in the community with her husband and six children, joins Yishai.  Deitch talks about the reasons that they decided to move to Migron and also the experience of an expulsion, as it was seen first-hand.  Deitch talks about the history of the community of Migron, how it is not usable farmland and how the land was formerly state land owned by the the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which became Israeli property following the Six Day War in 1967.  Deitch continues by talking about how the community was established with not only the blessing of the Israeli government but also with full support including utilities and mobile homes.   Issues with the lawsuit brought forth by Peace Now, a leftist Israeli organization, that catapulted Migron into the limelight are discussed as are the some of the dubious legal proceedings that have happened between the citizens of Migron and the Israeli Supreme Court.  The segment ends with Yishai talking about the potential expulsion of the residents of Migron set to take place this summer and how it will affect the Deitch family and others that live in this community.

Segment #4: Reconnecting heart and mind

This week’s show is wrapped up with Yishai presenting a recent speech, given by his friend and colleague Yehuda HaKohen at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem.   Topics include how the Jewish people were not expelled to the four corners of the Earth but rather to five, the fifth being Zion.  The thought that a Zionist is not only one who loves his homeland but also his brothers and sisters are presented as is how Theodor Herzl and other Zionist leaders restored the heart to the Jewish People by bringing Jews home.  The thought of the curse of fear is discussed and explained throughout this segment.  The segment and the show ends with HaKohen emphasizing lucky we are to live in the time we live in the history of the Jewish People and how love can be the most empowering trait a human can exhibit.

The Yishai Fleisher Show is Israel’s only English-language FM talk show and it is brought to you in partnership with JewishPress.com

Click the links below to listen or download this week’s show:

Segment 1: Rebranding Israel

Israel is often negatively portrayed in international media as being a war-like and hateful country and this week’s show kicks off with Yishai and Malkah talking about a recently released movie that is dedicated to showing that the opposite is true. The film, titled “Israel Inside”, shows how Israel is leading the way in not only technology but also social innovation and creating a new atmosphere in the Middle East. Yishai was recently able to interview the film’s writer Rebecca Shore along with Tal Ben Shahar, a former Harvard professor who also hosts the film, during breakfast at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. Topics for discussion include how family, chutzpah, education, taking action, and responsibility for the world, are important traits of both Israel as a nation and Israelis as people that have been blended together to create a culture rich with amazing innovations in a vast array of fields. Israel being destroyed in the media because of the lack of a positive image to counter constant negatives and how new media is allowing this image to be changed is highlighted. The segment wraps up with Yishai and Ben Shahar talking about how the perception of Israel in the international community needs to be expanded to ‘beyond the conflict’.

Segment 2: Should it Stay or Should it Go?

For the second segment of this week’s program, Yishai is joined by Knesset expert Jeremy Man Sultan to discuss the situation that is currently being played out in the Knesset, Civil Courts, and Israeli Supreme Court regarding the village of Migron in the Benyamin Region of Samaria. The Israeli courts have ruled that the village must be ‘evacuated’ by the Israeli government because it is in violation of land deals and the fate of the community has become a hot button issue across all aspects of Israeli life. Potential outcomes and solutions are discussed during this segment including a solution that would have the government moving citizens to other parts of Israel and the dismantling of the community.

Segment 3: The Will to Move Ahead

Rabbi David Bar-Chaim, the head of the Shiloh Institute in Jerusalem is interview by Yishai in the third segment regarding the current status of the Religious Zionist movement in Israel. Interview topics include a definition of ‘Orthodox’ Judaism and how the term is recent, the difference between galut mode Judaism and redemption mode Judaism and how Religious Zionism combines the two ideas, and Yishai talks about how for him, events such as the Passover Seder should become events that are felt deep down rather than just acted out. Rabbi Bar-Chaim and Yishai end their interview by talking about how that by moving to Israel, a Jew is able to take a ‘step-up’ in an observant sense and live a more pure Torah life.

Segment 4: Instead of  ‘Quiet with Quiet’

The last segment of this week’s show has Yishai being joined by his friend, former co-host, and director of the film “Iranium” Alex Traiman. Together, they discuss how following the tragic and brutal massacre of Jews in Toulouse, France, there is a realization that a lot of the hostility that is felt towards the Jewish People is coming from within Israel itself. Yishai talks about how Molotov cocktails were recently thrown at his housing complex and how Israeli soldiers need to be portrayed as un-merciful towards those that wish to hurt Israelis rather than as beat-boxing humanitarians. They also talk about how regimes such as those in Iran are like a ticking time bomb and a certain amount of pressure should be applied by Israel to ensure that they indeed fall and how these regimes often place blame and focus on Israel in order to shift the problems away from those at home. The segment and show wraps up with Yishai reading the statement that was made to the Jewish People by Chava (Eva) Sandler, the widow of the family murdered in Toulouse, France.

The Yishai Fleisher Show is Israel’s only English-language FM talk show and it is brought to you in partnership with JewishPress.com

Click the links below to listen or download this week’s show:

Segment 1: In the darkness there is light

Fresh from his reserve duty in the IDF and run in the Jerusalem Marathon, Yishai brings you a show that is full of interesting insight, thought-provoking questions, and Jewish pride. This week begins with Yishai, joined by his wife and co-host Malkah, talking about Yishai's recent reserve duty and the story of a person in Yishai's unit that is in the process of bringing world-class wine making to Israel's Negev Desert. Malkah talks about how nervous she was to have Yishai in reserve duty near Beersheva during recent rocket attacks from Gaza.

There is a war on the horizon in the Fleisher house and Operation Chametz Free, between Malkah and chametz, will commence soon as she prepares to clean for Pesach. Seder preparations, Spring cleaning, and shopping for Peasach are also discussed. The show moves onto a more serious note with Yishai and Malkah talking about the tragedy that recently took place in Toulouse, France where Jews were brutally shot by an unknown gunman. Yishai talks about fighting evil by jogging in the Jerusalem Marathon, which featured over 15,000 Jewish runners and being able to see that there is Am Yisrael (the Jewish people) is strong and thriving.

Segment 2: We all have to live here together

Alternative peace activist Yehuda HaKohen joins Yishai in the second segment of the show. Together, they discuss issues such as recent statements made by European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton regarding the situation in Gaza and how, because of her stance, she should be considered not only an enemy of the Jewish People but also of all Middle Eastern peoples. HaKohen talks about how the Middle East Quartet, an organization that was created by former American President George W. Bush, is committed to nothing more than shrinking Israel. The influence of Bush to coerce former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon enact the destruction of Gush Katif, the former bloc of Jewish towns and villages in Gaza, is discussed. The thought that the Palestinian People are being used as pawns by outside countries in order to shrink the size of Israel and fuel corporate interests is presented. Yishai talks about a recent tour he took part in and how the tour guide of the tour talks about poverty and how Arab residents are pressured by government to not accept Israeli citizenship or vote in order to maintain the status quo. Methods to make a minority population co-exist in a Jewish State are presented and round out this segment.

Segment 3: The 'other' Jewish state

In the third segment of this week's show, Yishai speaks to Joe Sabag, the executive director of the Zionist Organization of America's Florida Office.Yishai and Sabag discuss their recent meeting during the first annual Florida Loves Israel Conference in Tallahassee and Sabag talks about the mission of ZOA in Florida, in the context of outreach to both Jews and non-Jews alike.ZOA has a commitment to ensuring that interests relating to Israel are appropriately represented in State legislative bodies and the Florida State Legislature was the second state governing body in the United States to release a resolution in the support of the State of Israel. This resolution was passed in both the state house and senate with overwhelming support among all who love and support Israel. The issue of where Jews should be allowed to live and not live in the Land of Israel and how the two-state solution relates to it is discussed. The realization that a lot of the problems that are commonly seen within Israel activist circles are caused and created by a true misunderstanding of the situation and potential solution finishes this segment.

Segment 4: Giving new life to Jewish life in Israel

Israel is in the forefront of innovation and technology in world of emergency medicine and in the final segment of this week's show, Yishai visits a ceremony for the donation of a new defibrillator device to his community on the Mount of Olives. This ceremony took place at the United Hatzalah Center in Jerusalem and Yishai is given a thorough tour around the center by paramedics. Yishai talks with the paramedics about the motorcycles, mopeds, and other vehicles that are used by Hatzalah to quickly respond to incidents across Israel. The command center, which uses a combination of cameras and GPS technology to quickly assist medics with arriving on scene and assessing the situation, is also linked to the IDF Homefront Command in order to respond and avoid areas hit by rocket attacks. This segment wraps up with Yishai discussing bulletproof vests and armor being issued to Hatzalah medics that are situated in the 'hot zone', areas that are prone to terror attack across Israel.

The Yishai Fleisher Show is Israel’s only English-language FM talk show and it is brought to you in partnership with JewishPress.com

Radio: Yishai in Toronto.  Segment #1 - #2

Before leaving for IDF reserve duty, Yishai put together a great show that begins with a riveting speech, given during Yishai’s Winter 2012 speaking tour, to students of the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT), a Jewish high school in Toronto, Canada.  The speech begins with Yishai discussing his background and the idea of Joseph’s need to be returned to the Land of Israel, even after death.  The concept of visionaries such as Theodor Herzl being enlightened t0 help physically bring the Jewish people back to Israel is presented along with how fasting on Yom Kippur and removing oneself from technology during Shabbat is an amazing form of meditation and reflection.  This segment wraps up with an intense question and answer session led by Yishai for the students in attendance.

Radio: It’s all in threes.  Segment #3 - #4

The final two segments of this week’s show have Yishai presenting an inspiring speech given at Canada Christian College during his Winter 2012 tour.  The speech begins by presenting three popular terms used to describe the Jewish People and how each is involved in the molding of Jewish identity in political, ethnic, and religious terms.  The renaming of Eretz Yisrael to Syria Palestine by conquerors of the Land as an attempt to delegitimize the Jewish claim to the Land is mentioned.  A series of three riveting stories about Moses and his spirit is presented to the audience.  Yishai continues by discussing how the State of Israel has three different objectives in remaining a Jewish state including protecting the Jewish people, becoming an incubator for Jewish culture, and to be a light among the nations.  The speech winds up with Yishai talking about the three principal dangers that are faced by the Jewish people including delegitimization, Jewish division, and most importantly fear.

The Yishai Fleisher Show is Israel’s only English-language FM talk show and it is brought to you in partnership with JewishPress.com

Great Purim audio is here:

Joy is the Answer Segment #1

Purim is here and this week’s show kicks off with Yishai, joined by his wife and co-host Malkah, talking about the holiday and how it is being celebrated, including the production of a recent video with features Malkah baking hamantashen.  Other topics in this segment include discussing a recent video created to raise awareness about the release of Jonathan Pollard, human rights atrocities in Syria and how individual Israelis should be involved and similarities between Haman and Amalek.  The segment continues with Eve Harrow and Yishai looking at alternate perspectives to life events and wraps up with Yishai talking about his recent phone call with Israeli clarinetist Chilik Frank and his excitement to have his music used to encourage Jews worldwide.

A Culture of Complacency Segment #2

Yishai is joined in a busy Jerusalem café by his friend and colleague Rabbi Shimshon Nadel.   Together, they discuss the relationship of Purim today and how Jews celebrating in exile led to a situation that caused a sudden waking up and realization and desire to move home.  Specific Halachic laws regarding Purim falling on Friday night are also elaborated on.

The Purim Story, Today  Segments #3 and 4 

In the final two segments of this week’s show, Yishai presents a Purim class he gave the tought on the eve of Purim 5772 at HaKotel Yeshiva in Jerusalem.  The text of the Megilla is full of secrets about how to handle the dangers of Amalek. Follow the criminal mind and learn about the traits of Amalek, if you dare to fight him. The show wraps up with Benjamin Netanyahu’s strong speech from AIPAC 2012 in which he called for dealing firmly with the threat of Iran, and not waiting for other nations to deal with Israel's foes for her.

The Yishai Fleisher Show is Israel's only English-language FM talk show and it is brought to you in partnership with JewishPress.com

Click the links below to listen or download this week’s show:

The Good Season Segment #1 

Forecasters are predicting that Israel could receive record amounts of snow and Yishai and Malkah begin this week’s show by showing excitement for snow in Jeruslaem. Yishai talks about his recent experience accompanying a special tour group, which included American legislators, on the Mount of Olives that was attacked by rock-throwing Arabs. Lastly, a recently planted palm with an iconic lineage, tracing back to Masada, is visited in the Negev.

Knesset Jeremy on the Tal Law Segment #2 

An early agreement between David Ben-Gurion and leaders of Israel’s ultra-orthodox community have allowed young Jewish men studying in Yeshiva to be exempt from military service. This exception has been a hot-button issue in the State of Israel for many years and legislation was put into place to slowly integrate young ultra-orthodox men into service in the Israel Defense Forces. Yishai and Jeremy Saltan discuss pros and cons of the Tal Law, the law that was enacted in order to put ultra-orthodox men into service. This law will be expiring soon and potential solutions are discussed. At the end of the segment, Yishai also talks about attending a memorial service for former Prime Minister Menachem Begin on the Mount of Olives and how his son, Benny Begin, is responding to the situation in Migron.

Tu B’Shevat in Satmar Williamsburg Segments #3   Segment#4

Tu B’Shevat, which is the new year of the trees, is a minor holiday that is traditionally not celebrated among many Jewish groups in the United States. During his recent tour of North America, Yishai led a Tu B’Shevat Seder for Satmar Chassidim in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. Satmar Chassidim are generally not among the most Zionist Jewish groups but Yishai finds himself pleasantly surprised to see a group who love their land and the state that exists within it.

Straight from the heart of Jerusalem comes the only English talk show on broadcast radio in the State of Israel (106.5FM). Yishai and Malkah Fleisher, two well-known internet radio personalities, made the leap to broadcast radio on the new Galey Yisrael station in Israel blazing a trail to create content for the growing segment of the Israeli public that speaks English. Here at JewishPress.com we are proud to present this week’s Yishai Fleisher Show online for listening and for download in cooperation with Galey Yisrael radio.

Click the links below to listen or download this week’s show:

Segment 1:  Maple Leaf Love of Israel.  Yishai and Malkah discuss Canada’s love of Israel and the Jewish people and provide insight on how every Jew can make Aliyah every single day.  Examples of ways Aliyah can be made without moving to Eretz Yisrael are discussed.  Yishai talks about his experiences during his recent tour elaborating on stops in Toronto, Canada and Tallahassee, Florida.

Segment 2: Living a Hebrew Life.  Malkah and Yishai discuss the importance of Jewish marriage, the simplicity of Jewish nationalism, and how simple things such as falafel and dancing the hora are distinctly Jewish.  Yishai explains how important it is to revitalize Jewish events such as the Passover Seder and Havdalah in order to make them more invigorating and engaging for children.  The concept of ‘Top-Down Judaism’ is also drawn out.  Yishai and Malkah also talk about recent attacks on the Israelis in India, Thailand, and Georgia.

Segment 3: Experts Get Real On Middle East.  Yishai comments on a recent panel, hosted by the Brookings Institute, that was aired on the American news program “Meet the Press”.  Other than thinking that the United States would be the best nation to assist Arab countries currently in revolt, Yishai gives specific examples that would show how Israel could take advantage of the current situation in order to build strong and permanent relations with neighboring countries.

Segment 4: The Art of Being Happy.  A rare English-language speech by Rebbitzin Yemima Mizrachi is presented in its entirety which encourages listeners to find ways to be and remain happy.

Straight from the heart of Jerusalem comes the only English talk show on broadcast radio in the State of Israel (106.5FM). Yishai and Malkah Fleisher, two well-known internet radio personalities, made the leap to broadcast radio on the new Galey Yisrael station in Israel blazing a trail to create content for the growing segment of the Israeli public that speaks English. Here at JewishPress.com we are proud to present this week’s Yishai Fleisher Show online for listening and for download in cooperation with Galey Yisrael radio.  

This week's show can be heard by clicking on the links below.

Segment 1:   Aliyah is Possible for Everybody.  Yishai and Malkah on Iran, rain in Israel, coming to Israel on passover, and Shabbat in Tel Aviv.

Segment 2:   Huckabee in Jerusalem.  A recent press conference by American television host Mike Huckabee in Jerusalem, topics include: the relationship between the US and Israel, a solution for Iran, a proposed Palestinian state, and US Presidential elections.

Segment 3:  Lessons from a Warrior-Poet.  Zeev Orenstein, Middle East analyst, speaks about revolutionary zionism at a memorial for Avraham “Yair” Stern, the founder of Lehi, a movement dedicated to ensuring a Jewish state exists in Eretz Yisrael.

Segment 4:   Cornerstone for All Nations.   Yehuda HaKohen, alternative peace activist and educator, speaks to a group at the memorial for Avraham “Yair” Stern, the founder of Lehi, an organization dedicated to removing British rule and returning Jews to Eretz Yisrael.  Although Lehi has been criticized throughout history, HaKohen gives specific examples that show that the Lehi perspective, a perspective that places Jews as an organic part of the Middle East, would be far more successful in creating and maintaining peace between Israel and its neighbors than anything that has been tried to date.

Straight from the heart of Jerusalem comes the only English talk show on broadcast radio in the State of Israel (106.5FM). Yishai and Malkah Fleisher, two well-known internet radio personalities, made the leap to broadcast radio on the new Galey Yisrael station in Israel blazing a trail to create content for the growing segment of the Israeli public that speaks English. Here at JewishPress.com we are proud to present this week’s Yishai Fleisher Show online for listening and for download in cooperation with Galey Yisrael radio.

This week's show takes on Iran and the military option versus the real solution, ingathering of the diaspora at a fork in the road, Jewish family safety, and robots at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Click the links below to listen or download this week's show:

Liberation and the Jewish Fight Against Fear

Yishai and Malkah share stories of liberation in a week when the Torah portion (Vaeira) describes the beginnings of the Jewish people’s fight against Egyptian slavery three and a half thousand years ago. Yishai meets a Bedouin Muslim Israeli family that has served proudly in the IDF for generations; and Malkah describes her adventure trying to get a taxi to drive her home to the Mt. of Olives Jewish neighborhood. Don’t miss Yishai’s dream at the end of the segment that brings together high tech and the ancient daily routine of Jerusalem.

Policy Heavyweights Miss Obvious Iran Solution

A review of the increasingly serious media discussions on how to handle the Iranian regime’s determination to develop nuclear weapons. This segment provides all the angles, military options, sanctions and their effectiveness, motivation of the parties, assessment of covert operations, and more. Yishai analyzes several recent media pieces from Russia TV Today, The Charlie Rose Show, and Morning Joe on MSNBC and draws different conclusions.

Rock-Proofing and Middle Eastern Reintegration

Yehuda HaKohen, alternative peace activist and educator, joins Yishai at the garage while his windows are being rock-proofed. How to be safe with a young Jewish family in Eastern Jerusalem when agitating anti-peace elements in Arab society encourage teenagers to throw rocks at cars of Jewish residents. Why are the boys throwing rocks? What benefits does carrying a gun provide compared to alternative low tech measures? Yishai and Yehuda analyze how and why the legal system and international forces appear to be hindering progress toward normalization. The segment ends with a debate on the positive aspects of Hamas versus Fatah : why does the Arab man in the street vote for Hamas?

Shining A Light From Exile?

Yishai invites his friend and Yeshiva University fellow alum Rabbi Shimshon Nadel to the Talpiot area mall. They settle into the Aroma Cafe in the Kinyon HaDar mall to look at the fork in the road facing the Jewish population of the world: gather into the Jewish ancestral land in Israel, stay in the diaspora, or split the camps. Yishai and Rabbi Shimshon cover three issues that converge on this question: 1. How to be a light onto the nations? Where do the Jews belong? 2. For the purpose of safety should we split the camps of the Jewish people into those “home” outside Israel and those who return to Israel? 3. Is America safe? Why do we believe that America is a safer haven than Israel?

Straight from the heart of Jerusalem comes the only English talk show on broadcast radio in the State of Israel. Yishai and Malkah Fleisher, two well-known internet radio personalities, made the leap to broadcast FM radio on the new Galey Yisrael station in Israel, blazing a trail to create content for the growing segment of the Israeli public that speaks English. Here at JewishPress.com we are proud to present The Yishai Fleisher Show online for listening and for download in cooperation with Galey Yisrael radio.

Click the links below to listen or download this week’s show:

Segment #1: Jewish Culture with Cranberry Sauce

Malkah finds a deal on canned cranberry sauce in a shop in Jerusalem stocked with American imports and this sets off a deep discussion on the process of the diaspora assimilating back into the Jewish homeland. How to find the right pathway to combine cherished tastes and preferences with life in the Jewish homeland. There is the potential for cultural clash but great combinations can be made in the process. What is your comfort zone? What does authentic native Jewish dress look like? Can ancient Hebrew script come back into use by modern Israelis? Finally, Yishai reads the email from the week. Please send e-mail to show@yishaifleisher.com.

Segment #2: Knesset Jeremy on Latest Politics in Israel

Jeremy Saltan discusses entry into politics by Yair Lapid (son of Tommy Lapid who founded the Shinui Party), Noam Shalit (father or Gilad Shalit), and Rabbi Aryeh Deri (former Shas Party leader now starting his own party). Knesset shananigans result in Anastassia Michaeli (Yisrael Beitenu MK) throwing water in an education committee meeting after she was harshly told to “shut up” by MK Ghaled Majadle (Labor). The role of the media in Israeli politics as media personalities are in many parties and this is increasingly the path into political power. Finally, MK Ayoub Kara brings a gun into the Knesset?! Learn about Knesset member immunity. More from Knesset Jeremy on his blog at http://knessetjeremy.com/

Segment #3 : Security Wall or Political Tool?

Part one of a fascinating discussion with alternative peace activist and educator Yehuda HaKohen. Yehuda teaches history at several Jerusalem institutions and organizes grassroots Jewish-Arab dialogue sessions for the purpose of fostering mutual acceptance and understanding. Yishai and Yehuda talk in depth about issues such as the real meaning of the Israeli “security wall”, European activists agitating in Hevron, and the Modern Orthodox bubble in the USA.

Segment #4: Is A "One State" Plan "Right Wing"?

Part Two of Yishai's discussion with Yehuda HaKohen. Yishai and Yehuda drill down on the ideas underpinning the future of peace in the Middle East and review the history. In the last section of this segment Yishai thinks about the lesson of Moses and his choice to help the girls at the well in Midian – what can we learn from this story about leadership? Don’t miss Leah Bat Tzion Fleisher making a special appearance at minute 22:00!!!

Straight from the heart of Jerusalem comes the only English talk show on broadcast radio in the State of Israel (106.5FM). Yishai and Malkah Fleisher, two well-known internet radio personalities, made the leap to broadcast radio on the new Galey Yisrael station in Israel blazing a trail to create content for the growing segment of the Israeli public that speaks English. Here at JewishPress.com we are proud to present this week's Yishai Fleisher Show online for listening and for download in cooperation with Galey Yisrael radio.

Click the links below to listen or download this week’s show:

Segment #1: Celebration and Fasting

Yishai and Malkah discuss counter culture Chanukah versus Christmas and New Years and Yishai describes his new idea for a national Chanukah celebration. The post Chanukah period in the Jewish calendar shifts into a time of difficulty and darkness in Jewish history. The roots of major disasters may be less obvious, Yishai shines a light on some of the early steps into trouble. What are the lessons for today from the history of the fast day of the 10th of Tevet Fast Day (Jan. 5th, 2012)? Determined not to let the segment end on a low note, Malkah raises spirits with a list of the most amazing scientific discoveries of 2011.

Segment #2: Israeli Pride for Jews and Arabs

Yishai and Baruch Widen (interfaith dialogue expert) delve into the real life of Jewish/Arab coexistence in Israel. Yishai's car gets smashed with a rock in Jerusalem with the intention of theft not terror. This adventure leads Baruch to think about how to bring pride and positivity to the life of all youth in the country - Arabs and Jews! What place do non-Jewish citizens have in the military forces of the Jewish State? Arabs have served with distinction in the Israeli Defense Forces for years and there are increasing numbers of proud Israeli Muslims serving and proudly saluting the flag of the Jewish State. Listen in to hear some good news and feel the excitement of hanging out with Israeli Airforce Wingmen! Finally, Yishai and Baruch share their thoughts on the "The Best Plans" alternative peace conference and discuss how to focus on what the real problems are while holding on to the positive roots of future changes.

Segment #3: Beit Shemesh Conflicts & Iran Ups the Heat

Beit Shemesh, located in the foothills between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, in a warm mixed community has been the location of social conflict between different Jewish groups. The media has raised the visibility of the local conflict to a highly followed national issue. Yishai discusses the events with journalist Shmuel Sokol who is following the story closely and provides an excellent, eye-opening explanation of the situation.

Segment #4: Fighting for the Anglo Vote in Israel

Yisrael Beitenu is a political party that has built up support in a number of demographics with emphasis on the Russian immigrant population. Now Yisrael Beitenu is trying to grow in the sphere of the Anglo voters. In this segment, Yishai describes this aspect of Israeli internal politics and then takes us behind the scenes to hear Danny Ayalon’s speech at the first ever Yisrael Beitenu Chanukah Party for Anglo Israeli voters.

Straight from the heart of Jerusalem comes the only English talk show on broadcast radio in the State of Israel. Yishai and Malkah Fleisher, two well-known internet radio personalities, made the leap to broadcast FM radio on the new Galey Yisrael station in Israel, blazing a trail to create content for the growing segment of the Israeli public that speaks English. Here at JewishPress.com we are proud to present The Yishai Fleisher Show online for listening and for download in cooperation with Galey Yisrael radio.

Below are the links to this week's show available for download or podcast:

Segment #1: Hareidi Harassment – Fringe Trouble or Deep Divide?

Yishai and Malkah discuss the conflicts in Jerusalem between Haredim and other groups over space, how little kids should dress, and where women should sit in the bus. Are these conflicts an indication of a deep divide or the highly visible agitations of a small number of people? What is the media’s interest in reporting on these stories and is the media helping promote harmony among the Jewish people?

Segment #2 : Jewish Blues on Mt. Zion & IDF Appreciation

Yishai visits Assaf’s Cave in Jerusalem and speaks with Levy Dovid co-founder (along with Yaakov Lippon) of this new Wednesday night institution of joy and music. Yishai then speaks to world famous Jewish blues guitarist Lazer Lloyd known for his solo work and his work with the band Yood. In the second half of the segment Yishai interviews Aba Claman, founder and director of “Thank Israeli Soldiers”.

Segment #3 : Alternative Peace Conference - The Presentations

Yishai and Baruch Widen go to an alternative peace conference held by the group thebestplans.org. In this first segment on the conference you will hear some interviews on the side with participants and some excerpts from presentations given at the conference. The conference was held on 26th December at the Ariel University Center. Six authors presented their plans for the future of Israel-Palestine. The audience actively participated in rating each plan.

Segment #4: Yishai Speaks at Art School

Yishai talks with art students at Emunah v’ Omanut Seminary. How can art/seminary students better Israel and change the world? What is the role of art in inspiring consciousness of the future Jewish reality? Yishai discusses these issues in the context of his own usage of art to promote Israel.