1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Hi, and welcome back to the Carol Markowitz Show on iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 1: And guest today is Lahav Harkov. Laha is senior political 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,959 Speaker 1: correspondent for Jewish Insider. Hi Lahaf, so nice to have 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: you on. 5 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 2: Hi, Carol, thanks for writing me. 6 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: So you cover Israel in English? Is that the correct right? 7 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: Am I summing up? But it's not necessarily for an 8 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: American audience or is it for an audience outside of Israel. 9 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 2: So these days I work for Jewish Insider, and it's 10 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: very much for an American audience, mostly a Jewish American audience, 11 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 2: but not only It's like a very Washington based publication 12 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 2: that allow people read on the hill and policy circles, 13 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: so those are like the main audiences, but it's not 14 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 2: as many readers in Israel. I used to write for 15 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 2: the Jerusalem Post for many years, and then it was 16 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 2: for people who speak English, but in Israel it was 17 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 2: a daily newspaper. 18 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,959 Speaker 1: Do you feel like there's a disconnect between the new 19 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: is that people get in Israel and the news that 20 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: we get outside of Israel, Like I feel like a 21 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: lot of the time it's not the same stories. 22 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 2: Absolutely, there's a huge disconect. I mean, right now, the 23 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: government is on the verge of like collapse, collapse, which 24 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,199 Speaker 2: is not like I mean, it just happened. 25 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: You guys went through like five of those in a 26 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: few years. 27 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, And you know, I don't know when people 28 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 2: are talking about like red at Thunberg, you know, not right, 29 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 2: not that Israel's about to have an election probably, I 30 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 2: mean not for sure, that's it over deals over But 31 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 2: right what do you. 32 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: Feel like people outside of Israel misunderstand about the country? 33 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: I mean so much, right, I think right now we're 34 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 2: in the middle of Israel's longest war, and it's serious 35 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 2: and it's a real war. But what even when we 36 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 2: weren't right, people seem to look at it as like 37 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 2: a constant war zone when actually, I mean, it's a country, 38 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: a very vibrant country, right, like huge texting, one of 39 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,519 Speaker 2: the most advanced in the world, huge like food, e 40 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:14,839 Speaker 2: seed right, culture for sure. Yeah, it's like I find 41 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: it to be like Televis, like all the funnest cities 42 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 2: of the world. I've done a lot of travel, I've 43 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 2: lived another place. Unfortunately, people associated so much with conflict, 44 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: you know, and I hope that like the day will 45 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 2: come that that's not the top story that israel I. 46 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 2: Really I hope the day will come that people don't 47 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 2: talk about us so much that that would be great. 48 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's actually a really good point. I frequently 49 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: am like, oh, Israel's trending on Twitter X, like I wish, 50 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: I wish it wouldn't, like yeah, just you know, right, 51 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: find something else to talk about. But I had John 52 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: and Russic from Fight for Fighting on this show, and 53 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: he performed in Israel the night of the Iran attack 54 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: and he said that, you know, I asked him like, 55 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: were you scared, and he's like, of course I was scared. 56 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: He's like, but the people that were with we're like, 57 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: we have restaurant reservations that we can't miss, and you know, 58 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 1: like like time's a ticken, we got to go to 59 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: the restaurant. It's we have a reservation and that's just 60 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: the way it goes. And he was like I wanted 61 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: to go home and like hide under my bed, but 62 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: Israelis were like, no life goes on. 63 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 2: I mean, that's definitely the vibe here. Unfortunately, we you know, 64 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 2: every couple of nights have to deal with air raid 65 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 2: sirens because of missiles being shot by the Hoo's ease 66 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 2: from Yevin Iran was different, right, Like that was like 67 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 2: hundreds of missiles and we all had to sit in 68 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 2: the shelters for like over an hour, where normally it's 69 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 2: like ten minutes. But on the other hand, like I 70 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: let my kid have asleep over that night. It was 71 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: like every practically it Israel has a mud right, has 72 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 2: an ninety right, has a safe room. It was like 73 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 2: she could either be in the safe room with me 74 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 2: or she could be in the safe room with her friends. 75 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 2: And like, you know, they sent us pictures. 76 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: I love it. I love ISRAELI. That's just crazy. How 77 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: did you get into being a journalist in the media world? 78 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 2: So the big answer, the initial answer was that my 79 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: grandmother was a journalist and she was still is. She's 80 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: still alive, thank god. The most interesting person I know. 81 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 2: I mean, she just had amazing stories. She meant incredible people. 82 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: And from a very young age, I was like, I 83 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 2: want to do that too, that's so cool. And I 84 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 2: was like a big reader, you know. But then also 85 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 2: like at the age when I start to become aware 86 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,679 Speaker 2: of politics and news and things like that. The second 87 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: into Fota was happening in Israel, and I grew up 88 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: in the US, but my mother and her whole side 89 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 2: of the family are Israeli. And I realized how much 90 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: Israel is being misrepresented in the news in America, and 91 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 2: I wanted to be someone to tell the real story 92 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 2: of Israel. And so those two sort of different factors 93 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 2: came together. And what I it's what I ended up 94 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 2: doing with my life. 95 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: What's the biggest challenge to telling that story? 96 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 2: Sorry, well, I think that the international media, you know, 97 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 2: and the big American and British media outlets, they have 98 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: like prejudices and sort of preconceived ideas of what the 99 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 2: story should be, and it's often wrong. They often trust 100 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 2: people who are not trustworthy out of this idea that 101 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 2: they want to be fair and even handed, but like 102 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 2: to be even handed between a terrorist organization, for example, 103 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 2: and a liberal democracy. It doesn't actually make that much sense, 104 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:34,919 Speaker 2: you know, Which is not to say that they shouldn't 105 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 2: talk about the palacity inside of the story at all, 106 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 2: but to sort of treat terror scredulously is often just 107 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 2: at the core of why. 108 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: So many stories are wrong, right, I mean, any headline 109 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: that's like Hamas says, like Hamas says, who cares what 110 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: they say. It's right, exact, complete nonsense. 111 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 2: So like you're it's like an uphill battle because when 112 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 2: you're dealing with people who like such a basic idea 113 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 2: of what is actually fair and how to actually get 114 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 2: at the truth as far into them, you know, you 115 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 2: really have to get to the basics to get the 116 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 2: real story out. 117 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: What would have been like a plan be for you 118 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: if you didn't go into journalism, What other thoughts did 119 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: you have and what you would do with your life? 120 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,159 Speaker 2: Interesting? Well, first of all, like I wanted to be 121 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 2: in a journalists for a really young age, and I 122 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 2: started working at it for a really young age. But 123 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 2: I did briefly study economics, I studied political science, I 124 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 2: did like I worked a little bit in a sort 125 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 2: of political activist space in college before I got my 126 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 2: first paid journalism job, So maybe that's where I would 127 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 2: have gone. 128 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: Do you find it to be a job that is 129 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: exciting as you imagine? Like I'm thinking, and I'm sure 130 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: it is exciting, but like, is it exciting and not 131 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 1: the ways you thought? Like for example, I know you 132 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: were on a trip with the Prime Minister and Yahoo 133 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 1: and he decid I did to take a side trip 134 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: or I think it was to Hungary. Maybe I might 135 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: be getting the details wrong. 136 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 2: Start in Hungary and then while he wasn't Hungary, Trump 137 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 2: was like President. 138 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and so you just went. You went, and it's like, 139 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: you have kids at home, but I don't even know 140 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,119 Speaker 1: if you packed, you know, orry for a longer trip. 141 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 2: Tell us this story. 142 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: I want to hear it. 143 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, so this wasn't the April first of all, it 144 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: was the week before Passover, and for listeners who are 145 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 2: not Jewish, like the week before past the big deal, 146 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 2: craziest week of the year for Jewish families because you 147 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 2: basically do spring cleaning, but it's like a religious elements 148 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 2: of spring cleaning, so everybody is just completely intensive. 149 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. 150 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 2: So for starters, I had to not be in the 151 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 2: country that week. It was supposed to be a four 152 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 2: day trip to Hungary. It was basically Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 153 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: return on Sunday. And my birthday was that weekend. And 154 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 2: the Prime Minister doesn't I mean he works on Saturday, 155 00:07:57,840 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 2: he's the Prime Minister, but he doesn't have like public 156 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 2: meetia to a public schedule on Saturday, which is the 157 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 2: Jewish Sabbath, like out of respect for Jewish tradition. So 158 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 2: my husband, because it was my birthday, he flew out 159 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 2: to spend the weekend with me because he knew I 160 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 2: was going to have a day where I'm not actually 161 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: doing any work, So he was staying in the hotel 162 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 2: with me where I was in Hungry in Budapest. Yeah, 163 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 2: which is a beautiful city. Highly recommend you to spend 164 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: in a really nice weekend with your spouse there. But 165 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 2: over that weekend, we saw that got the news that 166 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: I have to continue on to Washington. And I sort 167 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 2: of said to my husband, like, I'm glad that you 168 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 2: were here to witness this because it's so crazy that 169 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 2: it's like almost unfeavable. You know. 170 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: It's because if you have to call him and be like, hey, 171 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 1: I have to go to America, it's like it doesn't 172 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: have the same he doesn't know the insanity that you 173 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: felt in that moment and the way that it all developed. 174 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 2: Right, And he saw, I mean, he saw me running 175 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 2: into like my colleagues in the lobby and almost being like, 176 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 2: oh my god, what is happening? 177 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: So I have to go by underwear. 178 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 2: Actually, one of the people who's like on TV news 179 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 2: literally said on the news that he is washing his 180 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 2: underwear and then the sink of the tever. I was like, 181 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: I cannot believe he said that on TV. He said 182 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 2: it on one of the like more lighthearted programs, you know. 183 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, amazing. Yeah, So you did continue on to America 184 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: And how was it? 185 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 2: It was? It was good. It was very interesting. It 186 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 2: always is. It's always interesting to the Trump White House? 187 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: But was it? 188 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 2: Now? I was in the White House twice this year. 189 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 2: So in February into I went. There was like this 190 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 2: very long oval office and very long press conference where 191 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 2: Trump answered so many questions. You know, sometimes he just 192 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 2: does that and he just let rolls with it, like yeah, 193 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 2: this time was like sort of more formal and it 194 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 2: didn't last as long, but he did answer a bunch 195 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 2: of questions. And it's always like it's always a cool experience. 196 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 2: I mean again, like I grew up in the US, 197 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 2: so like I have so much respect for that office 198 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 2: and like feel very privileged to have been able to 199 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: go there so many times. 200 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: So is it exciting? Is it like you thought it 201 00:09:59,000 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: would be? 202 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:01,559 Speaker 2: It is? It is, And it's beyond what I thought 203 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 2: I would be, you know, like because I have been 204 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 2: like have had been had the opportunity to go so 205 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 2: many places and meet so many things that I don't 206 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 2: think that even when it was my ambition to be 207 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 2: a journalist, i'd be able to do, like being able 208 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 2: to say that, like I've been to the White House 209 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 2: so many times, and that I've interviewed multiple Israeli Prime ministers. 210 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 2: One of my favorite things I ever did is that 211 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 2: I got to go to a royal dinner, like in 212 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 2: a palace for. 213 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: The which royal family? Oh nice Norway? 214 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, for Shimon Paris who was president at the time. 215 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 2: So I'm really aging myself here, but yes, I was reporting. 216 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 2: It was actually his final trip as president, so you know, 217 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 2: I was not yet a reporter at the beginning of 218 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 2: his presidency. But that was really cool, you know. It's 219 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 2: like I, yes, people asked me. I always say that 220 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 2: that was one of the coolest things I got to 221 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 2: do as a reporter. 222 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 1: We're going to take a quick break and be right 223 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: back on the Carol Marco wid Show. What do you 224 00:10:59,360 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 1: worry About? 225 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 2: So we're talking at a time that my husband is 226 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: in idea reserve duty. He's done over two hundred days 227 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 2: and he's now at the beginning of what's going to 228 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 2: be a long stretch through August. So I really worry 229 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 2: about him all the time. But in a sort of 230 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:20,559 Speaker 2: larger scale, like I think my worries about him are 231 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 2: also worries about the country in the sense that like 232 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 2: we are in a really long war. I don't want 233 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 2: to get into the politics necessarily, but like as a 234 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 2: society where we have so many people fighting this war 235 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 2: coming back from the war, so any families that are 236 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 2: apart right now, Israelis are incredibly resilient, but like this 237 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 2: is the biggest tak Yeah, and so I worry about 238 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 2: it as a society. I worry about my kids, and 239 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 2: I worry about the kids all around us, you know. 240 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 2: So I just hope that we all sort of have 241 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,439 Speaker 2: the strength to be able to move forward from this. 242 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 2: And I know, I mean, you've written and talked so 243 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 2: much about like COVID, so I also think about at 244 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 2: how like I have a son who's just turned six, 245 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 2: and like his life was just COVID and then war 246 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 2: or yeah, some kids have that experience in Israel. 247 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 1: Are you optimistic about Israel's future? Like, I know that 248 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: there's a large pendulum swing. It could happen in any moment, 249 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: but right now, do you feel good. 250 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 2: Optimistic about Israel? Because I think that the way the 251 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 2: country rallied after October seventh, like that the months before 252 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 2: October seventh were really difficult months in Israel where people 253 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 2: were really divided over politics and there were all these 254 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 2: protests in the street and things got really really ugly. 255 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 2: But then the country really rallied and got together after 256 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: this horrible, horrible attack on us. And I think that, 257 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:46,199 Speaker 2: you know, the politicians are saying ugly things to each 258 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 2: other again. But I think that when you're. 259 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: Some almost like back to normal, that's like is that 260 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: bad necessary? 261 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 2: You know, because when you talk to normal people, regular Israeli, 262 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 2: they still I think that this has given us such 263 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 2: a sense of like why we're here and what we're 264 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 2: fighting for. You know that you know, we would be lost, 265 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 2: bereft entirely without the Jewish state, you know, and of 266 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 2: course so many people. I mean, there was like this 267 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 2: song that came out a few months after the war 268 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 2: that was like a hit here. It was like it 269 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 2: was like a rap song, but like a soft rap song, 270 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,679 Speaker 2: so to speak, where they said, you know, like the 271 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 2: teacher and the guy selling you vegetables in the supermarket 272 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 2: and your dentist, and they're all fighting in the war. 273 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 2: They're all like superheroes, you know, and like you really 274 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 2: feel that, you know, like that we've all come together 275 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 2: and are doing something for the greater good and for 276 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 2: each other as a society. 277 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: It's a great feeling. Actually, it's very hard to maintain. 278 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: I was in New York on nine to eleven, and 279 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: that lasted for a little while, but I can't say 280 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: that even two years later it was still feeling that way. 281 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: I think by by two thousand and three that had 282 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 1: faded in a big way. And the fact that Israel still, 283 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: you know, kind of united and in a good place 284 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: and optimistic about the future. It's a positive. 285 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. I was in New York then too, so it 286 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 2: is a good point. I think the starting point of 287 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 2: Israel being like of the Jewish people start with that, 288 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 2: and what Israel means to the Jewish people is a 289 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 2: strong sort of starting point. So I'm optimistic about us 290 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 2: continuing to be able to rally. 291 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: I love it. I love your optimism because I you know, 292 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: I root for Israel. But some days are harder than others. 293 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: I definitely feel not great on some days when I 294 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: read some news and about an internal strife and that 295 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: kind of thing, even though again, I do think it's normal. 296 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: I think it's normal politicians to yell at each other. 297 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 1: We're recording this shortly after Elon and Trump had their 298 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 1: big blow up, and then they're they're very public making up. 299 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: So yeah, you know, maybe that's the sign of normalcy 300 00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: that isn't so bad. 301 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 2: Maybe I think maybe I'm like seeing these through rose 302 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 2: tints and glasses a little too much, But I do 303 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 2: feel like the current polarization, both in the US and 304 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 2: in Israel, is like really extreme and that like, maybe 305 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: it wasn't always like that, but people always also look 306 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 2: at the past and think about the good old days. 307 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: So I won't wait, So, what's the rose colored glasses part? 308 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: I thought you were going to tell me how great 309 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: I think is Oh, okay, I see. 310 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 2: Like being like, oh, it wasn't this bad before, right. 311 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 2: I covered the class at Israel's parliament right for for 312 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 2: eight years, and I did feel like it got uglier overtime. 313 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 2: There were some uposente downs, but like, I feel like 314 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 2: now we're at an uglier place than we were when 315 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 2: I started. It was in twenty eleven. 316 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: Interesting Okay, all right, we'll see what happens. I guess 317 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: what advice would you give your sixteen year old self, Like, 318 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: what is sixteen year old Lahov need to know? And 319 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: also where were you at sixteen? 320 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 2: So at sixteen, I was going to high school in Manhattan, 321 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 2: Jewish High School, and uh, you know, doing the school newspaper, and. 322 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: You really did always want to be a journalist as well. 323 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I was trying to get into colleges 324 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 2: like any other kid, most of the kids. I think 325 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 2: like the advice that I really needed at that time 326 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 2: was not to sell myself short. I think I was 327 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 2: not so like as a kid, I didn't have a 328 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 2: lot of confidence, and I think that I could have 329 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 2: like tried more things, done more things, also socially sort 330 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 2: of put myself in better situations. And I think that 331 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 2: that's in general, a lot of people, you know, don't 332 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 2: understand their own worth. So that probably would have been 333 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 2: my advice to myself. Though. The other thing that I 334 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 2: think is important to tell most teenagers, including myself, is 335 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 2: to actually listen to other people. That others I mean, 336 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 2: maybe not everyone, but like actually listen when people talk 337 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 2: to people have interesting things to say, and you have 338 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 2: a lot of things that you can learn and you 339 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 2: don't know everything. 340 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel like teenagers don't really want to hear that. 341 00:16:55,800 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: I had my question authority you know button that I wore. Yeah, 342 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 1: punk rock was was what it was all about. But 343 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: that's interesting that you would sell yourself short. I feel 344 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 1: like I can't imagine you're doing that. I think you're 345 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,199 Speaker 1: I think of you as pretty confident and you know, 346 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 1: sure of yourself. 347 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't. It took time. 348 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: I know. 349 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 2: It's funny like people who knew me growing up and 350 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 2: people who know me as an adult, I feel like 351 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 2: they have very different ideas about me kind of but 352 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 2: and I can't even like put my finger on what 353 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 2: it was and what changed. But just over time, I 354 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 2: definitely felt a lot more like stable and sure of 355 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 2: myself that, you know, I actually have something to offer 356 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 2: to the world. 357 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: You know, I was thinking, I don't know that I 358 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: have had somebody who lives in Israel on the show. 359 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: I'm trying to think, but what advice would you give 360 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: to my audience if they're visiting Israel? Like what should 361 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,439 Speaker 1: they not miss? What what I mean other than the 362 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: you know, the kind of the main the main things. 363 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 2: It's an interesting question for I think like people who 364 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 2: like nature and like hiking, Like it's a really good 365 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:04,679 Speaker 2: trip for nature because you can get a lot of 366 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 2: really cool things in one trip. You can get desert, 367 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 2: and you can get forests, and you could get well, 368 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 2: you could get kayaking. It's not I grew up in 369 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 2: New Jersey, the kayaking and the Delaware better than here, 370 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:18,120 Speaker 2: So maybe not that, but you could get all kinds 371 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 2: of nature in one place because Israel is the size 372 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 2: of New Jersey and you have skiing all the way 373 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 2: north and desert in the Yeah, it's not like also 374 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 2: not amazing skiing, so if you're a skier, I don't 375 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 2: recommend doing that in Israel. But in terms of the 376 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 2: variety of what you can get here, you know, into 377 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 2: such a small place, you can come for a week 378 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 2: and see snow in desert, although not in the summer. 379 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,920 Speaker 2: There's no snow in the summer. But so that's one thing, 380 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 2: Like if people love nature, there's like really cool stuff 381 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 2: to see. Also, just the archaeology is really cool, and 382 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,919 Speaker 2: it's not just there's archaeological sites all over that you 383 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 2: can visit. The classic one that everyone goes to is Masada, 384 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,479 Speaker 2: but there's a lot of projects and things like you 385 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,119 Speaker 2: can do sifting or you could see like if you 386 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 2: really like mosaics, there's all kinds of cool ancient mosaics. 387 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 2: And if you want to see what houses look like, 388 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 2: there's kinds of you could It's like very varied. There's 389 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 2: a biblical archaeology also, you know Old Testament, New Testament, 390 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,719 Speaker 2: and all kinds of theater sites. Like it's it's really 391 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 2: there's so much history here that like you can think 392 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 2: about all different time periods that someone might have a 393 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 2: special interest in and see really interesting things. 394 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 1: I had darn Schpielman on the show. Maybe he's he 395 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 1: lives in Israel, but yeah, he wrote he wrote when 396 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: the Stones about city of David. 397 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:40,360 Speaker 2: So the same David is one of these places that's 398 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 2: really cool because like you're like, okay, I'm visiting an 399 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 2: archaeological site, but you can do a water like a 400 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 2: water hike. There's like a tunnel with water in it, 401 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 2: and you see like the road they excavated, like the 402 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 2: road that people would walk to the Holy Temple. It's 403 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 2: like really cool. It's not just like I'm going to 404 00:19:57,640 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 2: go in and look at some rocks. 405 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: You know, right, it's really unique. I didn't do the 406 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: water whatever, but I feel. 407 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 2: Like that thats going to have to. 408 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: Come back to that. Yeah, amazing. Well, I've loved this conversation. 409 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: Oh You're always been somebody that I'm interested in and 410 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: does here with your best tip for my listeners on 411 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: how they can improve their lives. 412 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 2: You know, I'm going to go back to the tip 413 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:25,479 Speaker 2: that I give teenagers and give it to everyone and say, listen. 414 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 2: You have to not just think that you're listening, but 415 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 2: like actually try to listen and hear what people are saying. 416 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 2: And I think it's something that served me really well 417 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 2: as a journalist because I'm mostly a reporter. It's rare 418 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 2: that I write opinions, and so I have to look 419 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 2: at someone who I might disagree with or might just 420 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 2: have a totally different idea of things from and actually 421 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:49,719 Speaker 2: try to understand where they're coming from, you know. And 422 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 2: I find that that I've learned so much and it's 423 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 2: opened my mind to so much over the years by 424 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 2: sort of forcing myself to actually listen to other points 425 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 2: of view. It's not always easy, No, it's not. Yeah, 426 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 2: that's my I think best advice that people should try 427 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 2: to listen, really really listen to people who are different 428 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 2: from yourself. 429 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,119 Speaker 1: All right, I'm gonna do my best, but it's not 430 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: one of my strong strong points. She's the ha Harkop. 431 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: Check her out a Jewish Insider. Thank you so much 432 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:22,159 Speaker 1: for coming on, Laha, thank you.