Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.In this episode of Boundless Insights, host Aviva Klompas is joined by Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, for a conversation about leadership at a time of profound national strain.Since October 7, Israel has been carrying deep loss alongside urgent questions of accountability, responsibility, and unity. Trust has been shaken, and Israelis - together with Jews around the world - are grappling with how a wounded society begins to heal.President Herzog shares what he has learned from time spent with hostage families and the bereaved, and why acknowledgment and presence matter for national repair. He also shares how October 7 has changed Israeli society, how he understands unity after rupture, and how he thinks about Israel’s relationship with world Jewry at a moment when many feel both deeply connected and deeply vulnerable.Guest Bio:Isaac Herzog is the 11th President of the State of Israel. The son of Israel's sixth President, Chaim Herzog and grandson of Israel's first Chief Rabbi, Yizhak Isaac Halevi Herzog, President Isaac Herzog was born in Tel Aviv in 1960, trained as a lawyer and became senior partner in one of Israel's leading Law firms. In 2003, Herzog was elected member of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, after serving as Government Secretary to Prime Minister Ehud Barak (1999-2001). Throughout his 15 years in the Knesset, Herzog held several parliamentary and ministerial posts, among them Minister of Housing and Construction; Minister of Tourism; Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Society and the Fight Against Anti-Semitism. Herzog's revolutionary term as Minister of Welfare & Social Services is considered his crowning achievement in the Government of Israel. Herzog was a Member of Israel's Security Cabinet, in addition to serving as Government Coordinator for the Provision of Humanitarian Aid to Gaza. In 2013, Herzog was elected Chairman of the Israeli Labor Party, the founding party of the State of Israel, becoming Leader of the Opposition. Two years later he led the alliance between the Labor Party and the Hatnua Party to form Israel's largest center-left political party of that time – the Zionist Union, which made him a leading candidate for Prime Minister during the 2015 national elections. In June of 2018, Herzog was appointed Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), the historic organization which laid the foundations of the State of Israel and the largest Jewish NGO in the world. As JAFI Chairman he led the process of restructuring the organization, which reinvigorated it, reaffirmed its prominence within world Jewry, and solidified JAFI's status as a bridge to Jewish communities worldwide and the State of Israel. On July 7, 2021 Isaac Herzog was sworn in as the 11th President of the State of Israel, following an overwhelming majority vote at the Knesset which constituted a historic landslide victory. President Herzog published numerous books and articles in Israel and worldwide, and is a sought after speaker in different fields all over the world. He is married to Michal, also a lawyer by profession and an expert in philanthropy, and they have three sons.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.In this episode, host Aviva Klompas is joined by former Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Oren for a wide-angle look at the regional landscape heading into 2026. Together, they examine how recent diplomatic moves, shifting U.S.–Israel dynamics, internal pressure inside Iran, and Israel’s own political calendar fit into a broader picture of power, deterrence, and decision-making.They look at how the balance of power may be shifting, where risks are accumulating, and what Israel, the United States, and regional actors should be preparing for next.Mentioned in this episode:Free Press: How Does Bibi Survive? by Michael OrenIsrael Hayom: 'We need to take advantage of Trump's time in office'

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.Aviva closes out 2025 with actor, comedian, and podcaster Michael Rapaport for a funny and thoughtful look back. They reflect on how the last two years have reshaped Jewish life and identity, revisit the cultural and political moments that defined 2025, and talk about what they’re carrying into 2026 — including Michael’s upcoming documentary. Along the way: New Year’s resolutions, a mini therapy session, and “Mike’s Hot Takes” on everything from AI to tariffs to the pope, plus a headline you didn’t see coming — Rapaport for mayor.Guest Bio:Michael Rapaport is an actor and comedian whose career spans film, television, and stand-up. In recent years, he has also become one of Hollywood’s most outspoken and unapologetic advocates for Israel and the Jewish people, using his platform to encourage others to stand up, speak clearly, and refuse to stay silent.

Sociologist and Jewish studies scholar Dr. Shaul Kelner joins Dr. Rachel Fish to examine the rise of antizionism as a distinctly American political and social movement. Kelner argues that contemporary antizionism is less an intellectual critique of Zionism than a political mass movement defined by praxis: the othering and exclusion of Jews through social and institutional action. Their conversation explores why debates over whether antizionism equals antisemitism often obscure more than they clarify, the distinction between 'anti-Zionism' and 'antizionism', how ambiguity about end goals of the pro-Palestine movement enables broad coalition-building, why higher education became especially fertile ground for this movement, and more.Further ReadingShaul Kelner, “American Antizionism,” Sources JournalIsabella Tabarovsky, "The Cult of 'Antizionism'," Tablet MagazineIsabella Tabarovsky, "Zombie Anti-Zionism," Tablet MagazineDavid Hirsch, "'Anti-Zionism' and 'Antizionism'," Australia/Israel, and Jewish Affairs CouncilGuest BioShaul Kelner is a Professor of Jewish Studies and Sociology at Vanderbilt University, specializing in the study of contemporary Jewish life. His latest book, A Cold War Exodus: How American Activists Mobilized to Free Soviet Jews received grant support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and won a National Jewish Book Award. Prof. Kelner has been a Fellow of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute for Advanced Studies and the University of Michigan’s Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies, a visiting scholar in Tel Aviv University’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology and a resident scholar at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. He has served as a board member of the Association for Jewish Studies and of the Association for the Social Scientific Study of Jewry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vanderbilt’s College of Arts and Science recognized him with an Innovative Teaching Award for Creating Engaging In-Person Learning Environments.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.Host Aviva Klompas speaks with Loay Alshareef, an Arab Muslim peace advocate whose personal journey challenges some of the most entrenched assumptions in the Middle East.Raised in Saudi Arabia in an environment steeped in anti-Jewish narratives, Loay describes the beliefs he absorbed growing up and the profound turning point that reshaped his worldview after living with a Jewish family in France. That experience led him to reexamine what he had been taught about Jews, Israel, and history and ultimately to dedicate his life to countering extremism and misinformation.Guest BioLoay Alshareef is an Arab Muslim peace advocate, historian, and social media influencer dedicated to building understanding between Muslims and Jews and advancing peace in the Middle East. Born and raised in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi-Egyptian family, Loay underwent a profound transformation after living with a Jewish family in France in 2010, an experience that reshaped his worldview and set him on a path toward reconciliation.He has worked in education, history, and cultural tourism, and is now a leading voice in interfaith dialogue, known for his support of Israel’s legitimacy and the Abraham Accords. Based in the United Arab Emirates, Loay combines deep historical knowledge — including expertise in ancient languages and scripts — with a modern digital platform to promote coexistence and challenge entrenched narratives.