Unholy Podcast
Two prominent journalists, one Israeli and one British, dissect the week's news at the intersection of Israel, Jewish life, and global politics.
A weekly analytical briefing on Israeli and Jewish affairs for a global, English-speaking audience. The hosts, deeply embedded in their respective countries' media and political scenes, offer an insider-outsider perspective that connects domestic Israeli debates with their international implications. It's less a news report and more a high-level conversation between two informed observers trying to make sense of the week.
“The show's core dynamic is the interplay between the Israeli host (Levi) and the British diaspora host (Freedland), creating a unique dialogue between Israel and the Jewish world. Their access allows for high-profile guests, from former prime ministers to global CEOs, providing direct insight into major events.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Yonit Levi, the chief news anchor for Israel's Channel 12 News, and Jonathan Freedland, a weekly columnist for The Guardian. Each week, the two Jewish journalists analyze and debate current events shaping Israel and the wider world, from their respective viewpoints in Tel Aviv and London. The show is acclaimed by figures like David Remnick and Rachel Maddow for its nuanced discussion and sparkling conversation.
Credentials & credits
- Yonit Levi: Chief News Anchor, Keshet 12 (Israel)
- Yonit Levi: Co-author, 'Don't Feed the Lion'
- Jonathan Freedland: Columnist, The Guardian
- Jonathan Freedland: Presenter, BBC Radio 4's 'The Long View'
- Jonathan Freedland: Author, 'The Escape Artist' and thrillers as Sam Bourne
- Jonathan Freedland: Orwell Prize for Journalism winner
Other ventures
- Jonathan Freedland: Host, Politics Weekly America podcast
- Jonathan Freedland: Playwright, 'Jews. In Their Own Words.'
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Reality bites: Trump, Bibi and the Mamdani EffectJun 25, 2026 · 48 min
- 02Naftali Bennett: "This Government Is Destroying Israel's International Standing"Jun 22, 2026 · 45 min
- 03E-Signed, Sealed, DeliveredJun 18, 2026 · 40 min
- 04
- 05Nir Bar Dea on the New World Order, AI, and Israel's RisksJun 16, 2026 · 45 min
- 06Bibi’s Tightrope, Eisenkot’s Rise, Iran’s Shadow, and the U.S. Primary WarsJun 11, 2026 · 46 min
- 07Dr. Galit Atlas on Trauma and Emotional InheritanceJun 11, 2026 · 29 min
- 08Special Update - Iran Missiles Hit Israel — What Happens Next | Unholy PodcastJun 8, 2026 · 29 min
Notable episodes
- 01Naftali Bennett: "This Government Is Destroying Israel's International Standing"
A wide-ranging and combative interview with the former Israeli Prime Minister on the war, the government's strategy, and his own political future.
- 02Is AI the New Industrial Revolution — And Are We Heading for Another World War? | Nir Bar Dea
A big-picture conversation with the CEO of the world's largest hedge fund, drawing historical parallels between the current moment and the 1930s.
- 03Reality bites: Trump, Bibi and the Mamdani Effect
A representative example of the hosts' two-way analysis, dissecting the shifting political ground for Israel in both the Republican and Democratic parties.
What you'll be asked on this show
Levi and Freedland employ a tag-team interview style, often building on each other's questions to press for specifics. They ground their inquiries in recent news, polling data, or direct quotes, challenging guests who provide broad or evasive answers. For example, they pushed Naftali Bennett on his precise political strategy and coalition plans. Depending on the guest, they can also set a wide, complex stage (e.g., on AI and the world order) and allow the expert to deliver a longer, thematic monologue.
The show is a co-hosted conversation that alternates between two-way analysis and in-depth guest interviews. The tone is sharp and intelligent, blending serious political commentary with the recurring, lighter segments 'Chutzpah of the Week' and 'Mensch of the Week' to close the show.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
10 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
process
3- Q.01
“What would you have done differently as Prime Minister to ensure a better outcome?”
This question is used to push past critique of current policy and demand a guest articulate their own concrete alternative.
- Q.02
“Why not tell your voters you might form a coalition with [a controversial party] again?”
This probes the guest's political strategy and transparency with their electoral base.
- Q.03
“Can you confirm reports that you are talking to [a political administration] through unofficial channels?”
A journalistic question aimed at verifying behind-the-scenes political maneuvering.
controversy
4- Q.01
“How is it possible that after a disaster like October 7th, the Prime Minister is still a viable candidate?”
Asked to force an analysis of the political landscape and the psychology of the electorate.
- Q.02
“Do you think [the Prime Minister] prolonged the war for political reasons?”
A direct question challenging the motives behind major strategic decisions.
- Q.03
“Would you pick up where this government left off on a controversial policy like judicial reform?”
Used to pin down a guest's specific stance on a major, divisive domestic issue.
- Q.04
“Do you agree with the former head of military intelligence that [a specific action] wasn't worth it?”
This grounds the question in an expert opinion to elicit a specific reaction from the guest.
future
2- Q.01
“Would you trust a politician like Donald Trump or JD Vance to have Israel's best interests in mind?”
This is used to gauge a guest's view on the reliability of Israel's most important international ally.
- Q.02
“Given the AI revolution and collapsing international cooperation, are we heading in a good direction?”
A broad, scene-setting opener used for big-picture thinkers to establish their core thesis.
personal
1- Q.01
“What is your explanation for the fall in your polling numbers?”
A direct question forcing a guest to reflect on their own political standing and public perception.
Signature segments
- · Tagline: 'Two Jews on the news'
- · Chutzpah of the Week award
- · Mensch of the Week award
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically high-profile experts or principal figures in the news, including former heads of state (Naftali Bennett), CEOs of major global firms (Nir Bar Dea), leading journalists (Bianna Golodryga, Amos Harel), and academic specialists (Dr. Galit Atlas).
- Naftali Bennetton Naftali Bennett: "This Government Is Destroying Israel's International Standing"
- Nir Bar Deaon Is AI the New Industrial Revolution — And Are We Heading for Another World War? | Nir Bar Dea
- Bianna Golodrygaon E-Signed, Sealed, Delivered
- Yaakov Katzon Bibi’s Tightrope, Eisenkot’s Rise, Iran’s Shadow, and the U.S. Primary Wars
- Dr. Galit Atlason Dr. Galit Atlas on Trauma and Emotional Inheritance
- Amos Harelon Special Update - Iran Missiles Hit Israel — What Happens Next | Unholy Podcast
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
No sponsors or advertisements were mentioned in the reviewed episodes.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Unholy?
- The hosts are Yonit Levi, chief news anchor for Israel's Channel 12, and Jonathan Freedland, a columnist for The Guardian and presenter for BBC Radio 4.
- What is the podcast's format?
- It's a weekly show that mixes co-hosted analysis of current events with interviews of high-profile guests. Each episode ends with the 'Chutzpah' and 'Mensch' of the week awards.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, it is an active podcast that releases new episodes weekly.
- Where can I listen to Unholy?
- The podcast is available on major platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as on YouTube.
- What kind of topics does the show cover?
- The show focuses on current events at the intersection of Israeli news, global politics, and Jewish life, including US-Israel relations, the Iran deal, and domestic politics in Israel, the US, and the UK.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Official Linktreelinktr.ee
- [02]Jonathan Freedland's Guardian Profiletheguardian.com
- [03]Yonit Levi - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [04]Jonathan Freedland - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]Unholy Podcast on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [06]Unholy Podcast on YouTubeyoutube.com
- [07]Jonathan Freedland - HarperCollinsharpercollins.com
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