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Unpacking Israeli History

Intelligence Operations that Shaped Israel’s Story with Ronen Bergman, LIVE in LA

Unpacking Israeli History

Unpacked

Judaism, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture, History

4.81.3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 December 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How do you get people who don’t talk to talk? In this special live Unpacking Israeli History, Noam Weissman sits down with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and Israeli intelligence expert Ronen Bergman (author of Rise and Kill First) for a smart, funny, and deeply human look at the Mossad, Shin Bet, and Israel’s security establishment. Recorded in front of a packed audience at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, Bergman explains how he persuaded hundreds of operatives to open up, why secrecy and ego can be dangerous, and why he believes Israel’s real “secret weapon” is democracy and accountability. Then, the discussion turns to the hardest question of all—how October 7 happened—through the lens of misread signals, misallocated attention, and hubris. It's a conversation that’s messy, meaningful, and genuinely accessible. Ronen Bermgan writes for the New York Times and Yedioth Ahronoth. He is the author of Rise and Kill First The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewish History Nerds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey everyone, Rifky Stern here, head of podcasts at Unpact.

0:03.6

Right now, young people are navigating one of the most confusing and emotionally charged moments in recent history.

0:09.5

They're surrounded by misinformation, polarization, and oversimplified narratives about Israel and the Jewish experience.

0:16.8

That's the challenge. At Unpact, we're stepping in with nuanced, depth, and clarity.

0:20.7

And this year alone, our podcast have been downloaded millions of times. That's the challenge. At Unpacked, we're stepping in with nuanced, depth, and clarity.

0:24.9

And this year alone, our podcasts have been downloaded millions of times.

0:27.8

That's part of the solution that we're building together.

0:33.0

But to keep creating this type of content, and to grow it in 2026, we need your help.

0:37.1

We've launched a crowdfunding campaign, and if these conversations have mattered to you,

0:37.8

we'd be so grateful for your support. Head to unpack.bio slash pod gift 2025 or click the link in the show notes.

0:45.4

That's unpacked. bio slash P-O-D gift 2025. Thank you for being part of our unpacked community.

0:56.8

Hey, friends, before we get into the episode, I want to ask you for a quick favor. You know that

1:02.2

this show is really a conversation with you, not just at you. And to keep making, unpacking

1:07.0

his early history the best it can be, I genuinely need to hear from you.

1:11.6

What you're loving, what you're not loving so much, what you wish we would just say, hey,

1:16.6

let's do this a little bit differently now.

1:18.6

It's a super short survey, truly two minutes, but your answers help us shape where the show

1:24.8

goes next.

1:26.0

The link is in the show notes, or you can go to

1:28.5

unpacked.bio slash UiH survey. Again, that's unpacked.bio slash uiH survey.

1:37.0

Thanks for listening, for thinking with me, and for being part of this incredible community.

1:43.8

Hey, everyone, I'm Norm Weissman, and this is Unpacking Israeli History, the podcast that takes a deep dive into some of the most intense, historically fascinating, and often misunderstood events and stories linked to Israeli history.

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