• 170: Mark Birbeck, Our Fight UK founder. Why I fight for Israel, the Jewish people and the West
    Dec 17 2024
    Find more of Jonny's podcasts here. Support his podcast work here. Mark Birbeck’s civic life changed on October 7th. Taken aback by the lack of widespread support for the victims from his fellow Britons, he set about being the change he wanted to see. He founded Our Fight UK to support the Jewish community and Israelis following the terrible events of that morning and the wars and plight of the hostages ever since. With other key figures, notably Kurpa Patel and Iranian dissident Niyak Ghorbani, Mark has fronted protests and counter-protests, challenged boycotts, arms embargoes, and curbs on talking and protesting freely on Israel and antisemitism. He was arrested for displaying a sign labelling Hamas as terrorists, which led to his ban from attending Palestinian-related protests for three months and even talking to Niyak under his bail conditions. But for all the street activism, his faith in British democracy, standards in civic life and policing hasn’t eroded one iota and he engages in dialogue with young Muslims countering him on the streets and seeks out common values with them. He says there are some. Listen for what they are. And in the course of his extraordinary efforts, he’s re-engaged with a pride in our country. Mark is an inspiration and comfort for those of us, including me, I confess - who fear that some of our nation's values have been eroded. Share this episode far and wide, as you listen to Our Fight UK founder, Mark Birbeck. Jonny Gould's Jewish State is proudly supported by Dangoor Education and UK Toremet, promoting philanthrophy. Find more of Jonny's podcasts here. Support his podcast work here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 169: Survivor: the true story of Ivor Perl’s boyhood journey through the Holocaust
    Dec 10 2024
    Find more from Jonny here. This is Survivor, an animated film created by puppeteer and cartoonist, Zoom Rockman. It's the story of Auschwitz and Dachau survivor, Ivor Perl BEM, based upon his Holocaust memoir, Chicken Soup Under The Tree. The first screening in London took place in November 2024 and you'll hear Ivor and Zoom reflect on the movie and why it's so important. I’ve had the privilege of having a one-to-one conversation with Ivor at his London home, where he shared his harrowing experiences and reflected on the reawakening of antisemitism today. This is a Lemon Soul film, in loving memory of Jonny Zucker, an inspirational teacher, fantastic children's author, who celebrated reading among kids and envisioned educational ideas such as this movie. The stirring title music was composed and performed by Erran Baron Cohen, who produced musical accompaniment on the night. Listen to the story of Survivor. Find more from Jonny here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • 168: Mandy Damari: 🎗️ Bring Emily Home. Emily's mum Mandy addresses UK media in Central London
    Dec 5 2024
    Emily Damari, who's 28, is a joint UK and Israeli citizen and the only living remaining British national held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. On the morning of October 7th, 2023, Emily was in her home on Kibbutz Kfar Azza, 2 miles from the Gaza border, when terrorists entered her house. Her beloved golden cockapoo Choocha was shot dead, Emily was shot and left with severe injuries. She was then blindfolded and kidnapped in the back of her own car and driven into Gaza. Emily's captivity is now well over a year long. Emily's mother Mandy, 63, is a Brit, born in Surrey and grew up with her parents and three brothers in Beckenham, Kent. She visited Israel on holiday aged 20 where she met and fell in love with her husband. Emily is the youngest of four siblings and her mother Mandy says, "her unforgettable smile and cheeky and quick sense of humour light up every room she enters." Emily is a massive Spurs fan and would often plan trips to the UK around a concert or a Spurs game. Tottenham fans have recently initiated the #ShesOneOfOurOwn campaign in her honour. Mandy faced the UK media at a London news conference with an impassioned mesage,🎗️Bring Emily Home. Listen now. She's joined by Lord Stuart Pollak. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • 167: Jotam Confino: Netanyahu, Trump, the future of the Right and reporting Israel's wars
    Dec 2 2024
    Jotam Confino is one of Israel’s brightest young journalists. Both disciplined and intrepid, Jotam brings together old school standards with open source leads which surround us all on the socials today. The key is to discern which video is real, which source reliable. That’s journalism. Originally from Denmark, Jotam made Aliyah (the Jewish ideal of return) because he wanted to live and work in Israel as a journalist. His career only really began when he moved there in February 2018, when he was 27. He holds an MA in Security and Diplomacy and a BA in International Studies. You’ve seen him writing and broadcasting in The Telegraph, CBS News, BBC, USA Today, Haaretz, The Sun, Daily Mail, Good Morning Britain, Sunday Express - and now Jonny Gould’s Jewish State. He doesn’t shirk the trolls on social media either. He’s Happy to debate online. And we got together while he was here in London on a book tour. “Netanyahu’s Israel: Rise of the Far Right” is a collection of interviews with key figures since 1996, and offers the reader a rare look behind the scenes of some of Israel’s most historic moments of recent decades. It’s on Amazon. Let’s talk about being a Jewish and Zionist journalist. In the overwhelming anti-Israel tirade of mass media, has his commitment to objective reporting relented into defending Israel? Is there anything wrong with that? What are the tunnels like? And Netanyahu: can he survive to the end of his term, could he ever win without the right wing of his coalition? Oh, and will the new Trump Administration turn the tide for Israel. Are the mullahs day’s numbered in Iran? Let’s meet Jotam Confino. Jonny Gould's Jewish State is proudly supported by Dangoor Education and UK Toremet, promoting philanthropy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    49 mins
  • 166: "Midas Man", the Brian Epstein movie. Screenwriter, Brigit Grant tells the story of "the fifth Beatle" and the film
    Nov 27 2024
    Brian Epstein is one of the most significant cultural figures in Anglo Jewry’s 20th century. Midas Man is the fifth Beatle's story. Also from Liverpool, Brian saw the fledgling Fab Four performing at the Cavern one lunchtime, was bedazzled by them and went about masterminding their rise to global fame. He crafted their image, secured their first record deal, and so heralded the British cultural invasion of America. Brigit Grant wrote the screenplay for "Midas Man” highlighting his journey from family department store heir to one of the most influential music managers of all time. But behind the glitz and glamour was a man seeking acceptance and love, but not able to get it. Midas Man peels back the curtain on the swinging '60s, the triumphs, heartbreaks, and secrets of the man who changed the face of music forever. Brigit popped round my house, we put the kettle on and had a good chat about Brian and the movie. Jonny Gould's Jewish State is supported by Dangoor Education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • 165: Andrew Fox: What will Trump's return mean for Israel, Iran, Turkey, the UN, UNIFIL and UNRWA?
    Nov 13 2024
    What is “strategic drift” and why does it threaten Israel’s military progress in Gaza? How dismantled is Hamas? How can Israel’s borders be secured so that the people of Sderot, Ofakim and the kibbutzim return home? Is Israel going to have to build a wall? In the north, the IDF is capitalising on some remarkable early breakthroughs in the battle to break Hezbollah. What now? As Yoav Gallant is sacked by Benjamin Netanyahu - again, is that a signal of military progress? And the return of President Trump to the Oval Office: what that will mean to Israel’s fight against Iran and its proxies. These are all questions for my friend, Andrew Fox. Research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, Andrew served in the British Army for sixteen years, retiring as a Major in 2021 As a senior lecturer in War Studies and Behavioural Science at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, He holds degrees in Law & Politics, Modern War Studies, and Psychology. It’s always good to speak to Andrew Fox. Jonny Gould's Jewish State couldn't do it without the support of Dangoor Education and UK Toremet, promoting philanthropy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • 164: Imshin 3: Life after Sinwar. Hamas steal scores of food aid trucks to cling onto power. They choose who gets what. Profits pay salaries.
    Nov 4 2024
    "An urgent ceasefire, get humanitarian aid in without further delay, release the hostages. Oh, and let's move towards a Two-State Solution". When we switch on the news, that's the agenda-setting drumbeat from politicians, aided and abetted by international institutions and their media lackies. The unrepentant, unaccountable BBC and others don't care about the mess they leave. Welcome back for the third time to Jonny Gould's Jewish State, Imshin, Jacqui Peleg. Her sources are impeccable, transparent and open source and they tell the REAL story in Gaza. Because they come from videos uploaded to social media by Gazans themselves. This is how they want us to see and hear them. They’re all available now on her X account, Imshin. Jonny Gould's Jewish State is supported by Dangoor Education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • BONUS EPISODE: Mosab Hassan Yousef, "The Green Prince" addresses the European Parliament
    Oct 28 2024
    Find more of Jonny’s podcasts and writing here. Israel is fighting an existential war on seven fronts but an eighth one always seems to be discounted from the reckoning. It’s the battle of narratives, played through media, both legacy and social. Somewhere since October 7th 2023, the truth has been trampled down a long deep rabbit hole. What you’re about to listen to is totally irreconcilable with the shorthand, throwaway phrases you get from mainstream bulletins. Mosab Hassan Yousef, born in 1978 is a child of the Israel Gaza conflict. He’s "The Green Prince," son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, co-founder of Hamas. Raised in a family deeply entangled with Hamas, Mosab seemed destined for a life of terrorism. But he defected to Israel in 1997 and worked as a spy for Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service for a decade until he moved to the United States. He helped them prevent numerous suicide bombings and other terror attacks leading to the capture of several Hamas operatives. His autobiography, "Son of Hamas," details his life, his disillusionment with Hamas and his espionage. He converted to Christianity too, distancing himself from his roots still further - adding a layer to his own transformation. Not enough delegates turned up to the European Parliament in Brussels to listen to him and he declares his disappointment at the start of this speech - so let's gets his stark message out still further. Share this episode to your friends. Jonny Gould's Jewish State is supported by Dangoor Education. You can also help Jonny by supporting him here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins