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Aviva Klompas sits down with Jonah Platt to unpack what Zohran Mamdani’s rise means for New York and the broader Jewish community.

Mamdani, a 33-year-old socialist state legislator, is now the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor. His positions on Israel, refusal to condemn extremist slogans, and calls to arrest Israeli leaders have sparked alarm among many Jews.

Jonah shares his reaction to Mamdani’s win, whether this signals a deeper shift within the Democratic Party, and what it says about the political climate in America’s largest Jewish city. They discuss how the Jewish community should respond, what it’s like being an outspoken Jewish voice in Hollywood today, and why these conversations have become personal – even within his own family.

Guest Bio:

Jonah Platt is a trusted voice in the modern conversation on Jewish identity, culture, and current events. A true entertainment multi-hyphenate, Jonah has acted in prestige projects from Hollywood to Broadway (Wicked), written for many TV comedies, and is currently producing his first feature film, The Mensch, in which he will co-star alongside Ginnifer Goodwin. He is also a singer, musician, vocal arranger, director of improv and theater, and is currently co-writing the musical adaptation of Lois Lowry’s best-selling novel, The Giver. Jonah has written for Variety, Times of Israel, and USA Today. He’s appeared as an expert on NewsNation, Fox News Digital, and more.

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New research from Boundless shows that 40% of Americans don’t know that dozens of hostages are still being held by Hamas. And it’s clear from released hostages that those who remain are being starved, tortured, humiliated and denied medical care.

In this episode, host Aviva Klompas speaks with Idit Ohel, whose son Alon was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7. Alon arrived just half an hour before the massacre.

Idit shares what life has been like since Alon’s abduction and how she is fighting to keep his name and humanity front and center. This conversation is a reminder that behind every hostage is a life, a family, and a story the world must not ignore.

Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/

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Ethel Berdah’s apartment in Tel Aviv was destroyed by an Iranian missile less than two weeks ago. In this episode, Ethel joins Aviva Klompas to share what it’s like to lose everything in an instant and how she’s navigating life in the aftermath.

Originally from France, Ethel moved to Israel to build a life, never imagining she’d be caught in the crosshairs of a war between regional superpowers. Her story offers a rare, personal glimpse into the human cost of living under the threat of Iranian attack.

Guest Bio:

Ethel Berdah is 41, originally from France, and has been living in Tel Aviv since 2012, after spending a few years in New York. She arrived just weeks before Operation Pillar of Defense, when rockets began firing at the city for the first time in decades — and chose to stay. She works in high tech at Mavens, a Zynga/Take-Two company, and lives with her husband and their dogs. Over time, her family joined her, and together they’ve built a life rooted in Israel.

She has lived through many conflicts over the years, but October 7 marked a moment when her commitment to this country became unshakeable. Most recently, her apartment was destroyed by an Iranian missile during the latest escalation.