Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with author and journalist Matti Friedman.

On May 31, 2026, President Isaac Herzog attended the memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers of the First Lebanon War (Operation ‘Peace for the Galilee’), held at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. On the same day, the IDF announced that Israel had captured the historic Beaufort Castle and the surrounding strategic ridge as it pushed deeper into Lebanon.

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This week, we call upon Friedman to delve into the cultural resonance of this Crusader fort for Israelis. He........

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