Spies Like Us

Our Jewish guest is journalist Matti Friedman, whose newest book, Spies of No Country: Secret Lives at the Birth of Israel, explores the little-known story of four Mizrahi Jews who went undercover as Arabs during the time of the country’s founding. He tells us how the story of these young Jewish men from Arab countries, who risked their lives as part of a ragtag intelligence unit, adds texture to the overwhelmingly Ashkenazi narrative of Israel’s founding.

Our gentile of the week is Pete Holmes, who talks to us about his new book, Comedy Sex God, his HBO show Crashing, and his journey from being raised Evangelical Christian to becoming a follower of spiritual teacher Ram Dass.