I Couldn’t Lose Myself

I sat down with Samantha Robinson in Jerusalem in February 2026 — weeks before any of us knew that a second war with the Iranian regime was on the horizon. Sam is the Director of Community Resilience and Development at the Jewish Agency, where she’s part of JReady⁠, the Agency's global initiative for emergency preparedness and community rehabilitation. It was a role she held before October 7th — and one that became even more critical afterward. We spoke about what that work looks like from the inside, about life as the wife of a reservist who has spent hundreds of days on the battlefield while she holds down her rigorous job and as well as the homefront, complete with her four children. Sam and I also talked about the neighborhood pub and concert venue she and her husband spearheaded during Covid — and why they continued to operate it in the aftermath of October 7th.      Credits: Host and Creator: Manya Marcus Editor and Producer: Ben Wallick Associate Editor and Producer: Keren Glicksman Content Editor: Alexandra Yelderman Logo Design: Samuel Vilemar Outro Music: "EVERGREEN" | Ziv Moran Listen on ⁠Spotify⁠  or ⁠Apple Music⁠