Israel Story

Just a moment to decide what's most important. The end song is Od Chozer HaNigun ("The Melody Returns") by Chava Alberstein.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2025

We thought the people of Iran should get the chance to hear the voices of regular Israelis, describing daily life in this war within a war.And we want to hear from Iranians too. What is your daily life like right now? What do you want us to know? Send us your voice notes on social media, Whatsapp (+972-58-540-8822), or Signal (@JayLevi.59). Episode art photo credit: Yossi ZamirThe end song is Boker Tov Iran ("Good Morning Iran") by Aviv Geffen.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

We thought the people of Iran should get the chance to hear the voices of regular Israelis, describing daily life in this war within a war.And we want to hear from Iranians too. What is your daily life like right now? What do you want us to know? Send us your voice notes on social media, Whatsapp (+972-58-540-8822), or Signal (@JayLevi.59). Episode art photo credit: Yossi ZamirThe end song is Boker Tov Iran ("Good Morning Iran") by Aviv Geffen.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

While all kinds of very unwanted things are flying to Israel from Iran these days, we wanted to remind you of someone wonderful who came here from Iran.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 June 2025

An unlikely intergenerational friendship between two soldiers tasked with freeing civilian hostages. The end song is HaCholmim Achar Hashemesh ("Those Who Dream of the Sun") performed by David Lavi and Tamar Philosof.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2025

In honour of the 58th anniversary of soldiers in war running to help, we bring you a story of twisting journeys and changing identities.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2025

There and Back Again: the story of a small group of Israelis who - more than half a century ago - experienced their own exodus from Egypt, and their own journey from captivity to freedom. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

There and Back Again: the story of a small group of Israelis who - more than half a century ago - experienced their own exodus from Egypt, and their own journey from captivity to freedom. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

In the impossible arithmetic of hostage transfers, how does it feel to be told that the terrorist who shattered your world will walk free? The end song is Achshav Tov ("Good Now") by Gilad Segev. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

In the impossible arithmetic of hostage transfers, how does it feel to be told that the terrorist who shattered your world will walk free? The end song is Achshav Tov ("Good Now") by Gilad Segev. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

After 477 days in captivity, Karina is home. Here's a look back to day 5, with her sister Sasha. Photograph courtesy of the Israel Defence Forces. The end song is Nekuda Tova (“Good Point”), by Shuli Rand with Ehud Banai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 January 2025

What do lovers do when under attack from both sides of an unimaginable war? The end song is Prayer of the Mothers by Yael Deckelbaum. Photograph by Yitz Woolf, courtesy of Sarah Tuttle-Singer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2025

What do lovers do when under attack from both sides of an unimaginable war? The end song is Prayer of the Mothers by Yael Deckelbaum. Photograph by Yitz Woolf, courtesy of Sarah Tuttle-Singer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2025

By supporting Israel Story, you’re saying that ordinary people matter, and that stories have the power to enter our hearts and change our minds. https://causematch.com/israel-story-24 For prizes and rewards during the campaign, check out our Facebook and Instagram feeds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2024

Grateful for his safety and relative comfort in this war, one man says goodbye to his personal paradise. The end song is Pizmon LeYakington ("Hymn to the Hyacinth") by Yehudit Ravitz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024

Grateful for his safety and relative comfort in this war, one man says goodbye to his personal paradise. The end song is Pizmon LeYakington ("Hymn to the Hyacinth") by Yehudit Ravitz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024

A citizen runs to stop a terrorist, and is tragically shot by friendly fire. How does this happen? And what does his family do next? The end song is Karma Police, performed by Shefita, originally by Radiohead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2024

A citizen runs to stop a terrorist, and is tragically shot by friendly fire. How does this happen? And what does his family do next? The end song is Karma Police, performed by Shefita, originally by Radiohead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2024

How do you raise a child who is on both sides of a war? The end song is Yalda Sheli Ktana ("Little Girl of Mine") by Idan Raichel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2024

How do you raise a child who is on both sides of a war? The end song is Yalda Sheli Ktana ("Little Girl of Mine") by Idan Raichel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2024

When war needs you in two very different capacities, how on earth do you decide what to do? The end song is Ana Efneh ("Where Shall I Turn?") by Erez Lev Ari. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2024

When war needs you in two very different capacities, how on earth do you decide what to do? The end song is Ana Efneh ("Where Shall I Turn?") by Erez Lev Ari. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2024

Today we’re releasing something new for us - a short video - in which we returned to Ariel Markose, exactly one year after profiling her on "Wartime Diaries." You can find the video here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 October 2024

Families, lovers, fighters, and more: one year of Wartime Diaries. The end song is B'Shana Haba'ah ("In the Next Year") by Shiri Maimon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 October 2024

Families, lovers, fighters, and more: one year of Wartime Diaries. The end song is B'Shana Haba'ah ("In the Next Year") by Shiri Maimon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 October 2024

A parent being called to war impacts the entire family. So she stepped up. The end song is Imma ("Mom") by Shiri Maimon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 September 2024

A parent being called to war impacts the entire family. So she stepped up. The end song is Imma ("Mom") by Shiri Maimon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 September 2024

Two bus stops in two neighboring towns capture how war can unify, and how it can divide. The end song is Autobus Mispar Echad ("Bus Number One") by Shlomo Artzi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2024

Two bus stops in two neighboring towns capture how war can unify, and how it can divide. The end song is Autobus Mispar Echad ("Bus Number One") by Shlomo Artzi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2024

Seeking love. Called to war. For our Tu B'Av special, we wanted to get a bird's eye view of the local, post-October 7th dating scene. So we went to visit Rebetzin Toby Einhorn, who runs a one-stop-shop for all matters of the heart. Image courtesy of Jenny Peperman. The end song is Shir HaShadchanit ("Matchmaker, Matchmaker") from the Hebrew adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 August 2024

Seeking love. Called to war. For our Tu B'Av special, we wanted to get a bird's eye view of the local, post-October 7th dating scene. So we went to visit Rebetzin Toby Einhorn, who runs a one-stop-shop for all matters of the heart. Image courtesy of Jenny Peperman. The end song is Shir HaShadchanit ("Matchmaker, Matchmaker") from the Hebrew adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 August 2024

Despite all the experts and pundits out there, few know Hezbollah as well as the members of a small, and often forgotten, community living in Israel.This community has found itself in an impossible position: Their adoptive country (Israel) is at war with their sworn enemy (Hezbollah), but is also - as a by-product - bombing their hometowns and villages in Southern Lebanon, where many of their friends and family members still reside.  Welcome to the Middle East. As always, it’s complicated.      In today's episode, we hear from Maryam Younnes, whose father was an SLA commander who relocated to Israel back in May 2000. The end song is Shir Matzav ("A Song of the Situation") by Mika Karni. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2024

Despite all the experts and pundits out there, few know Hezbollah as well as the members of a small, and often forgotten, community living in Israel.This community has found itself in an impossible position: Their adoptive country (Israel) is at war with their sworn enemy (Hezbollah), but is also - as a by-product - bombing their hometowns and villages in Southern Lebanon, where many of their friends and family members still reside.  Welcome to the Middle East. As always, it’s complicated.      In today's episode, we hear from Maryam Younnes, whose father was an SLA commander who relocated to Israel back in May 2000. The end song is Shir Matzav ("A Song of the Situation") by Mika Karni. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2024

On Monday evening Jerusalem lost one of its cornerstones, and we lost a very close friend. While you haven't heard Shai Doron - the President of the Jerusalem Foundation - on our show, he was a major force behind all that we do: He encouraged us, gave us a home, helped us build our studio, envisioned our series of live-storytelling events in Jerusalem, and enthusiastically supported our activity. Shai believed in Jerusalem's endless potential, saw its diversity as its main asset, and worked tirelessly to build a better - and shared - society. We will miss him terribly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2024

For the last nine-and-a-half months, we’ve been experiencing different kinds of battlefields: There are actual battlefields, where people fight and are wounded and killed. And then, of course, there are secondary battlefields - on college campuses, in the court of public opinion, on social media, on TV, in newspapers, via text messages. And while no one has, thankfully, been killed on those battlefields, they are - in disturbing ways - no less vicious. This reality is so pervasive that for many it’s become the haunting soundtrack of the entire period. But today we want to share one small story, one of countless similar ones that have crossed our radar - about trolling, virtual bullying and Israel bashing. The end song is Kol Ha'Olam Kulo ("The Whole Wide World") by the Djamchid Sisters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2024

For the last nine-and-a-half months, we’ve been experiencing different kinds of battlefields: There are actual battlefields, where people fight and are wounded and killed. And then, of course, there are secondary battlefields - on college campuses, in the court of public opinion, on social media, on TV, in newspapers, via text messages. And while no one has, thankfully, been killed on those battlefields, they are - in disturbing ways - no less vicious. This reality is so pervasive that for many it’s become the haunting soundtrack of the entire period. But today we want to share one small story, one of countless similar ones that have crossed our radar - about trolling, virtual bullying and Israel bashing. The end song is Kol Ha'Olam Kulo ("The Whole Wide World") by the Djamchid Sisters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2024

Arab-Israelis, or Palestinian Citizens of Israel, or Palestinian-Israelis - all these definitions are obviously complicated and personal and have hefty connotations - found themselves in a very difficult place following the attacks of October 7th. There was a lot of confusion, a lot of suspicion and mainly - a lot of fear. Any statement, any post, any tweet came under extreme scrutiny. Most people chose, therefore, to remain silent. They figured that the benefits of speaking up seemed to be dwarfed by the possible outcomes - being fired, arrested, accused of treason or support of terrorism.  But Ibrahim Abu Ahmad and Amira Mohammed are not most people. They’re both peace activists who live in between the two societies: They’re Muslim and proud Palestinians, on the one hand, but they are also Israeli citizens, speak Hebrew, have many Jewish friends and either live or work in predominantly Jewish cities in the center of Israel. So when many people around them retreated into a self-imposed post-October 7th silence, they did the exact opposite: They started a podcast called “Unapologetic: The Third Narrative.” On the show they explore their complex identities, and talk to a wide range of guests - Jews, Arabs, Gazans, Israelis. The podcast has taken off, and Amira and Ibrahim have come to model a different kind of discourse, one that challenges the binary and dichotomous definitions we’re so accustomed to hearing. The end song is Bahlawan ("Acrobat") by Mira Awad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2024

Arab-Israelis, or Palestinian Citizens of Israel, or Palestinian-Israelis - all these definitions are obviously complicated and personal and have hefty connotations - found themselves in a very difficult place following the attacks of October 7th. There was a lot of confusion, a lot of suspicion and mainly - a lot of fear. Any statement, any post, any tweet came under extreme scrutiny. Most people chose, therefore, to remain silent. They figured that the benefits of speaking up seemed to be dwarfed by the possible outcomes - being fired, arrested, accused of treason or support of terrorism.  But Ibrahim Abu Ahmad and Amira Mohammed are not most people. They’re both peace activists who live in between the two societies: They’re Muslim and proud Palestinians, on the one hand, but they are also Israeli citizens, speak Hebrew, have many Jewish friends and either live or work in predominantly Jewish cities in the center of Israel. So when many people around them retreated into a self-imposed post-October 7th silence, they did the exact opposite: They started a podcast called “Unapologetic: The Third Narrative.” On the show they explore their complex identities, and talk to a wide range of guests - Jews, Arabs, Gazans, Israelis. The podcast has taken off, and Amira and Ibrahim have come to model a different kind of discourse, one that challenges the binary and dichotomous definitions we’re so accustomed to hearing. The end song is Bahlawan ("Acrobat") by Mira Awad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2024

On Saturday, four hostages - Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan and Andrey Kozlov - were heroically rescued by the Israeli security forces, and safely brought home alive. Still, 120 hostages remain in Gaza - 43 of whom have already been declared dead - and the pressure to sign a deal that will bring them home is mounting from day to day.  Such a deal, of course, has two sides: We tend to focus on what we stand to get, i.e. the hostages. To many, that’s really all that matters. But there are also those who emphasize the other side - what we’d be forced to give, the price we’d need to pay and the people we’d need to release. Our episode today brings us that part of the story.  Moriah Cohen is 29 years old. She and her family are part of the small Jewish settlement of Shimon HaTzadik, inside the predominantly Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarah in East Jerusalem. For years this neighborhood has been a focal point of legal battles, demonstrations and violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians. On December 8th, 2021, Moriah was stabbed right outside her home. Her attacker was Nafoz Hamad, her next door neighbor's 14-year-old daughter. Hamad was apprehended, tried and sentenced to 12 years in prison. But then, in November 2023, as part of the prisoner swap between Israel and the Hamas that brought 80 Israeli hostages back home, she was set free. And not only was she released, Hamad moved back home, right across the street from her victim, Moriah. We visited Moriah in her home, and talked about this complicated and utterly surreal reality. Maya Thomas is our dubber. The end song is Hacheder Ha'Intimi Sheli ("My Intimate Room") by Taarovet Eskot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2024

On Saturday, four hostages - Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan and Andrey Kozlov - were heroically rescued by the Israeli security forces, and safely brought home alive. Still, 120 hostages remain in Gaza - 43 of whom have already been declared dead - and the pressure to sign a deal that will bring them home is mounting from day to day.  Such a deal, of course, has two sides: We tend to focus on what we stand to get, i.e. the hostages. To many, that’s really all that matters. But there are also those who emphasize the other side - what we’d be forced to give, the price we’d need to pay and the people we’d need to release. Our episode today brings us that part of the story.  Moriah Cohen is 29 years old. She and her family are part of the small Jewish settlement of Shimon HaTzadik, inside the predominantly Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarah in East Jerusalem. For years this neighborhood has been a focal point of legal battles, demonstrations and violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians. On December 8th, 2021, Moriah was stabbed right outside her home. Her attacker was Nafoz Hamad, her next door neighbor's 14-year-old daughter. Hamad was apprehended, tried and sentenced to 12 years in prison. But then, in November 2023, as part of the prisoner swap between Israel and the Hamas that brought 80 Israeli hostages back home, she was set free. And not only was she released, Hamad moved back home, right across the street from her victim, Moriah. We visited Moriah in her home, and talked about this complicated and utterly surreal reality. Maya Thomas is our dubber. The end song is Hacheder Ha'Intimi Sheli ("My Intimate Room") by Taarovet Eskot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2024

Lihi Lapid is a celebrated photojournalist, columnist and best-selling author - of children's books, cookbooks and award-winning novels. She’s also married to Yair Lapid, the former Israeli Prime Minister and current Leader of the Opposition. In 2021 Lihi published Zarot, a sweeping tale that explores a complicated mother-daughter relationship, the tolls of immigration and the reality of marginalized groups within Israeli society. When it came out, it received glowing praise, especially from the notoriously harsh critics at Haaretz who called the novel, “a wonderful work written with restraint and wisdom.” And this spring, three years later and in what is an entirely different world, the English translation - On Her Own - was published by HarperCollins. We sat down to talk about October 7th, feminism, special needs, and what it’s like to have a major work of fiction - written by the former Prime Minister’s wife - come out in the middle of a war. The end song is Hey Shketa ("Hey Quiet One") by Ivri Lider. Photograph by Jennifer Bukovza, courtesy of Lihi Lapid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2024

Lihi Lapid is a celebrated photojournalist, columnist and best-selling author - of children's books, cookbooks and award-winning novels. She’s also married to Yair Lapid, the former Israeli Prime Minister and current Leader of the Opposition. In 2021 Lihi published Zarot, a sweeping tale that explores a complicated mother-daughter relationship, the tolls of immigration and the reality of marginalized groups within Israeli society. When it came out, it received glowing praise, especially from the notoriously harsh critics at Haaretz who called the novel, “a wonderful work written with restraint and wisdom.” And this spring, three years later and in what is an entirely different world, the English translation - On Her Own - was published by HarperCollins. We sat down to talk about October 7th, feminism, special needs, and what it’s like to have a major work of fiction - written by the former Prime Minister’s wife - come out in the middle of a war. The end song is Hey Shketa ("Hey Quiet One") by Ivri Lider. Photograph by Jennifer Bukovza, courtesy of Lihi Lapid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2024

It’s Yom HaZikaron again, Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror. Since the start of the war, 1511 Israeli civilians and members of the armed forces have been killed. That's 1511 families who have joined the dreaded circle of grief and bereavement. 1511 families whose lives will never again be the same.  Today, we share the story of one such family. A small family. One that was just starting off, really. Thirty-year-old Yuval Halivni was a reserve officer who was killed on October 9th. He left behind a wife, Amit Halivni Bar-Peled, who is a pastry chef and makes amazingly elaborate wedding cakes, and a little boy, Jon-Jon, who was less than two when his dad was killed. The end song is Hatishma Koli ("Hear My Voice") by Rivka Revivo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2024

It’s Yom HaZikaron again, Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror. Since the start of the war, 1511 Israeli civilians and members of the armed forces have been killed. That's 1511 families who have joined the dreaded circle of grief and bereavement. 1511 families whose lives will never again be the same.  Today, we share the story of one such family. A small family. One that was just starting off, really. Thirty-year-old Yuval Halivni was a reserve officer who was killed on October 9th. He left behind a wife, Amit Halivni Bar-Peled, who is a pastry chef and makes amazingly elaborate wedding cakes, and a little boy, Jon-Jon, who was less than two when his dad was killed. The end song is Hatishma Koli ("Hear My Voice") by Rivka Revivo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2024

Forty-seven-year-old Tzvika Mor is from the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba, near Hebron. His son, Eitan, was kidnapped from the Nova Festival, where he had been working as a security guard. In fact, Eitan was only kidnapped in the afternoon of October 7th, after spending nearly nine hours evacuating injured party-goers to safe locations nearby. During that whole time Eitan heroically returned to the festival grounds again and again, under fire, to save complete strangers. At around 15:30 he was himself taken by terrorists and driven into Gaza, where he’s remained ever since.   Tzvika, is an outlier among the families of the hostages. As campaigns across the country and throughout the world call upon the leaders of Israel and the Hamas to reach a deal that would release the hostages, Tzvika believes that the Israeli government should keep on fighting, and reject any offer that includes a ceasefire, even if it comes at the cost of his son’s freedom, perhaps even his life. He established a small group of like-minded relatives of hostages called Forum Tikvah, or the Hope Forum. They stress the importance of the nation and the state over the life of any individual, even if that individual happens to be your loved one. And in that, ironically, their right wing position echoes the left wing socialist and collectivist sentiments that were dominant in the early days of the state. The end song is Akedat Yitzchak ("The Binding of Isaac") by Naomi Shemer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2024

Forty-seven-year-old Tzvika Mor is from the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba, near Hebron. His son, Eitan, was kidnapped from the Nova Festival, where he had been working as a security guard. In fact, Eitan was only kidnapped in the afternoon of October 7th, after spending nearly nine hours evacuating injured party-goers to safe locations nearby. During that whole time Eitan heroically returned to the festival grounds again and again, under fire, to save complete strangers. At around 15:30 he was himself taken by terrorists and driven into Gaza, where he’s remained ever since.   Tzvika, is an outlier among the families of the hostages. As campaigns across the country and throughout the world call upon the leaders of Israel and the Hamas to reach a deal that would release the hostages, Tzvika believes that the Israeli government should keep on fighting, and reject any offer that includes a ceasefire, even if it comes at the cost of his son’s freedom, perhaps even his life. He established a small group of like-minded relatives of hostages called Forum Tikvah, or the Hope Forum. They stress the importance of the nation and the state over the life of any individual, even if that individual happens to be your loved one. And in that, ironically, their right wing position echoes the left wing socialist and collectivist sentiments that were dominant in the early days of the state. The end song is Akedat Yitzchak ("The Binding of Isaac") by Naomi Shemer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2024

Next week, millions of Jews around the world will sit down at their Passover tables, for what will invariably be a very different kind of seder. The timeless question of how this night, or this Pesach, is different from all other nights, and all other Pesachs, has gained an entirely new - and tragic - dimension since October 7th. And few, if any, have thought about this matter more than forty-three year old Mishael Zion, a liberal Orthodox rabbi and Jewish educator from Jerusalem.  In 1997, Mishael’s father - Noam Zion - together with his friend David Dishon - published a popular English-language Haggadah called “A Different Night.” Seven years later, Mishael joined forces with his dad in creating an Israeli version - HaLayla HaZeh: Haggadah Israelit. And this year, two decades after that Israeli Haggadah came out, Mishael and his father decided to update it, for the first post-October 7th seder. The end song is Chad Gadya ("One Little Goat") by Chava Alberstein. To purchase a digital copy of the Israeli Haggadah in Hebrew, click here.To download the Zion Haggadah supplement in English, Hebrew, Spanish, Portuguese, German and French, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2024

Next week, millions of Jews around the world will sit down at their Passover tables, for what will invariably be a very different kind of seder. The timeless question of how this night, or this Pesach, is different from all other nights, and all other Pesachs, has gained an entirely new - and tragic - dimension since October 7th. And few, if any, have thought about this matter more than forty-three year old Mishael Zion, a liberal Orthodox rabbi and Jewish educator from Jerusalem.  In 1997, Mishael’s father - Noam Zion - together with his friend David Dishon - published a popular English-language Haggadah called “A Different Night.” Seven years later, Mishael joined forces with his dad in creating an Israeli version - HaLayla HaZeh: Haggadah Israelit. And this year, two decades after that Israeli Haggadah came out, Mishael and his father decided to update it, for the first post-October 7th seder. The end song is Chad Gadya ("One Little Goat") by Chava Alberstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2024

The horrific events of October 7th reminded many people of the darkest chapter in Jewish history - the Holocaust. And indeed, for the past six months, there have been as many comparisons to the Shoah as there have been critiques of those comparisons.  Of the roughly 130,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel today, just under 10,000 reside in Jerusalem. Many of them participate in the Jerusalem Foundation’s Café Europa, which offers a physical meeting place, a wide range of social and cultural activities - concerts, lectures, memorials, workshops - and professional help in navigating the thickets of Israeli bureaucracy. We recently spent a morning at the Café Europa branch in Jerusalem’s German Colony neighborhood, where we heard all kinds of opinions about the Holocaust comparison. But the person with the strongest feelings on the matter just so happened to also be Café Europa’s oldest member - 100-year-old Walter Bingham. The end song is Tzair LaNetzach ("Forever Young") by Rami Kleinstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2024

The horrific events of October 7th reminded many people of the darkest chapter in Jewish history - the Holocaust. And indeed, for the past six months, there have been as many comparisons to the Shoah as there have been critiques of those comparisons.  Of the roughly 130,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel today, just under 10,000 reside in Jerusalem. Many of them participate in the Jerusalem Foundation’s Café Europa, which offers a physical meeting place, a wide range of social and cultural activities - concerts, lectures, memorials, workshops - and professional help in navigating the thickets of Israeli bureaucracy. We recently spent a morning at the Café Europa branch in Jerusalem’s German Colony neighborhood, where we heard all kinds of opinions about the Holocaust comparison. But the person with the strongest feelings on the matter just so happened to also be Café Europa’s oldest member - 100-year-old Walter Bingham. The end song is Tzair LaNetzach ("Forever Young") by Rami Kleinstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2024