Israel Hour Radio - Israeli Music Podcast

The news cycle has so many ups and downs these days, that it can be hard to remember the specific highs and lows. Back on February 8, 2025, Hamas released three hostages: Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi, and Or Levy. Sure, we were overjoyed that they were back home with their families, but we felt downright sick upon seeing their emaciated bodies and pained expressions. As we try to process these emotio...

Ready to go back to the year of "We Are the World", New Coke, Live Aid...and a heck of a lot of amazing Israeli music? Buckle your seatbelts, 'cuz we're going back FORTY years...all the way to 1985! In the midst of today's period of sadness, emotion, and national trauma, we need a week of upbeat music...and the Israeli music of 1985 sure fit the bill. If you're a fan of Ofra Haza, Yardena Arazi, M...

We've had a big 30th anniversary celebration, devoted a show to 'counting down' to the new year, and celebrated our first hostages coming home. So what haven't we done lately? Share new Israeli music. Well, let's rectify that today, shall we? This week, we present the most popular Israeli songs of the past few weeks, many of which reflect the challenging times in which we continue to find ourselve...

The day we recorded this podcast was a pivotal day in the State of Israel. After 471 days in captivity, the first Israeli hostages were finally released from the dungeons of Gaza - and Emily, Doron, and Romi were finally on their way home. With the freedom of our hostages, and the simultaneous release of countless terrorists, it was an emotional day, to say the least. There was little we could do...

Happy New Year! For our first official show of 2025, let's do something light and fun for a change. Have you ever noticed how many Israeli songs have numbers in their titles? Well, one of our listeners decided to create a massive spreadsheet with all of the 'number songs' he could find. So this week, we present a unique hour of 'countdown' songs...all songs featuring numbers in their titles! From...

An episode 30 years in the making! On Chanukah 1994, Josh Shron and his then-girlfriend (now wife) Mairov Dubrovsky wandered into the WRSU Studios as Rutgers University students, and began their radio careers by playing 'Hora' by Avi Toledano. That episode flourished into a full fledged obsession over Israel and its culture, and Josh hasn't looked back. This week, Mairov and Josh are BACK where it...

It's week 2 of Josh's 30th anniversary celebration, in which he plays back his favorite songs from each of his 30 years on Israel Hour Radio! This week, enjoy a fun playlist of Josh's favorites from 2010 through 2024, including many now-classic songs guaranteed to get you singing along. In his 30 years on the air, Josh has celebrated Israel through music and culture, amassing a large following of...

On Sunday, December 4, 1994, Josh Shron walked into the studios of WRSU Radio, cracked open the microphone, and never looked back. Ever since, he's celebrated Israel through music and culture, amassing a large following of English speakers who share his passion for our homeland. All month long, Josh celebrates 30 years at the helm of Israel Hour Radio, by looking back at some of the memorable mome...

This week, families across the USA gathered for Thanksgiving...a holiday that's become a day about food, football and shopping...but SHOULD be about gratitude. Thankfully (see what I did there?), Israelis tend to be pretty good about expressing appreciation for things that are important to them, in real life and in song. So today we present a playlist of Israeli songs about gratitude and appreciat...

Did you go to a Jewish summer camp as a kid? If so, there's a very good chance you sang and listened to a LOT of Israeli music while you were there. For many, camp is an introduction to Hebrew, Zionism, and Israeli culture, with plenty of great music surrounding campers every single day. So when we asked the Israeli Music Community to tell us about the songs they learned in camp, they sent a LONG...

It's always fun to sample the latest and greatest Israeli music, to keep up to date with the sound of Israel in real time. But these days, new Israeli music takes many forms. Some songs help us escape the realities of 2024 Israel, while others drag us right into the middle. And so, as we look into the best new music of the past few weeks, we'll hear the best of both worlds: the songs that are just...

Remember life without smartphones? It's hard to believe that in 2007, the world was first being introduced to the original iPhone. Look at how much our lives have changed in the 17 years since then! You might debate whether our lives have gotten better or worse...but what's not debatable is how much you'll enjoy the greatest Israeli hits of 2007! Let's hop into the Israeli Music Time Machine, and...

How are you dealing with the clock change? We 'fell back' in Israel on October 27, and most did so in the USA a week later. Seems that many of us have been hyper-focused on the time of day ever since, right? 'It's only 5pm...how does it already feel like midnight?' Well, with all this talk about time, it seemed like a good *time* to play songs about TIME on Israel Hour Radio! The time will certain...

Chag Sameach! Sukkot is known as “Zman Simchatenu” – the time of our joy. But after the year we’ve had – and with the yahrtzeit of those who lost their lives on October 7 coming up this week - joy is not so easy to come by nowadays. Still, we’re going to try to lift your spirits just a bit this holiday by playing Israeli songs that can INSTANTLY put a smile on your face. Some songs can magically t...

Whether or not you're a practicing Jew, we can all get behind the idea of praying for a good new year. That's why this year's Yom Kippur observance was probably the most meaningful, the most inspirational, the most powerful in most of our lifetimes. With concern for our troops in the north and south, Israel under constant missile fire, prayers for the 101 hostages held in Gaza, and increased antis...

Each year around this time, we look back at the most popular Israeli music of the past Jewish year. This, however, was no ordinary year. With war, hostages, loss, and fear dominating the headlines all year long, the music of 5784 had to rise to the occasion - providing comfort, strength, and inspiration. Well, sort of. While many of the year's most popular songs did just that, others offered a sho...

Recorded on the day after Israel's elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, this podcast brings with it a wide range of emotions. We're elated over Israel's military success, but still feeling the pain of coming to Rosh Hashana with our hostages still not home. To make things worse, the anniversary of October 7th is only a few days away, and those painful memories are still very fresh in our minds. Yes, i...

After WAY too many weeks away, Israel Hour Radio is proud to return to the airwaves - broadcasting from Israel! While we were gone, Israel's best and brightest musical stars released some amazing new tunes. As always, we consider it our solemn duty to make sure you're caught up on the latest in Israeli music! Join us this week for a countdown of the most-played songs on Israeli radio, and walk awa...

Welcome to Israel Hour Radio's annual AUGUST CHAGIGOT! Each week during the month of August, we'll devote our show to a particular topic in Israeli music. And today? We celebrate the Israeli weekend (regardless of how you celebrate it) with our Chagigat Shirei Shabbat...an hour of Israeli songs about Shabbat! While some spend their Saturdays immersed in prayer and study, others spend it at the bea...

The Summer Olympics are taking place this week in Paris, France, with the spirit of brotherhood, unity, multiculturalism, and competitiveness on full display around the world. These are values shared by every Israeli, and we wish more than anything that our biggest conflicts with other nations were settled on the playing field rather than the battlefield. Israelis love to sing about their own coun...

This week on Israel Hour Radio, it’s the return of MY ISRAELI PLAYLIST...where our listeners share their favorite Israeli songs of all time! This time, please welcome Debbie Corwin of Mahwah, NJ! Debbie first visited Israel was with her family on a two week vacation when she was 10 years old. She then spent 7 1/2 weeks in Israel with a ZOA program, 'Summer in Moshav', when she graduated high schoo...

Summer 2024 is here...and amidst the backdrop of war, hostages, and global antisemitism, Israelis are still prepared to celebrate the season in the only way they know how: By celebrating LIFE with MUSIC. The sounds of summer 2024 in Israel are surprisingly similar to those of any other year - with upbeat tunes to accompany you to the beach, the pool, or anywhere you go to enjoy the season! This we...

OK, reality check. 2009 was FIFTEEN years ago. Yup, you heard that right. While it may seem like only yesterday to many of us, 2009 marked a significant year in history and music, leaving a lasting impact on our lives (and our Spotify playlists!). It was also the year Michael Jackson passed away, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was indicted for corruption, and Barack Obama was inaugurated as the...

In this special episode, we pay tribute to Naomi Shemer, one of Israel's most beloved songwriters and composers, on the 20th anniversary of her passing. Often hailed as the 'First Lady of Israeli Song,' Naomi Shemer's music has left an indelible mark on Israeli culture. Join us as we celebrate her life and legacy through her timeless songs that continue to resonate with listeners of all ages. We'l...

This week on the podcast, we turn up the volume and get ready to belt it out! We put the call out to our amazing listeners in the "Israeli Music Community" Facebook group, asking for your favorite Israeli songs to sing along to at the top of your lungs. We got some amazing responses! This week on Israel Hour Radio, get ready for a playlist packed with iconic tunes, new favorites, and hidden gems –...