Israel Story

In an episode that explores a central religious taboo and pushes the boundaries of what many might deem acceptable within Jewish tradition, we ask whether Cat Stevens was on to something when he sang that the "first cut is the deepest." Zev Levi scored and sound-designed the episode with music from Blue Dot Sessions . Sela Waisblum created the mix. The end song, Bidyuk Kmo SheAni ("As I Am"), was...

Forgotten glasses, a misplaced eye (!) and an ancient jacuzzi? In today’s episode - the first in a two-part series on losing and finding - we explore what we find when we lose things, and what we lose once we find them. Zev Levi scored and sound-designed the episode with music from Blue Dot Sessions . Sela Waisblum created the mix. The end song, El Borot HaMayim ( "To the Watering Holes" ), was wr...

On Christmas Eve 2014, Erwin Prabhu and Tali Aronsky met in a wine shop in Jerusalem. This was the start of an unusually close bond. In our most recent episode - “Soul Food” - we heard Tali’s side of the story. Now, all the way from Bangalore, we hear Erwin’s. Stay connected with us on Facebook , Instagram , and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our...

While we (sadly!) won't be sampling fried okra, collard greens or macaroni and cheese, our seventieth episode introduces us to two women for whom soul and food are completely intertwined. Yochai Maital and Zev Levi scored and sound-designed the episode with original music and music from Blue Dot Sessions. Sela Waisblum created the mix. The end song, ABCD, is sung by Shaizee, Abie and Sol Harman. S...

You probably never thought an innocent story about the history of the pig industry in Israel would be upended by a massive exposé revealing decades of pedophilia and abuse. Think again.  While working on our most recent episode, a seemingly unrelated news article had massive implications for a nearly-completed story.  Naomi Schneider edited and scored this special with music from Blue Do...

BLTs and pork chops are not the first things that come to mind when you think about Israel. But, as it turns out, the Holy Land and swines go way back. In today’s episode, we go down a piggish path to encounter this most unlikely of Israeli animals.  Stay connected with us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to...

Sukkot is the Jewish holiday of temporary homes. And in our episode today we hear two very different stories - the first about one of Israel's most popular children's books and the second about a South Sudanese asylum seeker. But both of them are, deep down, about the same thing - making a home.  Stay connected with us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at...

In our season opener -  'A Day at the Y'  - we heard from forty-nine people hailing from eleven different countries. But we actually spoke to hundreds and hundreds of folks, whose stories you didn't get to hear. One of them was Estee Rose, the sport center's customer experience manager and a local Zumba icon. And we didn't tell her story because our friend  Shaina Shealy  had a...

What many of us missed most during the pandemic was a sense of community. So, for our Season Six opener, we went to a place which is all about community - in fact, it's even called a community center - to find out what it feels like when a diverse community tries to regroup.  Stay connected with us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsl...

At the end of a sweltering summer, and just in time for the New Year, we are coming back! Season Six Starts next week. Join us for yet another wonderful Israel Story journey. Here's a little taste of what's coming your way. Stay connected with us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/ . For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine . S...

This is the time of year when all our producers are out and about, travelling around the country, interviewing people, and preparing the stories we’ll hear next season. But since we never like to be out of touch for too long, we wanted to share a little treat - Amichai Chasson’s poem, “America,” translated from Hebrew by Vivian Eden, and read by Mishael Zion. Also, please fill out our listener sur...

On Friday morning, Rut Dayan passed away, a month and a day shy of her 104th birthday. And in celebration of her long, meaningful and impactful life, we replay R&R - a story of an improbable friendship from our 2016 episode Besties. Stay connected with us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet...

With the fate of the 2020 - now 2021 - Tokyo Olympic Games still up in the air, our season finale tells the story of a dream to introduce a sport to a nation, and a nation to a sport. But it is a dream made up of as many tears of pain and disappointment as it is of joy and triumph. Joel Shupack scored and sound-designed the episode with music from Blue Dot Sessions . Sela Waisblum created the mix....

Like everything else in life, stories die. And, more often than not, we are the killers. Today we give you a behind-the-scenes peek into some of the stories you didn't get to hear this year. Skyler Inman produced this episode, and Zev Levi scored it with music from Blue Dot Sessions . Alicia Vergara created the artwork for the episode. The end song, Chalom Kehe (‘Dark Dream’), is by Assaf Amdursky...

We conclude our two-part Tell Saki story by returning to the soldiers after the battle and following their respective journeys - full of pain and regret, but also full of longing and camaraderie - in the years since the Yom Kippur War. Yochai Maital produced, scored and sound-designed the episode. Mishy Harman edited it. Sela Waisblum created the mix. Thanks to our dubbers - Shlomo Maital , Boaz D...

As a little respite from the intensity of war explored in our two-part Tell Saki series , we replay a short piece of fiction by our beloved Etgar Keret. And, as a special bonus, we include highlights of a conversation we held with Etgar during lockdown.  The Facebook Live event was produced by Marie Röder and Yoshi Fields, with music from Blue Dot Sessions . Alicia Vergara created the artwork...

We embark on a two-episode journey back to the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and specifically to one small hill - a dormant volcanic tell - in the southern Golan Heights. There, we follow a group of young IDF soldiers who, trapped in a small bunker for thirty-six hours, went to hell and back.  Yochai Maital produced, scored and sound-designed the episode. Mishy Harman edited it. Sela Waisblum created...

On the very first day of 2021, when so many of us are busy making New Year’s resolutions and embarking on new and hopeful journeys, we re-air one of our favorite stories, all about a quixotic, improbable, yet inherently optimistic, search for love.  Dana Ruttenberg read the story. Thanks to Mitra Kaboli, Paul Ruest and Julie Subrin. The end song, Ha’Hizayon Le’Francisco Goya (‘The Epiphany of...

Many of us would normally be on the move around this time of year. But 2020 has, of course, been everything but normal. So in our episode today, we bring you two less-than-normal travel stories about people going back home - but doing so having gained a new understanding of the place from which they come. Zev Levi and Yochai Maital scored and sound-designed the episode with music from Blue Dot Ses...

As a special Hanukkah treat, and just before we enter the final stretch of the season, we travel back in time to revisit - and update - one of our all-time favorite episodes, “The Queen Rania Tree.” The original story was reported, produced and scored by Shoshi Shmuluvitz, with music from Podington Bear . The update was produced by Skyler Inman, Yoshi Fields and Marie Röder. The end song, “ Seen ,...

In celebration of Hanukkah, we revisit - and update - one of our fan favorites. An episode that - much like the tale of Hanukkah itself - is all about a miraculous jug of liquid. The original music in ‘The Pitcher’ was composed and performed by Ari Jacob . Sela Waisblum mixed the episode, and Zev Levi edited the re-release. The end song, Orot (“Lights”) is by Avrharam Tal .   Stay connected w...

Most Israelis remember the 2005 disengagement from Gaza as a dramatic moment of national upheaval. But for Hodaya Azulay of the Jewish settlement of Netzarim, the drama was of a different nature altogether - it marked a traumatic turning point in her relationship with her favorite mare, Sheleg. Yochai Maital scored and sound-designed the episode, which was recorded by Tony Hernandez at the Seltzer...

Sandwiched between our two equine-centric episodes, we travel back in time to revisit - and update - one of our all-time favorite episodes, “Man, I Feel Like A Woman.”  The original episode was reported by Molly Livingstone, and produced by Benny Becker with help from Raoul Wootliff and Rachel Fisher. Shoshi Shmuluvitz scored the episode with music from Blue Dot Sessions , Dana Boulé and Ben...

Cowgirls with oversized belt buckles and horse breeders fantasizing about producing world champions are not exactly what come to mind when you think of Israel. But today we take you into arenas, rings, and stables around the country to uncover a surprising subculture of equine enthusiasts. Joel Shupack scored and sound-designed the episode with music by Blue Dot Sessions and William Ryan Fritch ....

With all the excitement surrounding the U.S. elections, it’s perhaps easy to forget that this week also marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the assasination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. And, as we work on our next new episode, we replay an episode we released exactly five years ago, on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the murder.  This episode was produced by Shai Sa...