Israel Story

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.

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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.

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In the immediate aftermath of October 7th, Shai Davidai - an Assistant Professor at Columbia University - became an unlikely public defender of Israel. And truthfully, even he was surprised by this turn of events: As a committed left-wing Israeli, he had spent years criticizing the government, and often took to the streets to demonstrate against its policies. But the atmosphere he witnessed on college campuses (and specifically on his own campus at Columbia), compelled him to speak up and speak out.

The end song is Yesh Lecha Chaver ("You've Got a Friend") originally by Carol King, performed by Tzila Dagan.

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Alon Ohel - a talented young jazz pianist - was kidnapped from the Nova party on October 7th, and has been held hostage in Gaza ever since. His family has spent the last five plus months sending him good vibes and good music. In today's episode, his mother - Idit Ohel - talks about the importance of energy, friendship and hope during these dire times.

The end song is Shuvi Elay ("Return to Me") by Avishai Cohen and friends.

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One of very few positive outcomes of this war is that the ongoing debate surrounding the participation of female soldiers in combat has been decisively answered. Women are, as the IDF’s Chief of Staff - Herzi Halevi - has said on multiple occasions, an integral part of the military effort. They serve in tanks and in field intelligence posts, as pilots and naval officers, infantry soldiers, engineering specialists, canine handlers, medics and more. In fact, out of the 625 doctors and paramedics operating in Gaza in late December, 73 - more than ten percent - were women. In today's episode we talk to one of them, First Lieutenant Dr. Sharon Gutman Gilor.

The end song is Kol Sha'ah Neshika ("Every Hour, A Kiss") by Chava Alberstein.

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There has been endless talk of the “Home Front” during this war. The "Home Front," as in what goes on here in Israel, as opposed to what happens on the battlefield - in the streets and alleyways of Gaza. But, there is - of course - also a home front, or rather many different kinds of home fronts: some are stoic, others less so; some are somehow managing, others not at all. Much to her dismay, Aliza Raz-Melzer's 50-year-old husband Amiad volunteered to go fight. She gave us a glance into her home front. A home front that is conflicted - proud and supportive on the one hand, divided and even furious on the other.

The end song is K'She'Ata Kan ("When You Are Here") by Ninet Tayeb.

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Some 350,000 Israelis have been called up to reserve duty since the start of the war, in what has been the largest mobilization in the country’s history. These are people who were plucked out of their homes, families and daily lives, and inserted into a totally different world, one which is in most cases - just to add to the confusion - a mere car ride away. And those transitions back and forth, between the craziness of the frontline and the veneer of normalcy at home, can be dizzying and unsettling. We’re hearing more and more about that juxtaposition now that large numbers of reservists are being released from their service, and are returning to their regular lives. 

One of them is Noam Tsuriely from Jerusalem. Noam’s a rapper, who recently put out his debut album and had, pre-war, a string of big time gigs all lined up. He was summoned for reserve duty on Oct. 7th, and has spent most of the last four months in Gaza. We spoke to him just as he came out of Gaza, and began his readjustment to civilian life.

The end song is Kshenetse Mize ("When We Get Out of This") by Noam Tsuriely, Shachar Nahari, and Eyal Mazig.

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Today's "Wartime Diary" takes us to a place that is, under normal circumstances, one of the most visited sites in the entire country - Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo, or as it's officially known, 'The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens.' Since the start of the war, the city of Jerusalem has welcomed more than 30,000 evacuees from both the North and the South. With such an influx of people, and especially of kids, there was a real need to create new programming and activities. The Jerusalem Foundation stepped in and launched “Double Impact,” an initiative that sent tens of thousands of evacuees (as well as the city’s school children) to various cultural and recreational institutions such as museums, theaters, the aquarium and, of course, the zoo. The result benefitted not only the kids themselves, who got a day of fun and enrichment, but also the city's struggling institutions. 

The end song is Noah by Matti Caspi.

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The war has been going on for over three months, and many of us have settled into some sort of altered routine, a "new normal." But there are hundreds of thousands of people, possibly millions, for whom nothing is normal. Hugo (Uri) Wolaj of Kibbutz Be’eri is one of them: everything about his life - his job, his friends, his family, his parenting style, everything - changed on October 7th. Uri spent more than 20 hours that day hiding with his wife and daughters in the safe room. They were evacuated to a Dead Sea hotel in the early hours of October 8th and have been there ever since. But last week he returned to Be’eri, for a rare and eerie visit to his own home.

The end song is Lo Levad ("Not Alone") by Jane Bordeaux.

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Upwards of $1 billion in donations have been sent to Israel since the start of the war. For years Charlene Seidle, the Executive Vice President of the San Diego-based Leichtag Foundation, has been at the forefront of the Jewish philanthropic world. While the Leichtag Foundation supports various causes in the States and in Israel, their main local focus is bridging social and economic gaps in Jerusalem. They’ve given life to hundreds of grassroots initiatives and have created the ‘Jerusalem Model’ - a diverse network of social entrepreneurs, activists and leaders from all sectors around town - Jews, Muslims, Christians, religious, secular, etc. Since Charlene and her team have been nurturing and cultivating these relationships for so long, they were particularly well-situated to understand the needs on the ground in the immediate aftermath of October 7th.

The end song is San Diego by Elisha Banai and the Forty Thieves.

Image courtesy of the Leichtag Foundation’s Jerusalem Philanthropic Initiatives.

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The war has brought many new people into the limelight: For nearly three months we've been hearing countless stories of casualties, hostages, survivors and family members, many of whom have entered our hearts and never left. In some cases we feel like we’ve gotten to know these unsung heroes personally. One of the first big stories of the war, in that initial crazy week after October 7th, was that of 30-year-old Sagi Golan from Herzliya - a decorated officer in an anti-terrorism unit, who was killed in action in Be’eri in the early hours of October 8th. His story made headlines because Sagi was supposed to have married his partner, Omer Ohana, two weeks later, and his death brought to the fore - once again - the matter of the army and LGBTQ rights. Though the IDF has recognized same-sex partners of fallen soldiers as being eligible for full financial and emotional support since the mid-1990s, the matter had never been enshrined in law. So in the weeks after Sagi’s death, Omer led a successful campaign to legally secure the rights of same-sex and common law partners of fallen soldiers.

The end song is Zachiti Le'ehov ("I Won The Privilege to Love") by Ivri Lider.

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It’s a sad Christmas Eve in Jesus’ homeland. The alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old City, the streets of Nazareth, the churches of Bethlehem - all usually bustling with countless pilgrims and tourists from all over the world - are largely empty. There are no trees, no stars, no sparkling lights. Christmas has essentially been canceled, and not just as a figure of speech: Back in November, the patriarchs and heads of practically all the local Christian denominations issued a decree calling upon their flocks to forgo any public celebration of the holiday in solidarity with the victims of the war. But there is one man who simply cannot accept the idea of a Christmas-less year. And that man is Issa Kassissieh.

The end song is Santa Klaus Higiya Le'Azza ("Santa Klaus has come to Gaza") by Shir Peled.

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More than 200,000 Israelis - from both the South and the North - have been forced to leave their homes since the start of the war. Some have relocated to hotels or kibbutzim, others have opted to move in with family or friends, or else even rent apartments in entirely new surroundings. In today's episode we get a glimpse of what that reality feels like. Shira Masami is one of nearly 30,000 residents who have left the southern city of Sderot - a city which suffered a horrendous attack on October 7 - and who are now dispersed around the country.

The end song is Maaleh Avak ("Raising Dust") by Teapacks.

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Stories are the strongest way to connect. To understand. To care.

Under normal circumstances we’d create some sort of polished appeal, but obviously these are not normal circumstances.

If what we do has been helpful, or you think it is important, please support us and share our show with friends and family.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

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Since the start of the military operation in Gaza, countless reports by journalists embedded with the IDF troops have appeared in the Israeli media. But there was one eight-and-a-half minute-long TV broadcast that aired on Kan - the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation - that stood out. In it, Riyad Ali, a 61-year-old Druze journalist from the town of Maghar in the Galilee, accompanied soldiers from the Golani Brigade who were operating in the Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City. He spoke to a bunch of them, including one shy officer, Yussef, who just so happened to also be Druze. It was a pretty standard interview, but at some point something unusual happened: Unsatisfied, perhaps, with the officer’s guarded answers, Riyad took the mic and launched into an on-air monologue. He spoke from the depths of his heart about the discrimination the Druze population faces and reminded viewers that the Declaration of Independence promised all Israeli citizens equal rights, irrespective of race, religion or sex. Despite the Druzes’ loyalty, he went on, and despite the fact that six Druze soldiers have been killed since the start of the war, they still feel like second class citizens. That clip went viral. Riyad’s courage to speak up surprised and touched many Israelis, who are - these days - accustomed to a more patriotic tone on the news. But when he chose, in what seemed like a spur of the moment decision, to go public with his more complex views, Riyad wasn’t only speaking as a member of the Druze minority. He was also speaking as a man who, nineteen years ago, was himself kidnapped by Hamas in Gaza.

The end song is Nus Nus ("Half-Half") by Noam Tsuriely.

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As has been said many times in the past, identity is like an onion: There are layers of family and country, religion and political persuasions, favorite sports teams, musical preferences and on and on. But for many, such as 23-year-old Adam Ben Shabath, it is their hometown which stands at the center of it all. And now, as a result of the war, Adam's village of Neve Shalom/Wahat as-Salam - with its unique population and delicate equilibrium - is being torn at the seams. Residents are questioning long-held truths - some have shifted their views, while others continue to hold firm or have even doubled down. Adam shares his own private take on the matter.

The end song is Ahava Kazu ("Love Like This") by Amir Abu and Tzlil Shakuri.

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As of today, more than 400 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the war. Each one of those deaths, of course, not only marks the end of a life, but also shatters a family, a community, a tribe. And that ripple effect, that communal grieving, was palpable following the death of reservist Yossi Hershkovitz, the 44-year-old Principal of the Religious Zionist Pelech School for Boys in Jerusalem, who was killed on Friday, November 10th. 

Like Yossi, his dear friend and colleague Shalom Weil, has devoted his life to education. Over the years Shalom has taught, founded schools and served as a principal. And ever since the war broke out he’s been working tirelessly to build educational frameworks for those impacted by it most - the families of victims, survivors, evacuees. We however asked him to come into the studio not to talk about his own admirable work, but rather about his soulmate, Yossi, who had replaced him as the Principal of the Pelech School for Boys.

The end song is Blues Cnaani ("Canaanite Blues") by Ehud Banai.

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Many of you have probably heard, or read about, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, the parents of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was kidnapped from the Nova Party. In many ways they’ve emerged as the face of the hostage families - they’ve met with Biden and the Pope, they were on the cover of Time Magazine, Rachel has spoken at the UN and at the ‘March for Israel’ Rally in Washington D.C. And in all those places, as well as in countless other interviews, speeches and meetings, they’ve told the heartbreaking tale of the two text messages Hersh sent on the morning of October 7th, one saying “I love you” and the other “I’m sorry.” He wrote those messages from within a shelter, where he was hiding with 28 other partygoers. Eighteen of them were killed, and Hersh - whose left arm was blown off - was badly wounded. Shortly thereafter, Hersh and three others from the shelter were loaded onto Hamas pickup trucks and taken into Gaza. It has now been 55 days.

The end song is Tefilat Haderech ("The Traveler's Prayer") by Shai Tsabari.

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Last week, our host Mishy Harman was interviewed by Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove for the Park Avenue Synagogue Podcast. And as this is, in a way, Mishy's wartime diary, we decided to share it with our listeners too.

Today is Giving Tuesday, and we really need your support. As you probably know, almost as soon as the war began, we pivoted our entire operation and launched our Wartime Diaries series, in which we bring you voices that try to capture slivers of life right now. These episodes reach the largest number of listeners we’ve ever known, and we are extremely touched by the outpouring of love coming our way. If you feel that - in some small way - we have helped you get through these terrible weeks, if our episodes have given you some comfort, or hope, or understanding, please go to our website - www.israelstory.org - and help us continue doing what we do. 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and may we all know quiet and calm days to come. 

The end song is Abba Sipur ("Story Father") by Miki Gavrielov.

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This war is a humbling experience for us all. People — no matter who they are or what they normally do — are simply trying to pitch in wherever they can. We’ve thus seen ex-generals jump into their private cars and go save civilians from the carnage of October 7th, former ministers and senior politicians volunteer to pick cherry tomatoes on farms near Gaza, and rock stars jam for a single soldier on an army base.

Likewise, Doron Krakow — the President and CEO of the JCC Association of North America, who in normal times runs an organization that employs tens of thousands of professionals — immediately got on a plane and came to Israel in order to do one thing: Be a grandpa.

The end song is "America" by Berry Sakharof and Rami Fortis.

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Almost immediately after the start of the attack of October 7th, as rockets were being launched at Jerusalem, and sirens sent the city’s one million residents into shelters, the heads of the Israel Museum initiated an emergency protocol for the first time since the Gulf War in 1991.

The idea was to protect the nation’s most priceless cultural and historical treasures, the building blocks of our collective identity. The very first step of that protocol was to secure the Museum’s most prized possession, its indisputable star, its “Mona Lisa” – the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Of all the estimated 500,000 treasured items in the Museum’s collections, from Monets to Picassos, from the Chalcolithic hoard of Nahal Mishmar to the House of David inscription from Tel Dan, it was the 2200-year-old scrolls that were packed up and rushed into the museum’s most protected safe. And it was Hagit Maoz, the Curator of the Shrine of the Book where the scrolls are normally housed, who was tasked with this delicate operation.

The end song is Imperiot Noflot Le'at ("Empires Fall Slowly") by Dan Toren and Hemi Rudner.

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In the summer of 2005, the government of Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza. The roughly 8,000 residents of the 21 Jewish settlements within the Gaza Strip were forced to leave their homes and their communities, which – for decades – they had actually been encouraged and incentivized to inhabit.

The move brought the country to the brink of a civil war. This was especially palpable in the tense relations between the residents of Gush Katif (as the main block of Gaza settlements was known) and their neighbors from the other side of the fence — the largely left-leaning residents of the kibbutzim of Otef Azza, all the same kibbutzim that — eighteen years later — suffered most in the Hamas attack of October 7th.

Now, many of the former residents of the Gaza settlements who never stopped dreaming of returning to the sand dunes of the Strip feel at least partially vindicated. Had their communities not been dismantled back in 2005, they claim, the army would have still been in Gaza, and none of this calamity would have occurred. One such voice is that of 63-year-old Datya Itzhaki, who used to live in the Gush Katif settlement of Kfar Yam.

The end song is Imma Im Hayiti ("Mom, If I Could") by Hanan Ben Ari.

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53-year-old Hai Ashkenazi from Tel Aviv is an archeologist, but never imagined he would find himself excavating a 21st-century Kibbutz. Yet in the insane reality that has become our life since October 7th, archeologists too are part of the war effort, and the term “destruction layer” has accrued a contemporary and chilling meaning.

The end song is She'eriot shel Hachaim ("Residue of Life") by The Idan Raichel Project.

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Chaya Gilboa is a Talmud teacher, an activist, a flaming redhead, and was – for the last three years – the CEO of the Jerusalem Philanthropic Initiatives, which works with local civil society. On October 11th, Chaya turned 40, but instead of any kind of celebration, she was leading a team at the Jerusalem Chamal – the epicenter of the city’s volunteer efforts.

The end song is Anashim Shkufim ("Transparent People") by May Zamosh.

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Over the last five weeks we’ve spoken to many families of hostages. That’s how we met Faiz Abu Sabehan, whose 53-year-old brother-in-law, Farhan al-Qadi – a father of eleven – has been kidnapped into Gaza. Faiz is a Bedouin politician, and has twice served as mayor of Rahat, the largest Arab city in Israel. He’s also an educator – a teacher, a principal and an administrator. Much like his political patron, Mansour Abbas, Faiz holds a complex position – he’s in favor of fully integrating into Israeli society on the one hand, but remains steadfast and uncompromising when it comes to central tenets of Islam on the other.

Being the mayor of Rahat is one of the most difficult jobs in the country – the city is poor, under-policed and sees more than its share of violence. In fact, Faiz himself has survived multiple assassination attempts. Some of what he says is challenging and might make certain listeners feel uncomfortable. But nevertheless we felt that it’s important to bring his voice too, as an Israeli, as a Bedouin leader and as a family member of a hostage.

The end song is Shir Ahava Bedoui (“Bedouin Love Song”) by Tzlil Mechuvan.

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Mishka Ben-David might seem – at first – like a harmless and cuddly grandpa, but the truth is that he’s lived many secret lives. He has somehow managed to seamlessly transition from community organizing to academia to horse breeding to an illustrious career as a senior Mossad agent. Today, however, he spends most of his time writing. Over the years he has authored 21 books – a combination of spy novels, love stories, philosophy treaties, and literary criticism. Many of them are local best-sellers and have been translated into surprising languages such as Turkish and Korean. In 2017 he published “The Shark,” a dystopian tale which begins with a Hamas attack on Kibbutz Kfar Azza that is eerily similar to — and in fact almost exactly predicts — the horrors of October 7th.

The end song is Halo Noda (“Isn’t It Known?”) by Danny Sanderson.

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77-year-old Agi Mishol is one of Israel’s most prominent, beloved and widely-read poets. Over the years she’s won practically every literary prize here, and Amos Oz once said that her poems “know how to tell a tale, to sing a song and also dance.” Her poetry is colorful and playful, full of nature and a love of the land. And that makes sense since – in addition to writing – Agi and her husband Giora are also farmers, who grow peaches, pomegranates and persimmons.

The end song is “Kalipso” by Dotan Malach.

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Today we’ll hear from Sahar Vardi, a Jewish-Israeli peace activist who lost a dear friend, Khalil Abu Yahia, in Gaza.

The end song is Tamaly Maak (“I Am With You”) by Tzachi Halevy.

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Among the thousands of people who had the terrible misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time on October 7th, there were also – as we now all know – many foreigners. People who had little, or no, connection to the long history of violence between Jews and Arabs, Israel and Hamas. Among them were Filipino caregivers, Thai agricultural workers and also a group of Nepali students who had been accepted to an 11-month-long internship at the Sedot Negev Agricultural Training Center.

The end song is Sathi by Sushant KC.

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The nature of the attacks on October 7th, together with certain subsequent reactions around the world, have blurred the lines between Jews in Israel and Jews in the diaspora. Last week, the UJA Federation of New York brought over a delegation of 28 Jewish leaders – mainly rabbis and educators – on a jam-packed 48-hour-long whirlwind of a trip to Israel. We sat down with two, very different, members of the delegation – Reform Rabbi Angela Buchdahl and Orthodox Rabbi Shlomo Nisanov – to hear what it feels like to visit Israel in the middle of a war.

The end song is Am Echad Shir Echad (“One People One Song”) by Selected Israeli Artists.

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There’s a lot of Holocaust rhetoric in the air. ‘Never Again’ slogans have resurfaced, Netanyahu has said – on several occasions – that Hamas militants are worse than the Nazis, and just this week the Israeli delegation to the UN wore yellow stars at the Security Council. All of this is, of course, controversial, and many people – including many Holocaust survivors – have different feelings on the matter.

Gidon Lev from Ramat Gan probably isn’t exactly what you imagine when you think of a Holocaust survivor. For many years he lived in Kibbutz Zikim on the Gaza border, where he milked some 200 cows a day. Nowadays, he’s a veritable TikTok celebrity, with nearly half a million followers, and – quite accurately – refers to himself as a “rascal.” When the war broke out he experienced a lot of trauma, and took shelter in Ein Gedi, on the shores of the Dead Sea.

The end song is Pachot Aval Ko’ev (“Less, But It Hurts”) by Yehuda Poliker.

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45-year-old Ido Rosenthal from Moshav Ben Shemen served in an elite commando unit and was killed on the first day of the war. His wife, Noga, a sociology doctoral student at Ben Gurion University, has since been sharing her feelings on Facebook. She gave us permission to translate and record one of her posts. 

The end song is Rikma Enoshit (“Human Tissue”) performed by Roni Dalumi.

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The war caught everyone by surprise, of course, and since it broke out at the tail end of the chagim, many Israelis were abroad. What do you do in that case? Do you rush home? Do you continue your trip? Do you wait it out somewhere safe and far away? As it happens, on October 7th, our producer Mitch Ginsburg was hiking across the Scottish Highlands with his buddy – author, journalist and friend of the show, Matti Friedman. This is their story. 

The end song is “San Francisco” by Arik Einstein.

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Many people sprung into action since October 7th. And yet, at the very same time, many Israelis feel… lost. Not everyone knows what to do, nor does everyone feel useful, capable or relevant. And that feeling resonates with Alon Shalev from Zur Hadassah. 

The end song is Avot U’Banim (“Fathers and Sons”) by Eviatar Banai.

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During normal times Tomer Oshri – a 48-year-old history teacher from Jerusalem – works at JDC-Israel and runs an educational non-profit. Nowadays, however, he’s the man in charge of building and operating 17 different makeshift schools for survivors and displaced residents of the communities around the Gaza Border.

The end song is Kol Od (“As Long As”) by Yoni Rechter.

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Even today, nearly three weeks after the devastating attacks of October 7th, there are still hundreds of people who are considered “missing,” which means that they haven’t been confirmed dead, but – at the same time – there’s no definitive proof that they’ve been kidnapped into Gaza. One of those missing is Tamar Gutman, who was at the Nova Party in Re’im. Her sister Adva Gutman Tirosh talks about the difficulties of coping with uncertainty.

This piece was produced by Yochai Maital.

The end song is Yoter Mi’zeh Anachnu Lo Tzrichim (“We Don’t Need More Than This”) by Shlomo Artzi.

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Israel has, of course, branded itself as the Start-Up Nation. And in many ways, Raz Newman is the classic Israeli tech entrepreneur. He’s 32, lives in Rishon Le’Zion, has two daughters, and spends most of his time researching AI and meeting with potential angel investors. On October 7th, as people began thinking how to best contribute, Raz immediately opened up his laptop and began building the AI Ezra Bot.

This piece was produced by Yochai Maital.

The end song is Kol Hadvarim Hayafim Be’emet (“All The Really Beautiful Things”) by Daniela Spector.

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For months Sivan Avnery – a physical therapist from Kfar Shmaryahu – was active in the demonstrations against the judicial reforms. Like hundreds of thousands of other Israelis, he felt he was fighting for his home, for the very nature of his country. But he had no idea how true that was about to become.

On Saturday morning, October 7, Sivan received a message which is every parent’s worst nightmare: His 18-year-old son Tal was – unbeknownst to him – at the Nova party in Re’im, and was now fleeing for his life. Without a second of hesitation, Sivan knew exactly what he needed to do.

This piece was produced by Adina Karpuj.

The end song is Yeled Shel Abba (“A Father’s Son”) by Mooki.

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There’s a long tradition of musicians and entertainers performing on the frontlines during times of war. And, indeed, almost immediately, Israel’s leading artists began crisscrossing the country in a joint effort to lift morale.

For David Broza, this kind of work isn’t, unfortunately, new. He’s been performing for troops since the mid-seventies, and for the last two weeks hasn’t stopped for a minute. Broza has given more than fifty concerts since the start of the war — in hotel lobbies, army bases, bomb shelters, kibbutz lawns and even at the bris of a baby from Kfar Aza. Basically wherever his talent can bring some joy and offer a temporary escape from reality, Broza has performed. We joined him at Kibbutz Gal’ed in the north, where he was performing for families evacuated from their homes.

The end song is Yihiye Tov (“It Will Be Good”) by David Broza.

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Wars are often told through numbers – of the dead, the wounded, the missing, the misplaced. But behind each one of those numbers, there is – of course – a person, a family, a community whose life has been altered forever.

For two weeks now we’ve been hearing survival stories, the likes of which we never imagined we’d hear again, at least not on this scale. This is one such story. The story of Yarnin Peled from Kibbutz Be’eri, who survived the carnage of October 7th.

The end song is a community effort from 2019 by Kibbut Be’eri.

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This war has forced many people to reevaluate their identities and political sensibilities—not an easy task during these shocking and painful days. Mor Maisel’s opinions are complicated and don’t conform to the norm, which may be challenging for some listeners, and reassuring for others.

The end song is Anachnu Me’oto Hakfar (“We Are From The Same Village”) by Lehakat Pikud Merkaz.

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During this dark time, Israeli civil society has risen to the occasion. Hedai Offaim – a chef, farmer and social entrepreneur – has transformed his café into a relief kitchen where 750 volunteers prepare more than 10,000 nutritious meals a day for evacuated communities, families in mourning, families of hostages and reservists.

Donors from Israel can use this link: https://payboxapp.page.link/gj55cdBQMNV81qmU7 - "ארוחות ללוחמים ולמפונים - משק עפאים"

Donors who wish to make their gift to a USA public charity and receive a charitable tax deduction for the full amount of gifts to public charities as allowed by law can give to Impact Cubed (tax ID 83-2215503) through cash, credit card or other options for transfer. More information is at https://impactcubed.org/give/.

In the designating section please choose "other" and add "Ofaimme - Arava spirit initiative".

The end song is Hora He’achzut (“Hold On Hora”) by Kaveret.

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After the entire team of Kibbutz Kissufim’s dairy farm was murdered, Ofer Tamir from Nahalal rushed down south to rescue the local cows.

The end song is Kissufim by Etti Ankri.

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In 1956, Moshe Dayan – then the IDF’s Chief of Staff – delivered a eulogy for a fallen member of Kibbutz Nahal Oz. That eulogy had a tremendous impact on Israeli society and is just as poignant today as it was sixty-seven years ago.

The end song is Shir Eres Negbi (“A Southern Lullaby”) performed by Shoshana Damari.

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Despite everything, life continues amid the horror. For Katherine Leff, this meant going ahead with the day she’d been dreaming about for so long — her wedding day.

The end song is Od Yishma (“Again It Will Be Heard”) by Ishay Ribo.

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This episode includes graphic descriptions of violence.

At age 50, Itai Kramer is no longer obligated to serve in the reserve forces, yet he volunteered anyway. Itai tells us about what went through his mind when he decided to drop everything and put on his uniform.

The end song is Machar Ani Babayit (“Tomorrow I’ll Be Home”) by Ethnix.

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Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been called up to reserve duty. But what about the families they leave behind?

Episode artwork courtesy of Noa Kelner.

The end song is Ima (“Mother”) by Yehuda Levi and Ninet Tayeb.

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Everything in this corner of the world has changed since Saturday, October 7. All around us, friends, family, colleagues, people have died. People are missing. People have been kidnapped. There’s a lot of uncertainty and we’re all involved in dozens of initiatives but we’re also going to bring you some voices and testimonies that try to paint a picture of these devastating times.

The end song is Nekuda Tova (“Good Point”), by Shuli Rand with Ehud Banai.

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It’s been fifty years since the Yom Kippur War. And as such, we want to share our Tell Saki project, which first came out in 2021. Over the course of two episodes, we go back to the horrors of the war, and specifically to one small hill in the Southern Golan Heights where - over the course of thirty-six hours - a group of young IDF soldiers went to hell and back.

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It’s been fifty years since the Yom Kippur War. And as such, we want to share our Tell Saki project, which first came out in 2021. Over the course of two episodes, we go back to the horrors of the war, and specifically to one small hill in the Southern Golan Heights where - over the course of thirty-six hours - a group of young IDF soldiers went to hell and back.

Stay connected with us on Facebook, the platform formally known as Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok,  and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel.

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In part two of “A Life After Death,” Gal describes the days and months following Noah’s death - the funeral, the grief and the hope of creating a new life.

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On a warm winter day in February 2018, Gal Zaychner’s worst nightmare came true: Her 11-month-old son, Noah, didn’t wake up from his nap time.

Our episode tells the tragic story of a victim of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Please take that into account when deciding whether to continue listening.

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Our series continues with Meir Argov (Grabovsky), a World War II veteran and a Petach Tikvah-based labor organizer who loved chazanut, or cantorial music, and was Israel’s first - and longest serving - chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

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Our series continues with Herzl Rosenblum (AKA Herzl Vardi), a Revisionist and prize-winning journalist who stood at the helm of the Yedioth Ahronoth daily for 38 years and penned no less than 11,400 editorials.

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Our series continues with Yitzhak Meir (“Itche Meiyer”) Levin, the foremost Haredi rabbi to have signed the Declaration of Independence.

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Our series continues with Moshe Kol (Kolodny), who - for nearly two decades - headed the Jewish Agency’s Youth Immigration Division, and was responsible for bringing more than 100,000 unaccompanied minors from 85 different countries to Israel.

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Our series continues with Pinchas Rosen - a lover of classical music, an enthusiastic chess player, an avid reader of Goethe, and Israel’s first Justice Minister. A quintessential yekke, or German-born Jew, he was - more than any other signatory of the Israeli Declaration of Independence - the true ideological heir of Theodore Herzl.

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Released exactly 114 years after he left his native village of Khubesh, Yemen, and set out for Jerusalem, our series continues with Sa’adia Kobashi - a rabbi, a licensed poultry slaughterer, an educator and the lone representative - among the signatories of the Declaration of Independence - of Yemenite Jewry.

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On “Jerusalem Day,” our exploration of the signatories of Megillat Ha’Atzmaut, or the Israeli Declaration of Independence, continues with Daniel Auster, the first Jew to be appointed Mayor of Jerusalem since Byzantine times.

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Our deep dive into Megillat Ha’Atzmaut, or the Declaration of Independence, continues with a man known for his linguistic flair, his love of organized labor and, of course, his oversized autograph - David Remez.

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Immediately following the Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) siren, six of Israel Story’s producers entered the studio to discuss their (very different) perspectives on the day.

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Mishy Harman and Mitch Ginsburg take us behind the scenes of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered?” on the Times of Israel’s “The Daily Briefing” podcast, with Amanda Borschel-Dan.

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The Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948, was not only the birth of a state, it was also the birth of Israeli radio.

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Since the earliest days of the State, women have been severely underrepresented in the Israeli parliament. But no one knows more about the trailblazing female legislators who did make it than Shavit Ben-Arie.

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Our deep dive into Megillat Ha’Atzmaut, or the Declaration of Independence - continues with a pioneering feminist, the head of WIZO and one of the two women who signed the Declaration - Rachel Cohen-Kagan.

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In 1952 a fierce ideological split divided Kibbutz Ein Harod into two separate kibbutzim, Ein Harod Ichud and Ein Harod Meuchad. Here’s what happened.

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Our new series - a deep dive into Megillat Ha’Atzmaut, or the Declaration of Independence - continues with an ardent socialist who knew how to compromise - Mordechai Schattner.

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Our new series - a deep dive into Megillat Ha’Atzmaut, or the Declaration of Independence - continues with one of the most important early leaders of the religious Zionist movement, Zorach Warhaftig

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We kick off our new series - a deep dive into Megillat Ha’Atzmaut, or the Declaration of Independence - with the man who needs no introduction: Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion.

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"Signed, Sealed, Delivered?" looks at our founding moral compass - Megillat Ha’Atzmaut, or the Declaration of Independence. Through the descendants of the men and women who, with the strike of a pen, gave birth to this country of ours, we ask questions about ourselves and about Israel, on the eve of its 75th birthday.

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We’re excited to introduce our brand new series, a fresh look at Israel’s founding moral compass - Megillat Ha’Atzmaut, or the Declaration of Independence.

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David Harman believed in people, in social justice and in our ability to overcome almost anything. He was an eternal optimist, a patient peacemaker and a living history book. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok,  and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel.

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As younger and younger kids around the world demand - and get - their own phones, we harken back to a completely different telephonic reality.

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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 Dot Sessions. Sela Waisblum created the mix. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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 survey and help shape the future of our show! We want to hear from you!

Simply head to israelstory.org/survey.

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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.

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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.

The episode’s end song is Lifney She’Yigamer (“Before it Ends”) by Idan Raichel. 

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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. 

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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 Dekel, Suri Krieger, Shai Avivi and Dror Keren. Thanks also to the Friendship and Heritage Foundation - an NGO set up by the survivors of Tell Saki to commemorate their fallen friends - and to Dan Almagor, Daniel Jankovich, Shai Satran and Sharon Rapaport. Some of the primary written sources for our Tell Saki project include Hallie Lerman’s Crying for Imma, Menachem Ansbacher’s memoir, Rsis MiMagash HaKesef, and Robby Rijkmans’ book of published correspondence between the Tell Saki survivors – ‘Knights Without Armor.'

Much of the music in the episode is by cellist Leat Sabbah, with additional music by Doug Maxwell and Yochai Maital. The end song is Nifgashnu Shuv ("We Met Again") is sung by Dudu Zakai, music and lyrics by Shaike Paikov.

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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 for the episode. Thanks to Julie Subrin and Or Matias. The end song, Atid Matok (‘Sweet Future’), is by Mashina.

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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 the mix. Thanks to the Friendship and Heritage Foundation, an NGO set up by the survivors of Tell Saki to commemorate their fallen friends. Thanks also to Aviram Barkai, Moshe Givati, Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History, Halli Lerman, Reuven Gal, Boaz Dekel, Suri Krieger, Sharon Rapaport and Ya’akov Seh Lavan for his help in fact-checking this story. Ya’akov also leads tours of Tell Saki and runs an escape room experience on the mound. Much of the music in the episode is by Leat Sabbah, with additional music by Jorge Mejia, Doug Maxwell and Yochai Maital. The end song, Adaber Itcha (I Shall Talk to You), is sung by Chava Alberstein. Its lyrics were written by Rachel Shapira, and its music by Alona Turel.

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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 Francisco Goya’) is by Ehud Banai, with lyrics by Pinchas Sadeh. 

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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 Sessions and Shane Ivers.

Sela Waisblum created the mix. Thanks to Abby Neuschatz, Scarlett De Jean, Anna Correa, Niva Ashkenazi, Judah Kauffman, Dr. Hillel Rubenstein, Jackie Faye, Hadas Nevenzal and Alon Shikar. The full songs played in the episode are Yotze El Ha’Or - Ha’Shvil Ha’Zeh (“Going Out to the Light - This Path”) by Ehud Banai and Nag’aa Ba’Shamaim (“Touched the Heavens”) is by Mashina.

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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,” is by Tzachi Halevi and Lucy Aharish. It was written and composed by Diane Warren and produced by Tal Forer.

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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.  

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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 Sounds Studio in Brooklyn. Sela Waisblum created the mix. Thanks to Ishay Ribo and Motty Steinmetz for giving us permission to use their song, “Nafshi,” and to Lior Carmeli, Aharon and Temira Feinsilver, Shlomo Maital, and Michael Vivier. The end song, “Sus” (“Horse”) is by Oded Gadir, with lyrics by Azriel Kaufman.

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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 Sound. Mishy Harman, Yochai Maital and Julie Subrin edited the piece. The update was produced by Skyler Inman and Yoshi Fields. The end song is a rendition of Eshet Chayil (“Woman of Valor”) produced by Mami as part of their Shabbat Songs Project. It was arranged by Ben Zion Shenker and Israel Kasif.

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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. Sela Waisblum created the mix. The end song is Zehava Ben’s cover version of Abdel Halim Hafez’s “Sawah”. 

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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 Satran and Julie Subrin. Thanks to Davia Nelson, Niva Lanir, Uri Rosenwaks, Dani Zamir, David Harman, Matti Friedman, Guy Eckstein, Elad Stavi, Yonatan Glicksberg and Marie Röder.

Collin Oldham composed and performed the original music in “Rabin Is Dead.” The end song is “HaStav Biladav” (‘Autumn Without Him’) by Noa (Achinoam Nini); lyrics by Natan Yonatan, and music by Achonoam Nini and Gil Dor). 

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Forty years after Carl Sagan’s ‘Golden Records’ began their long voyage into the depths of outer space, Eyal Gever - an Israeli high-tech-wunderkind-turned-conceptual-artist - received an unusual call: NASA asked him to create the first artwork to be printed in space. What, he now had to decide, truly captured the essence of humanity? 

Joel Shupack scored and sound-designed the episode, with original music and additional music by Blue Dot Sessions, Broke for Free and Nehora & Hadas. Sela Waisblum created the mix. Yochai Maital and Mishy Harman edited the episode. The music and lyrics of the end song - “Leil Emesh” (“Last Night”) - are by Naomi Shemer. The song used in the episode is a cover version by Nehora Kakone and Hadas Fraenkel. 

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David Ben Shabat hates being called a prophet. As he sees it, he’s just a guy who stumbled upon a deep truth and wants to share it with the people. But, come to think of it, isn’t that precisely the definition of a prophet?

Joel Shupack scored and sound-designed the episode, with original music and additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. Sela Waisblum created the mix.

The end song, "Migdal Bavel" ('Tower of Babylon') is by System Ali. 

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Now that "Alone, Together" is over, and before we turn to stories that - gasp - have little to do with the virus, we revisit and update our most popular episode ever - "Love Syndrome."  

On March 22, 2020, as we were all just starting to fathom the new reality we were about to enter, hundreds of Israel Story fans went online to hear an update from an ultra-Orthodox woman from Tzfat. Six years ago, Chaya Ben Baruch’s inspiring story brought listeners around the world to tears. It was the story of a trailblazer who wouldn’t let life, and the many obstacles it presented her, dictate reality.

Chaya grew up as Enid, in a “Conservadox” Jewish family in Far Rockaway, N.Y. Like many women of her generation and from her background, Chaya’s life seemed to be preordained - she’d go to school, marry a nice Jewish boy, raise a family, and be active in the community. But Enid had different plans: midway through college, she left that structured world behind and ventured off to far-away Fairbanks, Alaska, to study the mothering patterns of sea otters. 

A decade, three children, and one failed marriage later, Enid met Stan - a tall, Catholic salmon fisherman from the Gold Stream Valley. Together they had three more kids, the last of whom - Angkor - was born with Down Syndrome. While many parents - especially at the time - might have viewed this as a devastating misfortune, Enid and Stan saw it as an opportunity. They were determined to find Angkor a partner; a soulmate. That wish of theirs kicked off an incredible journey that led the family from Alaska to Tzfat, in the north of Israel, and - on the way - precipitated a return to Judaism. Mishy Harman brings us a tale that unfolds in courtrooms, hospitals, Ultra-Orthodox yeshivas, immigration centers and wedding halls.  

In today’s episode we hear the original story that aired in 2014, followed by a short update from Chaya. Did her Angkor ever find his soulmate? What happened to the young couple? And what is it like to parent special needs children who leave the nest? All this and more in an edited conversation between Chaya and Mishy at the end of the episode.  

The original episode was scored by Pejk Malinovski with music composed and performed by Rob Burger. Julie Subrin, Yoshi Fields, and Zev Levi edited the episode, which was mixed by Sela Waisblum. Additional music by Broke for Free. The end song, “Nekuda Tova” (“Good Point”) is by Shuli Rand, and features vocals by Ehud Banai.

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Stories matter. They have the power of connecting us over time and space. And in the finale of our “Alone, Together” miniseries, we see how a podcast episode turned two strangers - a man from Migdal HaEmek, Israel, and a woman from Porto Alegre, Brazil - into soulmates.  

Porto Alegre is a large city in the south of Brazil, a five-hour drive from the border with Uruguay. Five rivers converge there, making it an important center of industry and commerce. Though its name means “joyful harbor,” in 2017, Porto Alegre ranked as the world’s 39th most violent city, with nearly 41 homicides per 100,000 residents. And while the city does have a sizable Jewish community, primarily Eastern Europeans who founded the local União Israelita association and settled in the Bom Fim neighborhood, there are no direct flights from Porto Alegre to Tel Aviv. So why, you might wonder, is Porto Alegre featured in the final episode of a series exploring life in Israel during the pandemic?

Porto Alegre is home to Isabel Christina de Oliveira, a 54-year-old public school teacher. Isabel isn’t Jewish and has never been to Israel. But through Israel Story, and over Zoom, she found an unlikely friend with whom she could share a terribly painful experience. 

Back in March, Isabel traveled to Italy. Unbeknownst to her, she contracted the virus in Bergamo, and brought it back to Brazil. She was the first COVID-19 patient in her region. And though she immediately went into quarantine, she was publicly shamed and blamed, especially on social media. Vicious posts accused her of infecting the country and made her feel incredibly guilty. 

If all that sounds familiar, you are not mistaken: In episode 52, “In The Beginning”, we told a similar story about Roni Bargill, Israel’s patient no. 7. Under normal circumstances, Isabel and Roni would have never met. But Isabel’s daughter’s friend, a Brazilian journalist by the name of Giovana Fleck, listened to the Israel Story episode, and translated it for Isabel. The emotional upheaval they had each experienced was uncannily similar. 

That’s where our team came in once again, arranging a Zoom call that left everyone in tears. 

Joel Shupack scored and sound-designed this episode with music from Blue Dot Sessions, and Sela Waisblum created the mix. The end song, “Kore Li Kol” (A Voice is Calling) is by Dotan Moshonov. 

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Israel's one thousandth COVID-19 casualty passed away this weekend. And for all of us, death has sadly been an ever-present part of life over the past six months. In the penultimate episode of our "Alone, Together" series, we bring you two stories about dying in times of Corona.  

Over the course of this series, we’ve shared many stories of Israelis dealing - in completely different ways - with COVID-19. We’ve heard people express fear, disappointment, shame, anger, hope and acceptance. We’ve told tales of coexistence and discrimination, nightmares and dreams, resilience and panic. But one thing shared by everyone we have encountered in the series thus far is that they have all - thankfully - survived the pandemic. Some got sick, others didn’t, but all lived to tell the tale. 

That, however, isn’t true of everyone. More than 1,000 Israelis have died of the disease as of early September 2020. In a country of roughly nine million, that’s about 0.0112% of the population. The mortality rate of infected patients is hovering around 0.6%. And while, both those figures are lower than most other countries, there is no doubt that COVID-19 has claimed many victims in Israel. And in our episode today we explore what it looks like to die of, or during, COVID-19. 

Yochai Maital and Joel Shupack scored and sound-designed this episode, with music from Blue Dot Sessions, Esther Abrami, and Papalin. The end song, “No More Corona,” is by Shai and Galit Dagan. 

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Around the world, the tourism industry essentially dried up during the pandemic. But in Israel there was one category of hotels - the so-called “Corona Hotels” - that actually thrived. And depending on whom you ask, they were either a post-apocalyptic heaven or an exit-less hell. 

In March 2020, Israel - like many other countries around the world - closed its borders. Since then, according to the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics, international tourism has dropped by some 99%. Hotel rooms emptied out, busy lobbies went silent, and those famous Israeli breakfast buffets remained uneaten. While you might assume this spelled the end for most hospitality establishments in Israel, there were actually some hotels that managed not only to stay open, but indeed to stay full. These were hotels leased by the government to serve as “Corona Hotels” and host two distinct populations: Israelis who had already contracted the virus and were waiting until they were no longer contagious and could safely return home, and Israelis returning from abroad who needed to make sure they weren’t bringing coronavirus into the country. 

Corona Hotels brought complete strangers into close, and prolonged, contact. Unsurprisingly, many of the “guests” were from segments of the population that don’t typically mix and mingle. At times this melting-pot-like experiment created friction, but it also allowed for unusual interactions to occur. Forced to cohabitate, people had to learn to get along, and—in some cases at least—even respect each other. 

Our episode today examines two different Corona Hotel experiences - one a heartwarming tale of coexistence, the other a dark account of agony.    

The episode was mixed by Sela Waisblum and scored by Joel Shupack with music from Blue Dot Sessions and sound-design help from Yochai Maital. The end song, “Bomba,” is by Hadag Nahash and Johnny Goldstein.

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The global pandemic has introduced us to many “lifesavers”—doctors, nurses, and medical staff who are on the frontlines day in and day out. But what happens when those ‘superheroes’ need to be saved themselves? And can saving a life end up saving your life, too?

If, God forbid, you find yourself in a medical emergency in Israel, you dial 101 for Magen David Adom. Yet more often than not, before an ambulance shows up, someone else—often riding a motorcycle and donning a bright orange vest—will appear on the scene. These are the volunteer medics of a national organization called United Hatzalah, or Ichud Hatzalah in Hebrew. And those extra moments? They can literally be the difference between life and death. 

Ichud Hatzalah responds to roughly 1,800 calls a day, and has—according to the Israeli Heart Society—reduced the rate of cardiac-arrest deaths in Israel by as much as 50%. Private emergency medical services exist around the world, of course. But Ichud Hatzalah is unique: While most focus on a specific neighborhood or community, they cover the entire country. Their volunteers are Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, religious, secular, you name it. And what’s more, their services are completely free. The organization is the brainchild of a Jerusalemite who—for more than three decades now—has been single-mindedly focused on one goal: saving as many lives as possible. 

But what happens when, in the midst of a global pandemic, this lifesaver needs to saved himself? Being saved, we learn, can often be harder than it seems.

The episode was mixed by Sela Waisblum and scored by Joel Shupack with music from Blue Dot Sessions and sound-design help from Yochai Maital. The end song, “Refa Tziri” is sung by Akiva Turgeman, Ariel Zilber, Berry Sakharof, Amir Benayoun, and Lior Elmaliach. The words are from a piyyut, or Jewish liturgical poem, written by Rabbi Raphael Antebi Tabbush of Aleppo, Syria (1853-1919), and the melody is attributed to a Judeo-Spanish song called “Triste Vida” (‘A Sad Life’). 

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Israel’s ultra-orthodox community was hit twice during COVID-19: First, and in disproportionate numbers, by the virus itself, and then by a wave of anti-Haredi sentiment that pervaded the country. Here’s what it looked like from their perspective.

When COVID-19 first hit Israel, many of its epicenters were in Haredi, or Ultra-Orthodox, communities. More than one-third of coronavirus tests in Bnei Brak, for instance, came back positive. Some pointed a finger to the pervasive poverty and crowded dwellings, others to the packed yeshivas and mass prayers. And many pundits found an easy culprit in certain defiant rabbis who ordered their followers to ignore the public health guidelines and go on with life as normal. Before long, matters escalated, and with a climbing case count, the media reports became increasingly vicious, and a wave of anti-Haredi sentiment swept through the country. 

In an attempt to stop, or at least slow down, the spread of the virus, the government deployed soldiers to Haredi cities and neighborhoods. These uniformed men and women recited social-distancing guidelines, told people to wear masks, dished out fines, and enforced strict curfews and lockdowns. But if you imagine soldiers and policemen chatting away with Haredim on street corners and sharing humorous Yiddishisms, think again. Many clashes ensued, and some of them turned violent. 

In this unusual episode, we don’t tell the story of a central character with a clear plotline. Instead, we spent months collecting testimonies from everyday Haredi men and women who give us a glimpse into the sheltered world of Ultra-Orthodox Judaism. 

The episode was mixed by Sela Waisblum. “Gevalt” was scored and sound-designed by Yochai Maital, together with original music composed and performed by Ari Jacob. The rest of the episode was sound-designed and scored by Joel Shupack with music from Blue Dot Sessions. The end song, “Keter Melukha” (“Royal Crown”) is by Ishay Ribo, and was written and recorded during lockdown.

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Six months ago, very few people knew what ‘sheltering in place’ or ‘flattening the curve’ meant. Today, we live in a new world, and it’s often hard to remember what it was like at the beginning. 

On January 14, 2020 - exactly half a year ago - even Wuhan wasn’t yet under lockdown. There had been but a handful of reported cases outside of China, and for most of us “Corona” was - first and foremost - a refreshing beer. By February, COVID-19 was already starting to seem like a global threat. But while governments were desperately trying to piece together adequate responses, most ordinary people went on with their daily lives. Before long, however, everyone was checking the news incessantly, and looking for answers to a million menacing questions: How deadly is this disease? Is it just a bad flu or the end of times? Is COVID-19 going to affect my summer plans? Postpone the Olympics? Should we stop taking the kids to visit Grandma and Grandpa? Soon, masks and gloves were impossible to find. Hand sanitizer became the new gold standard. And sure enough, it didn’t take long before people all around the world started getting sick and dying in large numbers. 

With all that’s gone on over the past six months, it's easy to forget - or at least mis-remember - what it all felt like at the start. Our episode today takes us back to those early days of panic and confusion, and introduces us to two trailblazers - a nurse and a patient - who have no difficulty conjuring up the terror and uncertainty of that initial period.

The episode was mixed by Sela Waisblum and sound-designed and scored by Joel Shupack with music from Blue Dot Sessions. The end song, “Yamim Shel Kolnoa” (“Cinema Days”), is performed by ‘HaTov, HaRa VeHaNa’ara’ (Josie Katz, Benny Amdursky and Israel Gurion). The lyrics were written by Ehud Manor and the melody was composed by Shmulik Kraus.

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The wait, ladies and gentlemen, is finally over: Israel Story is back, and is kicking off Season Five with "Alone, Together" - a brand new miniseries about Israel in the time of corona.

The global pandemic has—to state the obvious—reshaped our lives, refocused our priorities, and forced us to reevaluate countless things we’ve long taken for granted. Israel was, of course, hit too, in ways that are at once unique and just like the rest of the world. We’ve had curfews and lockdowns, shifting social distancing guidelines, layoffs, isolation, discrimination, economic hardship, illness and death. We’ve also had births and bar mitzvahs, weddings and birthdays, and have witnessed unusual displays of solidarity, resilience and kindness.

Throughout the miniseries, we’ll look back at the last few months and share stories that are simultaneously utterly Israeli and completely universal.

COVID-19 has been a gloomy period, for different people and in different ways. But, perhaps counter-intuitively, we are going to start our miniseries with some cheer and brightness in an episode that is all about celebrations. Or, perhaps more accurately, corona celebrations.

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We're extremely excited to announce that Israel Story’s fifth season will begin next week, on June 30, 2020. We’ll kick off with our newest miniseries - "Alone, Together" - which is all about Israel (and Israelis) in the time of corona.

Like the rest of the world, Israel experienced curfews and lockdowns, shifting social distancing guidelines, layoffs, economic hardship, illness and death. We've also had births, Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, and have witnessed unusual displays of solidarity, bravery and kindness. Throughout the miniseries we will tell stories that are at once both utterly universal and uniquely Israeli. We hope you join us for yet another storytelling adventure during which we will laugh, cry and everything in between. For updates on Israel Story's new season, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter. For more info, join our members-only community, check out Tablet Magazine, or head to our site.

Original music performed and composed by Tal Kravitz, to words by poet Noam Horev.

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For Mother's Day, we replay one of the most touching and brave stories of motherhood we've ever aired.

In 2015, on the very last day of a month-long assignment in Nepal, Israeli journalist Danna Harman ran into three local street girls. She had just finished several unsuccessful rounds of IVF, and – back in Tel Aviv –

she began daydreaming of an instant family. When one of the girls contacted her following Nepal's devastating earthquake, these dreams took on an unexpected life of their own. In a story about motherhood and friendship, Danna explores the bittersweet need for adjusting expectations. 

Julie Subrin edited this story, Ari Jacob wrote and performed the original music, and Sela Waisblum mixed it all up. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. The end song, "Imma," was written and arranged by Shaike Paikov. The cover version used in the episode is by Ninet Tayeb and Yehuda Levi.

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Today is Yom HaZikaron - the day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. With everyone instructed to stay home, the typically-packed military cemeteries throughout Israel are largely empty. So we wanted to bring you one of our favorite stories.

In 2003, Susi Döring Preston was a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand. That's where she met Tsiki Eyal, at a nightclub. Their passionate love affair would ultimately lead her to the sleepy Israeli town of Mazkeret Batya. There, surrounded by tears, this freckled Tulsan formed a raw, painful and hopeful bond with a woman who could, and should, have been her mother-in-law. Federica Sasso tells a story which – if the Bible were rewritten in today – might well replace the Book of Ruth. The original music was composed and performed by Ari Jacob. The episode was mixed by Sela Waisblum.

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Join us for a day filled with back-to-back interviews, concerts, workshops and classes in celebration of Israel's Independence Day!

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It's Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Over the years we’ve aired many stories and episodes that relate to the Holocaust in different ways. But today we wanted to replay one of our favorites.

Lizzie Doron was born in Tel Aviv in the early 1950s. Like many others of her generation, she grew up in the shadow of the Holocaust, and her childhood was filled with silence. Questions about her family’s past were left unanswered or ignored. So, in a neighborhood where traumatic memories were relived on a nightly basis, Lizzie had to use her imagination to fill in the blanks of her own story. And, in her mind at least, she wasn’t alone. There was always someone there, looking out for her, looking *at *her. Maya Kosover unfolds an unusual saga which ends – decades after Lizzie left her mother’s home – with a shocking discovery.

The music commissioned for this episode was composed and performed by The Hazelnuts – Shira Z. Carmel, Yifeat Ziv, Ronnie Wagner and Sapir Rosenblatt. It includes a cover of Yaakov Orland's "Mihu Ha'Meyalel Ba'Ruach" and "Ten Li," an original song by Yifeat Ziv.

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What does it mean to be 'in it for the long haul'? In our fiftieth episode, which is also our season finale, we explore this question in the context of both creating a podcast and forging a relationship.

Some people operate within the confines of reality. Others don't. Instead, they will things into existence. Today we'll meet one such determined woman who - faced with countless obstacles - decided to keep calm, put one foot in front of the other, and carry on in pursuit of love.

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Back in 2014, we met Elik Fromchenko. During the day he works at an auto magazine, but - just like Clark Kent - he has a secret superpower: Elik is a world-class whistler. And, in an adventure that could only happen to an Israeli backpacker, he found himself in an ambassadorial role in Hebei Province, China.

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If you happen to associate Christmas Eve with egg rolls, hot-and-sour soup and sesame chicken, tune in to tomorrow's re-release of one of our Season One classics - our sole China-related story.

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Rachael Cerrotti was a college freshman when she first came to Israel on a Birthright trip. Shortly thereafter, back in Philadelphia, she and her grandmother - Hana Dubova - started sitting down for what they called "storytelling sessions." The result was a ten-year-long journey in which Rachael retraced her grandmother's steps during, and in the wake of, WWII.

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In our last episode, "Achi" (my brother), we told the tale of two siblings and their unusual life together. And today, we're sharing a little companion bonus track, in which senior producer Yochai Maital talks to his older sister Temira Finesilver about their very different lifestyles. 

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When God first spoke to Benjamin, he was reading the newspaper. That was just the start of a wild journey that led two Orthodox brothers from the Bronx to a new life, a new homeland, a new lord and - above all - to each other.

Growing up, Benjamin and Reuven Berger never imagined they'd be roommates well into their seventies. Nor did they imagine their lives would unfold as brothers in faith. But from their majestic home in the serene village of Ein Kerem, they reflect on an unusual, almost biblical, path that led them far apart and then back together. 

In the prologue, Mishy Harman tries to understand why - if an alien landed in Israel today - it would probably think that the word "achi" is a form of Hebrew punctuation. 

Act I, "The Berger Bros," is a tale of two brothers who are brothers in more than just one way. Joel Shupack brings us the story of Benjamin and Reuven Berger, the Bronx-born sons of European Jews who escaped the Nazis. Tumultuous years of doubts, revelations and risks led them from a muddy copy of "Peyton Place" all the way to Jerusalem's small community of Messianic Jews.  

Ari Jacob composed and performed the original music in "The Berger Bros." Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to Dina Kraft for editorial help. Adam Milliner mixed the episode. The end song, *November, *is by Shaanan Streett, and features Selva de Mar. It was written in memory of Shaanan's sister, Tova.

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Jews have been in Iraq for more than two-and-a-half millennia. Today, the entire Jewish community of Baghdad can fit in a single car. In this special Thanksgiving bonus, we bring you a conversation between Mishy Harman and Emad Levy, the last "rabbi" of Baghdad.

It's a busy week. Many of you will be traveling, and those of you staying put will probably be cooking turkeys and preparing cranberry sauce. And while you are doing all that, we wanted to keep you company.

With the kind of storytelling we do, most of our interviews end up on the proverbial "editing room floor." And we're often sorry about that, since we'd like you to hear them too. So today, in a new experiment for us, we bring you an edited version of an interview we recently recorded. Want to know what the last "rabbi" of Baghdad is thankful for? Listen and find out.

Zev Levi edited this special. The end song, "Tahdini" is by Dudu Tassa & The Kuwaitis.

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A century ago, close to one-third of Baghdad's population was Jewish. Today, just five Jews remain in the city. In today's episode, we explore the story of the Jews of Iraq, all the way from Nahum the prophet to a Jerusalemite grandma who became the unlikely champion of kidnapped Yazidi girls.

Jews first arrived in what is today Iraq in the 6th century BC, after the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar sacked Solomon's Temple. It was from there that Ezra and Nehemiah led returning exiles back to Jerusalem. It was there that the Babylonian Talmud was debated, compiled and codified. And it was there, in 1941, that the Farhud - a violent pogrom - left hundreds of Baghdad's Jews dead and thousands injured.

While there were many different phases in this 2600-year-long history, Jews knew numerous prosperous periods in the 'land between the two rivers.' There were Jewish politicians, jurists, doctors, businessmen. There was even a Jewish Miss Baghdad.

Today that community is all but gone.

Ari Jacob wrote the original music in “You Cannot Clap With One Hand.” Joel Shupack arranged the music for the rest of the episode, and for parts of Act I, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Shai Satran and Mishy Harman edited the episode, and Sela Waisblum mixed it all up. It was recorded in Jonathan Friedlander's 'Quality Sound Studio' in Jerusalem. The end song is a new cover version we commissioned of Boney M.'s "Rivers of Babylon.” It was recorded, arranged and performed by Shay Perry.

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To most, Adolf Eichmann - the mastermind behind the Nazis’ ‘Final Solution’ - is the ultimate symbol of evil. But to a small group of Israelis, he was no more than a gaunt and balding middle-aged prisoner. This is the story of those who looked evil in the eye, and lived to tell the tale.

Last week we aired a story about Dr. Yonah Elian, the anesthesiologist who sedated Eichmann during his capture back in 1960. And today we bring you a rerun of another Eichmann story we aired back in a 2016 episode called “Of Numbers and Names.” It is the story of the select few who interacted with Eichmann as he stood trial in Jerusalem - his guards, his interrogators and even his executors. Israelis for whom the encounter with the Nazi officer wasn’t just a moment of national catharsis. It was an intimate experience. Perhaps even too intimate.

This piece was produced by Katie Pulverman with help from Shai Inbal. Special thanks to Yuval Orr, Roy Barzilay, Shlomo Maital and Chanoch Lipperman. The end song, “Efer Ve’Avak” (“Ash and Dust”) is by Yehuda Poliker.

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In May 1960, the Mossad captured Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires, and brought him to stand trial in Jerusalem. It's one of Israel's most glorified chapters, right up there with Entebbe, the bombing of the Iraqi Nuclear Reactor and Operation Solomon. So why did the doctor who sedated the Nazi mastermind minimize his role in the saga? And what can that tell us about the legacy of World War II, eighty years after its start?

Last month, the world marked the eightieth anniversary of Hitler's invasion of Poland and the start of WWII. In Israel, too, this was a big milestone: Kids discussed it at school, academics held conferences at the various universities, newspapers ran articles and editorials. But this wasn't, of course, always the case in Israel. For years, the war - and the Holocaust - were taboo topics. European Jews, many Israelis felt, had gone to the camps like sheep to the slaughter, without resisting, without putting up much of a fight. That perception began to change, almost overnight, as a result of one major event - the capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann.

This episode is a collaboration with "Rough Translation," an NPR podcast that tells stories from around the world that offer new perspectives on familiar conversations. Gregory Warner and Daniel Estrin bring us the complicated story of Dr. Yonah Elian, the anesthesiologist who sedated one of the world's most notorious Nazis.

Marianne McCune edited the piece, and scored it together with Mike Cruz. Joel Shupack arranged the rest of the episode with music from Blue Dot Sessions. It was produced by Jess Jiang, Neal Carruth, Will Dobson, Anya Grundman, Sarah Knight, Andy Huether, John Ellis, Matt Orton, Autumn Barnes, Zev Levi, Yoshi Fields, Niva Ashkenazi, James Feder and Yochai Maital. Sela Waisblum mixed the episode. The end song, "Perurim Shel Or" ("Sparks of Light") is the first single from the new album of Israel Story's band leader, Dotan Moshonov.

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The special was recorded in Ben Wallick’s studio and was mixed by Sela Waisblum.Repentance, prayer and charity, we are told, are our saving graces when Yom Kippur comes around. And, of course, confession is a big part of that trifecta. But do we still get the coveted brownie points if that confession took thirty years?

In 1989, Robby Berman - a recent Yeshiva University grad and enthusiastic Zionist - made aliyah and was drafted into the IDF. But nothing in his basic training prepared him for the blood-chilling discovery he made in his friend Tom Cole's Old City dorm-room. There, dangling from the ceiling, Robby saw what looked like a round Hershey bar. But it wasn't. Instead, he immediately realized, it was a forgotten WWII hand grenade. Old and rusty, perhaps, but still fully operational. And how does one get rid of a hand grenade? Thirty years after the dramatic events of that evening, and just in time for Kol Nidre, Robby finally comes clean.

In one version of his life, he spends years in jail, as a homegrown terrorist. In the other, he walks away scot-free. What set his life on one path and not the other? In his first-person narrative, Robby answers that question and revisits his encounter with a real-world Detective Columbo.

This is the second of our listener drive specials. The Israel we try to explore is all about its people, about its diversity and complexity. About a place that's both genuinely wondrous and utterly messed up. That cracks you up one moment, and brings you to tears the next. That's heartfelt, bizarre, and interesting. So, on the eve of the Day of Atonement, as we open up our hearts and think back to our own story in the past year, please consider donating. Listener support is what makes our show possible.

Joel Shupack edited and produced this piece, with help from Yochai Maital, James Feder and Zev Levi. Joel also arranged the scoring with music from Blue Dot Sessions. The special was recorded in Ben Wallick’s studio and was mixed by Sela Waisblum. The end song is Shoshana Damari's version of "Etz HaRimon" ('The Pomegranate Tree'), which was written by Yaakov Orland and put to a traditional Buchari tune.

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Rosh HaShanah is cleanup time, even at the Kotel. But what happens to the millions of notes tucked away in its cool crevices? And what on earth does that have to do with Leonard Cohen, impromptu sword-fights and carp fish in the bathtub?

For many folks, visiting the Kotel is emotional, meaningful and - more than anything - private. In fact, the single most common experience people have at the Western Wall is inherently personal - putting a kvittel, or note in between its ancient ashlar stones. Whether you're a believer or not, the simple act of writing a small note, folding it up, and shoving it deep into the cracks is the closest we get to talking to God. But what happens to all those requests, prayers and hopes? Where do they go? Is the Kotel just an ever-expanding archive of notes? And, if so, how doesn't it run out of space?

The short answer is the Rosh HaShanah cleanup. But while reporting on this peculiar semi-annual ritual, producer Yoshi Fields discovered that a cleanup can be much more than just a cleanup. It offered him an opportunity to rethink the story he was told about Israel, and evaluate how reality measured up to myth.

This ''short" is also our first listener drive of the season. If you feel that the show adds something to your life, if you feel that it captures unique aspects of the crazy human tapestry called 'Israel,' please consider opening your hearts and making a donation today.

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In its final installment, our 'Wall' series comes full circle, back to where we began - the Kotel. But this time we won't be meeting Holocaust-survivors-turned-Palestinian-housewives. Instead, we will meet Jews who - in the name of their Judaism - have set off on a lifelong crusade.

Walls can make us feel safe, warm and protected. But that's also their greatest danger. After all, walls can cut us off from what is going on outside, and hiding behind them can give us a false sense of security and stability. Throughout this series, we've tried to open up windows in the walls that make up Israeli society. And that's a tricky thing to do, really. You need to make sure you don't damage the foundations that keep us bonded together. But you also need to be ready to see your neighbor, and let your neighbor see you.

Joel Shupack and Yochai Maital scored this piece, with additional music from Blue Dot Sessions, Broke For Free and Peter Gresser. The end song, "A Wall That Has a Door" is an original song commissioned by Israel Story. It was written, arranged and performed by Ari Wenig, together with Dotan Moshonov, Ruth Danon, Eden Djamchid and Ronnie Wagner-Schmidt.

This episode was edited by Julie Subrin and Mishy Harman, recorded by Ben Wallick and mixed by Sela Waisblum.

It was conceived as part of Israel Story's latest live show tour, "The Wall."

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If you are new to the show, there are so many episodes for you to check out. Why not start with Operation Hulda, Love Syndrome, and Milk, Honey and Sweet Mary Jane?

You can also sign up to our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

And lastly, whether you are new to Israel Story, or have been following us from day one, do us a favor - go to Apple Podcasts, rate us and leave a review.

Thanks!

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After visiting two of Israel's most visible walls, we shift gears to slightly more abstract ones. Walls, both new and old, that you might have a harder time finding on the ground, but will - nevertheless - show us where we came from and where we are going.

Walls are something you can see. Something you can touch. Something you can run into and get a nasty bump on your head. Or... are they?! In our episode today - part three of our miniseries - we tell the stories of three walls that won't appear on your typical map. Three walls you'd probably miss unless you heard about them, well... here. But don't think that makes them less significant or present in daily Israeli society. Not at all. In fact, they help us trace our history all the way from its earliest beginnings to its menacing future.

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Some call it the 'security fence,' while others prefer the 'West Bank barrier.' But to most around the world it is known simply as the 'separation wall.' Our series continues with a visit to what is perhaps the most divisive symbol of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But as usual, we'll go beyond the politics, to the people.

For the last seventeen years, when people say "the wall' and "Israel" in the same sentence, they're usually referring to something very specific: A four-hundred-and-forty-mile-long barrier - some 95% of which is a sophisticated multi-layered fence, and some of which, especially in urban areas, is an imposing concrete wall. Seen from the Israeli side, this fence/barrier/wall represents security, stability and safety. It allows us to calmly ride the bus, peacefully go out dancing, and - mainly - quietly sleep at night. Because it was, after all, born out of violence and carnage. People were getting killed often and daily. It was scary. And, as experts around the world agree, the wall has succeeded, dramatically reducing terror. But when Israelis go to bed at night, there are other people - really close by - going to bed too. And from their perspective, looking out of their window, the same wall represents something different altogether. Not safety or security, but rather, a lack of freedom.

Without getting into political polemics, in our episode today we meet some of those neighbors. Regular people, living in the shadow of a wall.

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And... we're back! We kick off our fourth season with a brand new miniseries - "The Wall." Today's roller-coaster of a mystery begins with Israeli paratroopers liberating the Kotel, continues with a symbolic mid-war birth, and ends up going in the most surprising direction imaginable.

Everywhere we turn these days, it seems as if walls are staring back at us. Their powers are magical: They protect and alienate; keep people both in and out; and can even - as we have all seen - bring mighty governments to a total standstill. Israel, too, has its share of walls, and no, not just the West Bank separation wall. In this four-part miniseries, we visit some of the country's most famous walls journeying from the Bronze Age to the modern-day Start-Up Nation, from the soccer pitch to the Six Day War, from the holy to the political.

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A quick note from a big celebration.

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In our season finale, we explore two songs that - perhaps more than any others - capture the complex and intermingled nature of Israeli society.

Over the last four episodes, we’ve told the stories behind some of Israel’s most iconic songs. When we set off on this musical journey, we hoped to find a unicorn, a unifying island of Israeliness that escapes the usual polarization which dominates most conversations about Israel. Instead, however, we discovered that music not only reflects, but often amplifies, our contrasts. We all sing in different keys, with different words and in different voices. And that, at the end of the day, is what Israel is all about. It is not that the inherent complications go away or stop existing. It’s just that somehow, miraculously perhaps, the cacophony can almost sound harmonious.

In today’s episode, the final installment of the Mixtape miniseries, we turn to Yitzhak Rabin’s 1995 assassination, and to two songs – one taking us decades back, the other catapulting us forward into the 21st century – that symbolize the messy multifariousness of Israeli society.

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In a music scene dominated by Ashkenazi culture, Mizrahi singers had to patiently pave their way to the Israeli mainstream one song at a time. In Part III of our miniseries, we meet two Yemenite trailblazers,

In Israel today, Mizrahi – or “Eastern” – music is ubiquitous. In fact, to many, it is practically synonymous with Israeli music. But that wasn’t always the case. For decades, Israeli radio stations ignored Mizrahi tunes and exclusively played music rooted in Ashkenazi traditions. That began to change in the late-1970s and early-1980s, due – in no small part – to a few veritable trailblazers.

The original music in this episode was composed, arranged and performed by the Mixtape Band, led by Ari Wenig and Dotan Moshanov, together with Ruth Danon, Eden Djamchid and Ronnie Wagner-Schmidt. The final song, Ad Matay Elohay (Till When My G-d) was written by Uzi Chitman and sung by Zohar Argov. The episode was edited by Yochai Maital, recorded by Tony Hernandez at the Off Record Studios in New York, and mixed by Sela Waisblum. It is based on our latest live show, “Mixtape.” You can listen to Part I of the miniseries here and Part II here.

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Our musical journey through the intricacies of Israeli society continues. And this time we explore a song that, ever since the dramatic month that forever changed Israeli history, has become the country's soundtrack: "Jerusalem of Gold."

In 1968, an up-and-coming left-wing politician by the name of Uri Avnery brazenly suggested replacing Israel’s national anthem, HaTikvah. His proposal was surprising, given the fact that the would-be replacement was the unequivocal anthem of the Six Day War, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav.

While Avnery’s motion never made it to the Knesset floor, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav has indeed become an anthem of sorts. It is probably the most recognizable and beloved Israeli tune ever, and is repeatedly voted the most important song in the country’s history.

The original music, including the cover versions of Yerushalayim Shel Zahav and Yerushalayim Shel Barzel, was composed, arranged and performed live by the Mixtape Band, led by Ari Wenig and Dotan Moshanov, together with Ruth Danon , Eden Djamchid and Ronnie Wagner-Schmidt. The final song is a recording of Shuly Natan’s original rendition of the song, at Festival Ha’Zemer Ve’Ha’Pizmon in Jerusalem in May 1967. The episode was recorded by Adrian Lau at the Off Record Studios in New York, and mixed by Sela Waisblum. It is based on Israel Story’s latest live show tour, “Mixtape.”

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Welcome to 'Mixtape,' our very first mini-series. Over the course of the next four episodes, we will go on a musical journey through anthems, songs of yearning, of war, of peace, and hear the stories behind some of Israel's most iconic tunes.

Let’s face it – when it comes to Israel, everything is complicated. Politics are complicated, religion is complicated, democracy is complicated, the conflict is complicated. Even our complications are complicated. These are the things that take us out to the street. That make us shout, and cry. That fill us with hope, and – just as often – plunge us into utter despair. But there is (seemingly) one island within Israeli society that escapes complexity, and brings us together more than it divides us: Israeli music. Or so, at least, we thought.

In this special mini-series, we set out to explore Israeli society – warts, rifts and fuzzy togetherness alike – through the stories of some of the country’s most iconic tunes.

The original music in this mini-series was composed, arranged and performed by the Mixtape Band, led by Ari Wenig and Dotan Moshanov, together with Ruth Danon, Eden Djamchid and Ronnie Wagner-Schmidt. The final song is a 1950s Tunisian rendition of HaTikvah sung by M. Cohen. The episode was recorded by Russell Castiglione and Josh Piel at the Dubway Studios in New York, and mixed by Sela Waisblum. It is based on Israel Story’s latest live show tour, “Mixtape.”

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Ruth the Moabite said she'd follow her mother-in-law, Naomi, anywhere. That blind devotion has since made her an enduring symbol of loyalty, faith and determination. And, just in time for our smorgasbord of cheesecakes, lasagnas and blintzes,

Somewhere between post-Passover fatigue and summer-is-around-the-corner excitement, Shavout tends to be overlooked. But in reality, it is the secret gem of the Jewish calendar: A festival that’s all about strong women, wheat harvests, creamy cheesecakes and receiving the Torah. What else could you possibly want from a Jewish holiday?

And at the center of this wondrous celebration is an unlikely heroine, the Bible’s quintessential convert to Judaism – Ruth the Moabite. Following the death of her Israelite husband, Mahlon, Ruth refused to part ways with her mother-in-law, Naomi. “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you,” she famously told her. “Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.” Ruth followed Naomi back to Bethlehem, where she met a man, Boaz. They got married, had a son, and started an illustrious lineage, which supposedly included David, Solomon and Jesus.

Ruth herself has since become a feminist icon, a symbol of acceptance and dedication. In today’s episode, we will hear three modern-day incarnations of Ruth’s story – a trio of tales about determined women who will follow their hearts to the ends of the earth for love, family and companionship.

The original artwork for the episode is by Aura Lewis, and the original music was composed and performed by Ari Wenig. The final song, “At Telchi Ba’Sade,” is by Chava Alberstein. The episode was recorded by Ben Wallick and Paul Ruest, and mixed by Sela Waisblum.

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Payam Feili is a gay Iranian poet. Nadav Schwartz is an Orthodox Israeli Jew. But in ways both astoundingly similar and utterly different, both men have journeyed out of their communities, leaving behind almost everything but their identity.

Tonight, Jews around the world will gather together at their seder tables. They will drink wine, ask questions, search for the Afikoman and recite the obligation to see themselves as if they personally had come out of Egypt. And that is, really, what the seder is all about – the telling and retelling of the greatest Jewish “coming out” story of all time. A story of venturing out into the unknown, of wandering in physical and metaphorical deserts and of seeking refuge in a new home.

The original music in this episode was composed and performed by Ari Wenig, with help from Yochai Maital. The final song, Avarnu et Par’o (‘We Overcame Pharaoh’), is by Meir Ariel.

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Cannabis in the Holy Land is clearly a booming business. Through the unlikely story of Amos Silver, the Israeli 'Green Giant,' we take a deep dive into the world of Telegrass, the hot application that has made buying weed as easy as ordering a pizza.

According to a recent study conducted by the Israeli Anti-Drug Authority, the Holy Land might as well be rebranded as a ‘Weedtopia.’ More than a quarter of adults aged 18 to 40 reported having used marijuana within the last month. This stat, says the Authority’s chief scientist Prof. Yossi Harel-Fisch, places Israel among the countries with the highest rate of pot smokers in the world. In this episode, we chugged along the Hudson Valley and – in Poughkeepsie, New York, of all places – met up with the one man who is most committed to making that number even higher.

The original music in this episode was composed and performed by Ari Wenig, with help from Yochai Maital and Ruth Danon. Additional music by Boom Pam, Meir Ariel, Michael Swissa, Michael Greilsammer, and Kevin MacLeod. The episode was edited by Shai Satran with help from Julie Subrin.

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From the top of Tell El-Ful, an abandoned hilltop in East Jerusalem, you can see all the way from Amman to Tel Aviv, from Jerusalem to Ramallah. And you can also travel back and forth in time.

Imagine an abandoned White House, covered with graffiti, open to the winds, full of trash, broken bottles and condom wrappers. Now go a step further and picture it against the background of the most beautiful Middle Eastern panorama you can conjure up. Ever since we learned about the existence of a deserted Hashemite palace perched atop the mound, we’ve been on a mission to uncover its past. Like many other tells in the region it has a biblical past (perhaps), an archeological past (probably) and a historical one (most definitely). But more than almost anywhere else, this litter-strewn hill is a metaphor for life in these parts: It has seen tears and blood, dreams and hopes. It has been home to kings and shepherds, soldiers and tribesmen. And it has brought together lovers and enemies; Arabs and Jews; Jordanians, Israelis and Palestinians.

The original music in this episode was composed and performed by Ari Wenig, with help from Yochai Maital. The final song, “Wen Ya Galub,” is by Dudu Tassa and the Kuwaitis.

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People in one-hundred-and-eighty-seven countries around the world – including Iran, Iraq and Papua New Guinea – tune in to Israel Story. And today, we went out to talk to a few, very special, fans: our youngest and oldest listeners.

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One hundred years after a single-page letter boosted the Zionist cause and changed the course of Jewish history, we go out in search of Balfour, and his declaration, in modern-day Israel.

On November 2, 1917, Arthur James Balfour – Britain’s mustached Foreign Secretary – signed his name at the bottom of a short, typed letter addressed to a shy banker-turned-zoologist by the name of Lionel Walter Rothschild. “His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people,” it read. In the century since that fateful day, those words have reverberated around the world. They’ve changed reality, creating national dreams on the one hand, and squashing political aspirations on the other. And, of course, they’ve been scrutinized, analyzed and debated from every possible angle. The Balfour Declaration, for better or worse, is still very much with us. In a special commemorative episode, we set out on a less-than-intuitive journey in Balfour’s footsteps.

The original music in this episode was composed and performed by Ari Wenig, with additional scoring by Yochai Maital. The episode also includes tracks by the late Nachum Heiman. The final song, “Balfour“, is by Itay Pearl.

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Forget politics, forget territorial disputes, forget religion. Our new episode explores the real Middle Eastern battleground - food.

Food, it turns out, is a serious business. And as we recently came to appreciate, it can lead folks to embark on all kinds of unlikely crusades. In today’s episode we tell two stories, from almost diametrically opposed perspectives, about the ways in which recognition and pride matter, especially when it comes to what we eat and drink. The first, about a Jerusalemite’s quirky liquid obsession, couldn’t be more local, whereas the second is an outsider’s take – the impressions of a visiting radio icon on her first trip to the region.

The original music in “The Pitcher” was composed and performed by Ari Wenig. The final song, “Hummus Metamtem” (or “Hummus Makes You Stupid“), is by Yehoshua Sofer. The episode also features music by Yochai Maital, Kevin MacLeod, Bachar Mar-Khalife, Ibrahim Maalouf, Arthur Oskan and Hadag Nahash. It was mixed by Sela Waisblum.

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Not that long ago, an Israeli vehicle was about to change the world. But it didn’t. In today's episode, we find out why the Better Place electric car generated such excitement and inspired such devotion, and why its ultimate demise was so devastating.

In 2007, long before Tesla and Elon Musk became household names, a thirty-nine-year-old Israeli tech entrepreneur by the name of Shai Agassi came out with an announcement that rattled the world: He was going to revolutionize transportation, make countries oil-free by 2020, and curb the effects of climate change. Agassi hoped to put millions and millions of drivers, all around the globe, behind the wheel of an inexpensive electric car, with virtually unlimited range. And that, he told anyone who would listen, was going to make the world a “Better Place.”

The music in this episode includes original tracks composed and performed by David Peretz, as well as music by Blue Dot Sessions, Jason Shaw and Audionautix, Kevin MacLeod and Royal Free Sound, Bird Creek, Twin Musicom, Chris Zabriskie and Bensound. The final song, “Mechonit,” is by Mashina. The episode was edited by Julie Subrin and mixed by Sela Waisblum.

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There are a zillion ways of being an outsider. That, of course, we all know. But what does it mean to belong, why do we want it so badly, and just how far are we willing to go in order to be on the 'inside'?

Eli Amir, Eliyahu Rips and Eliezer Sonnenschein couldn’t be more different: the first is a celebrated Baghdad-born author, the second is a brilliant mathematician from Latvia, and the third is the enfant terrible of modern Israeli art. But they are all, in their own unique ways, outsiders. Their struggle for recognition took on different forms, and enjoyed – naturally – different degrees of success. But whether it’s the hora dancing circles at Kibbutz Mishmar Ha’Emek, the pages of prestigious statistical journals, or the hallowed galleries of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, our episode explores just how far we go to feel as if we belong.

The original music in ‘Skipping the Torah,’ was composed and performed by Ruth Danon. The final song, “Yeladim Kamonu”, is by Elai Botner and Yaldey Ha’Chutz. The episode also features music by Karolina, Tristan Lohengrin, Dana Boulé and Robert Schumann. It was edited by Julie Subrin and mixed by Sela Waisblum and Aviv Meshulam.

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They're enemies and cousins, neighbors and rivals, lovers and haters, and at times even one and the same. Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the complicated world of Israel's Arabs and Jews.

More often than not, we think of Jewish-Arab relations in Israel as being adversarial. We frequently hear tales of hatred, violence, animosity and discrimination. But reality is, of course, much more complicated: Not only are some Jews actually Arabs, and vice-versa, but there is a tremendous amount of intermingling, sharing and cooperation. In this episode, we explore some of these fascinating points of contact.

The original music in this episode was composed and performed by Eran Zamir, Ruth Danon, Nili Fink and Noam Sadan. The final song, ‘Tamally Ma’ak,’ is by Amr Diab and covered here by Tsahi Halevi. Ahmed Ali Moussa wrote the lyrics and Tag Sherif composed the music. The episode was mixed by Sela Waisblum.

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Imagine getting the worst news possible, learning it isn’t true, and then realizing it is after all — in the span of a single day. That’s what happened to the Harels of Jerusalem, in the chaotic frenzy of the First Lebanon War.

In the early summer of 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon. The First Lebanon War — as it would later be called — would ultimately lead to thousands of casualties, an eighteen-year-long Israeli presence in Southern Lebanon, and growing political disillusionment around the region. In a way, it ushered in a new era in Israel, one in which the necessity of wars was publicly doubted, and leaders’ intentions were questioned and scrutinized.

But for two Jerusalem families, who just happened to share the same surname, the first days of war were an even more devastating emotional whirlwind. They each went through an unimaginable cycle of shock, grief, hope and despair. By the end of that cycle, the war had formed an oath of blood between them, a covenant of sorts.

The original music in this episode was composed and performed by Ruth Danon and features Sher Niv on the guitar. This episode was edited by Julie Subrin, and mixed by Sela Waisblum.

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In the immediate aftermath of the Six-Day War, a Palestinian lawyer and two Israeli reservists nearly brokered a peace agreement. Just imagine how history would have unfolded had they succeeded.

Though few people grasped it at the time, the Six-Day War put the young state of Israel on an entirely new trajectory. Some see the war’s outcome as a historic triumph and almost messianic return of the Jews to their ancestral lands. Others, of course, view it as the start of a downward spiral that led to internal political fragmentation and an oppressive occupation. For proponents of both positions, and everyone in between really, the 50th anniversary of that war provides an excellent excuse to pause, think, and evaluate.

So while everyone else is busy considering the meaning of the last half century, we returned to the days immediately following the Six-Day War, and to a little-known saga that could have changed the face of the Middle East as we now know it. Yochai Maital tells the story of two reserve officers, Dan Bavly and Dave Kimche, who stumbled upon an unlikely ally: A prominent Ramallah lawyer by the name of Aziz Shehadeh. Together they soberly imagined a peaceful future; a dream that most Israelis, including the political and military leadership at the time, were too drunk from victory to even consider.

The original music in this episode – including the final song, “It’s Time” – was composed and performed by Ronnie Wagner, Ruth Danon, and Eden Djamchid.

This episode was mixed by Sela Waisblum, and produced in partnership with Libby Lenkinski and the New Israel Fund.

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From secret bathroom texting all the way to negotiating a divorce in Venice (of all places...), we bring you heart-wrenching tales of lost faith.

In 1991, REM’s Michael Stipe famously sang, “That’s me in the spotlight, losing my religion, trying to keep up with you, and I don’t know if I can do it.” Just over a quarter-century later, we set out to explore what happens when religious couples no longer see eye to eye. Do you follow your heart? Do you tell your partner? And can the package stay intact, despite the tectonic shifts?

The original music in this episode was composed and performed by Ruth Danon, Nili Fink, and Noam Sadan, who also covered songs by Vashti Bunyan and Ruth Dolores Weiss.

This episode was mixed by Sela Waisblum, and recorded at Andrew Yeomanson’s City of Progress Studios. It was produced thanks to the generous support of the JCC Manhattan and the Natan Fund.

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Lizzie Doron always felt there was an invisible ghost in her life. She wasn't wrong.

Early next week we will mark Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. There are just about 160,000 Holocaust survivors still living in Israel, but they are rapidly vanishing. More than forty survivors die each day. And that means that the memory of the Holocaust, and the stories we tell and hear about the Holocaust are also changing. There are fewer and fewer first-hand testimonies, and more and more tales – like our episode today – of second generation survivors.

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Our season opener takes us right to the end... An episode full of surprising stories that explore how we die, and what comes next.

It’s springtime in Israel and renewal is in the air: Wildflowers are blooming, short pants make their first appearances of the year, and – most importantly – we are back with the start of our third season. But of course, it wouldn’t be Israel Story if there wasn’t a twist, and indeed our season opener takes us… right to the end. So tune in for an episode full of surprising stories that explore how we die, and what comes next.

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In the second installment of this two-part series (and our season two finale), we pick up where we left off last week: Presenting small stories – one per decade – that took place on Israel’s Independence Day, Yom Ha’Atzmaut, and that, in some way, reflect their era. Part I, took us from 1948 to 1978. In today’s episode, which begins in 1988 and brings us all the way to the present, we encounter a Soviet ‘refusenik’ celebrating his first Yom Ha’Atzmaut in Israel; an American couple building a new West Bank settlement; Batsheva Dance Company dancers caught up in a heated culture war over tank-tops and long-johns; a controversy surrounding a tilted flag; and the four Israeli finalists in this year’s International Youth Bible Competition.

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This is the first in a two-part series that takes us through Israel’s short but dramatic history. Over the last few months, we’ve spent many hours, in all kinds of archives, learning all we could about Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. The result is a mosaic of stories that took place on Yom Ha’Atzmaut itself, in ten year intervals, and that in some way reflect their era.

Part I will take us from 1948 to 1978: We’ll visit Israel’s first makeshift national radio studio, we’ll ride a bicycle piled high with Persian carpets, we’ll march in an extravagant military parade in Jerusalem, and finally we’ll sink some dramatic game-winning jump shots. Next week, Part II of the series will bring us all the way to the present.

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This Thursday, May 5th, Israelis observe Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day. At 10 a.m., according to custom, an air raid will sound and the country will fall quiet for two long minutes.

Silence won’t do for a podcast, so instead we bring you two stories. Act I, “B-1367,” is about an elderly father and his 53-year old son, and the inked number that binds them. In Act II, “Herr Eichmann,” we meet up with a group of men for whom Eichmann is not a symbol of Nazi evil, but a gaunt, balding prisoner for whom they were responsible, as guards and interrogators.

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On Today’s show, we delve into the messy territory of family bonds—how they’re formed, challenged, and change over time. We’ll meet three families who are all, at the end of the day, happy, but are not (contrary to Tolstoy’s claim) in any way alike.

First we hear from Mishy’s family—Dorothy, David, Danna and Oren—who like to talk to each other. A lot.

In Act I, “The Missing Moms,” producer Shoshi Shmuluvitz introduces us to Tali Griffel, a thirty-six-year-old physical therapist from Jerusalem who has been searching for a stable maternal bond her entire life, ever since she lost not one, but two, mothers.

In Act II, “The Radio Babe,” we tell the tale of a couple who won’t be able to hear their own story. Eli and Mira Kosover, both deaf, somehow managed to raise a radio producer, our very own Maya Kosover. Through conversations with her parents and her brother (who is hearing, like her), Maya brings us into the noisy world of her deaf upbringing. A transcript of the episode is available at israelstory.org.

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Israeli buses regularly make international headlines, be it for suicide bombings, fights over gender segregation or clashes concerning Shabbat schedules. On today’s episode of Israel Story, we delve into the world of lesser known bus-related conflicts.

In Act I, “The White Elephant,” Yochai Maital walks us through the history of Tel Aviv’s ‘New’ Central Bus Station — a derelict eight-story behemoth and modern day Tower of Babel — which mirrors much of modern Israeli history, with its grand vision and messy implementation.

Act II, “The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God,” is adapted from Etgar Keret’s short story collection of the same name, and performed by Keret himself. In it, we meet—yes—a bus driver whose deeply held belief in equity and fairness flies right smack in the face of Eddie, an assistant cook who has a problem getting places on time.

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In the last episode of Israel Story, we met couples in love. But for every story of love found, there are, of course, piles and piles of broken hearts. So today on our show, “Over and Out.” We’ve got three stories of relationships that have ended, and the things (the often slightly nutty things) that people do once they no longer see eye to eye. We’ll journey back to the early dates of the State of Israel, and then travel all around the world, to London and New York, even to Beijing.

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Three couples look back at their time together—on a kibbutz, in verse, and in a hospital.

The stories in today’s episode come from our most recent live show, “Israel in Love.” We’ll meet three couples looking back at their love affairs from very different vantage points.

Zvi and Regina Steinitz’s romance has been going on the longest—in fact, it’s been going on since the very birth of the state of Israel. Danna Harman shares their story in Act I, “Like A Stone.”

Act II, “There’s a Wall Between Us,” began as a radio piece called “Checkpoints and Secrets,” by Daniel Estrin, which aired in last year’s Valentine’s Day special. Daniel’s piece followed the winding love affair of two men, an Israeli Jew from Jerusalem and a Palestinian Muslim from the West Bank, as it unfolded over a long time. We then gave Daniel’s original recordings, so the actual words the two men had told him, over to composer Or Matias — the Musical Director of the electro-pop opera “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812,” which will go up on Broadway this coming fall. Or, in turn, adapted the piece into a mini-musical, with entirely original music, performed here by Alaa Daka and Eyal Sherf, with Mike Cohen on flute, Dillon Condor on guitar and mandolin, and Dan Weiner on percussion.

Our final story, “When Time Will Fold Over,” takes place in a tiny village, midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, called Mevo Modi’im. The 254 people who live there look like a cross between the Lubavitch Rebbe and Jerry Garcia. This is the story of two of them, Michael and Leah Golomb, and their 37-year marriage. It is an updated version of a piece that we aired exactly a year ago, and is produced by Benny Becker and Yochai Maital, with original music by Collin Oldham.

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How Moshe Dayan’s wife and Yasser Arafat’s mother-in-law became bosom buddies, and other tales of unlikely friendships.

When Raymonda Tawil met Ruth Dayan in 1970, they seemed well-primed to be enemies. Ruth, the then wife of Israeli war hero and Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan, was visiting a hospital in the Palestinian city of Nablus to deliver dolls to children. Tawil, of Palestinian aristocracy, was there to witness this exercise in diplomacy. She was not impressed. Today, these elder stateswomen are dear friends. From Malta, where they most recently met up, they share the story of how they won each other over in “R&R,” Act I of this week’s episode. Anthony David told the story of these two grand ladies in his recent book, “An Improbable Friendship.”

Act II, “The Center for Rationality,” introduces us to economist Eytan Sheshinski and mathematician Yisrael Aumann, both of them at the top of their fields who, nevertheless, seem to leave clear thinking behind when it comes to their favorite pastime: hiking together.

In Act III, journalist Danna Harman brings us “Girls’ Night In” – the story of two women in their forties who have been acquaintances, but by no means friends, since childhood in Ramat HaSharon. It was a pair of tragedies that drew them close.

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How we change nature and nature changes us, from wildflower picking in Israel to ayahuasca retreats in Peru.

There have already been a few sightings of anemones in Israel, and that means it’s the start of wildflower season. Many Israelis track wildflowers with a passion. There are traffic jams near popular flower-carpeted hills and even websites that tell you what’s popped up where. But what Israelis (or at least the vast majority of them) don’t do is pick those flowers. That restraint does not stem from any particular zeal for following the law that forbids such picking. Rather, it is the product of a fantastically successful public service campaign that began back in the early 1960s. Daniel Estrin brings us that story in “Act I: Flower Power.”

In Act II, we switch gears, locales, and just about everything else to follow the journey of Nathan Ehrlich, a Brooklyn-based reporter. For the past few years, Nathan has sought the help of Peruvian shamans (including one kindred spirit, Sergey, who came to Peru from Ukraine by way of Israel), whose work with ayahuasca, huachuma, and other sacred plants has helped him break through emotional and physical barriers. His story is “Where the Wild Things Grow.”

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For the year’s heaviest week of travel, Israel Story brings tales of love and interrogation at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport

The first place travelers to Israel encounter is usually Ben Gurion Airport. What they’ll remember of that experience depends in part on their relationship to the country. Are they coming home? Arriving to a place they’ve always dreamed of visiting? Passing through, with fear or wariness, en route to someplace else?

In this week’s episode of Israel Story, we hear from people who have had unforgettable encounters in or on their way to TLV. First, we meet Lily Sayegh, an Iraqi-born Israeli in her 80s who had a very unusual seatmate on a flight from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv. Next, we hear from a couple whose romantic fate was sealed by an Israeli security officer. And finally, we meet Victor Rodack who, in 1967, at age 14, was perhaps El Al’s very first stowaway.

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Israel Story producers crisscrossed the small country, visiting every 48 Herzl Street and collecting stories from whomever they encountered.

There is nothing inherently special about the people who live at 48 Herzl Street, an address that shows up in big cities, small outposts, and everything in between throughout Israel. But symbolically, it’s about as freighted an address as they come. Theodore Herzl was the father of modern Zionism, and there are 54 streets named after him in Israel—more than any other national figure. And 48 comes from 1948, the year the country was founded.

For this episode, which was commissioned by the Manhattan JCC and has been performed before live audiences across the U.S. and Israel, Israel Story producers crisscrossed the small country, knocking on doors at every Herzl 48 they could reach and collecting stories from whomever they encountered. Today’s episode, culled from the live show, features seven different characters, including a butcher in Akko, a stoner in Tel Aviv, and a young couple whose very dramatic tale is told in song.

For information on future live tours, go to israelstory.org/en/tours.

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In this very special episode, Israel Story teams up with Radiolab to tell the story of Tal and Amir-- an Israeli couple who went to Nepal to pick up their three babies from two surrogates and then discovered that the transaction is not so straightforward.

How many people does it take to start a family? Well, if you are a gay Israeli couple, both men, and you’d like your children to be biologically related to you, it may take the two of you, plus a Ukrainian egg donor, an Indian woman to serve as the surrogate, and a Nepali safe house to shelter the surrogate, who is not allowed to perform this service in her home country. Sound complicated? It is. It’s also very, very expensive and raises sticky questions about the complex relationship between a paid surrogate and the people who hire her services.

In this very special episode of Israel Story, producers Yochai Maital and Maya Kosover team up with Radiolab’s Molly Webster, Jad Abumrad, and Robert Krulwich, and reporters Nilanjana Bhowmick in India and Bhrikuti Rai in Nepal, to tell the story of Tal and Amir. The two are an Israeli couple who went to Nepal to pick up their three babies from two surrogates and then discovered that the transaction is not as straightforward as they’d believed. The journey is further complicated by the terrible earthquake that struck Nepal during the weeks that Tal and Amir were living there, learning to care for their infants. Here’s how it all went down.

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What do you do when you realize that in order to be true to yourself, you have to shatter everything around you, including the lives of those you love most?

Yiscah Smith lives in Nahlaot, in Jerusalem. But her journey to this Orthodox-meets-hipster neighborhood took her through what seems like four lifetimes. She was born in Long Island, as Jeff Smith, to a Conservative Jewish family. Jeff married a woman, they became more religious, and moved to Israel. Jeff became Yaacov, a Chabad Rabbi, and also the father of six children. A few years later, Yaacov’s identity began to unravel, presenting a terrible dilemma: What do you do when you realize that in order to be true to yourself, you have to shatter everything around you, including the lives of those you love most?

This is Yiscah’s story, as told to reporter Molly Livingstone.

Produced by Benny Becker with help from Raoul Wootliff and Rachel Fischer, and music help from Shoshi Shmuluvitz. Music for this episode comes from Blue Dot Sessions, Dana Boulé, and Ben Sound.

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Rabin is a symbol. An icon. But in Israel of 2015, twenty years later, it isn't so simple to understand what he really stands for anymore.

Who is Yitzhak Rabin today, twenty years after his murder? In this episode, we discover that for many Israelis, he represents completely different – and often conflicting – things: Rachel Rabin remembers her older brother as a shy kid, who forced her to be the goalie in neighborhood soccer games. His ‘fixer,’ Me’ir Palevsky, tells how a crude joke might have saved Rabin’s political career. Aliza Goren, the woman closest to the scene of the assassination, talks about standing in the operating room, looking at a dead prime minister. For Etgar Keret, Rabin is a cat, and maybe that’s not so strange, when we hear how others – filmmakers, educators and politicians – take Rabin’s legacy in all kinds of other – no less bizarre – directions. Lastly, Naomi Chazan reads the very last note she got from Rabin – a letter from the grave.

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Two journeys - in very different directions, and taken for very different reasons - out of, and then into, Africa.

Israel is embroiled in Middle Eastern geopolitics. That, at least, everyone knows. We also aspire to be part of Europe, and never miss a chance to reiterate our “special relationship” with the US. But what about Africa, our next door neighbors? Our history stretches all the way back to the earliest hominids leaving Africa and marching through what is today Israel. Since then there’s been an endless stream of people crisscrossing between the two regions. And on today’s show, we bring you the stories of two of them: Journeying in very different directions, and for very different reasons, out of – and then into – Africa.

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A look back and a peek ahead.

Starting October 21st, we’ll be releasing a new episode of Israel Story every two weeks. A new reason to love Wednesdays!

For more, head to our site.

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Tales of love, romance, and the pursuit thereof.

Valentine’s Day is not native to Israel, but the country does not lack for tales of love, romance, and the pursuit thereof. In this, our sixth episode, we bring you stories of love and all the ways it’s got to do, got to do with it.

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An episode all about sacred bovines!

The stories of four featured moo-ers: a red heifer that some think will bring the messiah, a cow that’s become the symbol of radical Israeli veganism, buffalos that hold the future for a self-described “Israeli redneck,” and the golden calf that was biblical big-business.

Cowabunga!

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The stories of three Israelis who are not religious but have pursued unusual hobbies with missionary zeal.

In this, our fourth episode, we introduce three Israelis who are not religious but have pursued unusual hobbies with missionary zeal. One is a hitman-for-hire, another collects a highly specific classification of autographs, and the third is a professional whistler. This has earned them, variously, animus, accolades, and celebrity in far-flung places.

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Three stories revolving around people who rescue books, chase after books, or otherwise allow books to determine their destiny.

Are Jews still “the people of the book”? Are Israelis? What does that even mean today? In the third episode of Israel Story, we’ve got three stories that all revolve around people who rescue books, chase after books, or otherwise allow books to determine their destiny—from a Yiddish book collector based in the Tel Aviv central bus station to a lonely college student to bibliophiles in search of the lost fragments of the Aleppo Codex.

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Chaya Ben Baruch grew up as Enid, in a Conservadox Jewish family in Far Rockaway, NY. Midway through college, she left that world behind to study sea otters in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Fast-forward a decade: Enid is now married to a nice Catholic salmon fisher named Stan. She’s just given birth to her sixth child, and discovers he has Down syndrome. Many parents in her position would be devastated. Some might place their baby in an institution, or put him up for adoption. For Enid, the birth of Angkor started her and her family on an incredible journey—to Tzfat, Israel, and from there to court rooms, hospitals, ultra-Orthodox yeshivas, and wedding halls, all so she could do right by her child and the other special-needs children she picked up along the way.

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From our relationship with Ira Glass to priceless antiquities all the way to coveted sick passes – Israeli stories that are anything but real. In our very first episode, the Israel Story team delves into the realm of fakes, forgeries, and mimicry. Three stories, from different periods and places, of people pretending to to be something they are not.

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