As people around the world gather for (both real and virtual) Seders, we share a sneak preview of our upcoming season. A haunting tale of an exodus from Egypt and a quest for a place to call home.Zev Levi scored and sound designed this piece, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Sela Waisblum created the mix. Thanks to our wonderful dubbers, David Satran and Karni Arkin. The end song is Aviv ("Spring"), written by Rachel Bluwstein, composed by Nissim Shuval and sung - in a rare 1967 recording - by Ilanit.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Israel Story

Bonus: A Land of Promises - A Passover Special

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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bonus: "America"

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

Bonus: R&R, Revisited

We want your feedback! Please fill out our listener survey.Head to israelstory.org/survey and help us keep the show free.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We Want To Hear From You!

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. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

65: Game Changer

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. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bonus: The Stories We Killed

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, Shai Satran and Sharon Rapaport. Two primary written sources for our Tell Saki project were Hallie Lerman's Crying for Imma and Menachem Ansbacher's memoir, Rsis MiMagash HaKesef.  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.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

64: Tell Saki - Part II

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.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bonus: The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God, Revisited

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.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

63: Tell Saki - Part I

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. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bonus: The Most Beautiful Book Ever Written, Revisited

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.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

62: Round Trip

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.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bonus: The Queen Rania Tree, Revisited

In celebration of Hanukkah, we revisit - and update - one of our fan favorites. An episode that - much like the tale of Hanukkah itself - is all about a miraculous jug of liquid.The original music in ‘The Pitcher’ was composed and performed by Ari Jacob. Sela Waisblum mixed the episode, and Zev Levi edited the re-release. The end song, Orot (“Lights”) is by Avrharam Tal.  Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bonus: The Pitcher, Revisited

We’ll be back in a couple of weeks with new Israel Story episodes. In the meantime, today we bring you an episode from a new podcast that launched this fall called Schmaltzy. Just in time for Hanukkah, Schmaltzy’s episode tells a touching story that begins with a three-year-old’s late-night plea to abandon bedtime and instead make latkes. We hope you enjoy Schmaltzy, and will be back with Israel Story episodes soon.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bonus: Schmaltzy

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.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or Tablet Magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

61: The Princess

Israel Story is an award-winning podcast that tells true stories you won't hear on the news. Hosted by Mishy Harman, the bi-weekly show brings you extraordinary tales about ordinary Israelis. The show is distributed by PRX, the Public Radio Exchange, and produced in partnership with Tablet Magazine. For Hebrew episodes, see סיפור ישראלי, or go to our website: israelstory.org

hubhopper

Israel Story

hubhopper