28: On the Outs

28: On the Outs

Author: Israel Story August 25, 2017 Duration: 56:47

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 KarolinaTristan LohengrinDana Boulé and Robert Schumann. It was edited by Julie Subrin and mixed by Sela Waisblum and Aviv Meshulam.

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.

Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and by signing up for our newsletter at israelstory.org/newsletter/. For more, head to our site or The Times of Israel.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Hosted by Mishy Harman, Israel Story is an award-winning weekly podcast that moves beyond headlines to explore the nuanced, surprising, and deeply human realities of life. Each episode is built around true, meticulously crafted narratives about ordinary people, revealing the complex tapestry of Israeli society in ways that news reports rarely capture. These are extraordinary tales found in everyday moments-a portrait of a community, a personal dilemma, or a forgotten piece of history, all told with empathy and a journalist's eye for detail. The podcast, produced in partnership with The Jerusalem Foundation and The Times of Israel, offers an intimate auditory experience that connects listeners to the spiritual, religious, and cultural heartbeat of a place through the voices of those who live there. It’s a listening journey that challenges preconceptions and illuminates shared humanity. For Hebrew episodes, you can find them under סיפור ישראלי.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 221

Israel Story
Podcast Episodes
118: Wartime Diaries - Faiz Abu Sabehan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:20
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 Bedo…
117: Wartime Diaries - Mishka Ben-David [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:57
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 ho…
116: Wartime Diaries - Agi Mishol [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:55
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 s…
115: Wartime Diaries - Sahar Vardi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:42
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.Stay connected with us on Facebook, Inst…
114: Wartime Diaries - Louish Rijal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:58
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…
113: Wartime Diaries - Angela Buchdahl and Shlomo Nisanov [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:23
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 bro…
112: Wartime Diaries - Gidon Lev [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:22
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…
111: Wartime Diaries - Noga Friedman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:19
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…
110: Wartime Diaries - Matti Friedman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:11
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 ou…
109: Wartime Diaries - Alon Shalev [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:03
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 wi…