35: Whither Thou Goest

35: Whither Thou Goest

Author: Israel Story May 29, 2025 Duration: 1:08:31

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 Shavuot, we're playing a favourite episode of ours from the vault.


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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: 100

Israel Story
Podcast Episodes
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…
108: Wartime Diaries - Tomer Oshri [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:55
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 ma…
107: Wartime Diaries - Adva Gutman Tirosh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:58
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 – th…
106: Wartime Diaries - Raz Newman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:36
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 resear…
105: Wartime Diaries - Sivan Avnery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:53
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…
104: Wartime Diaries - David Broza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:52
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…
103: Wartime Diaries - Yarnin Peled [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:35
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…
102: Wartime Diaries - Mor Maisel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:50
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, whi…