Years ago, Mishy Harman wondered about his fellow Israelis. There seemed to be so many differences within the country—political, ideological, sociological—and yet he didn’t personally know anybody who wasn’t like himself. He wanted to change that.

That desire to meet different people propelled him to create Israel Story, a long-form radio documentary show modelled after This American Life. Now heading into its sixth season, it tells nuanced, diverse Israeli stories that shed light on the country beyond the geopolitics.

Harman joins Avi and Ilana on Bonjour Chai, The CJN’s weekly current affairs show, to discuss the show’s origins and indulge in the world of Jewish podcasting.

Plus: With widespread vaccination bringing congregants back to shul, some are still wary of being indoors with a crowd. It begs the contrarian question: Will they ever feel safe enough to return to synagogue again?

Credits

Bonjour Chai is hosted by Avi Finegold and Ilana Zackon. Michael Fraiman is the producer. Andrew Goulet is the technical producer. Our theme music is by Socalled. The show is a co-production from The Jewish Learning Lab and The CJN, and is distributed by The CJN Podcast Network. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.