Israel Hour Radio

06/27/2025

On October 7th, Omri Miran was taken to Gaza by Hamas from Kibbutz Nachal Oz, in front of his wife and two baby daughters.

That was 630 days ago, and Omri remains a hostage in Hamas dungeons - along with 49 other men and women.

In light of the recent war with Iran, our hostages seem to have taken a back seat. The residents of Kibbutz Nachal Oz want to make sure we remember Omri and his fellow hostages, so they decided to dedicate a song to him.

The residents recently came together to sing Arik Einstein's "Od Nipagesh" (We Will Meet Again).

"We will meet again," they sing, "and it will be good for us. Don't worry, it will be soon, soon."

May their words come true TODAY. 🎗️

06/26/2025

OK, THIS is cool.

סאבלימינל - Subliminal and (הצל) the shadow are sending shockwaves throughout the Israeli music world again.

Last week, they put out a call for Israeli unity (well, at least THEIR definition of unity) in the emotional song, "Avinu".

This week, they're promoting a different kind of unity.

Unity among brothers.
Unity among nations.
Unity among those seeking similar goals.

They've joined forces with Hamed Fard, who, from what I could find online, was one of the first singers of political rap in Iran and was arrested by the Islamic Republic in 2015. He was forced to seek asylum in Turkey at the time, and currently lives in Belgium.

In a song called "Me'uchadim" in Hebrew and "Ethiad" in Arabic (both meaning "unity"), the artists recreate Subliminal V'hatzel's song from January 2024, "Zeh Aleinu" (with Raviv Kaner).

"Zeh Aleinu" called for strength and determination after October 7th.

But this time, "Me'uchadim" is calling for an end to the regime that oppresses Israelis and Iranians alike.

It's been said many times...Israelis are not fighting with the Iranian people. They're fighting with the fanatical regime currently in power in Iran.

After the events of the past 12 days, it's wonderful to see this hard-hitting collaboration unifying our two nations. May peace come very soon - as the song says:

"The Lions of Judah and the Lions of the Rising Sun stand united."

(Make sure English subtitles are selected on the video)

06/26/2025

It's been a rough week for all of us.
We've all been glued to the news for days.
We've celebrated our victories, and grieved for our victims.

If you're like me, a patriotic, feel-good song about Israel would hit the spot right about now, huh?

We got you.

"Am Shel Arayot" (A Nation of Lions), a new release by Adir Getz and the IDF Entertainment Troupe just brightened my day, and I'm sure it will do the same for you.

Here's the chorus:
אנחנו עם של גיבורים וגיבורות
ואלוהים אחד שומע תפילות
אנחנו עם של לוחמים ואריות
ואין כמו ישראל מכל המדינות

"We are a nation of heroes
And [our] one God hears our prayers
We are a nation of warriors and lions
And there's no one like Israel among the nations."

If you're starting to feel inspired and uplifted by the words of the chorus, you're going to love the full song and its patriotic video.

Link below. Watch it now, and thank me later. 🇮🇱❤🇮🇱❤

אדיר גץ - Adir Getz IDF - Israel Defense Force צה"ל - צבא ההגנה לישראל

06/25/2025

You've been following the news.
You've been watching the dramatic scenes on TV.
You've been reading the firsthand accounts on social media.

But until you live here, there's really no way to know what it's been like for Israelis over the past 12 days.

(So here's one more firsthand account on social media 😊)

First, a huge thanks to the many of you who have reached out to ask about me and my family. Thank God, we’re all safe and sound…but I’d be lying if I said that this war hasn’t taken its toll on every one of us.

So what have the last 12 days been like? Here’s just a sampling of our lives:

Every night, before heading to bed, we made sure all of our essentials were safe in the mamad (safe room).

Computers, phones and chargers, valuables, important documents, medications, clothes and shoes, car keys…

Y’know, in case the rest of the house blows up.

And before going to sleep, we’d joke about how “we’ll see you in a couple of hours!”
We were usually right, with missile warnings at all hours of the day and night.

On the radio, we’ve been hearing commercials for supplemental insurance. Your homeowner’s insurance will only cover so much if your house is hit by a missile, so ACT NOW to make sure all of your belongings are covered.

Public gatherings are forbidden.
Synagogue services are cancelled.
You needed government permission to have a funeral.

Want to get some air and go for a walk?
Don’t go too far…if there’s an attack, where are you going to go?

I spoke to a neighbor who told me that her daily walks consisted of 10 houses in one direction, followed by 10 houses in the other – just to stay close to home.

It really felt like Covid all over again. Children were learning on Zoom, adults working from home.

Bored kids with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

No schedules whatsoever. My older kids at home (22 and 17) would binge-watch TV until 3am…and wake up at 2 the next afternoon. ‘Cuz, why not?
(We had no valid answer to offer.)

Then suddenly?

War’s over. Everything is back to normal.
P**f - just like that.

A blissful full night’s sleep. Kids back at school for just a few more days. Activities, synagogue services, public transportation, entertainment…all business as usual.

(Just because President Trump said so.)

As I wake up to an “old” new reality, I am honestly grateful for the experience.

Grateful for the family time.
Grateful for the shared experiences this nation has endured.
Grateful for the resumption of normalcy.
Grateful that we are still here.
Grateful for the IDF.
Grateful for our homeland.

This war is far from over. As long as there are those plotting our destruction – and there are many – we know it won’t be long before we have to take cover in shelters once again. We’re still fighting a war on several fronts, and still anxiously awaiting the return of 50 hostages.

But for now, I’m just happy that my 12 year old son gets out of the house for 7 hours a day.
Until summer vacation starts on Monday.

06/19/2025

NEW PODCAST EPISODE - LINK BELOW:
Israel is at war. Israelis are running to shelters multiple times throughout the day and night. Despite a growing string of simply miraculous events, many lives have been lost and many homes and structures have been destroyed. And yes, we are all a little on edge. But no matter what our enemies destroy, they can't destroy our spirit - the greatest weapon Israelis possess! Join us for Josh's firsthand perspective into the past few days of war, and stay tuned as we attempt to put our minds a bit more at ease with songs of strength, victory, and optimism. You'll leave the hour with renewed faith in the State of Israel! (Original Air Date: June 15, 2025)

06/19/2025

Wow Wow Wow!💥

What a POWERFUL new song from סאבלימינל - Subliminal and (הצל) the shadow: "Avinu" - a prayer for the State of Israel, with a plea for unity throughout our nation.

I'll need to take some time to translate the whole song...but even if you don't understand the lyrics, you WILL be moved by this experience.

💥 Its chorus is a melody many of us already know and love.
💥 It leans heavily on Israeli history to make its point, with powerful images and videos representing all the Jewish State stands for.
💥 Of course, Subliminal V'hatzel deliver the kind of hard-hitting lyrics they're famous for, driving the point home as only they can.

This is DEFINITELY a song we need right now. Don't miss this!

UPDATE: There ARE English subtitles available! Make sure you click on the settings to change the subtitle language from Hebrew to English if English subtitles don't come up automatically.

06/16/2025

War with Iran, day #4.

We're used to rockets. We're used to sirens. We're used to safe rooms.

But I think it's fair to say that this is unlike anything I've ever experienced since we moved to Israel nearly two years ago.

Every night, we are woken several times. We wearily make our way to the mamad (safe room), which is also my boys' bedroom. We've added an extra mattress on the floor to accommodate all of us, sharing beds (not-so-comfortably) so we can, maybe, catch a few minutes of sleep while awaiting the "all clear".

But that sleep usually doesn't come.

The sirens wail. Then they stop.

Then, BOOMS. One after another.

Loud. Louder than anything we've heard before.

Of course, that makes sense. The missiles are hitting homes not far from us. Rehovot. Rishon L'tzion. Tel Aviv. Cities we could drive to in, say, 20-25 minutes.

Eventually, we receive the "all clear" signal on our phones, and trudge back into our bedroom...

…knowing all too well that our restless night has just begun.

And then I read of the devastation. Thank God, my family is safe and sound. But countless families have lost lives, limbs, or property. I'm angry, and honestly a little scared.

Our kids have school on Zoom. We rarely leave the house..
It feels like Covid all over again.

I know we will prevail.
I know we are doing the right thing.
I know we are doing the world a favor.

But I'm also REALLY tired. This is getting old really fast.

Pray for the brave men and women of the IDF. 🙏
We MUST defeat this evil.

(P.S. I know I'm usually much more cheerful and positive on these pages. Sleep deprivation has a way of bringing out the grouch in you. :) )

06/15/2025

After yet another harrowing night here in Israel, with destruction, loss of life, and fear throughout the country, we can all use a boost of positivity and strength during this uncertain time.

For today's episode of Israel Hour Radio (11am Eastern), we're compiling a list of Israel's most powerful songs of strength, determination, unity, and victory.

What songs would you like to hear today?

06/13/2025

Shabbat Shalom from an Israel full of emotion:

GRATEFUL for the IDF, the Mossad, and all of Israel's brave men and women who put their lives at risk to protect ours, day and night.

NERVOUS for what might come next, and when.

AWESTRUCK over the miraculous events over the past 24 hours. Decades in the making, expertly executed.

HEARTBROKEN over the fate of our hostages, now facing day 614 in hell.

HOPEFUL that today's events will - eventually - lead to better, happier, more peaceful days in the Middle East.

Shabbat Shalom to all!! 🇮🇱✡️

06/13/2025

06/12/2025

Today is International Falafel Day (really)!
Where's the BEST place - in Israel or abroad - to grab a falafel?

06/12/2025

RIP Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.
When Brian performed in Tel Aviv in 2018, he invited Israeli legend דני סנדרסון - Danny Sanderson to join him on stage. The result? Pure magic. Click the link in the comments, and sing along!