I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the year that was and to express my gratitude to you, the reader and/or listener, for taking the time to read and/or listen to Sababoosh content. Whether you joined at the very beginning (maybe even two and a half years ago with the Sababoosh Whatsapp group) or yesterday, I’m grateful that you have subscribed and to have you on board.
This Substack and the Sababoosh podcast were created as a way to provide lighter content about Israel away from the news and the war. There are so many reasons to love Israel and so many ways to connect with this magical country away from current events and doomscrolling. The mission has been to provide a wide range of topics in order for you to have something that you are interested in. Whether you enjoy learning about all things Israel or are particularly passionate about Israeli music, there is content for you.
It has been a lot of fun creating this content. It brings together multiple passions and allows me to learn more about Israeli culture. I’m excited about what’s coming up in terms of new content and educational materials for learning more and teaching about Israeli culture. I’m looking forward to hearing your input and to hearing what new features or content would be interesting to you.
The First Post
Below is the post that started it all when I first thought of starting a Substack two years ago, but the weekly posts started one year ago. This started the momentum that led me to send a daily Whatsapp message with a song and a slang term or expression. The Sababoosh podcast started just a few weeks later with our first episode on Hebrew slang with guest, Guy Sharett.
The Posts
Topics have ranged from Eurovision to Mimouna as a part of more than 50 posts. The following is a list of the top 10 based on the number of views and it is fairly consistent with the most enjoyable ones to write. I’d really like to hear your ideas in the upcoming year on what you would like to learn about.
3) Lighting a Torch in Dark Times
5) Sufganiyot: The Girl Scout Cookies of Israel
6) The Peoplehood Power of Israeli Music
7) Ain't No Party Like A Mimouna Party
8) In With The Old, In With the New: A Guide to Israeli Culture
9) Lessons from a Decade in Israel
10) Israel's Astounding (and Imprecise) World Record
Upcoming Podcast Guests
Some upcoming guests on the podcast for the second half of Season 2 are:
Academia w/ Dr. Danny Chamovitz, President of Ben Gurion University
The Religious and Secular Divide w/ Rabbi David Stav, Co-Founder and Chair of Tzohar
Galgalatz w/ Ahinoam Baer, Galgalatz radio show host and host of Pop Culture podcast, PopTalk
The National Library w/ Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Head of Collections at the National Library of Israel
Milium (Reserve Duty and the Families of Reservists) w/ Rachel Azaria, former MK and co-founder of HaOgen
Saba-BOOST
As we move into Year 2, I want to take Sababoosh to the next level with enhanced quality, promotion, and educational materials like a guide to Israeli culture and a curriculum. It’s very important that the podcast and Substack remain free and your support helps provide Israeli cultural knowledge to lovers (and future lovers) of Israel around the world.
If you are able to contribute, I would be most grateful.
You can be a part of our growth here.
Song of the Year
ואיך שלא
V'e’eich sheh-loe
And how could it not?
I would have thought that “Am Yisrael Chai” would have taken the gold, but then Eyal Golan’s illicit actions somewhat cancelled the song. A very close second has been this cover by Omer Adam. Originally by Ariel Zilber and then popularized by Mosh Ben Ari, this song is considered an Israeli classic known by Israelis of all ages. This cover hits different due to Adam’s unique vocals and a certain heart-string pull. It is a song that feels very Israeli and I am filled with pride and belonging when listening to it. It has provided a lot of comfort over the last year. I generally get excited about covers of songs and always wonder if they can outdo the original. Omer Adam knocked this one out of the park.
Slang of the Year
סאחי
Saw-chee
Tough to translate, but something like a goody-two-shoes or naive or too optimistic. Certain groups might be seen as being ‘sachi’ such as Americans.
You can learn more in this post about the slang term here.
Thank you kindly for reading this week’s post. I hope that you will continue to read and enjoy.
To sponsor a falafel if you like what you read: www.buymeacoffee.com/sababoosh
Wishing you a Shabbat shalom and a quiet and safe weekend!