Bring Israeli Culture to Your Community
Jake Gillis delivers culture-based Israel education that moves audiences beyond headlines and politics into lived Israeli experience. Through music, language, media, and storytelling, his talks create accessible, emotionally resonant entry points into Israeli society for English-speaking audiences.
Jake is the host of Sababoosh, a leading podcast and Substack on Israeli culture, and an experienced educator and speaker working with teens, students, and adults across North America and Israel.
Speaking & Teaching Topics
Jake offers talks, workshops, and short courses designed for engagement, discussion, and cultural fluency. Sessions can be delivered in Israel or via Zoom.
Featured Talk
Soundtrack of Resilience: Israeli Music after October 7th
How Israeli artists are responding to trauma, grief, and uncertainty—and how music is helping a society process loss while imagining hope.
Additional Topics
Israeli Music as a Window into Society — from Naomi Shemer to contemporary Mizrahi pop
Israeli Slang and What It Reveals — language as a map of identity and power
Netflix and Learn — Israeli TV as a lens into social tensions and change
A Cultural Guide to Israel — food, art, language, and stories that shape daily life
Custom Programs — tailored workshops or scholar-in-residence weekends
Who Jake Works With
Jewish Federations (missions) and JCCs
Synagogues and adult learning institutes
Campus groups and Hillels
Gap-year and study-abroad programs
Conferences and cultural events
What Participants Have Said
“Institutions around our community have hosted many important post-October-7 events, but Jake’s presentation offered something unique. Blending his own analysis and his pulse on Israeli culture, Jake was able to give us an insider look not just at the music that emerged after October 7 but at the way that music shifted as time passed. My favorite parts of the presentation were the close looks at individual songs and the charts laying out trends. I appreciated that the content was important and connected to the tragedy of the day without feeling too heavy. It was pop-cultural but academic, expert but accessible, lighter but still significant. I recommend this talk or anything else Jake offers!” - Adina, Young Israel of Southfield
Invite Jake
To bring a talk or workshop to your community or program, complete the interest form or reach out directly.
Email: jake@sababoosh.com