Radio Staff

Your name please?

Gady Ten Ezer

Where are you from, Gady?

I was born and raised in Menahamiya, which is a moshava (farming community) right next to the Sea of Galilee. I currently live in Kibbutz Dorot near Sderot.

What are you studying in college?

Media and Communications, specializing in radio. I'm in my 3^rd year.

And how would you define yourself as a Jew?

Secular, as secular as an Israeli can be.

What do you think about "Horsemen At Night?"

WOW! It’s all about perspective, when reading the Torah.  I'm still the same person I was, but I never realized that the Torah deals mostly with people of flesh and blood, just like me and everyone around me, people who make mistakes and then have to find a way out (or not) - people with real emotions and not just people with blind belief.

Your name please?

Maya Gordon

Where are you from, Maya?

I was born in Tel Aviv but my first years were spent in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1990 my whole family made aliyah to Israel and settled in Herzliya, where I grew up. Today I live near the college in Kibbutz Dorot.

What are you studying in college?

I'm a third-year student of Communications, specializing in radio, at Sapir College.

And how would you define yourself as a Jew?

I grew up in a secular home, in every sense of the word: no Kiddush, no Bible, and no sense of connection to Jewish tradition. As I grew up, I began to come closer to religion little by little. I began, by myself, to fast on Yom Kippur and go to synagogue, I started to separate milk and meat, and I stopped eating pork. These small things, which most Jews already do, were a dramatic change for me, a sort of personal process that I chose in order to feel closer to tradition.

What do you think about "Horsemen At Night?"

Although I was getting closer to tradition, I never thought that I would ever read the weekly Torah portion every week or that I would express my opinions about it on a weekly radio broadcast, Horsemen At Night . Thanks to the radio show, where I'm able to read the weekly portion and analyze it according to my own opinions, I have become stronger in my love for our tradition, our religion, and the place where I live.

Who's your favorite Bible character?

Tamar, because she didn't yield to Yehudah and through her tricks she was able to regain her status and honor.  

Your name please?

Hagar Moses

Where are you from, Hagar?

I was born in Eilat, and now I live in Kibutz Gevim, which is in the Negev.

What are you studying in college?

I study Media and Communications, specializing in radio. I'm in my second year.

And how would you define yourself as a Jew?

I define myself as secular, but I celebrate all the Jewish holidays. I really like the traditions.

What do you think about "Horsemen At Night?"

"Horsemen At Night " for me is what made me re-read the Torah. I've always liked those stories, but I haven't read them since high school. I like it when we read a story and can relate it to our lives today. It turns out that love, hate; jealousy, romance, etc., are not our inventions after all…

Who's your favorite Bible character?

My favorite character from the Bible is Moses, because he managed to overcome lots of problems in his life: the moment he was sent away on the Nile, his diffidence, meeting his family again, and when he stood up to Pharaoh. Despite everything, he succeeded in being a good leader and he led the people of Israel to freedom. 

Your name please?

Michal Agassi.

Where are you from, Michal?

 I'm originally from Moshav Tirat Yehudah near the airport. Now I'm renting an apartment in Kibbutz Sa'ad near Sderot.

What are you studying?

 I study soundtrack design and movie music. I'm in my second year.

And how would you define yourself as a Jew?

I am national-religious, what's called "crocheted kippah." Shabbat, kashrut, prayers – all by the book.

What do you think about "Horsemen At Night?"

Well, as a child who grew up in a religious home, who learned all the Torah portions from kindergarten through high school, hearing my father saying a d'var Torah at every Shabbat meal to this day, I thought it would be impossible to surprise me with anything from the Torah portion. What can I tell you? I was mistaken! Since I became a staff member of the show, I have to read the Torah portion every week – to read it carefully, thoroughly, and try to see what's beneath the surface. This weekly reading has uncovered new layers of the Torah stories for me, things that were always right there in front of my eyes, although I never managed to see them. You can see every story from different angles, and you can find many interpretations and a variety of opinions about every character and event. But what's certain is that the Torah always offers something new, no matter how many times you've read it before.

Which three things would you take with you onto Noah's ark?

 First, Neil Young; it would be a shame if he disappeared from the world… Next, I'd bring all the technological and medical advances in the world to date. And most important, of course I'd bring a Bible, so I'd have some reading material for the way.

Who's your favorite Bible character?

Without a doubt, the prophet Devorah. That's a woman who knows what she wants, who was a wonderful leader, and who gained a position of honor in the Bible.

Your name please?

Omer Ben Jakob

Where are you from?

 Born in New York, raised in Tel Aviv, educated in Sderot.

What are you studying in college?

.Im not studying formally at the college, but the college has been my "headquarters" for the last three years, so its almost like studying. All of the social programs that I coordinate that originally brought me to Sderot are based at the college and in Sderot.

Next year I start Ben Gurion University, studying Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE).

And how would you define yourself as a Jew?

 Until I started getting involved in Hillel, I wouldn't define myself as a Jew. However today I enjoy the self defined title of "secular jew", which is part of a much bigger definition of "Israeli". Until I got involved in Hillel I felt that I had to choose between being a secular Israeli and being a "jew". Today I understand that this is not an either / or thing. I am first an foremost an Israeli, part of that for me is being secular and part of being secular is being a secular Jew. Also through Hillel I have fallen in love again with the Hebrew language.

What do you think about "Horsemen At Night?"

By far the most interesting, challenging, educating thing I've done this year. For me it symbolizes the essence of Hillel; on the one hand we read and study the weekly torah portion, we do so as a group, a collective, where no one of us is "in charge", every interpretation is acceptable. On the other hand it's rock'n'roll. We take our interpretations and turn them into a radio program. The golden Calve becomes the Beastie Boys "You've gotta fight for your right to party". Moses' death becomes John Lenon's "A working class hero is something to be". Noa's Arc becomes an interview with a carpenter or submarine captain or even a crazy hippie who lives in international waters.

Also I have to say that "politically" it has been an interesting journey for me. Also in terms of the group dynamic between us, because we all come from different backgrounds, and also because the reading of the weekly Torah portion we really went through the "Biblical narrative" of the connection to "The Land of Israel". For me this has always been a big political no-no as I feel that we should focus on the State of Israel and not on "The Land of Israel". I can't say my political opinions have changed but I have learned a lot.

Favorite biblical character?

God. I'm no Rabbi and can't say I know the bible from front to back, but from what I gather he seems to be the main guy. A real mover and shaker. Also, like me, he seems to be in need of therapy, and I mean that in a very good sense of ones desire to better themselves. His inconsistency in terms of policy and action have created for me a vision of somebody that has ups & downs, and contemplates a lot, sometime to much.

If not God then Adam. He is so a-political, so clean, so out of context that it is hard not to be jealous.