Episode 035 - The Pioneering Israeli Newswoman: A Conversation with Sivan Rahav-Meir

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Sivan Rahav-Meir is a true anomaly in Israeli society: a popular TV news anchor, commentator and columnist, but also a fully and publicly observant Jewish woman. Growing up in the upscale Tel Aviv suburb of Herzaliya, Sivan had a penchant for interviewing others from the age of six, beginning with her classmates and teachers, and eventually branching out to broader society.

She became a "child star," appearing on youth programs, interviewing prime ministers and celebrities, and already worked professionally in the field while still a teenager. Around that time, she also discovered a passion for her Jewish roots, which until then had remain unexplored.

As she matured in both her faith and her career, Sivan eventually came to see her calling in the changing world of "new media" as  synthesizing these twin passions, and she began teaching and speaking on these topics. Quickly, her daily Torah posts - since compiled in to a book named #Parsha - went viral, and her weekly Jerusalem Parsha (Torah Portion) class attracted over 700 live participants, with many more followers online.

Along the way, Sivan has pioneered a new model of public discourse about Judaism, and "mainstreamed" many topics previously not addressed in some corners of Israeli society. While maintaining her role as a popular news reporter and writer, today Sivan speaks around the country and around the world, sharing an infectious message of unity and optimism, anchored to a timeless Jewish harbor.

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ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Jews You Should Know introduces the broader community to interesting and inspiring Jewish men and women making a difference in our world. Some are already famous, some not yet so. But each is a Jew You Should Know.

The host, Rabbi Ari Koretzky, is Executive Director of MEOR Maryland (www.meormd.org), a premier Jewish outreach and educational organization. MEOR operates nationally on twenty campuses and in Manhattan; visit the national website at www.meor.org.

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A special thank you to Jacob Rupp of the Lift Your Legacy podcast for his invaluable production assistance.