Welcome to Ten Stories, One Israel.
Israel has brought together millions of Jews from across the diaspora in the world’s most chaotic family reunion. This podcast is about what that really looks like. Though this series is fictional, each person is based on real stories shared with us by real people. Thank you to the dozens of people who graciously shared their lives with us, and we hope this show did your story justice. We literally couldn’t have made this show without you.
So what better place to start than a monit sherut, a shared taxi, between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem? It’s a fairly democratic way to travel. A place where young and old, professionals and students, tourists and locals, religious and secular rub shoulders – often literally, and sometimes against their will. It’s a perfect place to learn about the multifaceted character of one of the most interesting countries on earth. Today you’ll meet Alain Checroun, who – along with 300,000 other Jews – left Morocco for Israel in the 1960s. You’ll hear about the difficulties of immigration. The triumphs of being a part of a Jewish state. And you’ll understand how even members of the same family can inhabit totally different realities.