My Dad, David
David Harman z’l believed in people, in social justice and in our ability to overcome almost anything. He was an eternal optimist, a patient peacemaker and a living history book.
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On February 25, 2023, David Harman – Mishy’s dad – passed away. Here are a few sweet memories of him.
David taught his son life’s most fundamental lesson – one that is also the deep premise of Israel Story: That a person is a person is a person, no matter what.
He didn’t see class or nationality. Ethnicity or religion. Gender or attainments. Instead, he saw people. And when he saw them, he was genuinely curious about them. David appeared on the show a bunch of times over the years, and today – as a way of honoring and remembering him – we want to share some of those stories. Listen here:
Act One – Just Checking In. The Harman family likes to chat to each other. A lot. But just how much? Mishy gets his entire family on the line to find out.
Act Two – Not Your Typical Landlady. When David Harman was eighteen-years-old, he returned to Israel to enlist in the IDF. Since the rest of his family was stationed abroad, he needed to find a place to rent. Lucky for him, a chance meeting with Golda Meir in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood landed him not only a room on Balfour Street, but also an opportunity to witness history in the making.
Act Three – A Gift from Savta. When Mishy’s grandmother Zena passed away in January 2013, three months shy of her 99th birthday, the entire family spent the night huddled around her body, keeping it company. Not only did this somewhat macabre pajama party soon turn into a sweet memory, but it also produced a wedding and an adorable toddler, Shai Zena, who has exactly three things on her mind: Vanilla cake, yellow and purple cars, and… you guessed it – chocolate cake.
About Israel Story: Israel Story is the award-winning podcast that tells extraordinary tales about ordinary Israelis. Often called “the Israeli ‘This American Life,’” we bring you quirky, unpredictable, interesting and moving stories about a place we all think we know a lot about, but really don’t. Produced in partnership with The Times of Israel.
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