Keep Calm and Carry On

Some people operate within the confines of reality. Others don’t. Instead, they will things into existence. Today we’ll meet one such determined woman who – faced with countless obstacles – decided to keep calm, put one foot in front of the other, and carry on in pursuit of love.

In the prologue, we revisit unreleased parts of a conversation we recorded in preparation of Israel Story’s very first episode, back in August 2014. Mishy Harman – inexperienced, star-struck and decidedly uncalm – sought guidance and advice from his radio guru, Ira Glass.

In act one, we hear how Jordan never thought her summer in Israel would end the way it did. An independent-minded college student from a conservative family in Arkansas, she had already ventured far afield. But little did she know that one fateful and horrifying moment in 2012 would forever change the course of her life. Seven years later, sitting with her partner in their Jerusalem apartment, gazing at an orchid and a copy of ‘The Little Prince,’ they recount their love story. While they tell it with the same light-hardheartedness as the next couple, there is also a lingering sense of an ‘original sin,’ of a relationship born of a place it shouldn’t have. Yoshi Fields brings us an unlikely tale of persistence, stick-to-it-iveness and resolve.

The end song, “Inyan Shel Zman” (‘A Matter of Time’) was written by Ehud Manor, composed by Rami Kleinstein and performed by Gidi Gov (Licensed by Israel Story through Acum).

This episode originally aired in 2019.

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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