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Nostalgia plays on giant Jerusalem radio

Downtown sidewalk attraction draws listeners’ attention

By Jessica Steinberg

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2 July 2017, 7:51 pm

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Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

The enormous radio on Jerusalem's Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall, with five stations, including broadcasts from the time of the Six Day War (Courtesy Satrier&Sharvit)

Israeli radio isn’t what it used to be. Still, some nostalgic listeners may be amused by the giant, three-meter-high Panasonic radio currently sitting on the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall in Jerusalem.

The digital radio, which is operated with solar energy, was installed by Eden, the Jerusalem Development Company, together with Kan, the new broadcasting company, in honor of Jerusalem’s 50 years of reunification.

The oversized radio will be operated from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Listeners can switch between five channels broadcasting pop and rock, classical, Mediterranean and classic Israeli songs.

A fifth channel will take listeners back 50 years to the days surrounding the 1967 Six Day War, with news pieces and recordings from veteran public radio channel Kol Israel.