In this episode of Yalla, Let's Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Avi Mayer - founder of Jerusalem Journal and former Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post - for a candid conversation about identity, belonging, journalism, and what it really means to choose Israel.
Avi shares his journey from New York to Jerusalem at age six, navigating the Gulf War, the Oslo years, and the Second Intifada, before returning to serve in the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. He opens up about leading the Jerusalem Post on October 7th, the fog of war in the newsroom, the mental health toll on journalists, and why he left to build something new. He also gets into why Jerusalem - not Tel Aviv - feels like home, the value of representing Israel on the world stage, and his honest take on whether aliyah is for everyone.
The conversation continues with:
Growing up in Israel during defining historical moments
Building a career telling Israel's story: IDF, Jewish Agency, AJC
Running a newsroom on the worst day in Israel's recent history
Launching Jerusalem Journal and what was missing in the media landscape
The tension and beauty of daily life in Israel
Practical advice for anyone considering aliyah
This is a rich conversation about purpose, press, and the pull of a place you can truly call your own.
Subscribe for more conversations with people who live, work, build, and stay in Israel.
#AviMayer #JerusalemJournal #JerusalemPost #Israel #Aliyah #October7 #IsraeliMedia #Journalism #JewishIdentity #YallaLetsGo #LifeInIsrael #IDF #IsraelStory #MakingAliyah
KEY TOPICS
0:00 - Intro
0:50 - Meet Avi Mayer: The Journalist Who Chose to Tell Israel's Story
2:32 - From Great Neck to Jerusalem: A Life Built Between Two Worlds
3:45 - The Moment He Knew He Had to Come Back
4:38 - Growing Up Amid Terror: How Childhood in Israel Shaped Everything
6:05 - Finding His Purpose: Telling Israel's Story at Every Stage of His Career
7:00 - October 7th in the Newsroom: When Even the Best Sources Knew Nothing
8:11 - The Price Journalists Pay for Bearing Witness
9:30 - Fighting Disinformation with Good Journalism: Is It Enough?
11:23 - Why Avi Left the Jerusalem Post to Build Something New
12:32 - Why Jerusalem Feels Like Home When Everywhere Else Doesn't
13:29 - One Foot in Israel, One Eye on the World
14:18 - What's Hard About Living Here (Even When You Love It)
15:47 - This Is Mine: On Belonging, Beauty & the Pull of Israel
17:11 - Come With Your Eyes Wide Open: Advice for Anyone Considering Aliyah
18:03 - Is Aliyah for Everyone? An Honest Answer
18:45 - "I Bound My Life With the Life of My People"
19:28 - Rapid Fire: Krembos, Gushpanka & Trader Joe's
RESOURCES
Follow Avi on X: https://x.com/avimayer
Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go
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CREDITS
Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn
Executive Producer: Sarah Bard
Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider
Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic
Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar
Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg
Design: Nimrod Sapir
