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Ep. 431 | The Israeli Bond (hmTv)

What happens when your childhood is split between two countries, two cultures, and two identities?

In this episode of The Israeli Bond, host Gal Swisa Cohen sits down with Jewish Agency emissary Maya Yaron to explore her life growing up in both Israel and Vancouver, Canada, and how those experiences shaped who she is today. Maya shares the emotional challenges of immigration at a young age, the struggle to fit in, rediscovering her Jewish identity in the diaspora, and the culture shock of returning to Israel as a teenager.

The conversation also dives into her transformative service in the Israeli Air Force as an air traffic controller, where resilience, confidence, and work ethic were forged under pressure. Maya reflects on the real differences between Israeli directness and North American politeness, why Israeli society feels deeply connected despite its intensity, and what young families should understand when considering life in Israel.

A thoughtful and personal discussion about belonging, identity, and growth, this episode offers listeners a meaningful look at the bridge between Israel and Jewish communities abroad, and why that connection still matters more than ever.

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