Israel 201: Your Next-Level Guide to Life in the Holy Land

Israel 201: Your Next-Level Guide to Life in the Holy Land

Tuesday at 12:00pm PDT

Israel is in the news a lot, and almost always for the same things: conflict, elections, or the occasional start-up that sells for a billion dollars. In Israel 201, Joel Chasnoff and Benji Lovitt pull back the curtain and show you the people, places, and phenomena that make the country truly unique, and that can happen “only in Israel.” From Yom Kippur bike sales to Jerusalem’s cat conundrum and shomer Shabbos car insurance to LGBTQ combat soldiers in the IDF, this is the Israel you haven’t heard about. AJU’s Alyssa Silva will delve into the authors’ own experiences living in Israel and discuss their inspiration and process for creating Israel 201, a behind-the-scenes look at the magic, mystery, and chaos of one of the most fascinating, and misunderstood, countries on earth. Buy the book HERE.  

Since immigrating to Israel in 2006, Texas-native Benji Lovitt has delivered standup comedy and cultural presentations for audiences around the world. His perspectives on Israeli society and cultural differences have been featured on Israeli television and radio and in media outlets such as USA Today, BBC Radio, Time Magazine, The Atlantic, The Times of Israel, and more. Benji is the co-author of the new book Israel 201, in which he and co-author Joel Chasnoff pull back the curtain to unveil a more complete and comprehensive portrait of Israel that extends beyond the typical Israel narrative. Benji currently lives in Tel Aviv. 

A Chicago native and former Lone Soldier in the IDF, Joel Chasnoff has performed his unique brand of clean, Israel-positive comedy for more than 1,000 Jewish communities in ten countries. He is the author of four books, including the bestselling memoir The 188th Crybaby Brigade about his experience as a Lone Soldier in the Israeli army, and the recently released, Israel 201. The book has received advanced praise from some of the biggest names in the Jewish world, including a front- and back-cover blurbs from Mayim Bialik, Yossi Klein Halevi, and David Broza. Joel currently lives in Ra’anana, Israel, with his Israeli wife and their four kids. 

Alyssa Silva is the Programming Manager for the Office of Innovation at American Jewish University whose passion is to reimagine and implement what Jewish community looks like by bringing a unique perspective on what is engaging and inspiring Jewish communities today. Prior to arriving at AJU, she was the Assistant Executive Director of Houston Hillel, the Programming and Operations Associate at Maryland Hillel, and is a proud Moishe House DC alumni. Alyssa has a Master’s Degree in Jewish Nonprofit Management from The Zelikow School, a BA in Religious Studies from The University of Arizona, and a certificate in Jewish Experiential Education from The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.