Do you have an Amazon Echo? If so, listening to great Israeli music has never been easier. Here are three ways to listen to our shows, as well as other incredible Israeli content, using Amazon’s popular “smart speaker”:
1. “Alexa, play Israel Hour Radio”
Want to listen to our weekly podcast? Just say, “Alexa, play Israel Hour Radio” and she’ll immediately start playing the most recent episode of Israel Hour Radio. If you have a Google Home, you can say, “Hey Google, play Israel Hour Radio”. It’s that easy!
2. “Alexa, enable Israeli Music Today” (currently unavailable)
Our new YouTube show, “Israeli Music Today”, is now available as an Alexa skill! Once enabled, it will play as part of your daily “flash briefing”, in which Alexa plays the news from sources you’ve selected. To add us to your flash briefing, just say, “Alexa, enable Israeli Music Today”. Alternatively, you can also visit this link on Amazon.com and click the “enable” button on the right. Of course, the show is much better when you can watch it on YouTube, but who not get the best of both worlds?
3. “Alexa, open Israeli radio”
For at least a year and a half after I got my Amazon Echo, I fought with Alexa to play Israeli radio stations.
Me: Alexa, play Galgalatz on TuneIn.
Alexa: I can’t find a station called ‘gal ga lights’ on TuneIn.
Me: Alexa, play Reshet Gimmel on TuneIn
Alexa: I can’t find a station called ‘ratchet gimmel’ on TuneIn
This went on day after day. I was almost ready to break up with Alexa. But suddenly, the “Israeli radio” skill came to my rescue. At the time I wrote this article, it allows you to – painlessly – play 22 Israeli radio stations on your Echo device.
To use the skill, first say “Alexa, enable Israeli radio“. You only have to do that once. (You can also visit this page on Amazon.com to enable the skill.) Then, whenever you want to listen to an Israeli radio station, just say “Alexa, open Israeli radio“. Alexa will then ask, “What Israeli radio station should I play?” At the time of this writing, you can respond with any of the following:
- Galgalatz
- Galatz
- Radio Haifa
- Radios
- Kol Rega
- Reshet Aleph
- Reshet Bet
- Reshet Gimmel
- Lello Haffsaca
- Eco
- Kan 88 (88FM)
- Radio Jerusalem
- Hum Esh (99.5)
- Radio Tel Aviv
- Kol Hai
- Kol Barama
- Reka (101.2FM)
- Galgalatz Alternative
- Galgalatz Weekend Music
- Galgalatz Classic Rock
- Galgalatz Classic Israeli Music
- Galgalatz Yam Tichoni
You’ll then be listening to your favorite Israeli radio station within seconds, stress free. It’s that easy!
One Alexa Device, Many Choices for Israeli Music
Of course, we strongly and wholeheartedly recommend Israel Hour Radio as your first and best source for Israeli music. But when you’re ready for more, allow Alexa to cure your craving for Israeli culture!
Do you use your Amazon Echo / smart speaker to listen to Israeli music? Have you discovered other great Alexa tips? If so, let us know in the comments below!