On October 31, 1993, Galgalatz Radio hit the airwaves of Israel.

According to Wikipedia, the station technically began three years earlier as “Tzahal 2”, a sister station to “Galei Tzahal” Army Radio.  The station would broadcast popular music along with frequent traffic reports, produced in conjunction with the National Authority for Traffic Safety. At the time, however, many new commercial radio stations were springing up around Israel, and the powers that be realized they had to make some changes in order to prevent other stations from stealing their audience.

Today, Galgalatz is the most popular radio station in Israel, continuing its successful formula of popular music combined with frequent traffic reports. In fact, when I visited the station this past summer (2018), I learned that Galgalatz has more listeners than all other Israeli radio stations combined!

“What’s your ‘Galgalatz song’?”

On November 1, Galgalatz celebrated 25 years on the air. However, in the weeks leading up to the anniversary, the station asked their listeners: “איזה שיר הוא הכי גלגלצ בשבילכם”? What song is the “most Galgalatz” for you? The listeners responded, and the station told some of their stories with a number of videos posted on their Facebook page.

First up, the story of Naftali, a bus driver from Modiin, who commented that the station – and a particular song by Keren Peles – were instrumental in helping him make a major life decision.

The second story they posted was the tale of Keren and Ophir, a husband and wife expecting their first child. They were having trouble deciding on a name for their baby-on-the-way. However, every time a particular song came on Galgalatz radio, the yet-unborn child went crazy in the womb. And so, the new baby named himself.

For Noa in Netanya, one Galgalatz song never fails to re-connect her with her departed mother. Noa’s mother was particularly fond of Ilanit, especially the song “Shir Shel Yom Chulin“. On the day of her funeral, Noa found herself stuck in traffic on the way to the cemetery. She was listening to Galgalatz. when all of a sudden, her mother’s favorite song came on the air. For Noa, the song was a clear sign from her mother that everything was going to be ok.

“Halleluyah” at 2 am Every Saturday Night: A Tzahal Tradition

The final video was my personal favorite. Apparently, Galgalatz is part of a long-standing custom in the Israeli army. In army bases throughout the country, soldiers will gather around the radio every Saturday night at 2 am. That’s when Galgalatz always plays Leonard Cohen’s Halleluyah, with a version performed by Jeff Buckley. The soldiers will prepare some coffee and cookies, join together in song, talk about the week that passed and get ready for the week ahead.

For most of us, Galgalatz provides the Israeli soundtrack to our lives. For chayalim, however, it’s a beautiful tradition of music and camaraderie.

A Personal Reflection

I’ve spent a great deal of time listening to the station from the United States. Unfortunately, I’ve never been thrilled with the music mix at Galgalatz. I feel they play too much English music (roughly every other song), and they don’t always play enough current Israeli hits. Though I can’t quite put my finger on it, their taste in music is somewhat different from mine. But then again, living in America, I’m not their target audience, am I?

However, visiting the station last summer was a thrill. Located in Jaffa, in an unassuming, not-very-glamorous complex, Galei Tzahal and Galgalatz run in an extremely professional manner. The employees, many of whom are current chayalim, take their roles very seriously.

I had the opportunity to sit in on Hadar Marks’ morning show (in the chair Shlomo Artzi had sat in the previous morning!), and Hadar could not have been more gracious, warm and inviting. We learned a great deal about Israel’s most beloved radio station, including the painstaking process involved in choosing the playlists for the station. We also learned, surprisingly, the Galgalatz traffic reports are still a major source of information for frustrated drivers nationwide – even in today’s Waze-powered world.

Mazal Tov, Galgalatz! Thanks for the music, memories and fun.