Linda Gradstein
ISRAEL
Linda Gradstein is the correspondent for Voice of America which is an international broadcasting network funded by the US government which reaches more than 320 million people around the world in dozens of languages. She is also the Israel correspondent for CBS Radio in the US. In her spare time, she also writes restaurant reviews for the Jerusalem Post, and teaches journalism at NYU - Tel Aviv. Linda lives in Jerusalem with her husband and two of her four adult children. She speaks both Arabic and Hebrew and has won several awards for her coverage.
SESSION INFO
SATURDAY 2-3pm
A little Bit of Arabic
Linda Gradstein has studied Arabic on and off since university and currently reads short stories in a class in Palestinian Arabic. After an introduction to Arabic (classical vs. Modern Standard vs local spoken dialects), this session will have participants working in pairs to learn and practice some basic words and phrases written in transliteration.
SATURDAY 7.00-9.00pm - LIMMUD IN YOUR LOUNGE
New Trends in Food and Wine in Israel
In the last few years, and despite the war in Gaza, Israel has become a powerhouse of food and wine. What is Israeli cuisine? What is happening in the restaurant world in Israel? When it comes to wine, there are more than 300 wineries in Israel and the quality has improved dramatically. There is now a move to more Mediterranean varieties and more white wines. Join Linda Gradstein for a glass of wine and a discussion on the Israeli culinary scene.
SUNDAY 11.30-12.30pm
From Trauma to Tomorrow: A look at Jewish and Israeli Identity Post-October 7th
Join Alex Sinclair, Linda Gradstein and Dina Kraft for a panel discussion chaired by local journalist Sapeer Mayron. They will each share their vision for Israeli society moving forward from October 7th. What are the possible ways forward after the war? What do Israelis want? How can Israelis begin to heal from collective trauma and pave a pathway to the future? And how is that future interconnected to the fate of their counterparts in Gaza?
SUNDAY 1.30-2.30pm
Covering the War: Challenges and Opportunities
Linda Gradstein has been a journalist for three decades but covering the Gaza war has been different than any previous conflict. Journalists were not able to enter Gaza which made coverage difficult. Also, the home front was the same as the war front with missiles landing all over Israel. The fact that hundreds of Israelis were being held hostage in Gaza had never happened before. Linda personally had three sons serving simultaneously in the army. It is hard to imagine that 18 months later the war is still going on. How have journalists learned to cover it?