Galei Tzahal: The Early Years of Army Radio in Israel

Galei Tzahal, the radio station of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), went on the air in 1950, broadcasting from the center of Israel to the general public. The station eventually became significant and highly esteemed, enjoying great popularity among listeners. The object of this article is to analyze the characteristics of the station in its early years. Lacking significant documentation of the programs broadcast in the first decades, as well as systematic audio recordings of the station's broadcasts, this article is based on documents found in the IDF archives, including letters, scripts of radio plays, polls, and planned lineups, as well as samples of the station's broadcasting schedules in the 1950s and 1960s, as published in the Israeli press.