Veteran Israeli Journalist Oren Nahari Bids Farewell to Radio Amid Muscle Degeneration Battle

Oren Nahari, a leading Israeli foreign news journalist, has announced his departure from his radio programs on Kan Reshet Bet due to his struggle with rapidly progressing muscular dystrophy. In a prerecorded farewell broadcast of his show "Shabbat with Oren Nahari" and the podcast "A Year in an Hour," Nahari explained that the disease has severely affected his respiratory, swallowing, and speech functions, making it impossible for him to continue broadcasting.

Nahari opened his final program by reflecting on the current global situation from scientific and political perspectives and shared some of his favorite songs. He also concluded the podcast segment by covering significant historical events from 1961, including the sinking of the ship Egoz, the power struggle in China, the assassination of dictator Trujillo, and the military coup in South Korea.

He expressed gratitude to his audience, noting that the farewell came during a week when his program saw a 12% increase in listenership, reaching 162,000 weekly listeners, excluding delayed and online streams. Nahari recounted his journalistic journey, which began in sports reporting before he found his niche in foreign news coverage, reporting on major events such as the Rwandan genocide, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the 9/11 attacks.

Describing journalism as a mission to give voice and meaning to distant events, Nahari emphasized his commitment to delivering important facts in an engaging manner. Over the years, he has contributed to programs like "Roim Olam" and "Globes," and viewed his recent show as an intimate conversation with his audience. He hopes his work has broadened listeners' perspectives beyond Israel's borders and the present day.

Nahari’s farewell marks the end of a distinguished career shaped by dedication to in-depth foreign news reporting, as he confronts the challenges posed by his illness.