As TV7’s Jerusalem office looks to the year ahead, one could exclaim: Déjà vu!
Israel is once again heading to elections just as it did twice in 2019. The country also faces continued challenges on the security front. Although TV7 staff have spent considerable time under these conditions, the joys and the concerns of their everyday lives remain much the same.
To what does the Jerusalem office most credit for the ability to maintain the sense of normalcy in such a pressured environment? The most prevailing answers were love of family, God, prayer, music, humanity and being productive.
Bureau Chief Jonathan is one of those blessed people whose personal and professional passions are one and the same. He diligently pursues truthful information to present to TV7 viewers, which he considers as service for the Kingdom of God. Although Christ is his ultimate source of joy and strength, Jonathan is greatly appreciative of faithful prayer and support of our audiences in Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Ukraine and other nations around the world.
He enjoyed the Christmas break with wife and TV7 Producer Ma’ayan, relaxing and rejuvenating on holiday in Europe. Jonathan says his New Year’s resolutions include healthier lifestyle habits, improving his Arabic and the authoring of a book.
Upon the joyous completion of her Master’s degree with excellence, Ma’ayan was able to put her academic knowledge into practice by filling in as a news anchor while Jonathan was abroad. Inspired by the tremendous support of viewers for the Jewish State, TV7 Israel News and her own contribution, she plans to dedicate the next decade to the advancement of her professional and family life. Her most prized social activities include meeting with friends, gourmet cooking and gardening.
Mirroring Helsinki headquarters, TV7 Jerusalem became more familial when Ma’ayan’s mother joined the staff last spring as an Editor. Erin brings ‘professionalism under fire’ acquired by decades of covering innumerable conflicts in the Middle East with accuracy. She believes in the saying that Israelis are the most optimistic people in the world with the least reason for being so and prays accordingly.
Aside from the satisfaction he gains from his work as Office Manager and Producer in TV7 Israel, Yair’s paramount inspirations are the two redheads in his life – wife Anna and 1,5-year-old daughter Ella Ruth. Ecstatic that Ella’s first word in Hebrew was ‘Abba’, meaning ‘father’, Yair is now looking forward to watching his firstborn and family continue to flourish.
While striving for excellence in the professional realm, News Directors Sergei and Chen love spending time with their young families. Sergei, who is also a Cameraman, is now set on improving his photography skills with a new course; and hopes that interesting new programs will emerge from TV7’s production wheels.
Pertaining to my own aspirations, while often finding relief in music, I am hoping to tackle a challenge of perceiving problems as possibilities and transforming obstacles into opportunities, as well as renewing my Hebrew studies.
A universal longing shared by every member of TV7 Jerusalem is the successful formation of a ruling Israeli government after the upcoming elections on March 2nd. In accordance with Psalm 122, the entire staff prays for the peace of Jerusalem in the hopes that 2020 will be a year of prosperity and wellbeing for all our viewers and their loved ones.
By: Monika Jaaguri