Media personality Noam Zigman, 42, a resident of Haifa and father of six, is a broadcaster and presenter on the radio station 'Kol Barama', and editor and owner of the website 'Lada'at'.
He is the son of the late Rabbi Avraham Zigman, a musician, creator, composer, poet and writer, who served until his retirement as a respected music editor on Channel 2 and Channel 3 of Kol Yisrael.
In his youth, Noam wrote for Makor Rishon and Maariv, and later served as a political correspondent for Channel 20, a political-political correspondent for Yom Yom, and a political and Knesset correspondent for Kol Hai radio. After presenter Motti Lavie left, he presented the "Main Edition.".
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8 years ago he moved to the radio station 'Kol Berama', where he began broadcasting the program 'New in the Morning'.
With the change in the program schedule, he moved to broadcast the program 'Two Upside Down' at 9 a.m. with his uncle Schwamenfeld, which he currently hosts with media consultant Itzik Sudri.
Who is the 'next big thing' on Haredi radio?
The presenter is Ari Hanik.
Why him?
We studied together for a bachelor's degree in 'Politics and Communications', and even then I saw that he was an intelligent and knowledgeable guy. Later, I brought him to 'Kol Barama' radio, and he became the editor of my program.
Over a year ago, when changes were made to the program, Ari left the editorial staff. Today, he hosts a weekly program to summarize the week on Kol Barama radio, along with another interviewer, and a music program on Kol Play radio.
I chose him because I see in him all the qualities that a good interviewer should have. He has the passion for radio, the knowledge and understanding of current affairs, the desire to create an agenda, and also a voice that is pleasant to hear.
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Ari Hamnik, 32 years old, lives in the city of Beit Shemesh, is married and has four children.
He was born and raised in the Sanhedria neighborhood of Jerusalem, the son of Rabbi Akiva HaMnik, the renowned composer ("Chamul", "Bnei Bnei" and more), who serves as the yeshiva's rabbi and author of the book "Ekvei Chaim" on the tractate of Makhot and Amanyin in Shas.
As a child, Haidar studied at the 'Chofetz Chaim' in the neighborhood where he grew up. He studied at the 'Mir' Yeshiva in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood in the small yeshiva, and later studied at the 'Kol Torah' Yeshiva, located in the Beit Vegan neighborhood.
When did you enter the world of media?
""At the age of 23, while studying at the 'Kol Torah' yeshiva, I began studying for a bachelor's degree in the 'Politics and Communications' track at the Haredi 'Hadassah' College. In parallel with my studies at the yeshiva and my degree, I began publishing an 'opinion column' on a Haredi website, under my name. As a result, a few days later the heads of the yeshiva informed me that I would not be able to continue studying at the yeshiva.
""The column, which I wrote under my own name, was on an important topic. I wasn't ashamed of it and wanted to say it in my own name, because I believed in what I was writing. We were a group of friends who had been moved from the yeshiva, some of whom are now journalists, some in politics. Shortly after that, I got married.
""After the wedding, I started working as a public relations person in the office of producer David Fedida, with whom I still work today. In my degree studies in 'Politics and Communications', I studied with Noam Zigman.
""One day Noam came to me and said: 'Listen, I'm starting a morning show on 'Kol Barama' radio and I'm looking for an editor, I think you might be a good fit.' I went along with him and took the job.
""I divided my time between working in public relations and working on the radio. Director-General Ariel Deri accepted me as an editor without any experience. I had no knowledge of editing or radio - and I thank him for that.".
""I edited Zigman's program 'New in the Morning' for five years, until changes were made to the program schedule. The role of editor is exhausting. In the last two years of the Corona pandemic and the elections, the topics have been recurring, so I asked to end my role as editor.
""Shortly after that, Bardo asked me to present an edition every Thursday morning called 'Weekly Arena,' two hours from 8:00 to 10:00, which I present with Mandy Rizal. It's a weekly summary program of current affairs, how the week went.".
At the same time, he hosts a music program on Kol Play radio, a subsidiary of Kol Brama, every Friday, from 10:00 to 12:00. "There's a section at the end of the program where I air my father, who recites a Torah sermon. My father is a Torah scholar and composer, and after his sermon, I play the song he composed.".
Why did you apply specifically to study a degree in 'Politics and Communications'? Quite a few in the sector study law...
""I'm also interested in law. I often beat myself up for not studying law. There were times when I thought about studying for a master's degree in law. The truth is, it happened quite by chance, not that at a certain point I said: Now I'm going to study for a degree, let's see what degree it will be, and I decided to go for 'politics and communications.' No. It wasn't like that.
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""I was in a yeshiva. One day a friend comes and tells me: 'Listen, there's an introductory meeting for 'Campus Strauss' here, they're opening a Haredi branch, there's a bachelor's degree track in 'politics and communications'. Something interesting, let's go see it.' I was hooked and it caught my eye, I was interested in the field. I'm a person who likes to express myself, and the degree gives me broad tools in other subjects.".
Does working in the media have added value if you have a degree in communications?
""No. To enter the world of media, you need ability, knowledge, talent, and interest. The volume of radio during the degree is one course, at most. I did a degree, because in today's era, in many cases there is a prerequisite, which is the degree.
It was brave to study for a degree as a classic yeshiva student 10 years ago. Back then, there were almost no yeshiva students studying for a degree, unlike today. What were the reactions you received?
""It's true that it wasn't something that was acceptable, but I never felt brave or groundbreaking. I went to study at a Haredi institution, not a non-religious institution, intended for men, supervised by rabbis. The factor is the family. The moment you have to fight against family, friends, against the community - that's a brave and groundbreaking thing. In my social environment, they envied us, they didn't despise us.
Did you have a role model in the media world that you wanted to be like?
""I don't think I had a role model - someone I said: I want to be like him, and therefore I want radio. I got into radio because this field intrigued me. Over the years, I learned a lot from Zigman.
""Noam, since he was a child, has been suckling and absorbing radio broadcasts, and I learned a lot from him - you learn perspectives, gist and nuance, presentation style, questions... quite a few things. If you're looking for a specific interviewer, try to get hold of him at all costs.
""Sometimes I would tell him: This interviewee won't answer, won't want to be interviewed. He would say: 'Call, give him a call, at most he'll say no' - and many times we succeeded.
""Menachem Toker is a radio man in every sense of the word. He is a great model for how to do radio. A man who has been doing radio for over 20 years, and comes every day with the same passion, as if it were his first day.".
""'Kol Berama' radio is a tremendous radio incubator, I learned a lot from the broadcasters. From each one you adopt an element, a talent, an advantage and build your own model.".
How do you feel that Noam chose you as the 'next big thing' in the world of radio?
""Noam is one of the best radio broadcasters in the Haredi sector, certainly in the field of current affairs. It is a great honor that he chose me, and I of course thank him for that.".
In the world of music: Yohanan Bleich, arranger and music producer, 26 years old from Betar
