Jake Gillis is the creator of Sababoosh, a platform dedicated to decoding Israeli culture for global Jewish audiences.
A Pittsburgh native and University of Pittsburgh graduate (with a semester abroad at Hebrew University), Jake made aliyah seven years ago and has spent the years since trying to understand Israeli society not through headlines, but through its music, television, humor, and everyday life. What began as a personal obsession became a podcast, a series of live programs, and a growing community of people who want a more textured, human connection to Israel.
Through Sababoosh, Jake helps communities engage with Israeli culture in a way that actually sticks by exploring topics like Israeli music in times of crisis, Israeli society through television, and the cultural forces shaping Israeli identity today. Music sits at the center of his work: not as entertainment, but as a window into who Israelis are and what they're going through.
Jake holds an MA in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary and did a year of Jewish learning at both Pardes and Hadar. His work has been featured in the Jerusalem Post, Ynet, and the Jewish Link. He currently lives in Netanya with his wife Lior and their two daughters.
