Kan Reka (English pronunciation: /ˈkɑːn ˈrɛkə/)[1], also known as Israel Radio International, (Hebrew: כאן רק”ע Kan Reka, or Hebrew: רשת קליטת עלייה Reshet Klitat Aliya) is the radio service of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC) for immigrants and listeners abroad.
Overview
Operating since 1950,[2] the shortwave transmissions of Kol Israel (“Voice of Israel”) on Reshet Hey (“Network E”) broadcasts to the entire world. They are also the main link between Israel and the Jewish diaspora. In its early years, under the name “Kol Zion la’Gola” (‘Voice of Zion to the Diaspora), Israeli broadcasts were the sole reliable and direct source of information for Jews living in the Arab countries and behind the “Iron Curtain“. However, broadcasts to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America also emerged as an important aspect of Israel’s public diplomacy around the world.[3]
Administered by the overseas broadcasting division, Kan Reka currently transmits to listeners abroad in 14 languages: English, French, Russian, Bukharan, Georgian, Mugrabian (Judeo-Moroccan Arabic), Yiddish, Tigrinya, Ladino, Spanish, Romanian, Hungarian, Persian, Amharic and Aramaic.
Apart from news and broadcasts reflecting events in the country, the channel transmits documentaries on Judaism, the history of the Israeli people, Israeli culture and discussions on immigration and absorption.

As of the summer of 2007, the only Israel Radio International / Reshet Hey produced programming, is Persian. The rest of Israel Radio International, is a relay of the domestic Reka network. For example, the English news broadcasts on Reka and Israel Radio International are now identical.
As of 30 June 2013, due to budget cuts, the Persian service is no longer on shortwave. The Persian service is still available via satellite and on the web at the IBA World website, as well as the radis.org website.
As of 1 April 2008, the only shortwave broadcasts which were left were 1.5 hours of Persian aimed at Iran. The Persian Service was founded by Amnon Netzer in 1958.[4]
The Israel Radio English news may be heard on some radio stations which use the WRN feed. These stations do not broadcast at the same schedule as Israel Radio does, they are time delayed by WRN.
As of 25 April 2013, WRN is no longer carried on Sirius/XM. WRMI has said that they may add WRN programming back to their schedule in the future. As of 16 December 2013, WRN no longer hosts on-demand audio and podcasts. Kan Reka is still available on WRN’s English stream, though.
See also
- Culture of Israel
- IBA News
- Israel Broadcasting Authority
- Kol Yerushalayim, the Hebrew program of Jerusalem Calling, the radio station of the British Mandatory Authority
- Kol Yisrael, Israel’s public domestic and international radio service.
- Menashe Amir
- Media of Israel
References
- ^ Kan English News. Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. 5 April 2026. Event occurs at 0:28. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ^ Highlights of the Overseas and Immigrant Radio Broadcasting Service
- ^ White, Alex (4 March 2022). “Broadcasting Brotherhood? Interactive Diplomacy and Postcolonial Identity in Kol Yisrael’s African Services, 1960-1966”. The International History Review. 44 (2): 373–392. doi:10.1080/07075332.2021.1950807. ISSN 0707-5332. S2CID 237682967.
- ^ AMNON NETZER, PROFESSOR OF PERSIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, Hebrew University of Jerusalem