Eden Harel-Manashe: Finding Quiet in a World of Noise

Eden Harel-Manashe, 49, is a familiar face and voice in Israeli media. A television and radio personality, speaker, and host, she has spent years working in a world built on words, conversation, and constant presence. Married and a mother of six, she lives in Ra’anana and balances a demanding public career with family life.

Yet recently, Eden chose something entirely different. In the midst of an intense, fast-paced life, she stepped away from screens, microphones, and noise and entered a five-day silent retreat. “My life is very intense,” she shared, “and I needed quiet, along with learning how to fill the mind and soul. You hand over your phone when you arrive, and from there it’s a still, small voice. It’s redemption.”

In the quiet space between movement and stillness, Eden reflects on faith, motherhood, fears, longings, and the small moments that shape a life. In the following conversation, she opens a window into her inner world with honesty, warmth, and simplicity.

A few short questions, honest answers, and small windows into a life shaped by faith, family, and memory. Sometimes, it’s the simplest reflections that reveal the deepest truths.

What's a dish that takes you back to childhood?

“Mujaddara. A beloved dish that was always served with Eshel at my grandparents’ house. To this day, even for my children, mujaddara with challah is the tastiest food in the world.”

Three things you’d take to a deserted island.

“A siddur, knitting supplies, and lots of books. That’s it. I wouldn’t need anything else.”

What's your guilty pleasure?

“An almond croissant with a latte.”

What helps you recharge after a hard day?

“Movement. A workout makes me feel my best, whether it’s the gym, Pilates, or anything that gets my body moving.”

What don’t people know about you?

“I honestly never know what people don’t know about me, because I always feel like they know everything. I don’t hide things, and I don’t really have secrets.”

What scares you most?

“My fears revolve around my children. I know I need to strengthen my faith and remember that Hashem is watching over them too. I have a son who is about to enlist, and I’ll admit that I’m already losing sleep over it.”

When was the last time you cried?

“Last week, when I heard that the body of Ran Guieli had been returned and that he would finally be laid to rest. In that moment, I cried my heart out. I had prayed for him so much, and his return moved me deeply. Even talking about it now, I feel like I could cry again.”

Something you’d like to improve about yourself.

“The most clichéd, feminine answer: accepting myself. I want to stop being so self-critical and constantly checking whether I’ve gained weight or whether I look good.”

Your most honest moment speaking with the Creator.

“I have many moments like that, baruch Hashem. I’m blessed to have real conversations with Him, where I open my heart completely. The most recent one was during a silent retreat, where I had a deep, freeing conversation with Hashem.”

A childhood dream you fulfilled.

“I came from a broken home and grew up in boarding schools. My deepest childhood dream was to have a big, good, happy family. Recently, we married off our first child, and suddenly I could see the continuation of our home and our children so clearly. It moved me deeply. That’s my picture of victory.”

What's a trait you value most in people?

“Honesty and caring. I’m drawn to people who truly see others and not only themselves, people whose hearts are open.”

Which person who is no longer alive would you like to sit and talk with?

“There are so many. I would want to sit with Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu, and with the holy Matriarchs and Patriarchs in general. I would ask how it’s possible that the redemption still hasn’t come, and seek their guidance on what we can do to hasten it. We’re here below, longing to complete the circle and merit the redemption and the Beit HaMikdash.”

What would you want to remain in the world from you after 120?

“My family. That I will be rooted in love and awe of Hashem, so that all my descendants will serve Him. I want to give them the right wings to do so. And I hope that generations from now, someone will say, ‘In our family there was a crazy grandmother who became religious, and since then we’ve all walked in her path.’”