Gestern • 5 Min.

This is the English version of a German episode. Pola Nathusius co-hosts the podcast “Peach – Hot und Haltung” together with Noa Luft, where the two friends talk aboutidentity, life paths, and personal attitude every Tuesday. For Pola, one thing above all feels typically Israeli: a sound. The clack-clack of wooden paddles, the moment you get close to an Israeli beach. The game behind it is called matkot, and it's considered Israel's unofficial national sport. It's playedwithout points, without rules, and without a winner. And yet it still causes arguments: some beaches have even set up matkot-free zones by now. Where the game — and its name — most likely come from, you'll find out in this episode. Want to support the work behind “Israel, Explained”? Become a monthly supporter, with an optional name credit and ad-free episodes:⁠ https://patreon.com/Israelkurzerklart⁠ Or make a one-time contribution of any amount:⁠ https://buymeacoffee.com/israelkurzerklaert⁠ Thank you! Questions, feedback, or topic suggestions: podcast@elisabeth-krafft.de Editorial & Production: Elisabeth Krafft Originally published in German as: Pola Nathusius: Deshalb streitet Israel über ein Spiel ohne Gewinner This podcast was translated with the help of AI.