Ayelet - Learning how to pray for freedom

Aug 26, 2024

Ayelet, an opera singer, prayer leader, and full-spectrum doula, shares her enriching journey of blending music and spirituality with activism. She reflects on her Jewish heritage and experiences navigating identity amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ayelet discusses the significance of reproductive rights and the privilege of choice, emphasizing a shift from performance to community-focused living. The conversation also touches on the emotional complexities faced by women in conflict zones, showcasing the power of compassion and creative expression in fostering connection.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Roots and Resilience: A Jewish Journey

02:10 • 19min

Reflections on Jewish Heritage in Poland

20:56 • 7min

Navigating Identity and Conflict

28:09 • 21min

Spiritual Connections and Identity Struggles in Israel

48:59 • 18min

A Journey of Reflection and Resilience

01:06:57 • 20min

Disillusionment and Reflection

01:26:54 • 10min

Navigating Freedom and Transformation

01:36:53 • 4min

Disillusionment at the Rainbow Gathering

01:41:01 • 2min

Navigating Identity and Activism

01:43:23 • 9min

Upcoming Musical Session and Bonus Content Announcement

01:52:52 • 2min

Ayelet is an opera singer, prayer leader, and full-spectrum doula - which is a care worker who offers support to people during the full spectrum of pregnancy and the different gates of life in a holistic manner – from menstruation through preconception, to birth to abortion to miscarriage to adoption and so on. She Believes in bringing music, spirituality, and collective prayer back into activism, for the collective liberation of all people.

Check out my Patreon for a bonus episode with Ayelet, in which we dive a bit deeper: https://www.patreon.com/Yehavit

Watch our musical session with Ayelet & Elik's anti-war songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2yON4O9J4w

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A few important disclaimers:

I created and funded this podcast privately. I don’t belong to any organization, nor does it represent anyone other than myself.

Secondly, I don’t intend this content to provide a justification or excuse for the actions people interviewed did in their past, but rather to learn from their personal experiences and gain insight as to what the process of transformation looks like. Certain parts of the episode could be triggering for you, and I advise taking into consideration that some of the events discussed are morally and ethically challenging (to say the least).

And lastly:

I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which I work as the indigenous people of this country, and pay my respects to their elders, past and emerging.

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Thank you Roy Geva for the soundtrack

You can contact me at @yehavit on Instagram (or write to yehavit@gmail if you’re not on Instagram), and Ayelet at @aya_ben_ishay_art

Stuff we mentioned:

Defiance - the movie about Ayelet’s grandfather’s story: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVNR8PrtnQc⁠

Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zalman_Schachter-Shalomi⁠

The movie Tunnel of Hope: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSmZlLvv1vU⁠

Non Violent Communication: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonviolent_Communication#:~:text=NVC%20is%20a%20communication%20tool,obtaining%20knowledge%20for%20future%20cooperation⁠.

Nava Tehillah: ⁠https://www.navatehila.org/t-en⁠

AMEN - The Land Where Women Heal: ⁠https://www.ohelaenglish.org/⁠