Disillusioned

Odeliya, an advocate for the Naqab Bedouins and the Palestinian struggle, shares her transformative journey from growing up in a Jewish settlement to becoming a passionate activist. She reflects on the segregated community of Armon Ha’Natziv and her upbringing under a Zionist father. Topics include navigating complex identities, evolving from shyness to outspoken advocacy, and the critical role of community and optimism in fostering justice. Her insights inspire a deeper understanding of empathy across cultural divides.

Raised by a father who was heavily involved in the Israeli forces, Sharon was very motivated to serve in the military. But during his service in the West Bank, he realized something was very wrong. Today he doesn’t want to ever hold a gun again, but the process he went through took years. Listen to his story of becoming disillusioned. Sharon is an activist and a long-time friend of mine. And though he shares his name with a former leader of the Israeli government who has caused the Palestinian people a lot of pain, I ask that you try and give him a chance. He’s a talented artist and photographer who uses his medium to create change in his society’s perceptions. He is also a community organizer who spends every waking hour connecting between people, and leading spaces that use art and culture as tools for co-resistance. Check out bonus episodes on Patreon: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/47fLR8i⁠⁠  **** A few important disclaimers: 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. *** You can follow Sharon on Instagram at: Wearefree_studio You can contact me at @yehavit on Instagram (or write to yehavit@gmail if you’re not on Instagram). . Stuff we mentioned: Ahed Tamimi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJqH7_xYKi4&ab_channel=AJ%2B https://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/

Merphie grew up in a religious, Zionist home in Jerusalem. When she was a teenager, she discovered what the system doesn't want Israelis to know - that she and her family live on the ruins of Deir Yassin, a pre-1948 Palestinian village that had been massacred during the Nakba. This sent her on a long journey towards solidarity with the Palestinian struggle and ultimately the rejection of the Zionist regime and ideology.  Merphie worked for Breaking the Silence for 5 years and is currently a student and youth educator for the Forum for Regional Thinking. She has a special talent for advocating for the Palestinian struggle and has been doing it on several different fronts with grace, respect, and a sharp sense of justice.  Check out bonus episodes on Patreon: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/47fLR8i⁠⁠  **** A few important disclaimers: Anything and everything she said during the interview is her personal opinion and does not represent any organization she’s worked for. This podcast is created and funded by me privately. I don’t belong to any organization, nor does it represent anyone other than myself. In addition, 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. **** You can follow her on Twitter at: Merphie_B You can contact me at @yehavit on Instagram (or write to yehavit@gmail if you’re not on Instagram). . Stuff we mentioned: https://www.zochrot.org/welcome/index/en https://al-shabaka.org/en/ https://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/ https://www.regthink.org/en/