On the Nose

Exploring campus antisemitism narratives, dissecting media portrayals, critiquing conflation of Zionism with antisemitism, discussing challenges faced by Jewish and Palestinian students, navigating complexities of propacine movement, shaping discourse on Israel-Palestine relations, and exploring generational perspectives on anti-Semitism.

In The Ally—a new play at the Public Theater by Itamar Moses—an Israeli American adjunct professor is forced to confront the limits of his solidarity when his decision to support a Black student seeking justice for the police murder of a cousin becomes entangled with questions of Israel and Palestine. Though set before October 7th, the play is undoubtedly “ripped from the headlines,” taking up questions of campus antisemitism and liberal Jewish discomfort with left politics, and giving every “side” in the argument—hardline Zionists, Palestinians, young Jewish leftists, Black activists, and Jewish liberals—a chance to state its case. But does the play actually push liberal audiences beyond their preconceived biases, or does it allow them to remain in a state of comfortable ambivalence? In this episode, Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel, contributing writer Alisa Solomon, and artist-in-residence Fargo Nissim Tbakhi discuss what The Ally reveals about liberal America’s view of the left, and the opportunities and limitations of theater in spurring action.  Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).” Plays Mentioned and Further Reading:The Ally by Itamar Moses at The Public TheaterDisgraced by Ayad Akhtar“Who Is Tom Stoppard’s “Jewish Play” For?,” On the Nose, Jewish Currents “Jewish Groups Condemn Black Lives Matter Platform for Accusing ‘Apartheid’ Israel of  ‘Genocide,’” Sam Kestenbaum, Haaretz

Exploring the impact of language on media representation of Israel/Palestine conflict, uncovering biases in mainstream newsrooms, navigating identity and activism in journalism, and challenging traditional journalism for justice and inclusivity.

Exploring the rise of Hindu Nationalism in India with the construction of the Ram temple, linking to political power and the BJP. Delving into the controversy surrounding the disputed religious site and its implications for India's future. Reflecting on solidarity movements and rising nationalism in India and Palestine, highlighting the need for global understanding.

Maya Rosen, Israel/Palestine fellow, speaks with activists from the religious left-wing group Smol HaEmuni. They discuss the experience of the religious left in Israel, their work in Hebron, and the movement's future. Topics include finding comfort in religious communities, navigating hyper nationalism, partnership and hope in Hebron, diversity in the Jewish tradition, and understanding the meaning of being Messianic.

Discussion of the recent interim ruling by the ICJ on South Africa's accusation of genocide in Gaza and its implications for justice. The role of lawyers, courts, and social movements in challenging power structures. The limitations of the two-state solution and the role of international law in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The podcast explores the contradictions within the US labor movement regarding the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the role of union-made weapons. It discusses the complex debates within the labor movement regarding Palestine, the historical support of labor unions for Zionism and Israel, and the connection between workers' demands and Palestinian rights. It also highlights the importance of the labor movement's stance on Palestine, the need for divestment, and the collaboration between labor and DSA for a just transition.

Many months ago, we solicited questions from you, our listeners, for our first-ever mailbag episode. The result was a wide-ranging conversation that wandered from the serious (Torah study) to the relatively frivolous (HBO’s Girls). We planned to release the episode in early October, but shelved it in the wake of Hamas’s attack on Israel and amid Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza. We’re sharing it now as a piece of bonus holiday content because many of your questions still feel relevant—even if we might have answered them differently from within this moment. In this episode, editor-in-chief Arielle Angel, executive editor Nora Caplan-Bricker, managing editor Nathan Goldman, and associate editor Mari Cohen discuss, among other things, how to deal with right-wing family members and what we say when people ask us why we care about Jewishness.Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).” And many thanks to everyone who sent us such thoughtful questions.Articles Mentioned and Further Reading:JewBusDaf Yomi“A ufologist claims to show 2 alien corpses to Mexico's Congress,” Eyder Peralta, NPR“In the sky! A bird? A plane? A ... UFO?,” Jon Hilkevitch, Chicago Tribune “Former Israeli space security chief says aliens exist, humanity not ready,” Aaron Reich, The Jerusalem PostHBO’s Girls “Old Loves (feat. Rebecca Alter),” Girls Room“On Loving Jews,” Arielle Angel, Jewish CurrentsHora Haslama!, Habiluim

Peter Beinart interviews political analysts Khalil Sayegh and Muhammad Shehada, who discuss growing up under Hamas rule, how Hamas governs, the motivations behind the October 7th attack, and the future of Hamas in Palestinian politics.

In late October, we received a letter: “In almost every conversation I have with young Jews on the left, I find that we are all currently struggling with the same question: What do we do with our families? How do we relate to our parents and grandparents or relatives who are supportive of and complicit in pogroms and genocide? These conversations are feeling fruitless. I’m going home this weekend to visit my family and don’t know what I’ll do.” Around Thanksgiving, we asked listeners to call in and tell us about how they’re navigating conversations with their families, friends, and communities in this moment. What has worked in getting through to loved ones who are attached to a destructive Zionist politics, and what hasn’t? We wanted to know how people are managing these relationships or coping with their feelings about them. On this episode—a collaboration between On the Nose and Unsettled—editor-in-chief Arielle Angel, associate editor Mari Cohen, and Unsettled producer Ilana Levinson listen to clips from callers describing the ruptures in their families, their attempts to repair relationships while sticking to their values, and their strategies for getting through to stubborn loved ones. We explore questions of when it is our obligation to keep arguing, and when it’s better to take a break—or give up completely. And we zoom out to think about what this moment says about the future of Jewish American institutional life. Thanks to Max Freedman, Ilana Levinson, and Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”