RAW

On October 6th of last year, Yonathan Zeigen was busy living his life as a social worker and father of two in Tel Aviv. He had resigned himself to leaving political activism to his mother, Vivian Silver—a petite but mighty peace activist known for her warm smile and for founding the initiative Women Wage Peace. However, on October 7, Vivian was tragically murdered by Hamas in her Kibbutz on the Gaza border, having spent her final hours on the phone with her son. This devastating event stirred something profound in Yonatan, compelling him to step into his mother’s shoes. More than ever, he felt the urgent need to continue her fight for peace, even in the midst of overwhelming war.

In this episode, Yonatan tells us about his mother’s parting words, what it was like believing she was a hostage for over a month, leaving his work to take on her mantle as an activist full-time, and how he has found his calling amidst unimaginable pain.

If you like this episode and would like to hear more, please consider rating and subscribing to the podcast to join Anouk in conversation with leading philosophers, psychologists and spiritual leaders, and explore how to navigate these painful times with wisdom and resilience.

In a world irrevocably altered by the events of October 7 and the ongoing war, the need for effective trauma response has never been more urgent. Dr. Zohar Rubinstein, a leading trauma expert and psychologist, has dedicated his career to understanding and addressing the impacts of trauma on individuals and communities. Recognizing the critical need for immediate mental health support after October 7, Dr. Rubinstein helped pioneer a program designed to equip students with the skills to be mental health first responders.

Throughout his career, Zohar has worked with a wide range of populations, from survivors of terror attacks to those affected by natural disasters, striving to bring healing and resilience to those in need. His research and teachings have influenced trauma care practices both in Israel and internationally.

In this episode we delve into Zohar’s journey since October 7, his view on the post-trauma many of us live with, how to understand the difference between post-trauma and PTSD, and how to increase our own emotional resilience.

Zohar was one of the founders of the master’s degree program in Emergency and Disaster Management at the Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, where he has been teaching since its inception, particularly on mental health issues in emergencies and disasters.

He also contributed to the establishment of the master’s degree program in Organizational Behavior and Development at Reichman University, where he currently serves as the acting head of the program and leads the practicum.

In addition to his academic and clinical work, Dr. Rubinstein co-wrote the screenplay for the film “Streetscapes: Dialogue” which received the Critics’ Award for Best Screenplay at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival.

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On October 5th, Hamze Awawde, a Palestinian peace activist born in Hebron, had just returned to the West Bank after several months of leading peace camps for teenagers in the United States. While driving with his seven-year-old son, soldiers suddenly appeared and pointed guns at his head, perhaps mistaking him for someone else. He was still grappling with the fear from that incident when October 7th struck. Recognizing the potential impact on the region, Hamze and his family decided to leave the country, eventually moving to Italy. During this time, Hamze even considered abandoning his Palestinian identity.

However, an interview with Maoz Inon changed his perspective. Maoz’s parents had been murdered in Kibbutz Netiv Haasara, yet he and his brother Magen continued advocating for peace, emphasizing that further bloodshed would only lead to more violence. Inspired by their message, Hamze joined them in touring the world to meet with students, leaders, and anyone willing to listen.

Hamze is a certified facilitator and mentor, currently serving as the Regional Manager at Hands of Peace. This non-profit organization fosters dialogue and understanding among Jewish, Palestinian, and American teenagers.

Before joining Hands of Peace, Hamze was the Regional Manager of the Palestinian Delegation. He recruited young participants for skill-building and conflict resolution programs with YaLa Young Leaders. There, he developed the YaLa Online Academy, YaLa Press, and YaLa Social Media channels. Most recently, Hamze organized and recruited 130 young activists from the Middle East and Africa for a six-week online leadership course. He also coordinated an online Facebook for Journalists program with the International Center of Journalists.

Hamze holds an MA in Global Community Development from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a BA in Business Administration and Economics from Birzeit University in Ramallah.

In this episode, I have an insightful conversation with Tomer Persico, an Israeli intellectual and activist for religious freedom in Israel. Tomer is renowned for his writings on religion and modern Jewish identity.

We delve into what Tomer defines as the “new antisemitism,” exploring its confounding distortions. We also discuss our sometimes secret desire to abandon Israel, and the reasons that keep us anchored and we share thoughts on what gives us strength in these unprecedented times.

About Dr. Tomer Persico:

Dr. Tomer Persico is a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a Rubinstein Fellow at Reichman University, and a Senior Research Scholar at the UC Berkeley Center for Middle Eastern Studies. His expertise includes contemporary spirituality, Jewish modern identity, Jewish renewal, and the various forms of secularization and religiosity in Israel.

His first book, The Jewish Meditative Tradition (Hebrew), was published by Tel Aviv University Press in 2016. His second book, In God’s Image: Selfhood, Freedom, and Equality (Hebrew), was published by Yedioth in 2021 and will soon be available through NYU Press. His third book, Liberalism: Its Roots, Values, and Crises, is set to be published in July 2024.

As an advocate for religious freedom in Israel, Tomer has written extensively on these subjects, including regular contributions to the Haaretz op-ed section. He resides in Jerusalem with his wife and sons.\

In this episode of ‘RAW,’ we sit down with esteemed spiritual leader Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum to explore the human, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of the current war.

Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum, founder of ZION: An Eretz Israeli Congregation in Jerusalem, shares her profound insights on Jewish spiritual and ethical renaissance. Named by the Forward as one of the five most influential female religious leaders in Israel, Tamar’s work promotes pluralism and religious freedom. Her words of wisdom, drawn from a life dedicated to renewal and human rights, offer a beacon of hope and compassion in these turbulent times.

Through candid conversations, we aim to uncover the underlying issues, personal stories, and philosophical questions that arise in the face of conflict. Whether you are religious or not, this episode promises to provide a thought-provoking and healing perspective on one of the most challenging issues of our time. Tune in to ‘RAW’ for an enlightening discussion that seeks to bridge divides and foster understanding.

Join us on this enlightening episode as we delve into the unique journey of Rabbi and Meditator James Jacobsen Maisels. Rabbi James is the founder of Or Halev, an organization launched with the goal of giving people access to a deep meditation practice through a cross-denominational approach to Judaism.

We will talk about why James sends his children to a joint Arabic-Hebrew school; why, as an Orthodox Jew, he sought refuge in meditation to heal his anxiety and depression; how the same tools have helped him and his community since October 7th; and we’ll discuss tools to approach our inner battles with more wisdom and compassion.

Originally from Pennsylvania with a Doctorate in Jewish studies, James lives in a consciously diverse Jewish community in Moshav Hannaton with his wife and three children.

Today, we speak with Rabbi Sharon Brous, the visionary founder and senior rabbi of Ikar, a dynamic Jewish community based in Los Angeles. Rabbi Brous is also the author of “The Amen Effect.” Since establishing Ikar in 2004, she has been a transformative figure in the Jewish world, earning recognition as one of the nation’s top rabbis by Newsweek and The Forward. Her spiritual leadership reached a national audience in 2013 when she delivered the prayer service at the inaugural national prayer service for the President.

Beyond her congregational duties, Rabbi Brous has been a tireless advocate for over two decades, passionately addressing issues like racism, climate change, and social justice.

In our conversation, we delve deep into the heart of Jewish wisdom, exploring how it can serve as a beacon of healing and openness in these times. We also hear about her personal journey through the challenges she has faced since October 7, her sense of abandonment by progressive friends, and her enduring belief in the spiritual necessity to recognize the humanity on all sides.

Join us for a profound and powerful conversation with Ali Abu Awwad, a distinguished Palestinian peace activist and founder of Taghyeer, a movement advocating nonviolence for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Born in 1972 in Halhoul, his journey from a politically active family, through imprisonment in an Israeli jail for four years, to a peace advocate, reflects a profound transformation.

Initially involved in the First Intifada, Awwad’s perspectives shifted during his imprisonment, leading to his engagement in nonviolent resistance. This change was catalyzed by personal tragedies, including his brother Yousef’s killing by an IDF soldier, which deepened his commitment to nonviolent activism. Awwad’s efforts are recognized globally, including his portrayal in documentaries and honors for promoting nonviolent, civic engagement in Palestine. His work includes collaborating with Israeli peace activists, emphasizing reconciliation and understanding.

Taghyeer, under Awwad’s guidance, organizes large-scale demonstrations and community projects, striving to establish a Palestinian nonviolent identity and advocate for peace. Awwad’s upcoming memoir, “Painful Hope,” encapsulates his experiences and vision for a peaceful Palestinian future.

Join me in conversation with renowned psychoanalyst Merav Roth, who speaks about her experience driving down to the Dead Sea on October 8 to be with the survivors of Kibbutz Beeri; families who were going through the worst horrors imaginable, and the guidelines she created for therapists dealing with the ongoing trauma. She ended up staying there for weeks and has since been working to help bereaved families and children, hostage families, and hostages who have returned from Gaza. She also speaks about her own resilience ingrained in her by her famous father as well as her brother Yair Lapid, and we speak about the obligation to continue to live life from a place of deep compassion, and self-compassion.

Prof. Merav Roth (PhD) is a clinical psychologist, a training psychoanalyst and an interdisciplinary researcher of psychoanalysis and literature. Merav is at the University of Haifa and the former head of the “Psychoanalytic psychotherapy program”; former founder and chair of Melanie Klein’s advanced studies; and former chair of the Interdisciplinary psychoanalytic Doctoral unit, all in the School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. Merav wrote many psychoanalytic papers and chapters, including on the life and death instincts, on the interdisciplinary interface of psychoanalysis and literature and on trauma and bereavement. Her first book in Hebrew (carmel, 2017) was translated into English, titled “A psychoanalytic perspective on reading literature – Reading the reader” (Routledge, 2020). Her (Hebrew) book “True love as the love of truth” was recently published (Alma publishing house, 2024).

Join us for an intimate and eye-opening conversation with Prof. Anat Brunstein Klomek, Dean of Reichman University’s School of Psychology. Dive into the heart of resilience amidst the Israel-Gaza war, the pervasive impact of trauma and PTSD, the challenges of social media toxicity, and learn how to communicate with children about the complexities of our reality. We also hear about Anat’s personal journey of navigating through a profound tragedy six months prior to October 7, and her experiences with anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric at Columbia University, as well as insight into her own strategies for maintaining resilience in the face of adversity.

Prof. Anat Brunstein Klomek is the Dean of Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology at Reichman University and a clinical psychologist. Anat completed her post-doctoral fellowship and was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University in New York. In the last years she has been the academic advisor of the Israel Ministries of Health and Education as part of the national suicide prevention program. Anat is the Israeli representative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and the assistant editor of Archives of Suicide Research and a member of editorial board of Lancet Psychiatry. Her primary research interests include depression, suicidality, bullying/cyber bullying, interpersonal therapy, learning disorders/ADHD and eating disorders.

Amidst the horrors of war, meditation guru Stephen Fulder finds redemption in being present with both joy and sorrow; in dancing with his dog during his walks in the beautiful village he helped found; in the close communal life with his Arab neighbors; and in his unwavering devotion to compassion and humanity. Join us for a profound conversation with Stephen as he reminds us of what truly matters in this world.

Stephen Fulder is the founder and senior teacher of Tovana, the largest meditation society in Israel. Stephen was born in London in 1946, educated at Oxford University and has a Ph.D in molecular biology. He has been practicing Buddhism and meditation for 45 years, including years in India. Stephen has been teaching classes, groups, and retreats intensively for 30 years. He has had 16 books published including the best seller ערות בחיי היומיום (English version: What’s Beyond Mindfulness: Waking Up To This Precious Life) and The Five Powers. He is the founder of the Middleway organization and has been active in peace and ecological work in the Middle East. He’s also one of the founders of the ecological village of Clil in the Western galilee.