The Telos Channel: Recent Episodes
Telos
The Telos Channel, hosting the suite of Telos podcasts /// Undaunted: In our divided and dangerous world, how can we choose peace? Join us on our journey to find answers, guided by radical peacemakers and their stories from the front-lines. When conflict seems intractable, these conversations give us the courage to choose a different way—a way of justice, healing, and hope. A way of peacemaking // The Weekly Check-in: Join the team at Telos every week as they unpack headlines to hit the U.S., Israel/Palestine, and beyond. Though it might seem daunting, peacemaking is for all of us—journey with the Telos team as they explore how peacemaking is the driving force our world needs, and how we can each join in it today.
This week, we were joined by the pastor of City Bible Church of Beirut, Marwan Aboul-Zelof. He gives us an on-the-ground perspective of what's happening in Beirut right now (recorded Friday Sept. 27, before the Israeli invasion or the Iranian strikes on Israel).
Pastor Aboul-Zelof has been living in Lebanon for eight years, and his church was the closest church to the Beirut port explosion. He offers witness to the immense suffering the Lebanese people have experienced over many years, especially over the past few weeks. And he shares with us the opportunity we have as Americans to participate in the work of justice and peace.
We know the situation on the ground is changing in real time. We will have further conversations with other experts on the issue to come.
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Women are often at the forefront of effective nonviolent movements for peace and justice across the world. But their stories are often not the ones being told in mainstream spaces.
Over the next few weeks, we’re focusing our next Learning Corps series on women who embody what it means to embrace nonviolence as a courageous and countercultural way of life. We’ll tell the stories of individuals committed to the work of nonviolence, which we describe as “creative and clear resistance to injustice” rooted in an ethic of love—both Israeli and Palestinian.
Our guest this week is Rula Salameh. Rula is a veteran journalist, community organizer, and the Education and Outreach Director in Palestine for Just Vision, an organization that fills a media gap on Israel-Palestine through independent storytelling and strategic audience engagement.
Rula discuses Just Vision's film "Naila and the Uprising" and the power of storytelling when it comes to centering the roles women have historically played in Palestinian nonviolence movements. By diving into the stories of the past, we gain new imagination about the roles women can play in the present and future as we cultivate imaginations of what nonviolence can look like, as we commit to transforming the immediate violence on the ground.
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Watch Naila and the Uprising
Check out Just Vision's Resources
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We have an invitation for you, your church, and your faith communities. Join us Sunday, October 6th for a Global Sunday of Mutual Flourishing. After almost an entire year of witness and reflection, the time is now to speak with a collective voice for the sake of peace.
Todd Deatherage is joined by Telos alum Mike Goldsworthy to discuss how you can join us to use your platforms and pulpits, your prayers and liturgies, your voices and instruments, to honor the victims of war, lament the indignity of violence, and plant the seeds of peace.
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Learn more about the Global Sunday of Mutual Flourishing
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Women are often at the forefront of effective nonviolent movements for peace and justice across the world. But their stories are often not the ones being told in mainstream spaces.
Over the next few weeks, we’re focusing our next Learning Corps series on women who embody what it means to embrace nonviolence as a courageous and countercultural way of life. We’ll tell the stories of individuals committed to the work of nonviolence, which we describe as “creative and clear resistance to injustice” rooted in an ethic of love—both Israeli and Palestinian.
Our guest this week is Noam Shuster-Eliassi. Noam is an Israeli comedian and activist, who models why relationships across lines of difference are foundational to peacemaking, as she uses humor to call out violence and injustice. Noam shares about the challenges of being a peacemaker in this moment and invites us into an embodied vision for mutual flourishing where we have to be ready to continue advocating "the day after" the immediate violence ends.
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Watch the documentary about Noam, Reckoning with Laughter
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Women are often at the forefront of effective nonviolent movements for peace and justice across the world. But their stories are often not the ones being told in mainstream spaces.
Over the next few weeks, we’re focusing our next Learning Corps series on women who embody what it means to embrace nonviolence as a courageous and countercultural way of life. We’ll tell the stories of individuals committed to the work of nonviolence, which we describe as “creative and clear resistance to injustice” rooted in an ethic of love—both Israeli and Palestinian.
Our guests this week are Rana Salman and Eszter Koranyi. They are the Palestinian and Israeli Executive Directors of Combatants for Peace, an organization of Palestinians and Israelis working in solidarity to end the occupation and all forms of oppression, guided by the values of nonviolent resistance, and showing themselves and the world there is another way possible.
They share their personal stories of discovering the power of nonviolence to enact lasting change, about the costs of committing to nonviolence in a world that seeks easy answers, and about the possibility of mutual flourishing in the region—even right now.
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Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Women are often at the forefront of effective nonviolent movements for peace and justice across the world. But their stories are often not the ones being told in mainstream spaces.
Over the next few weeks, we’re focusing our next Learning Corps series on women who embody what it means to embrace nonviolence as a courageous and countercultural way of life. We’ll tell the stories of individuals committed to the work of nonviolence, which we describe as “creative and clear resistance to injustice” rooted in an ethic of love—both Israeli and Palestinian.
Our first guest is Shadia Qubti, a Palestinian Christian who has worked in peace building and advocacy initiatives for 15 years. She is particularly focused on amplifying the voices and perspectives of women and other minorities in a variety of ways, one of which was in the Women Behind the Wall podcast. Shadia was born and raised in Nazareth, and has degrees from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Trinity College Dublin, and Vancouver School of Theology.
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Learn more about Women Behind The Wall Podcast
Learn more about Shadia's research
Read Shadia's hymn, Keeper of Justice
Perhaps one of the most contested terms when it comes to talking about Israel/Palestine. Many in our network ask: What does “apartheid” really mean? Is it a fair word to use in this context? If so, why is there such a strong reaction to it? And how might it shape the engagement of peacemakers like us, who are working to build a future where Israelis and Palestinians can flourish in equal measure?
This week, we brought in our Israel/Palestine team to discuss this important conversation.
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This week, the largest “pro-Israel” lobbying organization is hosting its annual conference. Featuring politicians, commentators, and religious leaders, the Christians United For Israel annual summit will represent the convictions and policy interests of more than 10 million Christians in the US, according to the CUFI website.
We’re here to talk about it. Who is CUFI, what do we need to know about the ideology of Christian Zionism it is driven by, what difference does it make in the region, and what can those who come from Christian communities do to help build a posture on I/P rooted in love of God and neighbor.
In this episode, we were joined by special guest Michelle Graham. Michelle is an ordained pastor, author, and hospital chaplain from Raleigh, North Carolina, who has joined Telos on a number of trips to Israel/Palestine and done graduate work on the questions around the theology of Christian Zionism.
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Resources to learn more: See the Theology section of this list Christianity Today graphic
What will it take to address gun violence in America, and what might peacemaking have to say about it? These last few weeks, we have taken some time to hear from visionary peacemakers addressing the issue in creative, imaginative ways.
In the last podcast of this series, we are joined by our good friends from the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation. Ainka Sanders Jackson and Lydia Chatmon share with us what these three values mean within the context of gun violence. They explain the racial and economic layers that are at the root of gun violence in America, and offer us a restorative pathway forward. Chatmon and Jackson call us to interrogate where we are complicit in these realities, but they also remind us of our agency and responsibility to be a part of the solution.
While this conversation was recorded over a year ago, we think it remains a helpful resource for folks looking for accessible entry points into the conversation of gun violence.
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Learn more about the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation
What will it take to address gun violence in America, and what might peacemaking have to say about it? These next few weeks, we’re taking some time to hear from visionary peacemakers addressing the issue in creative, imaginative ways.
Our second guest is Michael Allen, co-founder and co-CEO of Together Chicago, a cross-sectional organization that exists to be a catalyst for lasting change by reducing gun violence and increasing thriving communities. Together Chicago works through a Christian faith lens and focuses on five areas: economic development, educational achievement, violence reduction, gospel justice and faith-community mobilization
While this conversation was recorded over a year ago, we think it remains a helpful resource for folks looking for accessible entry points into the conversation of gun violence.
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Telos’ Co-founder and President Greg Khalil is spending the rest of 2024 on a sabbatical from Telos. In this conversation, we get the chance to hear from him one last time before the long break.
He speaks honestly about the crisis continuing to unfold, its risk of escalation, and the horror that it has brought on everyone in the region, particularly on those in Gaza. He also inspires us to be a people of action, to be people who don’t wait for charismatic leaders to take the helm to get to work, but to steer the ship ourselves toward greater justice, freedom, and peace for all of us.
We will miss Greg’s leadership on this show and on our team, but we know he is inviting each and every one of us to own our power in this moment to build a world where all of us can flourish. So let's get to work alongside him.
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What will it take to address gun violence in America, and what might peacemaking have to say about it? These next few weeks, as we close out Gun Violence Prevention Month this June, we’re taking some time to hear from the visionary peacemakers addressing the issue in creative, imaginative ways.
Our first guest is Mike Martin, the Founder and Executive Director of RAW Tools. RAW Tools turns guns into garden tools (and other lovely things), resourcing communities with nonviolent confrontation skills in an effort to turn stories of violence into stories of creation. As they say it, they disarm hearts to forge peace. Michael is also the co-author of Beating Guns with Shane Claiborne, which discusses how our nation, and especially communities of Christian peacemakers, can transform the violence of guns into healing, generation, and life.
While this conversation was recorded over a year ago, we felt the time was finally right to share, and we didn’t want to sit on it any longer. This conversation is rich with policy analysis, theological framing, and personal stories, and we think you’ll be powerfully inspired by it.
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Learn more about RAWTools
Read “Beating Guns: Hope for a People Who Are Weary of Violence”
On June 11th, many of us from the Christian tradition gathered together for an evening of lament and repentance in Washington, DC. A night to grieve, but also to transform our grief into the work of imagining a new world and beginning to build it together. We heard prayers of lament, participated in a corporate confession, and opened our hearts to hear an important message from Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Palestinian Lutheran pastor and academic. Ultimately, we ended the service with a commissioning to live and act in hopeful ways, to begin the work of “praying with our feet,” as Frederick Douglas said. In this episode, you'll find the major portions of the service.
Lament and repentance is not easy work. But it’s healing work. And it’s the beginning of honest and effective action. We hope you’ll join us in it.
Watch the full show on YouTube
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Nearly 8 months after October 7, what message do the Palestinians and Israelis living in the land have for those of us watching from the US?
A group of about a dozen faith leaders traveled with Telos last week to meet with our partners on the ground—to mourn with them, to stand in solidarity and compassion with them, and to return with fresh courage to embrace the work of peacemaking and bring their message back to us.
In today’s episode, we hear from two of the participants on that trip, Todd Deatherage and Amy Graham, Pastor of Spiritual Care at The District Church in Washington, D.C. They share what they saw and heard, how they’re carrying it with them, and what we need to know about how best to support an end to the atrocities ongoing today.
We need the new imagination they’re offering us in this episode if we are to do the work of peace in our neighborhoods, and in our nation, in this critical moment. Lean in and imagine with them.
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With the nation embroiled in debates over the campus protest movement, we sat down with a few experts and eye witnesses to discuss: what are our misconceptions about the protests, how can we become better advocates for the flourishing of all (including our local neighbors), and how might we respond to our own communities’ divisions while keeping our focus on what’s happening in the region?
This episode has two parts: In the first, we speak with internationally renowned expert Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. Rabbi Jacobs provides an important perspective on understanding Zionism from the Jewish context, and how to identify and resist antisemitism in our communities. It is a helpful conversation to ground us as we discuss the protests.
The second part is a conversation with Greg Khalil, Sarah Sturm, and Marina Klimchuk, a former Telos team member who’s spent time living in Israel and journalist who reported from the encampments at Columbia and UCLA. We discuss misconceptions of the protests, inclusive and exclusive language, discursive policing, and how we might keep our focus on the very urgent matter of the events in Gaza today.
It’s a long one, but we think you’ll enjoy the extra time to dive into the topics of today’s episode.
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Learn more about T'ruah
Welcome to the Learning Corps podcast, the newest show on the Telos Channel! Together, we’ll excavate the core issues of conflict with experts from around the world, to uncover the path forward toward creative action in our communities.
In this Learning Corps conversation, we were joined by Dr. Joy Banner, the Co-Founder and Co-Director of The Descendants Project. The Descendants Project is a nonprofit foundation founded to preserve and protect the health, land, and lives of the Black descendant community located in Louisiana’s River Parishes. Many of the folks on our ReStory US experience visit these parishes and hear from Dr. Joy Banner, who is the former Director of Communications and descendant of people enslaved at Whitney Plantation, the only plantation museum in Louisiana that centers the lives of the enslaved.
We explore who these descendant communities are, as well as how they’ve been disproportionately impacted by environmental policies that have their legacies in slavery. But we also center the resilience and resources of this community, the strategic actions they are taking to advocate for themselves, and how we can come alongside them in their healing and flourishing.
Links:
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Join the Telos Learning Corps for more of these conversations and community collaboration calls with the Telos network
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Learn more about The Descendants Project
Read about the Wallace Grain Elevator
Financially Support The Descendants Project
Follow the Descendants Project on Instagram
Massive student protests at Columbia University in solidarity with Gaza were met with swift and intense repression by University Administrators and NYPD over the weekend, leading to the arrests of more than 100 students.
Greg Khalil, President and Co-founder of Telos, was present for some of the events over the weekend as an adjunct professor at Columbia. He shares what he saw, what he has heard from students leading and participating in the protests, and what it means for our nation as we struggle to reckon with our part of what’s happening in Gaza.
*Note: This conversation was recorded on Tuesday, April 23—the situation on college campuses across the country is evolving quickly. Protests and student encampments have grown on dozens of campuses. Police on campuses at the University of Texas, Cal-Poly University, Emerson College, and others have cracked down on these protests with violent measures, arresting hundreds of students. Our conversation hopefully offers a way forward to know how to engage these protests with a vision of mutual flourishing.
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After Israel’s strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Iran launched a barrage of 300 missiles at Israel from sites around the Middle East. While around 99% of the projectiles were intercepted before landing, the retaliatory response represented an escalation in a moment already fraught with risk of greater war. Then, overnight last Friday, Israel responded with a strike near an Iranian nuclear site, raising concerns that the region could be on the brink of massive violence.
In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between Israel and Iran, how the recent strikes factor into Washington’s relationship to the actors and what’s happening in Gaza, and what it all means for us—those of us who care to see the human rights of all people honored in the region.
In order to provide a range of perspectives on the issue, we brought on guest expert Joe Cirincione to discuss. Joe is the Former Director for Non Proliferation at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where he closely tracked Iran’s nuclear program and then, as the President of Ploughshares Fund, played a key role in the campaign for the Iran Deal, which rolled back Iran’s nuclear weapons development program. Joe is an internationally recognized expert on the issue and offered invaluable insights for us on this episode.
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Read Joe’s substack
Read Nicholas Kristoff in the New York Times, as mentioned by Joe: Gaza is Biden’s War Now
Yesterday, after three attempts vetoed by the US, the U.N. Security Council successfully passed a resolution calling for an immediate and “lasting” ceasefire in Gaza, with the US abstaining.
We discuss: What does this reflect about the US’ ongoing relationship to the region? What difference will the resolution make on the ground, and for the protection of international norms of human rights? And what can we do to use our voice to build a world that supports the freedom, security, and dignity of all people—in Israel/Palestine and elsewhere?
The Check-in:
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UPDATE!! This morning, the International Court of Justice issued its ruling on the provisional measures of South Africa's case against Israel at The Hague, after it accused it of failing its commitments to the Genocide Convention in its campaign in Gaza.
This ruling is potentially a world-pivoting event. Listen to find out why...
BUT FIRST, be sure to listen to our previous episode discussing the case:
"The Check-in: South Africa takes Israel to Court."
*David was recording on the road today so audio-quality wasn't as sharp as normal. He promises to remember his mic next time :)
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All you need to know about South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
South Africa's complaint accuses Israel of breaching its commitments to the Genocide Convention in relation to its 100+ day war against the people of Gaza, in which more than 24,000 people have been killed. The significance of this case could not be higher.
What difference will it make for the people of Gaza and Israel, how might the US be held accountable in a future hearing, and what can we—those of us who care to see the dignity of all upheld in the region—do to support a future of mutual flourishing?
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Read South Africa's complaint against Israel.
This week, we take a deeper dive into the ongoing conversations and questions around language that have surfaced in our nation (and across the world) since October 7. We discuss how to speak in both honest and yet invitational ways that keep mutual flourishing at the center. We’ll hear from Eli, who joins us from Jerusalem, and touch on how we – as peacemakers – can hold multiple perspectives in tension at once, while practicing listening to understand.
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Resources we’d recommend:
- JDA Definition of antisemitism
- Our training on how to combat antisemitism
Since we recorded this podcast, we received the news that Israel and Hamas had reached a deal regarding a release of hostages and a 4-day ceasefire. Check out our Instagram for our response. As such, this conversation reflects a previous reality but includes helpful discussion we think is still worth sharing.
40 days after October 7, what are realities on the ground for Israelis and Palestinians? What does the next day after a ceasefire look like? What else can we do to support not just an end to the bloodshed, but a transformation of the deeper issues that keep the region from a true and lasting peace?
The Telos team gets together to discuss.
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Evangelicals and Israel/Palestine FAQ
In the midst of so much sorrow and grief, we released Peace Songs, a record in partnership with Good Shepherd Collective on our Principles and Practices of Peacemaking.
When it was planned to be released at the end of October, we didn't know it would come as a timely dose of beauty and hope in a time of so much sorrow. But we are glad it has.
Listen to a conversation with David Gungor and Kate Gungor, Liz Vice and Diana Gameros about the new album and one of the songs, Accomplice.
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The song was written at @laitylodge, recorded at @sonicranch, and produced by @davidgungor.
This week, we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on what's happening in Israel and Gaza, how we got here, and what it will take to get out, including questions like:
- Why did the US veto a UN Security Council resolution for a humanitarian pause?
- What will a ceasefire actually accomplish?
- If it's a 6000 year old conflict (hint, that's a myth), will it ever actually end?
Tune in for the update on the region, and a reminder of the agency each of us has in this moment to advocate for lasting, durable peace, and human rights for all.
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Sign petitions and call your MOC to call for a ceasefire
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This past weekend, Hamas launched a surprise attack in Southern Israel. Hundreds of Israelis have been killed, dozens taken hostage, and thousands wounded. Israel responded with airstrikes in Gaza. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, thousands wounded, and hundreds of thousands displaced. Our hearts are breaking.
We hosted a live conversation with our team reflecting on what happened and is happening, and how we can respond as peacemakers. Friends, now more than ever, as the narratives entrench us into our camps and convince us of the inhumanity of our perceived “enemy,” we must lean in as peacemakers.
We offer you this conversation with our team as a vision for how to do that. How to uphold the dignity of every person, pursue peace through justice—which contends with both physical and systemic violence—and center the possibility of mutual flourishing for Palestinians and Israelis alike.
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Take the Alison course: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - Origins
The Pedagogy of Conflict by Pádraig Ó Tuama.
After eight and a half years, beloved Telos team member Jack Saba, Israel/Palestine Program Director, is transitioning into a year-long sabbatical from Telos starting in September. He joined David Gungor on the show to reflect on time with Telos and what's next.
Sometimes, peacemaking can be perceived as “neutrality” or “passivity.” Jack reminds us that actually, peacemaking is tough and gritty. It comes with a cost. With clarity and vulnerability, he describes what those costs have been for him and his family, reminding us that a future of mutual flourishing means a future free to simply be human, without having to be consumed by conflict (or even its transformation).
It is a radical act to commit to rest and your own humanity when you’re wired to jump into the midst of conflict for its transformation. But we’re thankful Jack is doing so. Somehow, even when stepping away for a time, Jack is still teaching us what it means to be a peacemaker. Listen to his last interview (for now!) on the show and wish him a farewell on social media 👇
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What do we do when it feels like we take one step forward toward peace and justice, but two steps back? When the temptation to nihilism is strong, is there room for hope?
In the newest single in the Peace Songs album, Kate Gungor, John Guerra, and Diana Gameros explored the possibility of hope in the face of nihilism. They declare with us that hope is not a feeling, but an action. It is something we do—like the patient, attentive tending of a garden, in expectation of its bloom.
Hear from Kate and David Gungor in this episode exploring the story behind Garden Will Bloom, the newest single by Good Shepherd Music Collective in partnership with Telos. And listen to the album wherever you get your podcasts.
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Garden Will Bloom was written by @iamjonguerra, @dianagameros and @kategungor at @laitylodge.The song was recorded at @sonicranch and produced by @davidgungor.
Last week, the Israeli Knesset passed a law that has the international community, and large portions of Israeli society, asking: what’s happening to democracy in Israel?
We discussed the law, the months-long protest movement against it, and what it all means for peace, justice, and human rights for all people in the land—both Israeli and Palestinian.
And to make things even more interesting, we did all of this with the newest member of the Telos team, Eli Philip! Eli walks us through what’s important to know about the political scene in Israel, and goes on to share a little bit about his story and what brought him to Telos.
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On June 29th, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in cases against the University of North Carolina and Harvard University that race-conscious admissions practices, otherwise known as affirmative action, are unconstitutional, as they violate the 14th Amendment requirement of equal protection under the law.
In this episode, we opened a conversation on our team about this ruling. We discussed the history and argument for the practice when it was first established, the benefits and drawbacks of it nearly 60 years later in today’s world, and the important differences between “diversity” and “equity” in the work of peacemaking.
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You may not know it, but you’ve probably seen Joan Trumpauer Mulholland’s mugshot. Or the back of her head in the world-famous photo of the Woolworth’s sit-in in Jackson, MS as civil rights activists were harassed and assaulted by a mob of white segregationists.
Joan was an activist in the Civil Rights movement who by the age of 23, had spent two months on death row at Parchman prison for participating in the Freedom Rides of 1961, had been nearly killed by the Klan in Mississippi, and had stood her ground for justice at countless sit-ins, protests, and rallies. Despite coming from a wealthy, white family in the South, she knew the world would only become a more just place if she accepted her call to become a peacemaker and advocate on behalf of her disenfranchised neighbors. And she has inspired generations of others behind her to believe in their agency too. As her son has pointed out, she was and is an “ordinary hero.”
In this special ‘live” episode, we get to hear from Ms. Mulholland herself on the events of her life and how she found the courage to be a peacemaker time and again. We were also joined by her son Loki, who is now an accomplished educator, filmmaker, and advocate for justice himself, on the work they are doing together today to “educate to end hate.”
We loved getting to hear from these two, and were so inspired by their courage and humility.
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Resources Mentioned:
- Learn more about the murders of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman, the three civil rights workers killed in Mississippi
- Get Back to the Counter: Seven Lessons from Civil Rights Icon Joan Trumpauer Mulholland by Loki Mulholland
- The Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation
A reflection and short history on one of the most important Civil Rights families you might not have heard of.
Medgar Evers was an icon in the Civil Rights Movement (also known as the Southern Freedom Movement) in Mississippi until his untimely assassination in his family’s home on June 12, 1963. Yet, many of us have never heard about his impact on the movement or the way his assassination reverberates still today in some communities.
We unpack those dynamics and honor the legacy of both Medgar and his wife Myrlie in this special episode, coming on the heels of the 60th anniversary of that day. And we offer some thoughts in reflection on how we can be better students of our own history, and where you can go to learn more and take up the mantle of Medgar, Myrlie, and now their daughter, Reena Evers-Everette, too.
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Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about the Evers family; visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum; visit the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument.
Join an upcoming Telos ReStory US trip this September!
Join the Learning Corps and stay on the journey
Meet Peace Songs, the album by the Good Shepherd Music Collective in partnership with Telos, coming this September!
In this short, musician, pastor, and Telos team member David Gungor invites us into stories and inspiration behind this exciting new project, which is based on Telos’ Principles and Practices of Peacemaking.
David had his first experience with Telos in 2013 with a group of Christian leaders. After it, he embarked on a new journey of creating music that inspires empathy. This album, almost 10 years after his first trip, invests deeper into that mission by exploring each of the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking.
More than a dozen musicians and artists contributed to this album, which hopes to bring peacemaking to congregations, communities, and beyond. Listen to the end to get a sneak preview to the first single, Side by Side, sung by Charles Jones and Dee Wilson, dropping tomorrow June 2!
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Featuring special guest Yigal Elhanan - member of the Parents Circle and community liaison at Akevot, the Institute for Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Research
75 years of Israeli independence comes at a pivotal moment in Israeli history: the peace process has all but died, the most right-wing government in its history has ascended into power, and hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been protesting weekly for months in defense of the future of their country. This milestone offers a chance to critically look back, and an opportunity to thoughtfully cast a new vision looking forward.
This week, we brought on peacemaker, activist, and historian Yigal Elhanan (yes, son of Rami Elhanan of the Parents Circle and Apeirogon) to discuss his work at Akevot and the Parents Circle Families Forum, and what 75 years of Israeli independence means for him in this moment. He discusses common misconceptions about Israeli history, and his thoughts on what it will take to build a shared future with honest acknowledgement of that past.
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Learn more about Akevot
Learn more about the Parents Circle Families Forum
Last week, Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa mosque, beating those inside and arresting hundreds of Palestinians worshipers. In an echo of 2021, it appeared that the convergence of Ramadan, Passover, and Easter in the holy city would spark another escalation as rockets and bombs lighted the skies above Israel's borders and the Gaza Strip. In this episode, we detail the events and offer the necessary context often missing from mainstream sources, and we predict where we might be headed from here.
While it appears that a larger escalation has been avoided for now, the underlying violence of the moment rages on. We unpack how to see it, and what’s problematic about the narrative that “tensions will flare” when the holy days of Ramadan, Easter, and Passover converge in the Holy Land. And we offer tangible next steps we as international observers can do to support lasting, just peace in this moment.
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Could this moment in Israel/Palestine offer a strategic reset for US engagement in the region? While Israelis were taking to the streets, we sat down with Palestinian-American businessman and commentator Sam Bahour to hear his thoughts on the current moment—locating it in the larger context, recognizing opportunities for transformation of the deeper realities, and charting a path forward.
We recorded this episode prior to the pause of the judicial overhaul on Monday, March 27th, but we think its relevance and importance holds as we await what happens next in that saga.
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Resources Recommended from Sam:
Sam Bahour’s website www.epalestine.ps
Boycott (Just Vision) and the Telos Instagram explainer post
Want Israeli-Palestinian Peace? Try Confederation (New York Times and Medium)
Visiting the Palestinian narrative requires more than a visit (Medium)
When home is no longer home [Book Review] (Le Monde diplomatique (English edition) September 2022 Issue and Medium)
What do Palestinians want? (Medium.com)
An American Evangelical Christian Man’s Awakening to Palestine [Book Review] (Medium)
Israel’s Linguistic Acrobatics [Book Review] (Medium)
Palestinians are done conceding (Medium)
What does it take to flourish? Both personally and collectively, even in the midst of profound and seemingly intractable conflict? Andrew DeCort, Christian peacemaker, teacher, and author has an idea. He says the formative practices of the prayer offered by Jesus at the beginning of his ministry, what many of us know today as the “Lord’s Prayer,” can shape us into the kind of people with the groundedness and courage necessary to be peacemakers.
This week on the show, we invited Andrew to discuss his new book on this prayer, “Flourishing on the Edge of Faith: Seven Practices for a New We.” He describes the seven practices that emerge from it, and the ways it challenges us to be transformed inwardly even as we practice justice externally. He also shared powerful stories from his personal life as a peacemaker, ultimately pushing him to the conviction that violence cannot save us. And he offers each of us an invitation to experience the flourishing available to us, to take up the call of peacemaking and begin to see the “new we” that is possible in our world.
Whether you identify with a faith tradition or none at all (or find yourself somewhere in between), Andrew’s example of the moral courage it takes to live a life of nonviolence and peacemaking will inspire you to practice a deeper life of flourishing for yourself, and for the world.
Buy Andrew’s book, Flourishing on the Edge of Faith
Listen to our prior episode with Andrew, April 2022: The Check-in: How to Love Your Enemy, with Andrew DeCort
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Ten Palestinians killed in Jenin. Seven Jewish worshipers killed in Jerusalem. And more since then…What’s happening? Where are things headed, and what can we do about it?
This week, we discuss the escalating violence in Israel/Palestine that has caught international attention, unpack what CIA Director William Burns means when he says it bears an “unhappy resemblance” to the Second Intifada, and what it looks like to speak honestly about the violence— and call our political leadership to do so too. In this fraught and dangerous moment, telling the truth is our urgent calling as peacemakers.
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Carlos Rodriguez (@carloshappynpo): “Peace is the goal, justice is the way, and truth-telling is the starting place.”
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been protesting in the streets of Tel Aviv since the inauguration of the new government on December 29, voicing their concern over the government’s proposals to erode basic democratic ideals of judicial review. But ever more presently, its most extreme elements now have control over the administration of the Palestinian territories, and the nearly 5 million Palestinians who have no vote for the government but live under its management and control.
This week, we unpacked the story behind these protests and the growing concerns among the Israeli public about this new government. But importantly, we ask what it will mean for the Palestinians living under occupation, and the possibility of peace in the land.
Joined by Editor in Chief of +972 Magazine, Edo Konrad, and recorded in-person with our Jaffa office.
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Telos’ A Quick Guide to Political Advocacy
What just happened in Brazil? We’re asking that question too.
This week, we brought on a special guest to help put the events in Brasilia on Sunday in context, especially considering the larger trends of democratic backsliding happening across the globe. And we ask what we as peacemakers should take note of now that the new government in Israel has officially been inaugurated.
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It’s the holiday season! For most of us, that means the storm before the calm. So this week, we invited Telos co-founder Todd Deatherage on the call to help us slow down, reflect, and look back on some of the wins of the past few months.
One way we did this was to discuss the liturgical holiday of Advent, which Christians practice during the weeks leading up to Christmas as a season of waiting and expectation. Todd shares how he approaches Advent as a peacemaker, with an eye to the particular practices he focuses on during this season.
We also hear from both Todd and our newest team member, Frances, about recent trips Telos has taken to the US South. And as a special offering, we’re sharing with you the reflections of some of our recent alumni from one of these trips, who Practiced Peace by sharing their experiences with the folks in their community.
Don’t forget - we’re in our end of year campaign and need your support! Donate to Telos before the end of the year.
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We’ve all been there: the family has finally all sat down at the Thanksgiving table, ready to enjoy a peaceful meal together when that uncle or that cousin says something outlandish and the whole table erupts or goes quiet and everything goes off the rails. In what can be some of the hardest moments with the people we love most, how do we practice peacemaking?
We’ve got a very honest, and very fun conversation for you on how to navigate the challenges of peacemaking within our own families—chosen or otherwise. Between naming our boundaries and the limits of our responsibility, and walking through a technique from our friends at Resetting the Table for opening receptivity, this episode will equip you to practice peacemaking this Thanksgiving with the people with whom it can sometimes be the hardest to find peace.
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The Check-in: Thanksgiving Special (2021)
Resetting the Table
It’s election season! Across both Israel and the US, citizens have gone to the polls in the past week to vote on the future of their nations. While the results in the US are yet to be determined at the time of posting, Israel’s results are clear—and they’re concerning for those of us who are working towards a future of mutual flourishing for Israelis and Palestinians.
How will this new government approach the Occupation and Palestinian communities, both within Israel and the Palestinian territories? Who is the controversial Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has called for the “expulsion” of Palestinians in Israel? And what will it mean for the future of the US-Israel relationship?
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Listen to the “Occupied Thoughts” podcast with Lara Friedman on the election results
Last week most major news outlets were covering the death and funeral arrangements of Queen Elizabeth II. At the same time, Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico just days before the 5 year anniversary of Hurricane Maria, with hardly any headline coverage. In this episode we discuss different conversations around the death of the Queen, the legacy of British Imperialism, and what colonialism has to do with Puerto Rico.
We also reflect on how to respond as peacemakers holding competing narratives around the death of an influential political figure. What does it look like to advocate for justice for those affected by the legacies of destructive political policies? How can we be a part of building a more just future, beginning with Puerto Rico and hurricane recovery efforts?
To help with hurricane recovery efforts, you can donate through an organization we know and trust, ConPRmetidos: https://www.classy.org/campaign/hurricane-fiona-relief/c429954
According to new restrictions set in place by the Israeli authorities, any foreign passport holder in the West Bank, including American citizens, will have to declare to the Israeli police if they’ve developed a romantic relationship with a Palestinian within 30 days.
At least until the government revised the proposed restriction just two weeks ago, after human rights organizations and international media challenged the government to offer a justification for the invasive rule.
This week, we invited Jessica Montell, Executive Director of HaMoked, an organization enforcing the standards and values of international humanitarian and human rights law in the Occupied Territories, to discuss these restrictions and the recent revisions. We discussed what you need to know about the entry requirements, whether these restrictions communicate a reality already in place in Israel/Palestine, and how tightening “security” today will actually hinder the possibility of security in the long-term.
We call this principle “Mutual Flourishing,” and it recognizes that the only path to a sustainable future involves working to help your neighbor flourish too. Learn more in this episode how you can support Mutual Flourishing in Israel/Palestine in response to these restrictions.
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Learn more about HaMoked’s work and their reporting on the requirements
After heavy rains in Jackson, Mississippi pushed the city’s water treatment plant past its breaking point, hundreds of thousands of residents were left without running water for days.
This water crisis isn’t Jackson’s first however—it’s part of a much larger history of neglect, disinvestment, and race. What’s ahead for Mississippi’s capital city, and what can we do to support it? We invited Bishop Ronnie Crudup, Telos board member and core member of the Jackson, MS community, to help us understand the broader context of the crisis and the hope he has for his hometown.
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Learn more about New Horizon Church International, Bishop Crudup’s Church
This week, we welcome Yvonne Holden as the newest member of the Telos Team! She is joining us as the Director of U.S. Programming and we are so excited for you to meet her.
After getting to know Yvonne, the team dives into a conversation on a recent controversy sparked after New Orleans attorney Wynton Yates posted a TikTok that went viral about an Airbnb listing advertised as an “1830s slave cabin.” Yates argued “The history of slavery in this country is constantly denied, and now it’s being mocked by being turned into a luxurious vacation spot.”
Learn more about the Whitney Plantation Museum
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President Biden wrapped up his tour in the Middle East, and our team is still trying to make sense of the visit. There was lots of talk about democracy, human rights, and security in equal measure, but no mention of the underlying realities of occupation, or of the US’ profound influence to push for peace. It was Orwellian in the extreme.
This week, Todd, Greg, Jack, and Sarah discuss the visit, and why this kind of status quo diplomacy actually doesn't serve anyone in the region.
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What is the US’ role in the Middle East? In May, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh was killed while reporting in Jenin in the West Bank. The US finally released a statement last week both “urging accountability” for her death and saying that it cannot be determined who killed her—but if it was the Israeli military, which independent news agencies and the UN have concluded, it would surely be an accident. How can so much be held in one statement?
We discuss the statement, how it expands or contracts space for peace, and the US government’s broader strategy in the region as President Biden visits with Middle Eastern leaders in Israel, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia this week.
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Resources mentioned:
- On The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, US State Department Press Statement
- UN OHCHR Statement
Happy Juneteenth! Today marks the second year that Juneteenth, a day celebrating the effective end of slavery in the United States, will be commemorated as a federal holiday. And it's a day to celebrate!
To mark the occasion, we brought on our friend and expert Yvonne Holden, Director of Visitor Experience and Operations at the Whitney Plantation outside of New Orleans, Louisana, which is one of the only plantation museums in the country to focus on the lives of the enslaved.
Yvonne helps us understand the history behind the holiday, and the larger story of what the day stands for—both on the very day in 1865 when the enslaved community in Galveston, TX first learned of their freedom, and today, when the history and legacy of institutionalized slavery aren't always told. Yvonne also invites us into the ways we can celebrate Juneteenth today, both through education and the opportunity to practice joy in the midst of our implication.
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Resources mentioned:
- Learn more about The Whitney Plantation
- Learn more about Telos' trip to the US South
- On Juneteenth, Annette Gordon-Reed
At the age of 13, Ishmael Beah was recruited to fight in a bloody civil war in Sierra Leone as a child soldier, forever reshaping the story of his life.
Against all odds, he survived and came to the US as a refugee. But not everyone in the US was ready for his story, or for the realities of the world he came from. So he began to write, sharing his story in his memoir, A Long Way Gone, detailing the horrors, triumphs, and hopes of his life as a survivor.
Today, Ishmael continues to write award winning books, works with the UN as a Goodwill Ambassador, and enlightens us with his incredible insight into the human condition, an insight he says could've only been fashioned by the fires of war.
In this episode, we hear some of Ishmael's remarkable story, reminding us that people are almost never who we think they might be at first glance. He challenges us to listen for the story behind the story we perceive on the surface. As Ishamel says, listening to understand is the start of peacemaking.
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Resources from this episode:
- A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah
Palestinian American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed on May 11th while reporting on Israeli raids in the Palestinian West Bank city of Jenin. Eyewitnesses and video and audio evidence point toward the shots coming from Israeli forces, a claim that Israeli authorities at least initially disputed. And over the weekend, multiple communities in the US were terrorized by mass shootings including in Buffalo, NY, and Laguna Woods, CA.
We discuss how peacemakers should respond to these incidents, the importance of listening to understand and amplifying the voices that we see being marginalized, and more.
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How can you humanize the “other” if you never walk alongside them?
David Bailey grew up in relationship with those on the margins of society. But it wasn’t until he moved into an under-resourced community that he began to more fully understand the ways that race, geographic segregation, and poverty intersect to create realities that are difficult to escape. It was through this proximity that he began to build authentic relationships with his neighbors, transforming how he advocates for healing and justice in his city and across the country.
Today, David is a public theologian, the founder and Chief Visionary Office of Arrabon, and a culture-maker focused on building reconciling communities. He shares with us why his faith compels him to always love his ‘enemy,’ and offers practical help for how to humanize those we naturally want to see as irredeemable. David’s work embodies one of the foundational principles of peacemaking: relationships across lines of difference fuel transformation.
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Resources from this episode:
- Learn more about Arrabon
Follow Arrabon on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
This week on The Check-in, we tried something new: a live episode!
A few weeks ago, we gathered the Hosts from our Telos Table program, which builds the peacemaking movement locally in cities across North America, for a weekend of training and connection. We discussed the ways communication can divide, but also the ways it can be used to counteract violence and build pathways to peace.
We then had a very special evening hearing from international peacemaker and founding director of the Neighbor-Love Movement, Andrew DeCort (PhD). Andrew blew us away with his vision for what it looks like to “love the other.” He discussed the ways in which “when we love the enemy, we become the enemy,” and how grief and lament are essential to the work of peacemaking.
Despite the technical challenges, we think this conversation is one you do not want to miss.
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Resources:
- Learn more about the Neighbor-Love Movement
- Christopher Bollas, “Being A Character”
- Elisabeth Külber Ross, “On Grief and Grieving”
- Learn more about the Telos Table Host program
Last weekend, Israeli police raided Al-Aqsa mosque, injuring hundreds at Islam's third holiest site, and inflaming tensions during a tense moment in Israel/Palestine as Ramadan, Passover, and Easter converge.
Tensions have continued to rise, and we discuss our prediction for where things might go in the next few weeks, as well as how we can cut through the noise to promote a framework of human rights and mutual flourishing in the region.
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Resources shared:
- My Neighbourhood, by Just Vision
This week, we turn our eyes back to Israel/Palestine, where a spate of attacks which killed around a dozen Israelis have tensions heightened leading into the holidays.
We also discuss the recent gathering of nations who signed the Abraham Accords with Israel in the Negev, including a visit from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. What does the summit have to say about the Palestinian issue?
*Note: We recorded this show the afternoon before the attack in Dizengoff Square, near where Jack and Carly live in Jaffa. Carly shares an honest reflection on the event at the top of the show.
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Resources shared:
- Infamous photo from the Negev Peace Summit
- Negev Coexistence Forum
- Boy cartwheeling outside the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem
How can you enjoy for yourself what you deny for your neighbor?
This is the question that drove Todd Deatherage in co-founding Telos. It’s a question that compels him to a life of “neighbor love,” to not just passively accept that his neighbors need the same things that he does, but to actively work at providing these things for them.
Todd shares how this neighbor love is at the core of Telos’ guiding principle of mutual flourishing, which imagines a future for Palestinians and Israelis where all people can enjoy dignity, freedom, and security in equal measure. He shares his story, journeying from Congressional politics to co-founding an American peacemaking movement, and why imagining a third way of mutual flourishing is necessary for building a better future—in Israel/Palestine, in the US, and beyond.
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With the war in Ukraine continuing, we called in our friend and former team member Marina Klimchuk to help us understand the human-toll of the war on Ukrainians both within the country and in the diaspora.
Marina, who was born in Ukraine but now lives in Germany, shares stories from family members and friends fleeing the violence, and helps us navigate a difficult conversation on the efficacy of nonviolence in the midst of violent war. Is it applicable in all stances? Is nonviolence pacifism? What can we as Americans do to support Ukrainians nonviolently? We discuss these questions in an honest conversation that you won’t want to miss.
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Resources
- Telos' shortlist of resources on Ukraine:
- Marina’s Ukrainian Literature Recommendations: Orphanage: A Novel, by Serhiy Zhadan; In Isolation, by Stanislav Aseyev
- Pacifism, Violence, and Nonviolent Resistance in Ukraine, by Bryan Carey
In the face of ongoing injustice, does nonviolence actually work?
Sulaiman Khatib spent 10 years in prison for being part of armed resistance against the Israeli occupation in the West Bank. But during his time in prison, he experienced an unexpected transformation: he became an activist for nonviolence.
He came to believe that more than vanquishing his enemy, his freedom was better secured by liberating them—that his liberation and the liberation of the very people imprisoning him are actually intertwined. Nonviolent resistance, he realized, was the only way to make a future of mutual liberation and mutual flourishing possible. After his release from prison, Sulaiman co-founded the joint Palestinian-Israeli organization Combatants for Peace, a group of former soldiers, ex-prisoners, and other activists in Israel/Palestine that reject the use of violence and fight for peace through nonviolent means.
Nonviolence isn’t passive. It actually costs something. And Sulaiman teaches us how we can remain steadfast in nonviolent practice in the face of ongoing injustice.
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Resources:
Learn more about Combatants for Peace
The invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces is upending the world. Already, more than 1 million refugees have fled into bordering nations, and analysts predict this will be the biggest war in Europe since WWII.
We invited Chris Seiple, PhD, President Emeritus of the Institute for Global Engagement to help explain unfolding events in Ukraine. We discuss what’s happened so far, the unrecognized religious dimensions of the conflict, and the ways we as peacemakers can respond to this crisis. This is an important conversation. Lean in, and stand up.
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Resources mentioned:
- Telos' shortlist of resources on Ukraine
- Red Famine: Stalin’s War on Ukraine, Anne Applebaum
- Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Independence
None of us can turn away from the news in Ukraine. We stand behind international law and decry the Russian invasion, just as we lament the loss of life and displacement this invasion will cause. In this moment, don't look away. We're developing and sourcing resources now to direct you on getting active for peace.
In the meantime, we want to share some good, and dare we say it, hopeful news: Telos travel is finally back after two years. We'd love to tell you all about it.
Commander Mike Horn, recently retired from the Tempe Police Department, joined David Gungor to discuss his recent Telos trip leading law enforcement across the US South to discover deeper truths about what it means to be a "peace officer." Mike shares about their powerful encounters with stories that have left them completely changed and ready to dive back into their work transformed.
We also hear from Jack as he shares about our first trip to Israel/Palestine since early 2020, and the joy of reuniting with our partners and friends on the ground.
In this moment, we're not asking you to tune out from the headlines—we're living in a potentially world-shifting moment. But those are often the exact moments when we need stories of hope and joy all the more.
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Is violence the only effective form of resistance?
Fadi Quran grew up under Israeli occupation dreaming of ways to resist the tanks and soldiers he saw around him. But on a pilgrimage to India, tracing the steps of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr’s own journey there, he encountered the radical vision of nonviolence that has since changed his life.
Today, he is a nonviolent Palestinian activist who weds a deep commitment to truth with a deep care for humanity. His activism not only disrupts the status quo, but is rooted in a love that actually transforms his “enemies.” In a world that says violence is the only effective means to achieve our ends, Fadi demonstrates that there’s another way possible, a way that upholds the dignity of all.
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Resources:
Follow Fadi Quran on Twitter
This week, we discuss the reality of life for Bedouin communities in the West Bank, who struggle with profound inequities in access to resources, and what it looks like to effectively and ethically stand in solidarity with them and other vulnerable communities.
We also discuss International Holocaust Remembrance Day, remembered last week, and why such remembrance is especially important in light of rising antisemitism across the world.
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Resources mentioned:
The Check-in: MLK Jr’s Legacy, Emma Watson, and Antisemitism
Undaunted Season 2 | Ainka Jackson: Until All Are Free
Is justice possible without reconciliation?
Ainka Jackson was raised in Selma, Alabama around the foot soldiers of the Civil Rights movement. With the memory of Bloody Sunday behind them, these leaders taught Ainka the power of love and nonviolence to transform systems of oppression.
But today, Selma holds a complex legacy of both love and hate. The community continues to face serious obstacles to peace. Despite these immense challenges, Ainka sees an opportunity to build a new reality in her home, where reconciliation raises relationships to a level where justice prevails and persons obtain their full human potential. MLK Jr. calls this reality the Beloved Community, and Ainka is making it possible through her work at the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation.
In this episode, Ainka shares her stories of growing up in Selma, and why she believes true justice is not possible until all are free—until together, we’ve built the Beloved Community.
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Learn more about the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation
Next week is MLK Jr. Day in the US, and we take some time to remember and discuss King’s impact on our philosophy of peacemaking, especially around the issue of nonviolence—what is it really, and does it require different things from us depending on the power we hold?
We also discuss the common accusation that Palestinian solidarity is synonymous with antisemitism, after a former Israeli official called Emma Watson, famous for her role in the Harry Potter movies, an antisemite for a recent Instagram post.
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Resources mentioned:
I Have a Dream Speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Sarah Sturm
The Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation
Learn more about the upcoming Peacemaking Pilgrimage to Israel/Palestine
Is it possible to partner for peace with those we could call our “enemies?”
Abigail Disney lost some of her community when she built a relationship with the hero of the “opposite side,” pastor Rob Schenck. But along the way, despite their differences, she found a friend and partner for peace in a place she never expected. She documented Rob's story in the feature-length documentary, The Armor of Light, which went on to win an Emmy Award.
Abigail has spent her life self-interrogating the stories she finds herself in and advocating for change. She’s asked difficult questions about her family’s history of enslaving human beings. She’s worked to amplify the story of the successful women-led peace movement in Liberia. And now, she’s advocating for a shared future in our own home by reminding us what’s possible when we put aside our expectations and fears, and truly seek relationships with those we least expect to love.
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Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
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Resources from this episode:
All Ears with Abigail Disney
Pray the Devil Back to Hell - Documentary film on role of women in the Liberian peace process
The Armor of Light (Emmy Award Winner) - Documentary film on crossing lines of difference over a vision of shared humanity and the future of gun rights in America
How do we remember the most forgotten in the world?
Humaira’s family fled Afghanistan as refugees when she was a child. But it wasn’t until she was working in Palestine with refugee youth that she began to truly understand her own story as a refugee, and how to center the most overlooked and unheard on the margins of society.
Then, in August the US pulled out of Afghanistan, the Taliban retook control, and suddenly her people were abandoned. Humaira has been tirelessly advocating for the Afghan people ever since, demanding that the world not abandon the Afghan people to a future robbed of their most basic rights. Humaira reminds us that forgetting those on the margins is a choice—and we have the power to choose instead to center their leadership and advocate for a future full of hope.
Humaira's work represents what it looks like to Center the Leadership of the Marginalized, our fourth Practice of Peacemaking.
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Resources:
Support Rescue Angels, an organization evacuating Afghan school girls to safety - Donate here
What’s happening in Bethlehem? The birthplace of Jesus, the cradle of the nativity, is closed for another year during the Christmas season. For a city that depends on the tourism and pilgrimage of Christians, the city’s closure for another Advent season is a big hit. But living under Occupation is always full of complications.
This week, we hear from the former Mayor of Bethlehem (and first woman to ever hold the position), Vera Baboun. She shares more about the challenges of leading one of the most well-known but unvisited cities in the world. But she also shares the hope she has for Bethlehem, and how Americans, especially American Christians, can support the residents of the “little town” this Christmas season.
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Resources mentioned:
Learn more about Mayor Vera Baboun
Bright Stars of Bethlehem
Bethlehem Bible College
Peace on Earth album, by Kellie Haddock (follow Kellie on Instagram!)
What does it take to imagine a future better than the one you’ve inherited?
Angie Thomas grew up in Jackson, Mississippi—one of the most segregated cities in the US. As a kid, she escaped into stories for survival. But in them, she found something more than survival. She found the possibility of a better world.
Inspired by her faith, she writes that better world into existence today in her bestselling young adult novels, like the New York Times best-seller and major motion picture, The Hate U Give, about 16-year old Starr Carter wrestling with the weight of her best friend’s fatal shooting at the hands of a police officer. Angie sees her writing as an opportunity to not just speak honestly about the issues her community faces, but also to inspire hope. That the next generation can grow to build a better world, a world where equity is somehow possible. Angie's work and life are an example of our second principle of peacemaking: Equity.
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Read The Hate U Give
What do we do when someone else’s truth feels like it contradicts our own? Sarah Perle Benazera lives in this tension everyday in her work facilitating dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis. But she also feels this personally, living in the in-between of her own identity as a French-born, Israeli-Jewish woman with Algerian parents.
As a storyteller and peace activist, Sarah works to bring light to stories that have been buried, especially in Israel/Palestine. People often ask whether the stories of Palestinians and Israelis can exist in tension. Sarah shows us how our stories don’t have to compete, that there’s somehow enough room for all of them at the table.
Sarah embodies our second Practice of Peacemaking: Hold Competing Truths in Tension.
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Negotiations between Iran and the E3 nations have restarted, raising alarms in Israel at the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran. We discuss why this development is important for peacemakers to pay attention to, how the U.S. is involved, and how it might affect the lived realities for Israelis and Palestinians.
We also discuss the string of court cases recently resolved involving the murder of Ahmaud Arbury and the case of Kyle Rittenhause. We walk through the questions these cases raise about criminal justice, peacemaking, and policy in the U.S. What really is criminal justice, and what can we do about it?
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Resources from the episode:
Undaunted Season 2 Episode 1 | Will Snowden: Transforming the Criminal Legal System
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Equal Justice Initiative
How can we choose peace for others when we’ve lost everything for ourselves?
Michael Laverty lost his parents as a child. He lost his community when he became a conscientious objector to the apartheid regime in South Africa. And he nearly lost his family in an act of violence that left him scarred for years.
Yet despite all of this, he committed his life to peace: to undoing systems of injustice, to standing beside the poorest and most broken of the world, and to giving himself away. Through the years, he has worked to help elect Nelson Mandela as President of South Africa and empower young Christians to make active commitments of peace in Australia. But he’s learned along the way that making peace with the world also requires making peace with ourselves.
His healing and peacemaking work is centered by his evangelical Christian faith, which he believes compels him to act on behalf of the most marginalized, as Jesus would. Michael’s life represents our Practice of peacemaking, “Own Our Agency and Responsibility.”
CW: This episode has references to violence, including sexual assault and traumatic events
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It’s pumpkin pie season! We got the US team together this week to discuss all things Thanksgiving. We talked through some of the fun stuff, like our favorite dishes and thoughts on Black Friday shopping, but also opened conversation on where peacemaking might come in this holiday.
We discussed the purpose of and truth behind the “original Thanksgiving,” and talked through strategies for building relationships across lines of difference—even at the Thanksgiving table.
Happy thanksgiving listeners—we’re thankful for you!
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René August is a veteran of the anti-apartheid movement, an Anglican priest, and a reconciliation trainer. She grew up in a racially segregated township in the land now known as South Africa, a land that gave her only one quarter of the vote of a white citizen.
Her political life came alive when a group of mostly Black South African theologians released the Kairos Document—a spiritual and political challenge to the Apartheid regime. In that document, she found a spirituality that was big enough for the challenges her nation faced. It told the truth, it repaired what was harmed, and it moved toward the other in love.
Today, she embodies that spirituality in a place still struggling with the legacy of apartheid. She challenges her people to live out that spirituality every day, and she challenges us to believe that no matter how deep the pain, change is always possible. René embodies our first principle of peacemaking: Growth.
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter for more news analysis and peacemaking resources: http://eepurl.com/cG1LGH
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“If our criminal legal system actually made people safer, Louisiana would be the safest place in the country.”
One of Will’s first interactions with the police happened during cross country practice in high school. The experience forever reshaped how he understood race, policing, and justice. Today, he is on the forefront of transforming the criminal legal system to bring justice to the most incarcerated state of the most incarcerated country in the world: Louisiana.
Will serves as the Director of the New Orleans office of the Vera Institute of Justice, an organization committed to securing equal justice, ending mass incarceration, and strengthening families and communities. Will represents our third principle of peacemaking: Justice.
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Resources from this episode:
The Vera Institute of Justice
Louisiana Incarcerated, The Times Picayune
Kill ‘Em and Leave, by James McBride
On this week's episode, we dive a little deeper into Israel's decision to designate six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations. What does this means for the humanitarian space in Israel/Palestine? And we discuss a new report on surveillance tools that Israel uses to track Palestinians in the West Bank and the discovery of Pegasus spyware on the phones of human rights activists.
You can check out the resources mentioned in this episode here:
- Occupied Thoughts episode on the NGO designation with Foundation for Middle East President Lara Friedman and Israeli lawyer and human rights activist Michael Sfard
- Orly Noy's article on surveillance in +972
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The Israeli government recently designated six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations, and the global community is still trying to catch up. Why did they make this designation, what kind of impact will it have on their work and the NGO sector in Israel/Palestine, and what does it say about the political nature of language?
We discuss this, and a recent decision by the French government to return 29 stolen artifacts to Benin. What does it mean to reckon with history, especially histories of theft, and work to repair the harm done in the past—even when we weren’t personally responsible for it?
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Watch One Day After Peace
This week we discuss recent polling that shows changes in the evangelical landscape in the U.S., including what a post-evangelical movement could mean. We look at Deir Yassin, the Palestinian experience of ongoing Nakba, and the importance of acknowledging and learning about the past. And we talk about Captain Kirk’s trip to space and whether it has anything to do with peacemaking.
We finish by asking you to take action! So much of peacemaking is about expanding our perspective. This can feel like a wishy-washy step, but it’s a critical one. If we see the world differently, we see ourselves differently. And the way we see ourselves and understand our identity is a main driver of our behavior.
What steps can you take this week to expand perspectives? Share with us on social media! Some ideas from our team:
- Watch Just Vision’s film My Neighborhood or share it with someone who hasn’t seen it yet (https://justvision.org/myneighbourhood)
- If you’re a member of a church or religious institution, ask your pastor or faith leader how they’re doing and how you can support them
- Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter for more news analysis and peacemaking resources
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A community of Palestinians in the West Bank was the target of a coordinated attack by Israeli settlers last week in what was described as “one of the biggest attacks in broad daylight by settlers on a Palestinian community.” We hear first-hand stories from special guest Marina Klimchuk, who spent the first few days after the attack with residents of Mufagara, and we discuss: was the attack a sensational anomaly, or part of a larger strategy?
We also discuss the seemingly-outlandish, but increasingly-engaged possibility that our divisions may lead to political violence, even civil war. How do we as peacemakers consider this possibility, and what can we do today to wage peace and prevent violence?
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David French, A Whiff of Civil War in the Air: https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/a-whiff-of-civil-war-in-the-air
After an unprecedented display of resistance, Congress officially approved an additional $1 billion in support of Israel’s Iron Dome—an amount in addition to the $3.8 billion the US sends to Israel every year. Why was the funding so controversial, yet still pass with a vote of 420-9? And does this kind of funding actually promote a future of flourishing for Israelis and Palestinians alike?
We also discuss a Washington Post article about the historic and growing divides within the US. Can a sense of common purpose and opportunities for collaboration be revived in our increasingly polarized society? And how can we as peacemakers usher them in?
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Read the Washington Post article we discuss: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/after-pearl-harbor-and-911-americans-came-together-have-we-lost-that-capacity/2021/09/26/1246b22e-1492-11ec-9589-31ac3173c2e5_story.html
Images from the U.S. border, where thousands of mostly Haitian migrants have attempted to apply for asylum near Del Rio, Texas, captured the nation’s attention last week. What’s happening, what’s the bigger story, and what can we do about it?
We discuss these questions with special guest, Sami DiPasquale, Executive Director of Abara, an organization focused on inspiring connections and responding to needs at the US-Mexico border.
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Learn more about and support Abara: https://www.abarafrontiers.org/
Other resources:
-National Immigration Forum: https://immigrationforum.org/
-Faith in Action: https://faithinaction.org/
This time last year, Israel began signing diplomatic agreements (nicknamed the Abraham Accords) to officially normalize relations with a few Arab nations. While the agreements have been touted as “peace deals,” we discuss whether the region is actually closer to peace one year down the road.
We also reflect on how to respond as peacemakers to moments that feel overwhelming. How can we acknowledge our anger at injustice, nourish joy in the process, and stay curious? It might be easier than you think.
Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
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Learn more about our mini-series, Childhood Interrupted: The Need to End Child Detention - https://www.telosgroup.org/upcoming-events/
Learn more about the Telos Table - https://www.telosgroup.org/telos-table/
Six Palestinians jailed in a high-security prison in Israel’s north escaped this week, sparking both celebration and fear in communities across the region. We discuss the event, the larger systems of justice and accountability behind it, and how to hold communal reactions in tension.
We also remember the 20th anniversary of 9/11 this weekend, reflecting on our collective grief, and the impact of that day on our shared society and world.
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The U.S. officially completed its pullout of Afghanistan this week, raising questions about America’s historic and future role on the global stage. We discuss responsibility, opportunity, and what we mean when we use terms like “peacemaking.”
We also take a moment to acknowledge the destruction caused by Hurricane Ida, especially in the low-country areas of Louisiana. Many of the lands directly hit by the storm are home to Indigenous communities already facing a plethora of other challenges. We discuss the historic and ongoing reasons behind these challenges and offer some suggestions for how to support these often marginalized communities.
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Another Gulf is Possible Just Ida Recovery: https://anothergulf.com/ida/
Listen to Monique Verdin's story on Undaunted: https://theteloschannel.buzzsprout.com/1384696/9118082-monique-verdin-the-right-to-remain-and-reclaim-repost
DC Residents support Afghan refugees: https://docs.google.com/document/d/107Eb9jBXF68Y0QZ6BuW6QTRjXpD2I4bvUDw1wpG7pzo/edit
Our resource list on Afghanistan - ways to learn, give, and advocate: https://mailchi.mp/telosgroup/afghanistan-leaning-in-join-us-today-at-330-edt
Hurricane Ida made landfall in southern Louisiana on Sunday, leaving a wake of devastation in its place and more than 1 million without power. Some of the hardest hit areas are home to Indigenous communities from the region, including the Houma people.
Today, we want to highlight their stories and offer a chance for you to give. Our friend Monique Verdin is a poet, activist, and artist, and part of the Houma people from southern Louisiana. Take a moment to hear her story, and consider giving to her organization, Another Gulf is Possible, which is providing emergency aid to folks on the ground who need it most.
Another Gulf is Possible Just Ida Recovery Fund - https://anothergulf.com/ida/
Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking - https://www.telosgroup.org/what-we-do/#principles-practices
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter for more news analysis and peacemaking resources - http://eepurl.com/cG1LGHd
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If you’re enjoying the podcast, become a monthly donor to Telos - https://www.telosgroup.org/donate
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What does it mean to call a place “home,” to stay and heal it when it's broken and hurting? In this episode, South Louisiana native and interdisciplinary storyteller Monique Verdin shares with us what her home on the disappearing coast of the Louisiana bayou means to her, and the radical ways she’s working to protect it—its land, its people, and its stories.
Monique shed so much light on the interconnectedness of place, story and justice in our conversation. The way she's worked to protect her home as an indigenous woman, artist, and activist inspired us to “remain and reclaim” the places we call home too.
Find more information about Monique’s work on her website - https://www.moniqueverdin.com/
A group of nearly 30 activists were arrested by the Palestinian Authority last weekend as they demanded accountability for the death of PA critic Nizar Banat. We discuss this worrisome trend of crackdowns against PA dissent, and ask what it means for the prospects of peace in the region.
And with things seemingly continuing to spiral in Afghanistan, Haiti, Lebanon, and elsewhere, we talk through strategies for staying engaged while avoiding the very real threat of compassion fatigue.
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Our resource list on Afghanistan - ways to learn, give, and advocate
Ways to support Haitian recovery and emergency relief efforts
On Sunday, the Taliban entered the capital of Afghanistan and began reestablishing its rule. We’re horrified and deeply grieved by the reports coming out of Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan.
This week, we discuss our reactions, and we ask: what do we do when everything feels out of control and overwhelming?
*Join us Fri, Aug 20th for a webinar on Afghanistan
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Resources
*A comprehensive document with resources to aid in advocacy, organizations to donate to, and relocation and legal aid info
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) offers resources for anyone grieving the loss of a member of the military
Hope for the Warriors offers services to benefit veterans and their families, including mental health services and funding to cover related treatment expenses
Ways to Learn
A collated Instagram list of helpful posts and accounts to follow
@omar.haidari - Afghan student and human rights activist currently in Germany)
@afghansempowered - Resources for community empowerment
@khyberkhaan - Kabul-based filmmaker offering daily updates
@yaldahakim - Afghan journalist reporting for the BBC
@everydayafg - Community of photographers telling stories of and by Afghans
Middle East Institute webinar on Afghanistan and the implications of the Taliban takeover - Monday, Aug 23.
Ways to Give
A long list of organizations providing aid, relief, and legal support to Afghans
Enabled Children Initiative supports children living with disabilities in Afghanistan and provides emergency relief for displaced Afghans, especially children
Afghan Aid is a UK based organization providing emergency aid to over 1 million vulnerable people across Afghanistan
Mina’s List advances women’s leadership and participation globally with special attention to Afghanistan.
Ways to Volunteer
World Relief is a global aid and refugee resettlement agency. See their website for opportunities to volunteer, guidance on advocacy, and a place to give
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services is a refugee resettlement agency in the US and is seeking volunteer help in Seattle/Tacoma, Houston, Fort Worth, and the DMV
A repost of one of the most popular episodes of our show Undaunted: Conversations with Radical Peacemakers. Listen to the rest of Season 1 at the top of this feed, and stay tuned for Season 2 airing this Fall.
In our season 1 finale, we hear from lawyer, activist, and founder of Justice Defenders, Alexander McLean. Alexander joined us earlier this year to discuss his work defending and empowering the defenseless in prisons and on death row across Uganda and Kenya.
Alexander has an unparalleled ability to see the dignity in every human being, and the work of Justice Defenders is righting the wrongs of broken systems across East Africa and the world. In the face of injustice and suffering, he has chosen the deeper work of justice, presence and hope—the work of peacemaking.
Learn more about Justice Defenders
For the past three months, the world has been watching and waiting for a final ruling from the Israeli Supreme Court on whether four Palestinian families living in Sheikh Jarrah would be able to stay in their homes, or be forcibly removed. The court reached its decision on Monday.
In this episode, we discuss the court’s ruling and its implications with Suhad Babaa, Executive Director of Just Vision, an organization that fills a media gap on Israel/Palestine through independent storytelling and strategic audience engagement. She reminds us that peace and justice are intertwined (Principle of Peacemaking #3), and encourages us to ask “for whose pragmatism” when confronted with solutions that prioritize pragmatic over principled approaches.
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Learn more about Just Vision
Watch My Neighbourhood, the short-film featuring Mohammed El Kurd and his family in Sheikh Jarrah
Watch David and Suhad’s discussion of My Neighborhood
After Ben & Jerry’s announcement to no longer sell its ice-cream in the occupied Palestinian territories, a number of states have begun the process of enacting anti-boycott legislation against the Vermont-based company, calling the decision "antisemitic."
In this episode, we ask who’s behind these laws, and whether they are actually helpful for combating antisemitism. We discuss what this development means for free speech, and how to center the leadership of the marginalized here in the U.S.
We found this conversation so important, it was the only headline we get to in this episode.
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Ben & Jerry’s Op-ed in NYT: We’re Ben and Jerry. Men of Ice Cream, Men of Principle
Summer Olympics 2021: Our favorite post-win reaction
Palestine Legal: Check whether your state has enacted anti-BDS legislation
Ben & Jerry’s announced they would stop selling their ice cream in Israeli settlements. We discuss their statement, the Israeli response, and the US laws that make boycotting Israel illegal.
And we talk about the rise in violent crime across the U.S. during the pandemic and what our response as peacemakers should be to address it.
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Detained Palestinian activist Khalida Jarrar was denied furlough to attend her daughter’s funeral after her sudden death this past week. In this episode, we open a discussion about her case and the larger practice of administrative detention in Israel/Palestine.
We also discuss the Church of England’s recent announcement of a formal apology for centuries of antisemitism in England. We wrestle with this history and explore the Christian practice of repentance, particularly its connections to self-interrogation.
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If you’re enjoying the podcast, become a monthly donor to Telos!
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Register for our webinar, Combating Antisemitism: Where to Start
The discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at residential schools for Indigenous children in Canada has prompted a reckoning within the U.S. over its treatment of Indigenous communities. We discuss what it means to grapple with this history, especially in light of the recent celebration of our nation’s founding on July 4th.
We also shed some light on the recent controversy over the Citizenship Law in Israel, an amendment to which bars Palestinians and citizens of some Arab states from gaining citizenship in Israel even if they marry an Israeli. The law expired Wednesday night after the Knesset failed to pass a renewal measure, despite the law having a large majority of support from lawmakers.
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Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter for more news analysis and peacemaking resources
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If you’re enjoying the podcast, become a monthly donor to Telos!
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Learn more about the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools
Read Frederick Douglas’ speech, “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July”
Discover the Indigenous communities native to the land where you now reside
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is facing the biggest test of his political career. Resentment from the cancelled elections and years of backchannel dealing was climbing, but reached a climax after Nizar Banat, frequent critic of the Palestinian Authority, was apparently killed in his home by PA security forces last week. Hundreds took to the streets in protest and to demand Abu Mazen step down.
This week, Greg is joined by Khaled Elgindy, Senior Fellow and Director of the Program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs at the Middle East Institute for a special episode to discuss these developments.
Sadly, we lost Khaled to a bad internet connection towards the end of the call, but Greg finishes the story right where Khaled left off.
Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter for more news analysis and peacemaking resources
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If you’re enjoying the podcast, become a monthly donor to Telos!
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Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump, by Khaled Elgindy
The Biden administration is now using the language of “security, freedom, and prosperity in equal measures" for Palestinians and Israelis in its approach to Israel/Palestine. While the language may be new for the U.S. government, it’s eerily familiar to us. We discuss the new language, what it might mean, and its similarities to language we’ve been using for years.
We also discuss an important Washington Post op-ed by Michael Gerson on why he believes in systemic racism as a conservative, and how peacemaking is an invitation into “joyous implication.”
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Become a monthly donor to Telos!
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Middle East Institute - Up for Debate: The Biden administration’s approach to Israel/Palestine
Michael Gerson Washington Post Op-ed - I’m a conservative who believes systemic racism is real
Israel's new government is voted in and Carly joins us from Lesbos to talk about it! We discuss the controversial Flag March in Jerusalem, Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday, and the importance of telling stories that elevate equity over scarcity.
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Two years and four elections later, there might be a new government in Israel—one in which, for the first time in 12 years, Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu will not be Prime Minister. Who is Naftali Bennett, Israel’s likely new Prime Minister, what unifies this new government, and what does it mean for a future of peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike? These questions—and Sarah's love for sheep—on this week's episode.
Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter for more news analysis and peacemaking resources
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Join our Israel/Palestine 101 Webinar - Thursday, June 24, 7 PM EDT
Haaretz: Who is Naftali Bennett?
Buy Palestinian!
Hilweh Market
Taybeh Brewing Company - Find Taybeh Beer in D.C. at Georgetown Wine & Spirits or The Green Zone
Middle East Books in D.C.
Malak Art Store
Qanoon in NYC
The Gaza Strip has been at the center of reporting in recent weeks after the escalation between Hamas and Israel that left much of the Strip devastated. But what brought Gaza to this point? How did a cosmopolitan beachfront area become “the world’s largest open-air prison?” We offer some much-needed context on Gaza, discuss the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, and ask what it means to “self-interrogate” history and our own stories in this week's episode.
Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter for more news analysis and peacemaking resources
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Congressional Hearing on Centennial of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
Duke Kwon twitter thread: The response of local white clergymen to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
Last Friday, a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel went into effect, and the pause on rockets and airstrikes has held since. We discuss what this means—and what it doesn’t—and hear updates on all of the behind-the-headlines events, including the protests against the forced removal of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem and communal violence in central Israel.
We also discuss the worrying trend of rising antisemitic attacks in the US, and what Americans can do to create communities that welcome, dignify, and protect all people, both here at home and abroad.
Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter for more news analysis and peacemaking resources
Follow Telos on Instagram @thetelosgroup
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Human Rights Watch: Europe’s Worrying Surge of Antisemitism
Times of Israel: Support for Israel among young US evangelicals drops sharply
What’s happening in Israel/Palestine? With rocket attacks in Israel and airstrikes in Gaza dominating international news media, we took this week to answer your questions about the recent escalation, and what might be behind it too.
Give to the Telos Peacemakers Fund which supports peacemakers on the ground
Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter
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What’s happening in Israel/Palestine? With rocket attacks in Israel and airstrikes in Gaza dominating international news media, we took this week to answer your questions about the recent escalation, and what might be behind it too.
We also heard from a surprise special guest and dear friend whom Telos trip alumni may know.
Give to the Telos Peacemakers Fund which supports peacemakers on the ground
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*We incorrectly named the organization of our guest as Aswat Acherim - The correct name is Kol Acher
Unfolding events in Israel/Palestine have us deeply concerned—the escalation in violence between Hamas and Israel, community violence in mixed Arab-Jewish towns within Israel, police violence against protesters in East Jerusalem and at holy sites. We discuss these events, what this moment means for peace, and what pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, and pro-Peace Americans can do in response. This is an important episode.
What can you do?
Share: This episode, Telos content on social media, and your own experiences hearing the stories of peacemakers on the ground and why you believe in a pro/pro/pro future.
Give to the Telos Peacemakers Fund which supports peacemakers on the ground
Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter
Follow Telos on Instagram @thetelosgroup
Resources mentioned:
Just Vision’s “My Neighbourhood”
May 5, 2021
We discuss Orthodox Easter, the Mt. Meron tragedy, the new Human Rights Watch report on crimes against humanity in Israel/Palestine, Rick Santorum and the stories of our nation’s history, and how to hold competing truths in tension.
Read the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
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Resources mentioned:
Layli Long Soldier on OnBeing, and her book of poetry, Whereas: Poems
Consider supporting the work of peace and our ability to host conversations like these through a tax-deductible donation. Telos exists because of the generosity of those in our community. Help us form peacemakers and transform conflict by donating today!
We discuss the recent protests, police violence, and anti-Arab mobs in Jerusalem; the U.S. recognition of the Amernian genocide, and how to build relationships with those different from us without tokenizing (Principle 4: Relationship).
Read the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter
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Resources mentioned:
Politico piece by Charlie Mahtesian
Telos webinar with Christian leaders on evangelical peacemaking movements
April 21, 2021. We discuss evictions and protests in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, and the verdict of the trial of Derek Chauvin.
Read the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter to receive even more peacemaking analysis on current events
Follow Telos on Instagram @thetelosgroup
Resources mentioned:
Daniel Grothe Instagram post
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison’s remarks
April 14, 2021. We discuss the biggest peace event in history, the U.S. restoring aid to the Palestinians and UNRWA, and protests following the death of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. We also dive into the first Practice of Peacemaking, Listening to Understand.
Read the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter to receive even more peacemaking analysis on current events
Follow Telos on Instagram @thetelosgroup
What's this? A new podcast? In fact it is! Introducing The Check-in:
Join the team at Telos every week as they unpack headlines to hit the U.S., Israel/Palestine, and beyond. Though it might seem daunting, peacemaking is for all of us—journey with the Telos team as they explore how peacemaking is the driving force our world needs, and how we can each join in it today.
Subscribe to the Telos Newsletter to receive even more peacemaking analysis on current events
Follow Telos on Instagram @thetelosgroup
Read the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking
Notes:
NPR's Planet Money Episode 766: Georgetown, Louisiana Part 1
We're rebranding! Listen to learn about The Telos Channel, and our new podcast, the Check-in!
Learn more about Telos: www.telosgroup.org
Subscribe to our bi-weekly Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cG1LGH
In our season 1 finale, we hear from lawyer, activist, and founder of Justice Defenders, Alexander McLean. Alexander joined us earlier this year to discuss his work defending and empowering the defenseless in prisons and on death row across Uganda and Kenya.
Alexander has an unparalleled ability to see the dignity in every human being, and his work is righting the wrongs of broken systems across East Africa and the world. In the face of injustice and suffering, he has chosen the deeper work of justice, presence and hope—the work of peacemaking. We could think of no one better to close out Season 1 of Undaunted.
Learn more about Justice Defenders
Learn more about Telos
Follow Telos on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter for Undaunted updates and peacemaking resources
Support our show and receive bonus content, episode transcripts, and more by becoming a Patron
What does it mean to call a place “home,” to stay and heal it when it's broken and hurting? In this episode, South Louisiana native and interdisciplinary storyteller Monique Verdin shares with us what her home on the disappearing coast of the Louisiana bayou means to her, and the radical ways she’s working to protect it—its land, its people, and its stories.
Monique shed so much light on the interconnectedness of place, story and justice in our conversation. The way she's worked to protect her home as an indigenous woman, artist, and activist inspired us to “remain and reclaim” the places we call home too.
Find more information about Monique’s work on her website.
Support our show and receive bonus content, episode transcripts, and more by becoming an Undaunted Journeymaker. Visit our Patreon to learn more.
Learn more about Telos.
Follow Telos on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter for Undaunted updates and more peacemaking resources.
In life, we don’t often come across people whose passion, kindness, and vision simply blow us away. But in today’s episode, we have. Lana Abu-Hijleh is a development expert, business woman, and peacemaker from the West Bank of Palestine. Her story of love for her homeland, of tragedy and transformation, and of shattering glass ceilings is raw inspiration—the kind of story that stays with you long after the last word rings out.
We left this conversation with so much hope, and with newfound courage to move in its direction. We expect you will too.
Learn more about Lana’s work with Global Communities
Learn more about the Israeli Government’s proposed annexation of large parts of the West Bank mentioned by Lana in the episode (*note: this conversation was recorded in May, 2020. As of today, the Israeli government has not yet formally annexed the areas proposed by the "Peace to Prosperity Plan" )
Support our show and receive bonus content, episode transcripts, and more by becoming an Undaunted Journeymaker. Check out our page on Patreon to learn more.
Learn more about the Telos Group
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Apeirogon: a shape with a countably infinite number of sides, and the title of award-winning author Colum McCann’s newest novel. Colum wrote the New York Times Bestseller after meeting Rami Elhanan and Bassam Aramin, featured in Episode 4 of this season, on a trip with Telos to Israel/Palestine. Apeirogon tells their stories, blending fact and fiction in a dazzling dance of 1001 short chapters, immersed in the complexity of their stories and the conflict itself.
In this episode, we learn more about Apeirogon, explore ideas of courage, optimism, and storytelling as essential acts of peacemaking, and ask, “How do we speak truth in a way that people can hear?”
Learn more about Apeirogon
Learn more about Narrative 4, the global empathy building non-profit co-founded by Colum
Learn more about Telos
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Support our show by becoming a Patron
In this episode of Undaunted, we hear from fathers, activists, and best friends Rami Elhanan and Bassam Aramin. According to convention, they should be enemies—Rami is Israeli, Bassam is Palestinian. But they’ve been united together through the gravest of circumstances: the loss of their daughters to the conflict. In the face of their shared grief, they’ve committed their lives to writing a different future for their home. One where the cycle of violence is broken, reconciliation is possible, and a just peace is secured for all. They share their stories with us in this episode.
Rami and Bassam are members of the Parents Circle - Families Forum, an organization of over 600 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families working to build a reconciliation process as a prerequisite to sustainable peace in Israel/Palestine.
For more information about the Parents Circle - Families Forum: https://www.theparentscircle.org/en/ & https://parentscirclefriends.org/
Visit the Telos website: https://www.telosgroup.org/
Support our podcast by joining our Patreon and becoming an Undaunted Journeymaker! Receive bonus content, episode transcripts, and chances to connect with our host, David Gungor: https://www.patreon.com/undauntedpod
We’re back again with Robi Damelin for Episode 2. In Part 1, we heard Robi share the story of losing her son, David, and what she’s learned about reconciliation and nonviolence since. This week, Robi gives us her honest advice on what it takes to be a catalyst for change, and we hear more about the work of the Parents Circle, an organization creating a framework for a reconciliation process in Israel/Palestine.
For more information about the Parents Circle: https://www.theparentscircle.org/en/ & https://parentscirclefriends.org/
To learn more about Apeirogon, by Colum McCann: http://colummccann.com/apeirogon/
Visit the Telos website: https://www.telosgroup.org/
Support our podcast by joining our Patreon and becoming an Undaunted Journeymaker! Receive bonus content, episode transcripts, and chances to connect with our host, David Gungor: https://www.patreon.com/undauntedpod
This week, we’re releasing a double feature: our peace hero Robi Damelin, followed by Telos co-founder and president, Greg Khalil. Greg co-founded Telos after living in Ramallah and advising Palestinian leadership on peace negotiations with Israel.
When we talk about peacemaking, we mean so much more than kumbaya credits. Today, Greg shares why. He dives into the challenges peacemakers face, how peacemaking can be hard, gritty, even dangerous, and how story can be both the cage and the key to our freedom.
In this episode, three stories: the man in the white shirt, the man in the red shirt, and the girl with the pink backpack.
To learn more about Telos visit our website: https://www.telosgroup.org/
Support our podcast by joining our Patreon and becoming an Undaunted Journeymaker! Receive bonus content, episode transcripts, and chances to connect with our host, David Gungor: https://www.patreon.com/undauntedpod
This week on Undaunted, we hear Part 1 of our interview with Robi Damelin, an Israeli mother who lost her son to a Palestinian sniper. The moment she heard the news, she responded with a line that has since rung out across the world: “You may not kill anyone in the name of my son.”
Since, Robi has dedicated her life to the work of nonviolence and reconciliation: she has spoken all over the world, starred in a feature-length documentary, and worked closely with the joint Israeli-Palestinian organization, the Parents Circle - Families Forum, a group of over 600 bereaved families in Israel/Palestine who advocate for reconciliation and an end to the conflict.
Tune in next week to hear the rest of Robi’s story.
For more information about the PCFF: https://www.theparentscircle.org/en/ & https://parentscirclefriends.org/
To rent “One Day After Peace,” the documentary featuring Robi: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/simaonedayafterpeace?autoplay=1
To learn more about Telos, visit our website: https://www.telosgroup.org/
To become an Undaunted Journeymaker and receive bonus content, an episode transcript, and other perks, visit our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/undauntedpod
Final song: Holding the Contradiction, The Brilliance
*Note: This episode was recorded in New York before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which is why we were able to interview Robi in person.
Intoducing...Undaunted: Conversations with Radical Peacemakers.
What is Undaunted? It's a podcast about stories. But it's also an invitation.
To heal. Inspire. Unite. And pledge to co-create a better world together. Hosted by renowned musician and producer, David Gungor, Undaunted connects us with the real-life stories of the world’s most daring peacemakers.
From denouncing the right to revenge after the killing of a loved one in Israel/Palestine, to upending unjust legal systems across East Africa, the stories of Undaunted peacemakers will convict you to live your values more deeply, and inspire you to take up the dangerous, joyous, counter-cultural life of peacemaking yourself.