The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp

Impolite, Unstoppable and Unapologetically Palestinian: The World According to Mo Hamzeh

Mo Hamzeh is a Palestinian American activist, content creator and author who has been repeatedly banned from Meta platforms—at the time of publishing now on his 45th Instagram account. In this conversation, he talks about growing up Palestinian in a heavily Zionist community, being bullied as a child for identifying as Palestinian, and finally visiting Palestine for the first time in September 2023, just weeks before October 7. We talk about what happened after October 7 and why Palestinians were ignored, why Mo decided he was “done being polite,” his characterization of liberal Zionism as the most dangerous form of Zionism, and why he believes Palestinians should no longer have to defend their own humanity. We also discusses accusations of antisemitism within the Palestine movement and why Mo doesn't even think we should use that term, and how Israel's treatment of the Palestinians and the worlds complicity has exposed the myth of International Law. Follow Mo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aya.mo.llah/ ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - Coming Up (00:47) - Intro (04:31) - Welcome to the Other Side (07:30) - Mo’s Palestinian Identity (11:18) - Returning to Palestine (14:00) - October 7th & Going All In (16:30) - Breaking Through to a Zionist (18:30) - The New Zionist Rhetoric (20:00) - Liberal Zionism & Selective Activism (25:30) - “Peaceful Zionism” & Denial (27:00) - Why Mo Is Done Being Polite (30:30) - Antisemitism, Anti-Jewish Hate & Zionism (34:30) - Palestine & the Fight Against Oppression (37:00) - Palestine, America & the System (39:00) - The Collapse of International Law (40:30) - Is Revolution Still Possible? (44:30) - Finding Joy During Genocide (48:30) - The Hope of a New Generation (50:00) - Is It Too Late for Gaza? (52:00) - Reclaiming Palestinian Humanity (53:30) - Outro ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

The Multifaceted Machinery of Palestinian Dispossession with Sam Avraham Stein

On this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra sits down with Sam Avraham Stein, a Jewish anti-Zionist activist who, over the last five years, has repeatedly traveled to Palestine to do protective presence work in the occupied West Bank. They trace Sam’s ideological journey, from growing up in a right-wing Orthodox Zionist Jewish community in the U.S., to attending university in Tel Aviv, leading Birthright Israel trips, and eventually becoming involved in activism against the Israeli occupation and publicly advocating for anti-Zionism. Sam describes how this work—and particularly his experience living full-time in rural villages in Masafer Yatta—has shaped his understanding of Palestinian life under occupation, as well as the deep relationships he has developed along the way. He also breaks down the seemingly disparate systems through which Palestinian dispossession and violence are carried out, including Hilltop Youth settlers, the Israeli army, state law, and entrenched settlement cities. Ultimately, he reveals how these forces are not operating independently, but in conjunction as parts of a larger system of Palestinian dispossession, colonization, and ethnic cleansing. PLEASE SUPPORT SAM'S WORK AND FOLLOW HIS JOURNEY https://www.patreon.com/cw/Sam_Avraham/ https://www.instagram.com/sam_avraham/ ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - — Cold Open (00:47) - — Introduction (04:31) - — Growing Up Zionist (08:06) - — The First Cracks (10:41) - — Hearing a Palestinian Story (15:22) - — From Liberal Zionism to Activism (17:43) - — Dehumanization & the Great March of Return (19:52) - — What Is Protective Presence? (22:45) - — Living in Um Al-Khair (24:44) - — Awdah: Friendship & Solidarity (27:06) - — Awdah’s Killing (30:18) - — The Machinery of Dispossession (32:22) - — What Occupation Looks Like on the Ground (38:25) - — How Dispossession Becomes State Policy (39:40) - — Areas A, B & C (43:23) - — When Settlers Become Soldiers (44:51) - — The Hilltop Youth (47:07) - — Settlements Aren’t “Moderate” (50:28) - — How Sam’s Positionality Changed (52:15) - — The World Gets Bigger When You’re Not Afraid ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

Debunking Liberal Zionist Myths About Palestinian Resistance

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Esther and Ezra tear apart the liberal Zionist talking points that claim that if Palestinians resisted better they would not be oppressed. Haviv Rettig Gur one Middle East analyst at Bari Weiss', Free Press, known for his liberal zionist stance claims that the Palestinian problem comes down to not understanding that Israelis are here to stay and if Palestinians only accepted that truth and peacefully protested Israel would be a democracy. Point by point Ezra and Esther dismantle the projections and inversions of his talking points. From challenging the lie that Palestinian resistance has only ever been violent, to articulating that Palestinians have done more to take care of this land while Zi onists have actively destroyed it, and finally the recognition that the phrase from the River to the Sea Palestine will be free is one of the most beautiful phrases that should be embraced by all, as it envisions a Palestine where Muslims, Christians and Jews can live side by side in freedom and equality. ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - Coming Up Teaser (00:32) - Welcome to the Show (01:47) - The Unveiling is a Process (03:57) - Introducing the Hasbara Clip (05:57) - Critiquing Policy Not System (06:39) - Delegitimization and Projection (13:11) - Sumud and Self Determination (18:37) - Myth of Only Violence (23:38) - Liberal Zionists desire for a Perfect Victim (30:06) - Colonial Mindset demands enemies (33:59) - Palestinian Land Stewardship is a gift (35:04) - Closing and Support the Show ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

Sex, Drugs & Israeli Nationalism: Zionist Indoctrination at Jewish Summer Camp w/ Aaron Kreuter

In this episode of The Thin Veil, host Ezra Lipp speaks with Canadian anti-Zionist Jewish writer, activist and academic Aaron Kreuter, author of Lake Burntshore, a novel set at a Jewish summer camp that explores Zionism, settler colonialism, Jewish identity, and the complicated relationship between diaspora Jews and Israel. The conversation explores the strange and powerful world of North American Jewish sleep-away camp: the sense of living in an alternative society, the wealth and privilege that make that communal utopia possible, and the ways Zionism and Israeli nationalism can become embedded in the fabric of camp life. Kreuter discusses Israeli soldiers serving as staff at North American Jewish summer camps, Israel programs and Birthright, military training programs for Jewish youth, and the broader project of shaping Jewish identity around the State of Israel. This conversation also explores the connections Kreuter draws between settler colonialism in Canada and Palestine, and what it means for Jews living in Canada and the United States to reckon with the land beneath their own communities. Finally, the episode examines the growing divide between Zionist and anti-Zionist Jews after October 7th, the role of anti-Zionist Jewish writers and artists, and whether internal Jewish conversations about Zionism risk becoming a distraction from the urgent reality facing Palestinians. Please Support Gaza Food Relief Project AARON KREUTER WEBSITE INSTAGRAM ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - — Intro + Technical Mishap Explanation (06:01) - — Aaron Kreuter: From Jewish Suburb to Anti-Zionism (10:18) - — Why Jewish Summer Camp Feels Like Another World (15:02) - — The Zionist Capture of Jewish Summer Camp (19:52) - — Israeli Soldiers, IDF Culture & Jewish Youth (24:48) - — How Zionism Became the Dominant Jewish Narrative (32:05) - — Settler Colonialism: Canada, Palestine & the Land Beneath Camp (37:33) - — After October 7: "Jewish Fiction" Inside the Jewish Community (42:15) - — Beyond Jewish Feelings: Solidarity with Palestine (45:54) - — Imagining a Better World Through Fiction ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

How Israeli Propaganda is Failing with Palestinian Filmmaker Rolla Selbak

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra sits down with Palestinian filmmaker, writer, podcaster, and storyteller Rolla Selbak for a wide-ranging conversation on propaganda, identity, Hollywood, and what collective liberation could actually look like. They explore Rolla's journey growing up Palestinian, the moment she began questioning dominant narratives, and how filmmaking and satire have become powerful forms of resistance. Also discussed is Israel's propaganda apparatus, the changing media landscape after October 7th, her experience being dropped by Hollywood's Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and why she now sees that loss as one of the greatest gifts of her career. They also dive into what it means to have queer Palestinian identity, speaking to Jewish audiences with compassion while remaining uncompromising in the pursuit of justice, and what a truly free Palestine could mean for everyone who calls the land home. Rolla's Website Rolla's Instagram Rolla's Youtube ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - Intro (02:10) - Rolla's "Thin Veil" moment (08:45) - Growing up Palestinian & questioning dominant narratives (16:30) - Storytelling as resistance (24:15) - Satire, humor & surviving impossible times (30:45) - Queer Palestinian identity & pinkwashing (43:20) - Israeli propaganda & the changing media landscape (56:40) - Hollywood, CAA & finding freedom (01:09:15) - Speaking to Jewish audiences (01:22:30) - Jewish anti-Zionism & solidarity (01:36:00) - What does a free Palestine actually look like? (01:49:30) - Hope, collective liberation & closing reflections ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

"Who The F#%k Cares It's Jews?" - The Thin Veil Unfiltered (Pilot) w/ Rabbi Esther Azar

Welcome to The Thin Veil Unfiltered—a new recurring conversation between Ezra Lipp and Rabbi Esther Azar that is meant to complement the long-form interviews on The Thin Veil. In this pilot episode, Ezra and Esther revisit one of the most nuanced and often misunderstood points from Esther's previous appearance on The Thin Veil: Is what we're witnessing best understood as Jewish supremacy—or Western supremacy operating through Zionism? They wrestle with whether Jewish voices can ever be appropriately centered while Palestinians are being slaughtered, whether Zionism functions as the true "operating system" behind the genocide, why Christian Zionism and Western empire must be part of the conversation, and what responsibility Jewish communities bear within that larger system. ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON HAKHAM/RABBI ESTHER AZAR WEBSITE INSTAGRAM SUBSTACK 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - Coming Up (00:00) - Chapter 2 (01:00) - Introducing The Thin Veil Unfiltered (00:00) - Chapter 4 (03:00) - How Ezra and Esther Began Collaborating (00:00) - Chapter 6 (08:35) - The Conversation That Sparked So Much Debate (00:00) - Chapter 8 (10:45) - Why This Conversation Still Centers Palestinian Liberation (00:00) - Chapter 10 (12:40) - "Who Cares That It's Jews?" — Expanding the Frame (00:00) - Chapter 12 (14:45) - Judaism, Zionism, and Western Power (00:00) - Chapter 14 (18:00) - Zionism, Jewish Identity, and Antisemitism (00:00) - Chapter 16 (21:20) - Why Seeing Zionism as the Operating System Matters (00:00) - Chapter 18 (23:20) - Accountability, Responsibility, and Jewish Communities (00:00) - Chapter 20 (25:20) - Ending the Genocide vs. Changing Minds (00:00) - Chapter 22 (27:10) - Is Zionism Itself Antisemitic? (00:00) - Chapter 24 (28:20) - Jewish Power or Western Power? (00:00) - Chapter 26 (30:15) - Are We Centering Jewish Voices Too Much? (00:00) - Chapter 28 (35:30) - Why Esther No Longer Wants to Be Called an Anti-Zionist (00:00) - Chapter 30 (38:40) - Final Reflections ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

How Palestine Is Hidden From Us: History, Resistance & What We're Not Taught with Riad Bahhur

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra speaks with Palestinian-American filmmaker, historian, and Sacramento City College professor of Contemporary Palestinian History and Culture, Riad Bahhur. After his parents were denied the right to return to Palestine following Israel's occupation of the West Bank in 1967, Riad spent his early childhood in Venezuela before his family settled in the United States. He reflects on his childhood visits to Palestine, the lessons he learned about living under Israeli military occupation, and the beauty, resilience, and depth of Palestinian culture as embodied by his grandmothers. Later, Riad returned to Palestine to help document the First Intifada, work that contributed to the documentaries People and the Land and Two Blue Lines. Drawing on decades of teaching Palestinian history and culture, he describes the profound sense of betrayal many of his students experience when they encounter these often-overlooked histories for the first time. Toward the end of the conversation, Ezra shares a vulnerable reflection on how dramatically his own understanding of Palestine has changed in a relatively short period of time, and why questioning the narratives he inherited ultimately led to the creation of The Thin Veil. ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - Riad Episode Edit (04:22) - Childhood in Palestine (12:58) - Clip The zionist Project (13:35) - Going back to America, Green (13:56) - Clip? The realest place is Gaza (15:31) - Always called to tell a story (filmmaking) (19:25) - First Intifada History Lesson (24:46) - Intifada - Underground schools and resistance - Green, trim 15% (29:43) - Teaching Palestine - Green (33:07) - Why People Can't See Palestine - Green (42:12) - Palestine Course and culture - Green (43:57) - Mixtape Confession - green (move earlier) (47:38) - Palestine Cultural Theft - Green (49:57) - More Zionist Discussion - Green (merge into previous section) (49:58) - Can Palestine Be Decolonized (Ending?) - Green "don't rush it" (56:51) - Iran/Palestine Trip - Yellow ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

Witnessing Genocide: How Gaza Changed Dr. Mark Brauner

Dr. Mark Brauner is an emergency physician who has spent his career responding to trauma, but nothing prepared him for what he encountered while volunteering at Nasser Hospital in Gaza. In this conversation, he reflects on the overwhelming conditions inside the hospital, the starvation crisis, the moral weight of treating mass casualties, and the profound relationships that changed him forever. Rather than finding hatred in the midst of unimaginable suffering, Mark describes encountering extraordinary generosity, compassion, and humanity from the very people enduring the violence. He shares how those experiences reshaped his understanding of medicine, witness, grief, and what it means to remain fully human amidst the most trying circumstances. PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING DOCTORS AGAINST GENOCIDE FOLLOW DR. MARK BRAUNER WEBSITE - INSTAGRAM - SUBSTACK ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE THIN VEIL! LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - Coming Up (01:00) - Welcome & Episode Introduction (04:18) - Dr. Mark Brauner's Path to Gaza (07:05) - "I Thought I Was Walking Into a War" (08:30) - Speaking From the Heart & Bearing Witness (12:05) - How Gaza Changed Him (13:20) - Kindness Inside Nasser Hospital (17:10) - The Formula Crisis & Failing to Save Children (19:40) - Lessons Palestinians Taught Him (21:30) - Leaving Gaza & The Aid Blockade (24:20) - Hunger, Starvation & Losing 25 Pounds (27:40) - Caring for the Dying (28:30) - Emergency Medicine in Mass Casualty Conditions (31:00) - Coming Home With Trauma (34:15) - Becoming a Full-Time Witness (36:20) - Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Aid Sites (38:15) - Systematic Gunshot Wounds to Children (42:00) - Why the Death Toll Is Likely Higher (46:00) - Scholasticide & Destroying Gaza's Future (48:15) - Returning Home to America (50:50) - Compassion, Complacency & Bearing Witness (55:10) - Doctors Against Genocide (56:10) - Why Humanity Is More Effective Than Outrage (56:55) - Closing Thoughts ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

Inside Israeli Indoctrination: How a West Bank Settler Escaped Zionism | Daniel Klein

What does it take to leave an ideology that has shaped your entire identity? Daniel Klein was born and raised in a religious Zionist settlement in the occupied West Bank. From childhood through his service as a tank commander in the Israeli military, he was immersed in a worldview that framed Palestinians, security, history, and even morality through a single narrative. Today, Daniel writes and speaks about identity, ideology, deconditioning, and the psychological processes involved in leaving systems of supremacy and domination. In this conversation, Daniel reflects on what it was like to grow up inside that system—and what happened when it began to unravel. We discuss: Growing up in a West Bank settlement How Zionist indoctrination begins long before military service The role of fear, trauma, and identity in shaping worldview Dehumanization and the construction of "the other" Serving in the IDF and becoming disillusioned Why he came to describe Israel as an apartheid state Liberal Zionism and the limits of reform Accountability, justice, and whether reconciliation is possible What it means to leave an ideology—and what comes after FOLLOW DANIEL KLEIN DANIEL'S WEBSITE DANIEL ON INSTAGRAM DANIEL ON SUBSTACK DANIEL REQUESTS WE FOLLOW AND SUPPORT THE SOUL FORCE PROJECT The Soul Force Project is a Altadena-based nonprofit that promotes social justice through global music and the arts. We present live events and community activations around themes of nonviolent action. ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - Introduction (05:03) - The Water We Swam In (07:48) - "There Are No Palestinians" (11:12) - Amalek, Dehumanization & Supremacy (16:10) - Cracks in the Veil (19:42) - Seeing the Other (23:15) - Israel's Surveillance State (26:20) - Is Israel a Democracy? (28:40) - Israeli Society & the Occupation (32:20) - The IDF and Military Indoctrination (36:08) - The Cost of Leaving Zionism (42:10) - Meeting Palestinians (44:25) - Liberal Zionism (48:20) - Decolonization (50:20) - Responsibility, Justice & Repair (53:25) - How People Deprogram (54:55) - Who Deserves Safety? (58:40) - Living with Grief and Hope (01:03:10) - Closing Thoughts ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

Lifting The Veil: Hakham Esther Azar on Collective Shame, Arab-Jewish Identity & the Antisemitic Logic of Zionism

In this wide-ranging conversation I spoke with Hakham Esther Azar—a Syrian American rabbi, social worker, writer, and educator raised in Brooklyn's Arab-Jewish community—to explore the psychological, historical, and spiritual foundations of Zionism and the systems of domination that sustain it. Esther offers a deep framework rooted in collective shame, trauma, colonialism, and identity. She shares her own journey from growing up in a deeply Zionist environment to questioning everything she had been taught, while reflecting on Arab-Jewish identity, Christian supremacy, Western empire, and why she believes Zionism ultimately reproduces antisemitic logic rather than protecting Jews from it. This is a fantastic episode and I learned a lot. Multiple listens probably warranted! For this episode we are drawing attention and support for The Sumud School, a grassroots educational lifeline for displaced Palestinian children in Gaza. HAKHAM ESTHER AZAR WEBSITE INSTAGRAM ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW EZRA LIPP / THIN VEIL ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript

Understanding Israel: An Insider's Perspective on Israeli Society, Politics & One Democratic State | Einat Temkin

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra speaks with Israeli writer and activist Einat Temkin—a former United Nations communications officer (2008–2025) and former IDF member—about her journey from growing up in Israel in a liberal Zionist family to becoming an outspoken anti-Zionist Jewish voice. Together, they discuss Israeli society, military indoctrination, Zionism, Hasbara, the decline of the Israeli left, current Israeli politics, and why Einat believes a single democratic state is the only just long-term solution for both Israelis and Palestinians. FOLLOW EINAT EINAT'S ONE DEMOCRATIC STATE POST ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW EZRA LIPP / THIN VEIL ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - "The Israeli Left Has Disappeared" (00:00) - Chapter 2 (01:00) - Introduction (00:00) - Chapter 4 (02:35) - Growing Up Israeli (00:00) - Chapter 6 (05:35) - Indoctrination & Israeli Education (00:00) - Chapter 8 (09:45) - The IDF, Oslo & Rabin's Assassination (00:00) - Chapter 10 (12:45) - Leaving Israel & Working at the United Nations (00:00) - Chapter 12 (15:00) - Why I Became Anti-Zionist (00:00) - Chapter 14 (18:10) - Inside Israeli Politics Today (00:00) - Chapter 16 (20:00) - Has the Israeli Left Disappeared? (00:00) - Chapter 18 (25:40) - Dr. Abu Safiya & Gaza's Medical Crisis (00:00) - Chapter 20 (28:30) - Standing Together & Liberal Zionism (00:00) - Chapter 22 (38:25) - What Is Hasbara? (00:00) - Chapter 24 (41:45) - Debunking Common Zionist Arguments (00:00) - Chapter 26 (46:45) - Section 219: US–Israel Military Integration (00:00) - Chapter 28 (50:55) - Can Israelis Accept One Democratic State? (00:00) - Chapter 30 (54:20) - What Can Americans Do? (00:00) - Chapter 32 (55:45) - Closing Thoughts ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript
• Chapters

Communication Breakdown: Mo Husseini on Empathy, Identity & How We Talk About Israel and Palestine

What happens when a Palestinian writer and an anti-Zionist Jew agree on the destination—but disagree about some of the language and tactics we use to get there? In this conversation, I sit down with Palestinian American filmmaker, writer, and speaker Mo Husseini for a thoughtful and challenging discussion, filled with agreement, but also some respectful tension. We explore Palestinian identity, Zionism, Jewish historical trauma, empathy, antisemitism, the weaponization of antisemitism, as well as "the weaponization of the weaponization of antisemitism" (you read that right), power, language, and what genuine liberation might look like for both Palestinians and Israelis. This isn't a debate. It's an honest conversation between two people committed to justice who occasionally disagree about strategy, framing, and communication. Mo's Website The Path Forward - 2024 Film on Israel and Palestine Directed by Julie Cohen and Mo Husseini Mo's Substack ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW EZRA LIPP / THIN VEIL ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript

Untangling Judaism from Zionism: Rabbi Cat Zavis on Jewish Moral Courage

Rabbi Cat Zavis is a spiritual leader, activist, attorney, and rabbi at Beyt Tikkun — an anti-Zionist Jewish congregation in the Bay Area. In this episode, we explore the process of untangling Judaism from Zionism — and what it means to reconstruct Jewish moral and spiritual life in the aftermath of deep political and theological rupture. We discuss her personal journey through social justice work, Jewish education, Palestinian solidarity organizing, and rabbinic leadership, as well as the broader tensions inside contemporary Jewish life. Topics include: - childhood moral formation and empathy - confronting Palestine within Jewish institutions - "liberal Zionism" and its limits - fear, propaganda, and institutional pressure - Jewish identity, empire, and political theology - moral courage, repair, and spiritual reconstruction BEYT TIKKUN SYNAGOGUE https://beyttikkun.org/ ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW EZRA LIPP / THIN VEIL ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript

The Bus Back to Haifa: Yassar Dahbour on Exile, Memory & Return

Yassar Dahbour is a Palestinian refugee from Haifa, a Sacramento-based political organizer, president of the Palestine American League, and co-founder of the Sacramento Regional Coalition for Palestinian Rights. Born in a refugee camp in Syria after his family was expelled from Haifa during the Nakba, Yassar grew up surrounded by Palestinian political life, refugee memory, and the dream of return. His father, Ahmad Dahbour, was a renowned Palestinian poet whose work was shaped by exile, revolution, and the longing for Palestine. In this episode of The Thin Veil, Yassar shares his family’s story of displacement from Haifa, his childhood in a refugee camp, his father’s poetry and role in the Palestinian movement, and what it felt like to finally visit Palestine using an American passport. We also discuss why Oslo did not offer return for Palestinians from Haifa, the experience of being detained at Ben-Gurion Airport, the destruction of his family’s apartment and archive in Gaza, the collapse of Western media narratives, and what a free Palestine means to him. At the center of the conversation is a story from Yassar’s grandmother: when the children cried in the refugee camp, she would tell them that tomorrow, a bus would come and take them back to Haifa. YASSAR'S ORGANIZATIONS PALESTINIAN AMERICAN LEAGUE SACRAMENTO REGIONAL COALITION FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW EZRA LIPP / THIN VEIL ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Liberation Through Solidarity: Matthew Solomon on Palestine, Abolition and Interconnected Struggles

Filmmaker, musician, writer, and abolitionist Matthew Solomon joins Ezra to discuss his new documentary Seeds for Liberation, a film that centers Palestine while tracing the connections between Zionism, U.S. imperialism, policing, Black liberation, the Chicano movement, Indigenous resistance, and broader anti-colonial struggle. Matthew’s previous documentary, Reimagining Safety, explored abolitionist approaches to policing, prisons, crisis response, and community care. In this conversation, we talk about how that work shaped his understanding of Palestine, what he had to unlearn as an anti-Zionist Jew, and why the fight for Palestinian liberation is inseparable from other struggles against empire, racial capitalism, militarism, and colonial violence. We also discuss Jewish deprogramming after October 7th, the limits of conditional solidarity, the question of who Seeds for Liberation is for, and what real safety might look like beyond police, prisons, punishment, and fear. Seeds for Liberation Film Reimagining Safety Film Matthew Solomon on Instagram The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript

Jewish Trauma Is Not A Weapon: Julie Wolk on Reclaiming Ashkenazi Ancestry Beyond Zionism

Julie Wolk is a facilitator, strategist, and creator of Ashkenazi Ancestral Journeys, a spiritual pilgrimage and heritage program that brings Ashkenazi Jews to Poland to reconnect with ancestral lands, Jewish memory, diasporic culture, grief, and political histories that Zionist narratives often teach us to bypass. In this conversation, Julie and Ezra discuss what it means to turn toward Eastern Europe not only as a site of Holocaust memory and “the dark place,” but as a place of Jewish life, culture, language, resistance, food, medicine, prayer, and song. They talk about March of the Living and the weaponization of Holocaust trauma, the Jewish Labor Bund and the concept of doikayt, the erasure of Ashkenazi culture through Zionism, and the possibility of building a Judaism rooted not in nationalism or fear, but in solidarity, memory, and accountability. At the heart of the conversation is a question Julie’s work asks with urgency: can Jewish historical trauma be metabolized rather than weaponized — softening us into empathy and “never again for anyone,” rather than hardening us into victimhood, nationalism, militarism, and the dispossession of Palestinians? Julie is also the Co-Founder, former Co-Director, and current Board President of Wilderness Torah, now Adamah-SF. Earlier in her career, she worked as an environmental and social justice organizer with USPIRG and Rainforest Action Network. More about Julie Wolk Julie on Facebook Learn about Ashkenazi Ancestral Journeys Additional Resources Mentioned Molly Crabapple - Here Where We Live Is Our Country: The Story of The Jewish Bund Naomi Klein - How Israel Has Made Trauma a Weapon of War The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Medicine Under Siege: Dr. Musallam Abukhalil on Gaza’s Silent Emergency

What does it mean to practice medicine in Gaza while hospitals collapse, chronic illness goes untreated, children carry water instead of going to school, and entire communities struggle simply to survive? In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra speaks with Dr. Musallam Abukhalil, a physician in Gaza and founder of United for Dignity Alliance, a Palestinian-led humanitarian organization providing emergency aid, medical care, psychosocial support, education, and storytelling initiatives in Gaza. Dr. Musallam joins from Nuseirat in central Gaza for a deeply moving firsthand conversation about practicing medicine amid catastrophe, the hidden “silent emergency” of chronic illness and untreated disease, trauma and mental health, community resilience, and why people directly affected by crisis should lead their own recovery. Support United for Dignity Alliance The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United For Dignity Alliance Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA Tickets on Sale now! The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Reclaiming Roots: Rhythm and Decolonization in the Diaspora with Rafa Sarria Bustamante

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra sits down with musician, activist, and La Gente SF frontman Rafa Sarria Bustamante for a wide-ranging conversation on identity, decolonization, Palestine, diaspora, anti-fascism, and political awakening. Rafa reflects on growing up Colombian-Nicaraguan in San Francisco’s Mission District, navigating mixed cultural identity, confronting racism and colorism, and how those experiences shaped his activism. The conversation explores connections between Indigenous struggles across the Americas, Palestinian liberation, Zionism, diaspora identity, and the ongoing work of decolonizing inherited narratives. They also discuss activism, music as resistance, solidarity movements, electoral politics, direct action, and what it means to find your place in liberation work. The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United For Dignity Alliance Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother (00:00) - Intro (02:45) - Meet Rafa (03:20) - Growing Up Colombian-Nicaraguan in San Francisco (05:35) - Colorism, Colonialism & Identity (09:35) - Palestine, Arab Diaspora & Political Awakening (13:35) - Ashkenazi Jewish Identity & Decolonization (16:45) - Music as Activism (20:10) - Cultural Tokenism & Political Pushback (22:45) - Grief, Gaza & Radicalization (24:40) - Speaking Across Communities (27:45) - Land Back & Indigenous Liberation (29:45) - Armed Resistance vs Pacifism (32:20) - How to Start Organizing (34:10) - Outro ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Chapters

Resisting Erasure: Tarik Kazaleh on Diaspora Grief, Revolutionary Music and Generational Change

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra Lipp speaks with Palestinian artist, musician, producer, and organizer MC Tarik "Excentrik" Kazaleh about diaspora grief, sumud, burnout, and what solidarity asks of people in the West. Tarik reflects on his family’s roots in Palestine, the emotional toll of watching the genocide in Gaza from the diaspora, and why performative empathy is not enough. He also shares the story of co-founding Prosthetics for Palestine with his wife, a project focused on building long-term care infrastructure for Palestinian amputees. The conversation moves through Tarik’s life in revolutionary music, from Arab Summit and Palestinian hip-hop to his new album Watani 77, a 77-minute improvised album on 77 years of Nakba, memory, culture, and resistance. Ezra and Tarik discuss Palestinian cultural continuity, the often forgotten history of Palestine’s Moroccan Quarter, October 7th, anti-Zionist Jewish responsibility, and Tarik’s complicated but deeply felt hope for a free Palestine — one rooted in liberation, memory, and resistance to erasure. Tarik’s Music Prosthetics for Palestine The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United For Dignity Alliance Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Repairing The Soul: Dottie Lux on Palestinian Solidarity and Protective Presence

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra sits down with artist and organizer Dottie Lux. Dottie shares her journey from a Zionist upbringing to anti-Zionist activism, and how that shift reshaped her identity, her relationships, and her work. She speaks about her time in Palestine doing protective presence in the West Bank with the International Solidarity Movement, and her involvement founding Artists Unite for Palestine, a collective of Bay Area artists doing work to provide mutual aid for Palestinians in Gaza. Dottie is a deep and soulful person and this conversation is dynamic and passionate. We think you'll like it. Check out Dottie's Podcast A Woman for Watermelons The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United For Dignity Alliance Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon Ezra Lipp Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Magic In The Other Sites https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★