Emma: When Your Roommate is an Anti-Zionist

In this episode, I chat with my roommate Emma, who lived with me for the past 10 months for research abroad in pursuing her Phd. Emma and I come from very different backgrounds in our zionism, and we really got into some hard-hitting questions about terrorism, colonialism, and the establishment of Israel. Though there were moments we disagreed, I felt grateful for our cordial and cathartic conversation. My goal was to share my belief in the importance of open dialogue and creating space for different perspectives.

(0:00-5:30)- About the PHD and wartime in Israel

(5:30-9:30) - Emma’s upbringing 

(9:30-13:55) - Being complicit in your country’s crimes 

(13:55-20:10) - How is Israel supposed to combat terrorism? What is terrorism?

(20:10-27:25) - Is Israel placed on a higher moral ground than other places and is it antisemitism?

(27:25-35:22) - The founding of Israel and settler colonialism

(35:22-43:10) - Rebecca’s reflections on her journey in Aliyah and Zionism

(43:10-end) - Emma’s last thought on anti-Zionism and progressive values