Crossroads of Cultures: A Mizrahi Jew’s Fight for Belonging

An Egyptian-Iraqi Jew, Rachel Wahba was born in India and grew up stateless in Japan. As a Mizrahi Jew and Zionist activist the many dimensions of her exile and displacement in the first twenty years of her life are a constant theme in her work as a writer, content creator, former psychotherapist and her advocacy as an advisory board member for JIMENA (Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa). She is also the co-founder of Olivia Travel, a company dedicated to curating travel experiences for lesbian and queer women for the past 35 years.

Karen Hunt is a full contact boxer who started the first and only boxing club for girls in Luxor, Egypt. She will be joining us to speak about her experience living in Egypt and why she was eventually forced to escape the country under dangerous circumstances.

Mohamad Ghaoui is a Palestinian-Lebanese man who grew up religious and worked with the PLO/PA in the 2000s. Mohamad is deeply committed to resolving the refugees and right of return issues, believing that its resolution is essential for overcoming barriers and paving the path to lasting peace.He actively opposes the Lebanese ban on communication with Israelis, which hinders progress towards understanding and reconciliation. Mohamad speaks up in support of decriminalizing dialogue with Lebanon’s neighbors.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1969. As she grew up, she embraced Islam and strove to live as a devout Muslim. In 1992, Hirsi Ali fled to the Netherlands to escape a forced marriage. There she was given asylum, and in time citizenship. She quickly learned Dutch and was able to study at the University of Leiden.From 2003 to 2006, Hirsi Ali served as an elected member of the Dutch parliament. She then moved to the US, and in 2007 founded the AHA Foundation to protect and defend the rights of women in the US from harmful traditional practices.Hirsi Ali is a Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, the Founder of the AHA Foundation, a Senior Fellow with the Future of Diplomacy Project at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at The Harvard Kennedy School, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Founder of Restorationbulletin.com, where she explores the forces of subversion plaguing Western society. She is the best-selling author of Infidel (2007) and Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now (2015).

Rania Dean is a Druze Israeli  who embodies the Arab and Jewish experience, understanding both languages and cultures while maintaining an independent ethnic and religious Druze identity. This unique perspective allows her to view both sides objectively, tirelessly working to dispel falsehoods and promote the truth about her country.Rania's advocacy took on renewed vigor on October 7th, driven by a resolute determination to counteract misinformation about Israel.Donate to the Druze of Majdal Shams: https://causematch.com/maman/hopefordruzecommunity/

Dr. Florence Bergeaud-Blackler is a distinguished academic and researcher who specializes in the study of Islamic norms within secular contexts in Europe, like the role of the economy in shaping religious norms and the development of halal ecosystems.Florence has written about the processes of Salafi indoctrination, considering both its fundamentalist and political dimensions, and how it interacts with the neo-liberal and post-modern political spheres.

Mansour Al-Hadj was born and raised in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and immigrated to the US in 2005. He has a degree in Sharia and Islamic Studies from The International University of Africa in Khartoum, Sudan. Mansour has first-hand experience with radicalization tactics used to recruit and mobilize Muslims worldwide. His research and writings in Arabic and English have focused on understanding the root causes of violent extremism in Arab and Muslim lands. Mansour is the Director of the Reform Project at the Middle East Media and Research Institute (MEMRI) and a founding member of Clarity Coalition and has testified before the US Congress on the development of strategies to counter jihadist websites.

Adam Elmasri is an Australian Egyptian free thinker, human rights activist, author, and content creator. Adam was born in Cairo and grew up in Egypt as an orthodox Coptic Christian. He is a strong religious critic whose viewpoints are based on academic studies and as a supporter of the LGBT and women’s rights in the Middle East. Adam has written two books, How did Christianity begin, REALLY? and Wounded by  Faith.

Enas was forcibly taken to Gaza to be married off to a family member chosen by her father. She joins us in this episode to share that experience, as well as her time living in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Egypt. With roots in Palestine and having lived in several Arab and Muslim countries, Enas offers a wealth of knowledge, insights, and firsthand experiences about the region—and the current war in Gaza.

Deep Halder is an Indian journalist, author, and editor with a career spanning more than two decades in the media industry. He has worked with leading Indian publications such as India Today and India Today Group Online, covering various topics including politics, society, and culture. Halder is known for his writing on socio-political issues, particularly focusing on marginalized communities in India.One of his notable works is the book Blood Island: An Oral History of the Marichjhapi Massacre, which explores the mass killing of Bengali refugees in the Sundarbans in 1979. Through his investigative work and storytelling, Halder sheds light on forgotten or overlooked events in India’s history, bringing attention to stories of suffering, resistance, and resilience. His work often highlights issues of displacement, migration, and injustice.Follow Deep Halder on X: @deepscribble