Recorded January 13, 2026  

Photo: Liora & Circus Smirkus courtesy photo

Miki describes himself as a circus performer, specifically, an acrobat and clown. It was in that capacity that he had his first encounter with Palestinians in a Jewish/Palestinian collective in the Galilee when he was in 5th grade. Today he provides an Israeli perspective on America – and an American perspective on Israel. We spoke while he was back in Norwich, Vermont, on break from his last year as an undergrad at New York University.

Notes:

• Circus Smirkus Miki’s circus alma mater
• Roth Center for Jewish Life: home of the Upper Valley Jewish Community
• Kolot Chayeinu New York City temple where Miki and Mamdani attended Yom Kippur services this past fall.
• Standing Together is a joint Palestinian/Israeli movement that seeks ““A society in which we all enjoy real security, adequate housing, quality education, good healthcare, a liveable climate, a decent salary, and the ability to age with dignity.” See also their podcast, The Long Answer.
• Silent protests: where Israelis lined up insilence carrying poster-board sized photos of Gazan children killed in the war, documented in the Oscar-nominated short film Children No More (link goes to trailer and it’s streaming now). You can read aboutthe protests in this story from NPR and this article Don’tpress the button: A peaceful protest against Gaza bombings from the Vatican News.
• Unapologetic: The Third Narrative (UTTN): Was this quote on taking a train from Haifa to Beirut in Season 2,Episode 8, the conversation with Sally Abed? I asked the creators and they replied that at 1:22:34 of Episode 8! Sally Abed mused: "How does our life look like? Will we have like, I don't know, a train to like Beirut again?" And continues to say, "We need political imagination."
• It’s Time They are “…over 60 peacebuilding and shared society organizations, working together with determination and courage to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a political agreement that will ensure both peoples' right to self-determination and secure lives. “Because it’s time. Now, amidst our anger, griefand pain, after long years of fear and violence, of struggle, of occupation and of terrorism. The war that broke out on October 7th must be the last war, and it can be: the war after which will come peace.”