Semicolons and Teardrops in the Middle East

In this episode, Nathan speaks with Aya Almadhon, a 22-year-old computer systems engineering student and full-stack developer at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. Aya shares what it means to pursue an education and career while living through war, describing the challenges of studying without reliable electricity, internet, or classrooms, walking long distances to find charging stations and internet access, and navigating displacement and ongoing violence. Despite repeatedly losing hope and facing professional barriers because she lives in Gaza, Aya continues to study, build her career, and push forward. At the heart of her story is a simple hope: to have safety, stability, and one normal day for herself, her family, and her community.

Manal Daddah has spent her life in Amsterdam but her summers in Morocco. In this episode, she reflects on her Moroccan-Dutch identity and how she - and the people she meets - understand the many parts of who she is. She takes us through her travels to Morocco and her semester studying in the United States, weaving these experiences into a deeper exploration of identity, belonging, and the ways we understand the world around us. She opens and closes the episode with poems, offering a glimpse into her creativity, depth, and unique perspective.

Saeede Mokhtarzade studied law in her native Iran before moving to Europe in 2019. Living in Germany and Ireland, she has added two degrees, and is onto the third, a PHD on Human Rights. In this episode, she explains her PHD topic of marriage and divorce contradictions across religious and secular legal systems. She also addresses Islamic Feminism, authoritarian regimes, separating people from their government, and how media coverage is unproportional. She conveys her understanding thoughtful and delicately, without hiding how she feels.

In this special episode, the microphone turns to the person usually behind the scenes. Producer Aviva Gould joins host Nathan Brown to reflect on the experiences that shaped her understanding of Israel, Palestine, and Jewish identity: from a gap year in Tel Aviv and studying Arabic in Jordan to navigating campus after October 7th and finding community through social justice work in New York. Together, they explore what it means to hold complexity, resist easy labels, and keep asking difficult questions. It's an honest conversation about belonging, curiosity, and why listening across divides still matters.

Yitzchok Horowith was raised in Jerusalem's Haredi community but now lives on its outskirts, balancing tradition with a life that defies expectations. In this episode, he explains what it means to be Haredi, why he chose to serve in the Israeli military, and how he navigates religious, cultural, and political divides. Nathan and Yitzchok also discuss the changing role of the Haredi community in Israeli society and what its future may look like.

Laila Shadid has spent much of her twenties exploring the Arab world. In this episode, she reflects on how living in Palestine, Jordan, and now Egypt has helped her reconnect with her Arab identity. Laila and Nathan explore the ways language shapes who we are, discussing how speaking Arabic can transform relationships and reveal different parts of ourselves. They also share memories of Laila’s late father, whose legacy continues to inspire her commitment to meaningful work and journalism.

Obayda Ghadban was “born into politics.” Raised in exile from Syria, he pursued careers in journalism, translation, and political science, united by a passion for research. During the 2011 Syrian uprising, his digital activism placed him at the heart of the revolution from afar, helping document and amplify events unfolding on the ground. After the fall of the Assad regime and the end of the civil war, Obayda moved to Syria in 2024. Today, he serves in the country's new government, drawing on the same research and analytical skills that shaped his career to help rebuild Syria's relationship with the world.

• Growing up among Philadelphia, Jordan, Pakistan, and now London, Belsem Aljobry has spent much of her life navigating borders, identities, and expectations. In this conversation, she reflects on what it means to belong to many places at once: the daughter of an Iraqi Shi'i father and Pakistani Sunni mother, raised by a fiercely independent single mom she still calls “home.” From building a girls’ school in Pakistan while still a college student to working with the U.S. Embassy in London, Beslem speaks candidly about faith, migration, education, and the power of empathy across political and cultural divides. Her story is one of constant movement, but also of searching for connection, purpose, and a way to bridge worlds that are too often kept apart.

Abdelouhab Adjroum (Vahap) joins us from Turkey for a conversation spanning philosophy, language, markets, and life across borders. Born in Morocco, educated in Qatar, and now working in the private sector, Abdelouhab reflects on studying Arabic philosophy and postmodern thought, navigating multiple languages and cultures, and balancing intellectual passion with economic reality. From Ibn Arabi to market economics, this episode explores what it means to think deeply while living practically.