This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel sit down with Benjamin Anthony to unpack the complexities of the current Middle East conflict and its ripple effects far beyond the region. Drawing on his experience as an IDF combat veteran and policy leader, Anthony reflects on the evolving nature of modern warfare—not only in physical terms, but in the battle for public opinion taking place across campuses, media platforms, and political institutions.

In the first half of the conversation, Anthony traces the rise of polarization and antisemitism in global discourse, arguing that the struggle over Israel’s legitimacy has been building for decades. In the second half, the focus shifts to the strategic and human realities on the ground—from Hezbollah and Iran to the fragile coordination between the U.S. and Israel. Together, the episode explores a central tension: what it means to fight for security and survival in a world where narratives can be as consequential as weapons.

The MirYam Institute:

https://www.miryaminstitute.org/

Benjamin Anthony:

https://www.miryaminstitute.org/benjamin

Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove:

https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove

https://x.com/RabbiCosgrove

Park Avenue Synagogue:
https://www.pasyn.org

https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/#

Jon Frankel:

https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel

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