In this episode of War Is Stupid: An Anti-War Podcast About War, Orli Matlow interviews Mara Kronenfeld, the executive director of UNRWA USA, discussing the history and mission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. They discuss the challenges faced by Palestinian refugees and the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza—where Israeli authorities are banning the import of paper and pens. They explore the misconceptions surrounding UNRWA's educational curriculum, the reports of employees’ involvement in the October 7th attacks, and the “marathon of misery” that has been the last 28 months. Mara shares personal stories from visiting Gaza, how being the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor informs her work, and her thoughts on the “Board of Peace” for Palestine that has zero Palestinians.

Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Hailey McAfee and Rosie Glen-Lambert, the team behind And Her Children, currently running at the SoHo Playhouse. Adapted from Bertolt Brecht’s iconic anti-war play Mother Courage and Her Children, their version trades the battlefields of the Thirty Year’s War for the present-day National Rifle Association. They talk about guns in schools and in Minneapolis, Brecht’s legacy, and today’s conservative girlbosses from Karoline Leavitt to the Green M&M.

Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Marcos Descalzi and Cate Carrejo, the Founder and Communications Director of We Believe In Deep Canvassing, to learn all about the organizing tool that uses empathy to confront bias. Marcos and Cate give a master class on how to have actually productive conversations about politics, with sidebars that range from Moral Foundations Theory to Amy Adams’s filmography. They also teach Orli about life outside of New York City, and about finding hope in the recent Minnesota general strike and the Girl Scouts.

Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective. 

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Orli Matlow sits down with Zak Witus, Director of Young Leadership and Education at the New Israel Fund, to talk about his activism, which recently caught the attention of the authorities at Ben Gurion Airport. They discuss the fight for equality and justice in the midwest and the West Bank, where Zak was assaulted by Israeli soldiers during a night raid. 

Zak speaks about his friend, the late human rights activist Awdah Hathaleen, who was brutally murdered on camera by settler Yinon Levi, who still walks free. ​​To support Umm Al Khair, donate at RememberingAwdah.com or here.

Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective. 

Donate to support the human rights activists who were banned from Israel.

Apply to the NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellowship, an opportunity to spend 10 months in Israel/Palestine working on the frontlines of progressive social change. Applications due January 30th.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Congressional candidate Chuck Park, who is running to represent the people of Queens and not the profits of Lockheed Martin. Chuck shares his experiences serving as a diplomat under Obama—and quitting so he could criticize Trump. Recorded before Trump bombed Venezuela without Congressional approval, Chuck conveniently talked about supporting legislation that ensures that no president can unilaterally do just that. He also talks about the issues facing Queens from ICE raids to Mets trades, and where to eat along the 7 train line. 

Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Jenny Chan, director of Pacific Atrocities Education, whose public history projects increase awareness of the crimes committed in the Asia-Pacific Theater of World War II. The atrocities were so atrocious that a literal Nazi wrote home that the Imperial Japanese Army was going too far with what is now known as the Rape of Nanking. Jenny exposes Imperial Japan’s war crimes including Unit 731 (the “Disneyland of human experimentation”), cannibalism, “comfort women,” and how the atomic bombings and the CIA helped them get away with it all. Jenny also shares what she learned from her grandma, inspiring stories of resistance and survival, and how World War II still affects politics in Asia today. 

Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective. 

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Orli Matlow sits down with comedian and activist Davidson Boswell, fresh out of spending 24 hours in jail for disrupting the Metropolitan Opera. Davidson shares how and why the Carmen counter-programming went down, and how the war on Venezuela is actually about Cuba. They riff on everything from the American Civil War to Canadian wildfires, and challenge the myth that things have to get worse and be as bad as they are now.

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Help lives in Gaza by making a matched gift to World Food Program USA

Orli Matlow speaks with Australian Jewish writer and organiser Em Hilton about the recent anti-Semitic terror attack in Australia and its profound impact on the Jewish community. They discuss the acts of heroism amidst the tragedy, growing up Jewish in Australia and Canada, and building safety through solidarity—united against Iberian ham.

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Read Em's piece in +972 Magazine

Donate to the United Support Fund For The Victims and Families of the Sydney Terror Attack

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Orli Matlow sits down with Sally Abed and Alon-Lee Green, co-founders of Standing Together, a grassroots movement fighting for peace, equality and social justice in Israel-Palestine. They discuss what the fight looks like, what peace looks like, and how the issues won’t be solved by simply getting rid of Netanyahu. Sally and Alon-Lee also share their origin stories, riff on a joke from Alon-Lee’s wedding, and share advice for everyone fighting fascism around the world. 

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Listen to The Long Answer podcast.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Andrew Facini, Communications Director at The Council on Strategic Risks, to learn all about tactical nuclear weapons and armageddon. Andrew walks us through the consequences of a nuclear blast, whether or not bombing Iran this past summer saved the world, and why the US has lost its appetite for regime change. They talk about the new movie A House of Dynamite, and Andrew makes the case for optimism, bringing some much-needed holiday cheer. 

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Nolan Center Report: The Consequences of Tactical Nuclear Weapons Use

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Personal Fundraisers from Friends of Friends in Gaza:

Support Majdy's family farm: http://givebutter.com/majdy

Support Salah's family farm: http://givebutter.com/salah

A new NGO founded by doctors buying formula for babies and offering vital nutrition and education to children in Gaza: https://www.thechildrensvillagegaza.org/ 

A small NGO providing sanitary needs and shelter: https://www.cleanshelter.org/