Lights On

About Lights On

This is the Lights On podcast, where we feature leading Jewish and Zionist academics and share fact-driven conversations about antisemitism and higher education.

Publisher

Sarah Livingston

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Sept 2026

Latest episode

12 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Nov 2026

   Gaza Realities Versus Western Narratives With Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib

   Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib is the Founder and Executive Director of the Realign for Palestine project at the Atlantic Council, which promotes nonviolence, pragmatic Palestinian advocacy, and peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. He is also a Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, specializing in Gaza's political, humanitarian, and security affairs. Raised in Gaza City, Ahmed draws on his personal experiences to challenge extremist narratives and advocate for Palestinian statehood. He is an outspoken critic of Hamas and an advocate for a peaceful two-state solution. In this episode… Western conversations about Gaza often claim to center Palestinians, yet the voices and priorities of people living through the conflict can get buried beneath slogans, ideology, and campus politics. What changes when advocacy is measured against the lived realities of Gazans? According to Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gaza native and Middle East analyst, the biggest disconnect is that Western discourse often overlooks the extent to which Gazans themselves hold Hamas responsible for their suffering. Drawing on his family ties, personal losses, and network inside Gaza, he argues that meaningful advocacy requires Palestinian agency, accountability, and "radical pragmatism" instead of ideological narratives that keep the conflict locked in an endless cycle. His perspective calls for a more nuanced approach that values practical outcomes for Palestinians over slogans or performative activism. In this episode of the Lights On podcast, Sarah Livingston interviews Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, Founder and Executive Director of the Realign for Palestine project at the Atlantic Council, about the gap between Gazan realities and Western narratives. They discuss Hamas, the pro-Palestine "industrial complex," and campus activism. Ahmed also shares how empathy, nuance, and "radical pragmatism" can lead to more constructive advocacy.

2. 

   5 Nov 2026

   Reclaiming Identity and Building Resilience With Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern

   Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern is the Director of Trauma Services and Training at Parents for Peace, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing extremism and supporting individuals and communities affected by radicalization. A renowned trauma expert, Harvard lecturer, and public speaker, her influential trauma research has reached over 70,000 readers. As a third-generation Holocaust survivor and creator of The Shalem Method, Dr. Bar-Halpern anchors her clinical expertise in deep personal history. She also co-hosts the Our Stories Matter podcast, and her advocacy on antisemitism and campus safety earned her the 2025 Shine a Light Civic Courage Award and recognition on The Algemeiner J100 global Jewish leaders. In this episode… When people feel pressured to hide a core part of who they are just to belong, the cost can reach far beyond discomfort. How can Jewish and Zionist students and faculty protect their mental health, reclaim their identities, and keep moving forward when the environment around them feels hostile? For Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern, the key lies in naming the harm, regulating the nervous system, and reclaiming identity rather than letting trauma control the story. She describes traumatic invalidation as adding "salt on the wound" and explains that the Shalem Method is about bringing the pieces back together, not returning to who you were before, but moving toward post-traumatic growth. By pairing self-validation with community, agency, and visible expressions of identity, people can build resilience without erasing what they have lived through. In this episode of the Lights On podcast, Sarah Livingston is joined by Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern, Director of Trauma Services and Training at Parents for Peace, to discuss reclaiming identity and building resilience amid antisemitism on campus. They explore traumatic invalidation, the cost of masking identity, and how community supports post-traumatic growth. Dr. Bar-Halpern also shares practical coping tools for restoring agency and deciding when to engage.

3. 

   29 Oct 2026

   Reimagining Campus Inclusion Through Black-Jewish Allyship With Dr. John Eaves

   Dr. John Eaves is the Founder and National Director of Black and Jewish Leaders of Tomorrow, a nationally recognized initiative dedicated to cultivating cross-cultural leadership and rebuilding the historic alliance between Black and Jewish communities by empowering college students. Under his leadership, the organization has gained national prominence for its impactful programs. As a distinguished educator and former Chairman of Fulton County, Georgia's largest county, Dr. Eaves also spearheaded major reforms in criminal justice and public health. With advanced degrees from Yale and the University of South Carolina, Dr. Eaves brings a unique perspective as a scholar and civic leader, deeply shaped by his family's legacy of Black-Jewish solidarity and his Jewish and Black identity In this episode… When Black and Jewish students sit down together, they often discover that their communities have more in common than they realized. How can colleges turn these shared experiences into meaningful allyship while confronting antisemitism on campus? According to Dr. John Eaves, a scholar and longtime advocate for civil rights and interfaith understanding, meaningful allyship begins with honest conversations and opportunities for human connection. Through unity dinners and Shabbat gatherings, he has seen Black and Jewish students recognize shared histories of oppression, resilience, and faith. These experiences help challenge stereotypes, strengthen relationships, and create campus environments where Jewish students feel understood, respected, and included. In this episode of the Lights On podcast, Sarah Livingston speaks with Dr. John Eaves, Founder and National Director of Black and Jewish Leaders of Tomorrow, to discuss Black-Jewish allyship on college campuses. They explore historic solidarity at HBCUs, challenges facing Black-Jewish students, and the role of faculty and administrators in addressing antisemitism. Dr. Eaves also shares how educators can build coalitions and stand against hate.

4. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Antisemitism Studies With Dr. Ayal Feinberg

   Dr. Ayal Feinberg is the Director of the Center for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights at Gratz College, where he also serves as Associate Professor of Political Science and Antisemitism Studies; Gratz College is a pioneering institution in Jewish higher education offering innovative degrees in Holocaust, genocide, and antisemitism studies. Under Dr. Feinberg's leadership, Gratz launched the nation's first master's in antisemitism studies in 2024 and the world's first PhD in antisemitism studies in 2025, with nearly 50 current graduate students; he has also served as a senior research consultant for the ADL, co-leading the global 100 survey with 60,000 respondents across 103 countries. Dr. Feinberg is recognized for bridging academic research and impactful policy, including co-founding the Contemporary Antisemitism Studies Association (CASA) to revolutionize how universities address hate crimes and campus climates. In this episode… Antisemitism can be measured, documented, and debated, but identifying the problem is only part of the work. How can research move beyond describing hate and actually help institutions reduce it? For Dr. Ayal Feinberg, the key lies in applied antisemitism studies that ask not only what is happening, but what actually works to change it. Rather than judging success by attendance or whether participants enjoyed a program, he argues for measuring outcomes such as increased knowledge, reduced prejudice, changed behavior, and which interventions work best for specific populations. That evidence-driven approach can help universities, policymakers, and community leaders replace assumptions with strategies that can be tested, improved, and scaled. In this episode of the Lights On podcast, Sarah Livingston is joined by Dr. Ayal Feinberg, Director of the Center for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights at Gratz College, to discuss turning antisemitism research into action. They explore applied antisemitism studies, global data on prejudice, and campus response failures. Dr. Feinberg also shares how academic freedom and Jewish safety can coexist.

5. 

   15 Oct 2026

   Academic Freedom Versus Hate Speech With Professor Miriam Elman

   Professor Miriam Elman is the Executive Director of the Academic Engagement Network (AEN), an organization that mobilizes university faculty and administrators to counter antisemitism, defend academic freedom, and support Jewish and Zionist identities in higher education. Under her leadership, AEN has grown to a vibrant network of over 1,500 members across diverse academic disciplines, and she is a widely recognized scholar. A widely recognized scholar, award-winning teacher, and prolific writer on Middle East politics, civil rights, and campus climate, she previously served as a tenured associate professor of political science at Syracuse University's Maxwell School. In this episode… The hardest campus speech debates begin where two values collide: protecting open inquiry and protecting students from environments shaped by hostility and discrimination. When hateful expression may still be protected, what should universities actually do? Professor Miriam Elman believes the answer is not to abandon free expression, but to pair it with academic responsibility and the university's own educational voice. She argues that leaders can condemn hateful rhetoric without censoring it, while faculty freedom does not excuse weak scholarship, one-sided teaching, or departments that close off dissenting views. That distinction matters because preserving academic freedom means protecting rigorous disagreement, not giving institutional cover to propaganda, discrimination, or professional misconduct. In this episode of the Lights On podcast, Sarah Livingston is joined by Professor Miriam Elman, Executive Director of the Academic Engagement Network (AEN), to discuss academic freedom versus hate speech. They explore how leaders can answer hateful speech without suppressing expression, why academic freedom must include responsibility and integrity, and how institutional neutrality can protect dissent. Professor Elman also shares why allyship gives her hope for higher education.

6. 

   21 Sept 2026

   Fighting Antisemitism in Academia With Professor Ron Hassner

   Professor Ron Hassner is the Chancellor's Professor of Political Science and the Helen Diller Family Chair in Israel Studies at UC Berkeley, where he also serves as faculty director of the Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies, which advances scholarship and public discourse on Israel and Jewish law. He has received multiple distinguished teaching awards at Berkeley and nationally, and under his leadership, the Helen Diller Institute has grown to become the largest Israel studies institute in the country. In the aftermath of October 7th, Professor Hassner became a prominent national voice against antisemitism on campus, most notably through his widely covered two-week "sleep-in" protest to demand better protection for Jewish students. In this episode… Universities pride themselves on being places where arguments are tested with evidence, but that promise gets fragile when intimidation starts replacing debate. When students can no longer move, speak, or learn freely, what role should faculty play in intervening? For Professor Ron Hassner, the key lies in defending the conditions that make scholarship possible, not turning professors into political activists. As tensions and anti-Semitic incidents on campus escalated after the October 7th attacks, he staged a highly visible protest, sleeping in his campus office, keeping his light on, and urging students to choose a peaceful route through Strawberry Creek rather than force their way through a blocked Sather Gate. Through constant dialogue, communal gatherings, and clear demands for campus policy changes, Professor Hassner demonstrates how faculty can confront antisemitism while protecting academic freedom, student safety, and the university's integrity. In this episode of the Lights On podcast, host Sarah Livingston is joined by Professor Ron Hassner, Chancellor's Professor of Political Science and the Helen Diller Family Chair in Israel Studies at UC Berkeley, to discuss fighting antisemitism in academia. They explore his office sleep-in, faculty responsibility, and protecting academic integrity. Professor Hassner also shares advice on peaceful protest and supporting Jewish students.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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