This week, we sat down with Raghad Jaraisy, an activist working with Sikkuy-Aufoq, an organization dedicated to advancing equality and shared society between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Raghad shares her deeply personal experience of navigating war while raising a family, the structural inequalities that leave Bedouin communities vulnerable, and the urgent need for civil society activism to support their safety. Despite the challenges, Raghad offers a vision of hope—where data-driven advocacy, coalition-building, and unwavering commitment can create real change.Â
Tune in to hear how civil society can thrive even in times of crisis, and what we can all do to support the incredible work of these organizations.
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This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.
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Unlearning Political Helplessness
You know that feeling when you look around, and everything just feels too big? Like you just can’t make a difference? That’s the feeling the Tzedek Centers were created to fight. We talked to the co-founder and co-director of the Tzedek Centers, and to an activist from Rehovot whose very small fight represents something very big. In this episode reported by Elisheva Goldberg, we learn about how political change really happens: slowly, gradually, and with a lot of grit.
This episode was produced and edited by Julie Subrin. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.
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A New Anthem in Jerusalem
Since Israel was established in 1948, Jerusalem’s diplomatic and international status has been controversial and unresolved. The city is often the center of discourse around the political future of the region. Yudith Oppenheimer, a Jerusalem resident herself, is the Executive Director of Ir Amim (City of Nations). In this brief conversation, we spoke to Yudith about her time as a young activist living in South Africa, lessons learned and her inspiration, and Ir Amim’s efforts to make Jerusalem a more equitable and sustainable city for the Israelis and Palestinian who share it.
This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.
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Bonus: The Vivian Silver Impact Award - A Land for All (Two States, One Homeland)
Not too long ago, we sat down with Yonatan Zeigen, the son of Vivian Silver, a woman who in both life and death was an iconic peace activist. She was murdered on October 7. In that conversation, Vivian’s son told us about a new award, the Vivian Silver Impact Award which would recognize two women who embody Vivian’s values and work—one Palestinian and one Jewish—every year.Â
Yonatan just announced the recipients of the inaugural award: May Pundak and Dr. Rula Hardal, the Co-Directors of Land for All. You may remember the story we did about May last season…but in case you don’t, we’re offering it again in our feed right now so listeners can learn—or remember—the work of organizations like Land for All.
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Two States, One Homeland (Season 2)
In Israel-Palestine today, many people feel trapped in century-long circle of violence. The closest breakthrough came thirty years ago in 1993, with the Oslo Accords. In this week’s episode, we hear a story about May Pundak, Executive Director of A Land For All. May is the daughter of one of the architects of Oslo, Ron Pundak. But she thinks she may be onto a different model for peace that can break the cycle where Oslo went wrong. It’s not a two-state or one-state solution, but an idea that requires that we renew the conversation with some new thinking – one homeland.
Groundwork is created and produced by Dina Kraft and Yoshi Fields. It is hosted by Dina Kraft and Sally Abed. They also reported this episode. Content and audio editing by Yoshi Fields. Additional content editing by Elisheva Goldberg and Nick Acosta. Joel Shupack scored the piece. Art and design by Nick Acosta. Groundwork is a joint production of New Israel Fund and the Alliance for Middle East Peace.
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Choosing Nonviolent Resistance
Growing up in East Jerusalem during the Second Intifada, Mai Shahin’s childhood wasn’t easy. She was stopped and held by soldiers on her way to school. She saw home raids and increased separation. Even after she joined peace protests during those early years, she saw violent clashes with the military in the streets, and support for violent resistance was growing. But a job working as a translator showed Mai a challenging world, the world of Combatants for Peace. Founded by former armed combatants, Combatants for Peace calls for a different approach. Learn more in our latest interview with Mai Shahin.
This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.
A podcast about activists on the ground in Israel and Palestine working for justice, peace, and equality.
Groundwork is hosted by Sally Abed and Noam Shuster and produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. We are a joint production of New Israel Fund and the Alliance for Middle East Peace.
South Africa