Today’s guest is Dr. Wiola Rebecka, a Doctor of Psychology and human rights activist whose work focuses on the long-term consequences of conflict-related sexual violence. In this episode, Alon and Wiola discuss the issue of abducted Ukrainian children in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which now marks its 4th year. They discuss the magnitude of this crisis in terms of number of children abducted, the various abuses taking place against abducted children, including forced Russianization and in some cases torture and sexual violence, and the support systems needed to care for these children in the aftermath.
Originally aired February 24, 2026
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Dr. Wioletta (Wiola) Rebecka is a Doctor of Psychology and human rights activist whose work focuses on the long-term consequences of conflict-related sexual violence. She is the author of the War Rape Survivors Syndrome (WRSS) framework, the heuristic model of the Social Political Nervous System (SPNS), and the SERS method (Stabilization, Education, Redirection, Self-awareness), developed for therapeutic work with survivors of sexual violence.
Today’s guest is Hafza Girdap, Spokesperson for Advocates of Silenced Turkey and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, Criminology and Anthropology at Hofstra University. In this episode, Alon and Hafza discuss the ten years since the attempted coup in Turkey in 2016, the countless human rights violations committed by the Erdogan government since then, and the status of women’s rights and minority rights in Turkey.
Originally published February 17, 2026
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Hafza Girdap is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, Criminology and Anthropology at Hofstra University and the Spokesperson for Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST). She holds a Ph.D. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Stony Brook University, New York. Her research focuses on gender, race, immigration, racialization and identity, human and women’s rights in Muslim-majority contexts, and the integration and adaptation of Muslim immigrant women, with particular attention to the redefinition of their cultural identities.
Beyond her academic work, Girdap is the director of the Gender Program at the European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS) and the co-founder of Set Them Free, a gender-based advocacy initiative. She is also the first elected Chair of the Muslim+ Feminists Caucus within the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA), where she currently serves as Co-Chair, and a member of the Sister-to-Sister Committee of Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS).
In her research, Girdap actively incorporates the voices of female survivors of conflict, examining the coping mechanisms they employ to navigate challenges such as social discrimination, oppression, and violations of basic rights across various contexts—including their home countries, refugee camps, and new settlements. By framing reidentification as a form of agency, her work not only highlights the complexities of identity negotiation but also challenges epistemic dominance by contributing to alternative modes of knowledge production.
Girdap has also expanded her work in women’s rights advocacy. Over the past seven years, she has organized and spoken at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW) panels, focusing on the experiences and needs of women. She also mentors youth, encouraging their engagement as researchers and speakers in these global forums.
Today’s guest is Kiran Nazish, an award-winning journalist, professor, and founding director of the Coalition for Women in Journalism and Women Press Freedom. In this episode, Alon and Kiran discuss the state of press freedom in the United States and the transgressions that the Trump administration has committed against them; how the United States relates to other countries known as violators of press freedom; and how to protect journalists by strengthening democratic institutions.
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Kiran Nazish is an award winning journalist, professor and founding director of the Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom.
Kiran Nazish spent two decades as a journalist and foreign correspondent covering Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Mexico and many other places in a post 9/11 world for the New York Times, LA Times, MSNBC, ABC News, USA Today and many others. Witnessing the inequality and discrimination women journalists faced in newsrooms around the world, she founded the Coalition For Women In Journalism. An organization that is closing the gender gap in the industry.
The CFWIJ is New York based and works globally with much of its work focused on support and advocacy for women, LGBTQ and non binary journalists. In 2019 Kiran Launched the Press Freedom Newsroom to bring awareness to how women journalists in particular are targeted by repressive regimes. This newsroom started with monitoring 12 countries and now (within 2 years) covers violations from 145 countries around the world. Kiran’s career spans two decades, and many regions including the Middle East, South Asia and Mexico, where she covered stories from the frontline of conflict, democracy and human rights. She was also selected as the Stanley Knowles Distinguished Professor in 2019 and 2020. And a senior fellow at New America Foundation in Washington D.C. in 2016, where she shared her expertise in the International Security Program.
Before Kiran’s initiative, launching the Press Freedom Newsroom, there was no systematic data for women targeted for their work.
Today’s guest is Yaakov Katz, a journalist, author, and senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute. His newest book, co-authored with Amir Bohbot, is While Israel Slept – How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East.
In this episode, Alon and Yaakov discuss Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza and the “Trump factor” that has emerged in the peacemaking process; the need for a political, not just military, process in finding an end to the Gaza war and ultimately the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; how to bring both peoples back toward a mindset where peace could be possible; and the lack of leadership on both sides in being willing to make concessions to make real change possible.
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Yaakov Katz is an author, a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute & the co-founder of MEAD, the premier Middle East-America policy forum. Between 2016 and 2023, Yaakov was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he continues to serve as a columnist.
Yaakov also writes for the Jewish Chronicle, is the host of the JPPI podcast & appears regularly on CNN and BBC as an Israel analyst.
Yaakov’s newest book (co-authored with Amir Bohbot) While Israel Slept – How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East is a national bestseller in the US. His previous three books are Shadow Strike – Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power, Weapon Wizards – How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower and Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.
Prior to taking up the role of editor-in-chief, Yaakov served for two years as a senior policy adviser to Naftali Bennett during his tenure as Israel’s Minister of Economy and Minister of Diaspora Affairs.
Originally from Chicago, Yaakov has a law degree from Bar Ilan University and spent a year as a fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Chaya and their four children.
Today’s guest is Michael Bedenbaugh, a political analyst and author, whose latest book, Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America, argues the need for political renewal in the United States and presents recommendations for such reforms in a historical context. Mike’s diverse background includes five years of service in the US Navy, as well as previously serving as president and executive director of Preservation South Carolina, working to protect and preserve the state’s historic places.
In this episode, we discuss the current Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Minneapolis, Minnesota, including the deaths of two civilians, the Trump administration’s strategy in conducting these operations and the general atmosphere that has been created since Trump’s return to power, and how the United States as a whole can put a stop to these actions and the general pervasive divide in the country.
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American author and political thinker Mike Bedenbaugh is a respected voice in constitutional principles and American governance, historic preservation, and community development. Born with a reverence for history, he served as the former president and executive director of Preservation South Carolina, where he led numerous initiatives that demonstrated the economic and cultural value of historic preservation.
Mike’s diverse background includes five years of service in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS South Carolina, studies in international studies and history at the University of South Carolina and Columbia University, and leadership roles in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors. He was CEO of Post No Bills, Inc., a product marketing firm that collaborated with corporate powerhouses like Phillip Morris USA, RCA Records, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, and MGM. He has also served on his hometown’s city council while his efforts in community revitalization and historic preservation earned him the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. As a member of Preservation Action in Washington, D.C., he continues to advocate for policies that strengthen local communities and honor America’s heritage.
A native of Prosperity, South Carolina, Michael remains deeply involved in his home state’s development while contributing to national discussions on governance and civic engagement. His work exemplifies the principle that understanding the past is crucial to shaping a better future. His book, Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America, is an outcome of his lifelong passion for his community, state, and nation, and was inspired by America’s founding fathers and the principles that birthed a nation. Mike firmly believes the American South has had a profound impact on shaping the political culture of the USA, asserting that one cannot truly understand America without understanding South Carolina. His perspective as a descendant of twelve generations of white Southern landowners provides a grassroots understanding of the unique traditions that define Southern culture. He aims to share the real lived experience of the South, reflecting the complexity and richness of Southern history and its impact on the broader American story.
Driven by a mission to revitalize America’s founding ideals, Mike hosts the podcast Reviving Our Republic with Mike Bedenbaugh, where he explores the intersection of history, politics, and community development. His unique approach combines grassroots activism with a deep understanding of constitutional intent, offering fresh insights into modern political challenges within the United States.
Welcome to the first episode of our exclusive, subscribers-only podcast, “On the Issues: Beyond the Headlines.” Our first guest is Tsvi Bisk, an independent futurist, social researcher, and strategy planning consultant. In this episode, we discuss Israeli reactions toward October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza, how geopolitics in relation to Israel has changed since that day, and whether or not there is still a prospect of peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
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Tsvi Bisk is an independent futurist, social researcher, and strategy planning consultant. He is the director of the Center for Strategic Futuristic Thinking and the founder and director of the Strategic Educational Planning Institute. For more than 20 years, he was a senior associate of the Beit Berl Institute (the research and education arm of the Israel Labor Movement). Bisk is the author of five books, and has published more than one hundred essays and articles in English and Hebrew in a variety of publications. His latest book is titled Cosmodeism: A Worldview for the Space-Age: How an Evolutionary Cosmos is Creating God.
We are happy to welcome back to the podcast Moshe Ma’oz, Professor Emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a previous Director of the university’s Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. In this episode, Alon and Moshe discuss Israeli perspectives of the last two years of conflict with the Palestinians, global perspectives towards a Palestinian state and a two-state solution, and the still-indispensable role of the United States in finding a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Bio
Moshe Ma’oz is Professor Emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a previous Director of the university’s Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. Professor Ma’oz is renowned for his expertise in Arab and Middle East affairs, and has published extensively on Islam and on the history and politics of the Middle East. He is a leading expert on Syria. Professor Ma’oz has been a visiting professor, scholar, and fellow at many leading universities and institutions around the world. He has served as an advisor on Arab Affairs for Israel’s Knesset, and was a member of official advisory committees that counseled the late Prime Ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.
Released January 13, 2025