I am Andrey X, I'm a journalist and activist, covering settler and army violence in the West Bank for more than two years now. I work with various human rights advocacy organisations, and solidarity activists. And now I'm back with another AMA!
If you'd like to join us in the West Bank as activists, look up the International Solidarity Movement, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, and Unarmed Civilian Protection in Palestine.
I'm a trauma surgeon in California. I worked in Gaza in 2024 and 2025. I've written in the New England Journal of Medicine, NY Times, and Politico about it, and testified at the UN Security Council in May 2025. My work is featured along with two of my American colleagues in the new documentary film American Doctor that follows us in Gaza, and is in theaters now. Instagram: @fsidhwa Twitter: @ferozesidhwa
/r/JewsOfConscience is excited to announce an upcoming AMA with Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, an American trauma and critical care surgeon who did humanitarian work in Gaza during the ongoing genocide. He has also volunteered in Ukraine, Haiti, Zimbabwe, and Burkini Faso.
On Democracy Now! he has explained his reasons for being motivated to do humanitarian work in Gaza:
I don't have any ethnic or religious connection to the Middle East. My family is from a small minority in India and Pakistan, but I grew up in the United States. I was born here. I'm an American. And the United States is intimately involved in what's going on. We provide all of - almost all of the weapons, all of the funding, the diplomatic support at the U.N., stopping other countries from solving this issue, which is pretty easily solved.
And I don't think Americans want to be doing that. I think that's why most of this is hidden from them. So I knew that by going there, I could, number one, provide medical care because I'm a trauma surgeon, so that's what I'm good at doing. But I could also bear witness. And then I could come back and, and try to tell people what was going on.
During his time in Gaza, Dr. Sidhwa was working in a hospital unit that was targeted by an Israeli airstrike which killed his 16-year-old patient, Ibrahim.
Hey you horrors- I’m here for the next hour answering questions about my book, Here Where We Live is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund. Have at it.
I'm Eli Clifton, coauthor of Israel's Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power. My coauthor, u/IanLustick and I, wrote this book to explain how shifts in global politics, Israel’s lurch to the extreme right, and the evisceration of American campaign finance laws make the influence of Israel’s lobby more costly and more dangerous today than it ever was before.
We will be here for the next hour or so answering all your questions about our book and the Lobby.
If you haven't already, please pick up a copy of our book at Bookshop.org, Amazon, or your local bookstore.
UPDATE
Thank you so much for joining us and asking such interesting questions. I hope you all get a chance to read our book and engage with the tough questions we are trying to address.
if you haven’t read my other posts, I’m a half palestinian and half Israeli, my mom is a Palestinian Christian and my biological dad is a jewish Israeli. I was born out of wedlock (my mom was raped) and my parents hate each other. I lived with my mom and visited my bio dad some days until I was 7. I am a Greek othrodox Christian. So feel free to ask me anything
We're excited to announce an upcoming AMA in r/JewsOfConscience with Pulitzer Prize winning, Jewish-American author Ben Moser.
Ben is the author of Why This World: A Biography of Clarice Lispector, a finalist for the National Book Critics’ Circle Award and a New York Times Notable Book of 2009. For his work bringing Clarice Lispector to international prominence, he received Brazil’s first State Prize for Cultural Diplomacy.
He won a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2017, and Sontag: Her Life and Work won the Pulitzer Prize in 2020.
The Upside-Down World: Meetings with the Dutch Masters appeared in 2023.
He completed Anti-Zionism: A Jewish History at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library.
Anti-Zionism: A Jewish History has earned praise from other esteemed writers like Nathan Thrall and academics like Palestinian-American historian Rashid Khalidi, who says:
I met Ben when he gave a talk upstairs at the Coleman Center when he was a fellow there, which is where he wrote the book, as you just heard.
I was somebody who's followed Israel, Palestine, Zionism my entire life, since I was a child. That's what I heard at the dinner table.
And I was struck immediately by how deep were his insights into the way in which Zionism went from a highly contested minority opinion in the Jewish world, and in the West generally, to its hegemonic position today in both Jewish communities and in the Western world.
This is, to my way of thinking, one of the very best books that traces that evolution, how people were viscerally opposed to Zionism by overwhelming numbers in the Jewish community, and how that changed, and some of the ways in which that changed.
Too many people think Israel has to cease to exist, and I dont think thats realistic. They should stay as Israel, but let us have our own state without Hamas. I wouldnt accept a 1 state solution only because it seems that the current trend of Israel govt is to desire to supress arab israelis.
I feel that the current Israeli govt (especially Netanyahu), wants all of the west bank because its religiously relevant. I believe that they will never stop until they get this land for themselves. That is one of the fundamental issues preventing peace. Hamas is obviously an issue, but even if they didnt exist I believe the Likud party will not be satisfied until they have the west bank. Hamas has no power in west bank, yet Israel is still causing issues there, this tells me that Hamas is not the only barrier to peace.
I dont believe peace can occur until both Hamas and the Likud party are out.
EDIT: I do not live in Palestine, and cannot get a citizneship there despite being ethnically palestenian.
/r/JewsOfConscience is excited to announce an upcoming AMA with Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, an American trauma and critical care surgeon who did humanitarian work in Gaza during the ongoing genocide. He has also volunteered in Ukraine, Haiti, Zimbabwe, and Burkini Faso.
On Democracy Now! he has explained his reasons for being motivated to do humanitarian work in Gaza:
I don't have any ethnic or religious connection to the Middle East. My family is from a small minority in India and Pakistan, but I grew up in the United States. I was born here. I'm an American. And the United States is intimately involved in what's going on. We provide all of - almost all of the weapons, all of the funding, the diplomatic support at the U.N., stopping other countries from solving this issue, which is pretty easily solved.
And I don't think Americans want to be doing that. I think that's why most of this is hidden from them. So I knew that by going there, I could, number one, provide medical care because I'm a trauma surgeon, so that's what I'm good at doing. But I could also bear witness. And then I could come back and, and try to tell people what was going on.
During his time in Gaza, Dr. Sidhwa was working in a hospital unit that was targeted by an Israeli airstrike which killed his 16-year-old patient, Ibrahim.
We're excited to announce an upcoming AMA with Eli Clifton & Ian Lustick - Jewish-American authors of the new book, Israel's Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power.
Israel's Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power (2026) has been widely endorsed, including by Prof. Stephen Walt and Prof. John Mearsheimer, authors of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy (2007).
The book examines the history, evolution, and political power of the pro-Israel lobby in the United States, tracing how a network of lobbying organizations, major donors, political operatives, and allied institutions has shaped US policy toward Israel and the Middle East.
Check out the following link, if you're interested in the book:
Eli Clifton is an investigative journalist who focuses on money in politics and US foreign policy. He is a cofounder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecrafts where he serves as a senior adviser.
His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Nation, The Intercept, The South China Morning Post, LobeLog, Salon, HuffPost, The Daily Beast, Slate, Gawker, Foreign Policy, and Responsible Statecraft.
Ian S. Lustick
Ian S. Lustick is the Bess W. Heyman Chair, Emeritus, in the Political Science Department of the University of Pennsylvania.
He served in the Carter administration as the State Department's expert on Israel-Palestine affairs and subsequently became a regular consultant with American administrations on US foreign policy and national security affairs.
He is a founder and past President of the Association for Israel Studies and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Discussion will cover the book & topic of the Israel lobby.
Feel free to leave your questions in advance here, if you cannot make it on the day-of the AMA.
We’re Beckett Mufson (IG so you know it's real) and Imran Hafiz, former VICE journalists and longtime media strategists whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Forbes, The Christian Science Monitor, Mic, The Mirror, National Public Radio, and BBC Radio, among others. We also run a worker-owned creative agency, The Auxiliary, and are involved in multiple Palestinian liberation organizations in Austin, TX.
We’ve written a guide to speaking with Zionists about Palestine that applies the latest advice from behavioral scientists, movement organizers, and anti-Zionist thinkers specifically to holiday gatherings.
For us, Hanukkah 2025 isn't a season of rest. It's a season of action. Speaking to our Zionist loved ones over the holidays may be the most significant thing we can do to free Palestine today. Here's why:
With millions of Americans going home for the holidays, many anti-Zionist Jews who are normally distant will be in a room with their Zionist relatives.
If enough of us help the Zionists in our lives to recognize the genocide, we have a shot at making anti-Zionism the undeniable mainstream of American Judaism.
This would undermine the chokehold Zionist lobbies like AIPAC and the ADL have on the American politicians who deliver the U.S. veto against UN Security Council motions that might hold Israel accountable.
Israel quadrupled its "public diplomacy" budget for 2026, and reports indicate they intend to ramp up Islamophobia to muddy the waters as more Americans condemn their genocide.
Israel spends billions on propaganda because it delivers strategic value. They are paying influencers $7,000 per video to spread their message, supported by bot armies, while we work on donations. Their weakness is that we have the truth on our side. Our plan uses culture and behavioral science to make use of that advantage over the holiday season.
It all starts with everyday Jews of Conscience, but many of us have given up. We feel like reasoning with Zionists is impossible. And it turns out, we’re right.
How to tactfully bring up Palestine at a holiday gathering
Why talking to your Zionist loved ones is probably the most impactful thing you could do to help free Palestine
The task of deprogramming Zionism
How we made this guide and our design philosophy
What it’s been like to witness this genocide as a Jew and a Muslim living and working together
Our relationship in general
How you can help! In particular, we are looking for support with:
PR
Graphic design (even basic knowledge of Canva would be great!)
Social media strategy
Fundraising
Access to psychographic/social listening tools
Book publishing
Speaking engagements
Video editing
We hope you will read the guide, share it (with at least 5 people who may be interested), and use it during the holidays.
Why should you care what we have to say about this? Here’s a bit of background info about us:
Imran Hafiz
Imran is a writer, filmmaker, educator, and civil rights activist who became the youngest recipient in history of the City of Phoenix’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream” Award, honoring individuals who embody Dr. King’s philosophy through sustained commitment to social justice and human relations. He is also the co-author of the pioneering, award-winning book The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook, the first mainstream guide created for and by American Muslim youth, published by Simon & Schuster. He received a degree in public policy from Duke University (Sanford School) and a certificate in policy journalism and media studies.
Imran was part of the Emmy Award-winning team at VICE on HBO, a producer for Motherboard and VICELAND, and a creative and strategist for VIRTUE, VICE’s ad agency. Millions of people have seen his work on digital platforms, television, and advertising. He founded a creative agency, The Auxiliary, to solve new problems new media paradigms have created. He enjoys cooking with friends, reading, making music, and hanging out with his beautiful wife, whom he acknowledges is much cooler than he is.
Beckett Mufson
Beckett is a writer, editor, union organizer, and creative strategist whose work bridges art, technology, and culture. Raised as a Liberal Zionist, he later became an outspoken anti-Zionist through years of research, community work, and hard personal conversations—experiences that deeply inform the tone and structure of the guide.
While earning his B.A. in Journalism from Hofstra University, Beckett covered the internet culture beat for MTVNews, Mashable, and VICE, where he became a top-trafficked writer and video host for The Creators Project and VICE.com. His articles reached millions of readers and were translated into more than a dozen languages. He holds a reporting certificate from the Poynter Institute served on both the Bargaining and Organizing Committees as a founding member of the VICE Union (WGAE). After VICE, he became a freelance journalist, copywriter, and innovation specialist for digital agencies and tech start-ups, before quitting his job to start an agency with Imran. He enjoys making coffee, biking, reading science fiction, and is writing a novel set in world run by librarians.
The Auxiliary
Imran and Beckett live in Austin, TX, and run their own worker-owned creative agency, The Auxiliary, at the intersection of public policy, art, journalism, activism, branding and education. They are the authors of a new design philosophy, Mechanism Design Thinking (MDT), which applies the principles of mechanism design (a branch of game theory that engineers systems to produce desired outcomes) to storytelling and strategy.
Together, the authors bring a decade of award-winning content, experience fighting misinformation, studying political persuasion, and developing narrative strategies for liberation movements.
The AMA will be about the documentary, "American Doctor" as well as Dr. Sidhwa's experiences working in Gaza during the ongoing genocide and other related issues.
Feel free to leave your questions in advance here, if you can't attend in person:
We're excited to hold this rescheduled AMA in 20 minutes with Nikki Morse, an anti-Zionist Jewish educator and activist in Baltimore. They'll talk about working with the International Solidarity Movement in the West Bank.
Hey Reddit and r/JewsOfConscience, I am Andrey X, journalist and activist in the West Bank. I cover violence by the settlers and the Israeli Occupation Forces in the West Bank and work with human rights advocates who provide protective presence to vulnerable Palestinian communities. AMA!
We're happy to announce an upcoming AMA with Emmaia Gelman.
Emmaia is the founding director of the Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism. She has taught social and cultural analysis at NYU and social sciences at Sarah Lawrence College. Her writing appears in Jewish Currents, Boston Review, The Forward, and elsewhere.
She is the co-chair of the American Studies Association Caucus on Academic and Community Activism, co-host of the Unpacking Zionism podcast, and a longtime activist in New York City on Palestine, policing, antiracism, and queer issues.
Emmaia's new book is The Anti-Defamation League & the Racial State, a critical history of the ADL.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is a major US political organization, yet its politics have gone largely unexamined. While the ADL is often portrayed as a defender against antisemitism and racism, its history shows that it is better understood as a proponent of the racial state and US empire. From "correcting" the embarrassing racial difference of immigrant Jews to policing the leftist politics of Black, Arab, and Jewish groups, the ADL pursued a conservative version of civil rights paired with aggressive anti-communism. Even as it became an authority on white nationalism in the 1970s, the ADL joined with the emerging anti-left, anti-Arab, and pro-Western neoconservative movement.
This history presaged the ADL's work, from the 1980s to the present, in developing the hate crimes framework as a pro-state policing project, which soon merged with the "War on Terror," the "antisemitism scare," and anti-Palestinian racism. The Anti-Defamation League and the Racial State presents the ADL's history through its conflicts with social justice movements, illuminating the ADL's outsize role in shaping the ideas about race and rights that have underwritten US empire.
Join us on July 15th at noon EST to discuss Emmaia's work, her new book, and related topics.
If you can't be there on the day-of, feel free to post your questions here in advance.
