J Street Conversations

J Street
  • 4.5 (8)
  • NEWS

J Street conversations is the audio home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans. We share regular discussions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and American politics with politicians, advocates, legal experts, pollsters, student leaders, and more.

  1. (Recorded February 28, 2026) | LIVE from J Street's National Convention: In Conversation with Ehud Olmert, Elana Kaminka, and Rula Daood

    MAR 5

    (Recorded February 28, 2026) | LIVE from J Street's National Convention: In Conversation with Ehud Olmert, Elana Kaminka, and Rula Daood

    (Recorded February 28, 2026) | LIVE from J Street's National Convention: In Conversation with Ehud Olmert, Elana Kaminka, and Rula Daood by J Street

    1h 8m
  2. The End of the Israel Exception with Andrew Miller

    FEB 12

    The End of the Israel Exception with Andrew Miller

    Jeremy was traveling today, so I hosted Word on the Street Live solo and sat down with my old friend and colleague from the Obama and Biden Administrations, Andrew Miller, for a conversation rooted in what he calls the “Israel Exception.” Andrew, an alum of the State Department and the National Security Council, argued that Israel gets a level of political, military and diplomatic cover no other ally does, and when there are no consequences for its actions, private pressure simply doesn’t work. That dynamic hasn’t just failed Palestinians; it’s failed Israelis and Americans too. He argues instead that it’s time to “normalize” the US-Israel relationship. That doesn’t mean walking away from the relationship, but putting some limits on it. We used that lens to talk about Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, Israel’s latest moves in the West Bank, and what a real reset in US-Israel relations could look like. We also talked about the special election primary in New Jersey and the flood of AIPAC money. I’ve supported building bipartisan backing for the US-Israel relationship – but Andrew and I agree: Dumping Republican money into a Democratic primary and painting mainstream criticism as disqualifying doesn’t build any support for Israel. It creates fear and chaos, and in the long run, is destructive to our democracy.

    53 min

  3. FEB 5

    The Rabbis Taking on ICE with Rabbis Sharon Kleinbaum and Tamar Magill-Grimm

    Today on Word on the Street Live, we were joined by Rabbis Sharon Kleinbaum and Tamar Magill-Grimm for a powerful and unsettling conversation about what’s unfolding in Minneapolis/St. Paul – and what it’s demanding of Jewish leaders right now. Rabbi Magill-Grimm leads a Twin Cities–area synagogue and was among local clergy who helped amplify and participate in the call for national faith leaders to come to Minneapolis in solidarity with immigrant communities targeted by ICE. Rabbi Kleinbaum answered that call and traveled in from New York City to join the convening. We heard first from them about the situation on the ground and what the Minneapolis/St. Paul community is enduring. Here’s a snapshot of what else we covered: - Torah, memory and moral responsibility. We dug into what Jewish texts demand in moments like this: Welcoming the stranger, protecting the vulnerable and refusing state violence. We also wrestled with history: The echoes of MLK Jr.’s call on clergy to march in Selma and where Holocaust analogies illuminate versus where they risk obscuring more than they clarify. - ICE, the West Bank and abuse of power. Ilan reflected on his writing about comparisons between ICE agents and violent West Bank settlers – not as a slogan, but as a way of naming shared patterns of state-backed or state-enabled violence and the dispossession of vulnerable people from their homes. - What comes next for the Jewish community. We closed by asking what responsibility lies beyond individual rabbis and with established Jewish institutions that should be willing to lead. It’s not just faith leaders who are being asked to choose between caution and conscience; it’s all of us. We’re deeply grateful to Rabbis Kleinbaum and Magill-Grimm for joining us, and we hope their words and actions can instill more moral leadership in our grim reality.

    52 min
  4. AIPAC, ICE, and the Battle for a Deep-Blue District

    JAN 29

    AIPAC, ICE, and the Battle for a Deep-Blue District

    Today, we sat down with Daniel Biss – Evanston mayor and J Street–endorsed congressional candidate – to dig into the issues driving his campaign for Illinois’ 9th District. With just 48 days until the primary, this local race has taken on national significance, fueled by a crowded field, major outside spending and intense debate over issues like Israel-Palestine and immigration enforcement. We talked with Mayor Biss about what it means to run a progressive campaign in a district under the microscope. Here’s a preview: - Israel, Gaza and AIPAC’s role in the race. Daniel clearly laid out his positions on the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict and US security assistance to Israel. We asked him about how AIPAC’s outside donors have attempted to shape this primary and why he refuses to be boxed in by pressure campaigns while voters care about a much broader set of issues. - ICE brutality in Chicago. Daniel shared what he’s seen locally, from confronting Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino directly to how Chicago’s immigrant communities are being impacted by ICE’s fear campaign. - What he’d do in Congress. We wrapped by asking Daniel what his top priorities would be if elected and how he sees his progressive leadership building on J Street champion Jan Schakowsky’s legacy. There’s a lot packed into this conversation, and it’s worth a watch if you want to understand how grassroots activism, national politics and community impacts are playing out in one of the most-watched Democratic primaries this year.

    49 min
  5. Another Boring Week? Not Here! | Word on the Street LIVE

    JAN 22

    Another Boring Week? Not Here! | Word on the Street LIVE

    We covered a lot of ground on Word on the Street Live this week. The common thread? The norms that have shaped world events throughout our lives are shattered; the strong are trying again to ‘do what they can’ as Thucydides wrote, and those of us fighting for what is right have our work cut out for us. Here’s a preview of the topics we covered in this week’s discussion: - Phase Two of the ceasefire, the Board of Peace and Israel’s pushback. What’s positive about developments around the 20-point plan, what’s not and what is certifiably insane, including the new “Board of Peace.” - A world without guardrails. In just a matter of days, the US seized the Venezuelan leader, threatened to attack Iran and postured around taking control of Greenland. We talked about an important speech by Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney in which he warned that the global order has been ruptured and what it means when power concentrates, rules blur and smaller countries start looking for new alliances. - The state of Democratic politics on Israel. AIPAC’s attack on pro-Israel Democrat Tom Malinowski, Republican money reshaping Democratic primaries, and whether questions about Israel during Josh Shapiro’s VP vetting were run-of-the-mill or a “loyalty test” – all point to how toxic, broken and unsustainable the status quo around this issue has become. If you like the episode, please give it a like here on Substack. And make sure you’re subscribed to tune into Word on the Street Live in the coming weeks. We’re thrilled to be joined next Wednesday at 4pm Eastern by Daniel Biss, mayor of Evanston, Illinois and candidate running to represent the ninth district of Illinois in Congress.

    47 min
  6. Inside J Street’s 2026 Strategy with Hannah Morris & Tali DeGroot

    JAN 8

    Inside J Street’s 2026 Strategy with Hannah Morris & Tali DeGroot

    Today, I was joined by J Street’s own Hannah Morris, Vice President of Government Affairs, and Tali DeGroot, Vice President of Political and Digital Strategy, for a conversation about where this political moment is heading – and how J Street is preparing for 2026. We zeroed in on the terrain we’re navigating right now: Democratic primaries, the upcoming midterm elections, the legislative battles underway in DC and how J Street is positioning itself to win concrete outcomes in 2026. In a wide-ranging conversation, we explored: - Where Democrats are on Israel-Palestine right now. We looked at whether there is a new baseline inside the Party, and what it looks like in practice – including through case studies of races from around the country where our issues are playing an important role in primaries and voters are showing us what actually resonates. - Policy fights on the Hill. Hannah walked through where arms sales and conditioning debates actually stand, the West Bank Violence Prevention Act and how sanctioning violent settlers has rapidly become the Democratic baseline. - Republicans, Trump and a changing right. We talked frankly about the Trump Administration’s role in getting the ceasefire deal – and the current stall on moving into Phase 2. We also discussed how Republicans are increasingly breaking with the Israeli government from an “America First” angle. There’s a lot more in the full conversation, and I think this was one of our most clarifying strategy discussions yet. I hope you’ll watch the recording and share it with anyone trying to understand where these debates are actually heading.

    51 min
  7. Breaking Down the Trump-Netanyahu Meeting

    JAN 2

    Breaking Down the Trump-Netanyahu Meeting

    Ilan and Jeremy dug into the Trump-Netanyahu visit, what our takeaways were, and what the latest updates mean for the future of Gaza, the West Bank, and more. In our conversation, we dove deeper into: The differences between the public appearance - Trump and Bibi praising one another - and the reporting of the tensions in the meeting itself around Israel’s annexation of the West Bank and relationships with other leaders in the Middle East. The current dynamics between leadership in the Middle East, and the potential for yet another conflict in Iran, just six months after the 12 day war The future of the Gaza ceasefire - is the arrow pointing in the right direction? Where do we stand, and will there be further movement in January? Upcoming elections in 2026, in both Israel and the United States, and what those possibilities of change in leadership and governance could mean for the future of all of these questions. --- Be sure to tune in and give the conversation a listen. Wishing you and yours a peaceful start to 2026 - we’re looking forward to continue to work together towards a pro-Israel, pro-peace, and pro-democracy future we can all be proud of.

    50 min
  8. Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s on How Ice Cream Meets Activism

    12/23/2025

    Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s on How Ice Cream Meets Activism

    Today on Word on the Street Live, I sat down with Ben Cohen – activist, philanthropist and co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s – for a conversation about ice cream, activism and the ways personal values can guide public action. Over a pint, we explored: How Ben’s Jewish upbringing shaped his commitment to justice in Israel and Palestine, the origins of Ben & Jerry’s and its deeply rooted social mission championing progressive causes. The corporate challenges post-Unilever sale, including the decision to stop selling in West Bank settlements and the ongoing Free Ben & Jerry’s campaign. Ben’s broader activism launching the Up in Arms campaign to challenge Pentagon spending and redirect resources toward education, healthcare and childcare. The conversation reminded us that activism, as hard as it can be, can and should also be joyful. Ben’s work is a vivid example of how we can push for meaningful change while staying true to our values. I hope you take that away, too. A quick note: Next week, Ilan Goldenberg and I will discuss Netanyahu and Trump’s meeting at Mar-a-Lago. This won’t be at our standard 4pm Eastern on Wednesday, so look out for the alert Monday or Tuesday to watch live or catch the recap. We’re back to regularly scheduled programming on Wednesday, January 7! Happy holidays!

    47 min
See All (73)

Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

J Street conversations is the audio home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans. We share regular discussions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and American politics with politicians, advocates, legal experts, pollsters, student leaders, and more.

Information

  • Creator
    J Street
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    J Street Conversations

You Might Also Like