Gathering Voices

On Tuesday, Nov. 21, Ariel Gold hosted Raja G. Khouri and Jeffrey J. Wilkinson for our monthly webinar’s biggest event to date. Well over 400 people registered to hear the authors of the groundbreaking book “The Wall Between: What Jews and Palestinians Don’t Want to Know About Each Other.”

They discussed concrete ways for Jews and Palestinians to speak (and listen) differently to each other. It was a thoughtful, challenging, and much-needed discussion in light of the tragic war going on in Israel/Gaza. The event was so successful that FOR is sponsoring a book club in which members can explore the issues in greater depth with the authors.

—

Former FOR staffer and current National Council member Leila Zand visited with her old friend Ariel Gold for the December “Gathering Voices” event. She had just returned from her home country, Iran, where she had traveled to adopt her new daughter Shirin, who is an Afghan refugee.

Her working experience has been to advance peace and promote dialogue to achieve nonviolent conflict resolution in international disputes, as well as educating future generations within academia and higher education settings.

As someone who was very young when the Iranian revolution occurred and is now a longtime resident of the United States, Leila was able to provide a bridge to understanding both cultures. She spoke movingly of the devastating effects sanctions have had on ordinary Iranians and perceptions of the United States among people in the Middle East.

—

Researcher, journalist, and movement strategist Ben Lorber was the “Gathering Voices” guest in October. He discussed the role of antisemitism among right-wing groups. Lorber is a Senior Research Analyst at Political Research Associates focusing on antisemitism and white nationalism. He has written on antisemitism and politics for a wide range of publications. He is the author of “Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism,” forthcoming from Melville House in 2024.

—

In August we welcomed Ronald E. Hampton for a revealing conversation hosted by both Ariel Gold and Rev. Graylan Hagler. Hampton, a retired Washington, D.C. police officer and former Executive Director of the National Black Police Association, spoke about the history of policing, differences involved in policing in BIPOC communities vs white communities, and whether modern policing can ever truly be “reformed.”

—

On July 18, Ethan Vesely-Flad and Ariel Gold hosted a powerful conversation on white Christian nationalism with Rev. Wes Granberg-Michaelson. He spoke about the connections between the myth of American exceptionalism and white Christian nationalism as well as the callous and tragic manipulation of Christianity in modern politics. Throughout Rev. Wes’s long and varied career he has been a global ecumenical leader dedicated to the intersections of faith and public life. He is now the chairperson of the board of Sojourners, the evangelical Christian movement dedicated to justice and faith.