The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp

The Bus Back to Haifa: Yassar Dahbour on Exile, Memory & Return

Yassar Dahbour is a Palestinian refugee from Haifa, a Sacramento-based political organizer, president of the Palestine American League, and co-founder of the Sacramento Regional Coalition for Palestinian Rights. Born in a refugee camp in Syria after his family was expelled from Haifa during the Nakba, Yassar grew up surrounded by Palestinian political life, refugee memory, and the dream of return. His father, Ahmad Dahbour, was a renowned Palestinian poet whose work was shaped by exile, revolution, and the longing for Palestine. In this episode of The Thin Veil, Yassar shares his family’s story of displacement from Haifa, his childhood in a refugee camp, his father’s poetry and role in the Palestinian movement, and what it felt like to finally visit Palestine using an American passport. We also discuss why Oslo did not offer return for Palestinians from Haifa, the experience of being detained at Ben-Gurion Airport, the destruction of his family’s apartment and archive in Gaza, the collapse of Western media narratives, and what a free Palestine means to him. At the center of the conversation is a story from Yassar’s grandmother: when the children cried in the refugee camp, she would tell them that tomorrow, a bus would come and take them back to Haifa. YASSAR'S ORGANIZATIONS PALESTINIAN AMERICAN LEAGUE SACRAMENTO REGIONAL COALITION FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW EZRA LIPP / THIN VEIL ON PATREON 🇵🇸GET INVOLVED JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK THETHINVEILPOD@GMAIL.COM 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Liberation Through Solidarity: Matthew Solomon on Palestine, Abolition and Interconnected Struggles

Filmmaker, musician, writer, and abolitionist Matthew Solomon joins Ezra to discuss his new documentary Seeds for Liberation, a film that centers Palestine while tracing the connections between Zionism, U.S. imperialism, policing, Black liberation, the Chicano movement, Indigenous resistance, and broader anti-colonial struggle. Matthew’s previous documentary, Reimagining Safety, explored abolitionist approaches to policing, prisons, crisis response, and community care. In this conversation, we talk about how that work shaped his understanding of Palestine, what he had to unlearn as an anti-Zionist Jew, and why the fight for Palestinian liberation is inseparable from other struggles against empire, racial capitalism, militarism, and colonial violence. We also discuss Jewish deprogramming after October 7th, the limits of conditional solidarity, the question of who Seeds for Liberation is for, and what real safety might look like beyond police, prisons, punishment, and fear. Seeds for Liberation Film Reimagining Safety Film Matthew Solomon on Instagram The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Transcript

Jewish Trauma Is Not A Weapon: Julie Wolk on Reclaiming Ashkenazi Ancestry Beyond Zionism

Julie Wolk is a facilitator, strategist, and creator of Ashkenazi Ancestral Journeys, a spiritual pilgrimage and heritage program that brings Ashkenazi Jews to Poland to reconnect with ancestral lands, Jewish memory, diasporic culture, grief, and political histories that Zionist narratives often teach us to bypass. In this conversation, Julie and Ezra discuss what it means to turn toward Eastern Europe not only as a site of Holocaust memory and “the dark place,” but as a place of Jewish life, culture, language, resistance, food, medicine, prayer, and song. They talk about March of the Living and the weaponization of Holocaust trauma, the Jewish Labor Bund and the concept of doikayt, the erasure of Ashkenazi culture through Zionism, and the possibility of building a Judaism rooted not in nationalism or fear, but in solidarity, memory, and accountability. At the heart of the conversation is a question Julie’s work asks with urgency: can Jewish historical trauma be metabolized rather than weaponized — softening us into empathy and “never again for anyone,” rather than hardening us into victimhood, nationalism, militarism, and the dispossession of Palestinians? Julie is also the Co-Founder, former Co-Director, and current Board President of Wilderness Torah, now Adamah-SF. Earlier in her career, she worked as an environmental and social justice organizer with USPIRG and Rainforest Action Network. More about Julie Wolk Julie on Facebook Learn about Ashkenazi Ancestral Journeys Additional Resources Mentioned Molly Crabapple - Here Where We Live Is Our Country: The Story of The Jewish Bund Naomi Klein - How Israel Has Made Trauma a Weapon of War The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Medicine Under Siege: Dr. Musallam Abukhalil on Gaza’s Silent Emergency

What does it mean to practice medicine in Gaza while hospitals collapse, chronic illness goes untreated, children carry water instead of going to school, and entire communities struggle simply to survive? In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra speaks with Dr. Musallam Abukhalil, a physician in Gaza and founder of United for Dignity Alliance, a Palestinian-led humanitarian organization providing emergency aid, medical care, psychosocial support, education, and storytelling initiatives in Gaza. Dr. Musallam joins from Nuseirat in central Gaza for a deeply moving firsthand conversation about practicing medicine amid catastrophe, the hidden “silent emergency” of chronic illness and untreated disease, trauma and mental health, community resilience, and why people directly affected by crisis should lead their own recovery. Support United for Dignity Alliance The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United For Dignity Alliance Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA Tickets on Sale now! The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Reclaiming Roots: Rhythm and Decolonization in the Diaspora with Rafa Sarria Bustamante

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra sits down with musician, activist, and La Gente SF frontman Rafa Sarria Bustamante for a wide-ranging conversation on identity, decolonization, Palestine, diaspora, anti-fascism, and political awakening. Rafa reflects on growing up Colombian-Nicaraguan in San Francisco’s Mission District, navigating mixed cultural identity, confronting racism and colorism, and how those experiences shaped his activism. The conversation explores connections between Indigenous struggles across the Americas, Palestinian liberation, Zionism, diaspora identity, and the ongoing work of decolonizing inherited narratives. They also discuss activism, music as resistance, solidarity movements, electoral politics, direct action, and what it means to find your place in liberation work. The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United For Dignity Alliance Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother (00:00) - Intro (02:45) - Meet Rafa (03:20) - Growing Up Colombian-Nicaraguan in San Francisco (05:35) - Colorism, Colonialism & Identity (09:35) - Palestine, Arab Diaspora & Political Awakening (13:35) - Ashkenazi Jewish Identity & Decolonization (16:45) - Music as Activism (20:10) - Cultural Tokenism & Political Pushback (22:45) - Grief, Gaza & Radicalization (24:40) - Speaking Across Communities (27:45) - Land Back & Indigenous Liberation (29:45) - Armed Resistance vs Pacifism (32:20) - How to Start Organizing (34:10) - Outro ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

• Chapters

Resisting Erasure: Tarik Kazaleh on Diaspora Grief, Revolutionary Music and Generational Change

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra Lipp speaks with Palestinian artist, musician, producer, and organizer MC Tarik "Excentrik" Kazaleh about diaspora grief, sumud, burnout, and what solidarity asks of people in the West. Tarik reflects on his family’s roots in Palestine, the emotional toll of watching the genocide in Gaza from the diaspora, and why performative empathy is not enough. He also shares the story of co-founding Prosthetics for Palestine with his wife, a project focused on building long-term care infrastructure for Palestinian amputees. The conversation moves through Tarik’s life in revolutionary music, from Arab Summit and Palestinian hip-hop to his new album Watani 77, a 77-minute improvised album on 77 years of Nakba, memory, culture, and resistance. Ezra and Tarik discuss Palestinian cultural continuity, the often forgotten history of Palestine’s Moroccan Quarter, October 7th, anti-Zionist Jewish responsibility, and Tarik’s complicated but deeply felt hope for a free Palestine — one rooted in liberation, memory, and resistance to erasure. Tarik’s Music Prosthetics for Palestine The Thin Veil / Ezra Lipp’s Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United For Dignity Alliance Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Ezra Lipp’s Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Thin Veil Theme Music by Magic In The Other https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Repairing The Soul: Dottie Lux on Palestinian Solidarity and Protective Presence

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra sits down with artist and organizer Dottie Lux. Dottie shares her journey from a Zionist upbringing to anti-Zionist activism, and how that shift reshaped her identity, her relationships, and her work. She speaks about her time in Palestine doing protective presence in the West Bank with the International Solidarity Movement, and her involvement founding Artists Unite for Palestine, a collective of Bay Area artists doing work to provide mutual aid for Palestinians in Gaza. Dottie is a deep and soulful person and this conversation is dynamic and passionate. We think you'll like it. Check out Dottie's Podcast A Woman for Watermelons The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United For Dignity Alliance Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon Ezra Lipp Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Magic In The Other Sites https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Ahmed Sarsour on Poetry and Survival in Gaza

Ahmed Sarsour is a poet and artist currently living in Gaza, trying to survive through the ongoing effects of genocide and raise money for his extended family and community through Project Sarsour. After spending much of his life in Sudan as a telecommunications engineer and Palestinian exile, Ahmed fled violence there in 2023—only to return to Gaza just months before the genocide began. In this conversation, he shares what daily life looks like now—navigating grief, hunger, and uncertainty—and how he turned to poetry as a way to process, express, and ultimately survive. We encourage you to support Project Sarsour and follow along with all of Ahmed's projects. The Mixtape for Palestine Concert benefiting United for Dignity Alliance Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon Ezra Lipp Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Magic In The Other Sites https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Refusing Silence: Alexi Murdoch on Palestine and Responsibility

Ezra sits down with acclaimed musician/songwriter Alexi Murdoch for a wide-ranging conversation on art, activism, and what it means to speak up in a time of crisis. They discuss Alexi’s recent visit to Palestine and what he witnessed under Israeli occupation. The conversation moves between the personal and the political—exploring the tension between creative expression and direct advocacy, and the moral responsibility to break silence in the face of injustice. They also reflect on propaganda, dehumanization, and the challenge of reaching people across deeply entrenched narratives—while holding onto the belief that transformation is still possible. Please Consider Supporting Gaza Singing Birds Episode Resources One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This - Omar El Akkad The State of Israel Vs. The Jews - Sylvain Cypel Coexistence My Ass! The Mixtape for Palestine Concert Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon Ezra Lipp Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Magic In The Other Sites https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Connecting Gaza: Rabbi David Mivasair on Leaving Zionism and Jewish Ethical Responsibility

Ezra sits down with Rabbi David Mivasair for a conversation on unlearning, responsibility, and what it means to live out ethical commitments in real time. They explore Connecting Gaza, a grassroots mutual aid project started by Rabbi Mivasair that provides direct support to families in Gaza, and reflect on the limits of traditional political advocacy compared to person-to-person action. The conversation touches on cognitive dissonance, ideological transformation, and the challenge of confronting deeply held beliefs around Zionism, identity, and justice. They close with a reflection on the tension of celebrating Passover in this moment, and the idea of stepping forward even when the outcome is uncertain. Please support and or consider joining Connecting Gaza Additional Episode Resources Ilan Pappe - The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Ghassan Khanafani - The 1936-39 Revolt in Palestine Tickets on Sale now! Sunday 5/31/2026 Ivy Room, Albany CA The Mixtape for Palestine Concert The Thin Veil with Ezra Lipp The Thin Veil on all Podcast Platforms The Thin Veil on Youtube Patreon Support Ezra’s Work and The Show on Patreon Ezra Lipp Sites https://www.instagram.com/ezralipp https://www.ezralipp.com https://www.youtube.com/@Ezralipp Magic In The Other Sites https://www.instagram.com/magicintheother https://www.magicintheother.com https://www.youtube.com/@magicintheother ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★