A Muslim Feminist talks about Zionism and Antisemitism with a Jewish Lawyer

I sit down with two remarkable guests: Soraya M. Deen—a Muslim feminist lawyer, interfaith organizer, and outspoken critic of antisemitism within Muslim spaces—and Julie Marzouk—an immigrants’ rights attorney and professor who’s been building bridges across communities for two decades.We dive into:Whether the Israeli–Palestinian conflict is primarily religious or political?Antisemitism inside parts of the Islamic world and how to challenge it from withiThe Quran, Israel, and why Soraya believes Zionism aligns with Quranic prophecyPost–October 7 interfaith ruptures—and practical steps for rebuilding trustImmigration policy, vetting, and liberalism vs. fundamentalismFeminism, LGBTQ rights, and the progressive–Islamist contradictionUnion politics (UAW), ethnic studies (AB-101), and coalition-building around shared American valuesIf you value honest dialogue across real differences, this episode is for you.⏱️ Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:06 Meet today’s guests 1:16 Soraya on faith, Zionism & condemning Hamas 3:22 Is this conflict religious, political—or both? 5:12 “Palestinianism,” media narratives & accountability 7:35 American mosques, sermons, and rising tensions post–10/7 9:30 How borrowed European antisemitism spread in Muslim contexts 12:17 Growing up in South Asia: early signals & stereotypes 13:59 From bullying to bridge-building: Soraya’s interfaith path 17:01 Fear, threats, and speaking up anyway 19:40 Liberal discomfort vs. calling out radicalism 21:58 Why outreach often stalls—and what to try next 24:39 What the Jewish community can do better (concrete steps) 27:10 “Islamophobia” accusations & staying principled 31:00 Re-centering Jewish strength without abandoning dialogue 34:18 Julie on losing progressive allies & finding new bridges 37:01 Immigration ideals vs. ideological vetting 41:02 What U.S. asylum law already requires 42:58 Screening gaps & community responsibility 45:38 Compassion, gratitude, and reform from within 49:03 Building broad coalitions (Latino, Asian, Black, Hindu, Christian) 51:02 Unions, mission drift & shared interests 53:38 Schools, AB-101 & prioritizing core education 55:03 The feminism/LGBTQ breaking point with Islamism 56:45 Is Islamic reform gathering steam? 1:00:01 Textual literalism vs. living tradition 1:01:35 Why medieval Islamic intellectuals matter today 1:03:44 Cost of dissent: reformers under threat 1:06:00 What should Israel do now? A “Chief Compassion Officer”? 1:08:05 Progressives, Zionism & owning the narrative 1:12:30 Focus Jewish orgs on Jewish needs; keep allies honest 1:12:58 Closing thoughts & a call to action🔔 Support the showLike, subscribe, comment, and share to help us host more courageous conversations. We’ve got Members of Congress and major community leaders lined up—your engagement makes that possible.Zionism, antisemitism in Muslim community, Quran and Israel, Islamic reform, interfaith dialogue, October 7, Hamas condemnation, liberalism vs. fundamentalism, feminism in Islam, LGBTQ rights & Islam, progressive Judaism, coalition-building, unions UAW Israel, ethnic studies AB-101, immigration vetting, American Muslim leadership, Bernard Lewis, Maimonides, Ibn Rushd (Averroes), diaspora vs. nationalism.Jewish History, Politics, Israel, Antisemitism, and Zionism - I cover it all.