Episode 260

Laura E. Adkins is an award-winning writer based in New York.Her work on Israel, global Jewish life, and gender issues has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Glamour, Fox News and other outlets. Laura is a senior director at Jewish Women International, working to combat gender-based violence and advance economic justice and women’s leadership. She is also a volunteer mentor-editor for the OpEd project and serves on the New York Atid board of the Israel Policy Forum.

This conversation covers topics such as academic freedom, freedom of speech, and the challenges faced by universities in dealing with protests. We discuss the response to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, including the importance of getting the hostages home and the need for a humanitarian response. The conversation touches on the denial of Hamas’s sexual violence and the intersectionality of antisemitism and misogyny. Laura emphasizes the importance of dialogue, engagement, and building relationships to bring about change and a peaceful solution. The conversation concludes with a discussion on personal actions and the importance of community.