War is Stupid: An Anti-War Podcast About War

Host Orli Matlow sits down with Aidan Orly of the progressive think tank Political Research Associates to explore how the 2026 midterm elections mark a new era for Zionists—who are statistically most likely to be evangelical Christians. Aidan breaks down the history of Christian Zionism and how the State of Israel is said to factor into the return of Jesus. They discuss the dangers of white nationalists like Tucker Carlson, what anti-Israel antisemitism actually looks like, and how multiracial democracy is, in fact, good for the Jews.

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with historian Dr. Assal Rad to break down the 2026 midterm elections, which brought historic losses for the GOP that Vice President JD Vance explicitly blames on the Iran War and Israel. They discuss the significance of the election of the first Muslim senator (and War is Stupid guest!) Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who was supported by a majority of Jewish voters despite the media's best efforts. Dr. Rad explores the current cultural and political shifts and discusses her recent book 'Don’t Say Palestine: How the Media Manufactured Consent for Genocide.'

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with Emily Rodriguez, the strategic communications lead on elections for Protect Democracy, specializing in election security and litigation, as well as state-level strategic plans. She walks us through how elections in America are, in fact, safe, and how certain politicians’ insistence otherwise is backfiring. She explains how “it would take more than a village to steal an election,” which state does elections best, and the healthiest way to spend election night.

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Read "Poll: Donald Trump's Midterm Deception Is Failing"

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with activist Iddo Elam to talk about the Israeli election coming up on October 27th. Iddo discusses his work with the Joint List of Palestinian-lead parties and how its members supported him when he was imprisoned for refusing to join the IDF. They discuss the Joint List’s platform, right-wing AI slop, and how bereaved and hostage families are campaigning. They also explore just how extreme this current government is and whether or not it cares about being a global pariah.

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with activist Mattan Berner-Kadish, currently on the ground in the West Bank, who was recently arrested along with congressional candidate Brad Lander and dozens of rabbis during the Palestinian Olive Harvest. He walks us through what went down, how the Israeli Foreign Ministry is lying, and what can and should happen next.

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Orli Matlow sits down with comedian and political commentator GL DiVittorio to explore the latest bribery scandal involving Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and a defense contractor now in prison. GL untangles the corruption so stupid it was not only confirmed over email but caught because of a typo. The midterms extravaganza covers Ms. Rachel’s endorsement in the race, whether to trust the polls in Texas, and hot new Halloween costumes for 2026.

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It’s the Canadian Thanksgiving special—a first for two Canadian Jews (or is it Jewish Canadians?).

Orli Matlow of Toronto sits down with a real Canadian, singer-songwriter Jacob Bradovsky of Winnipeg. They discuss his new album, Tell The Kids We Tried (out now!), performing at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and why he sees his hometown as the greatest city in the world. They bond over how nasty the Jewish bubble can be, including the defamatory schmear campaign that forced Jacob out of his job as the director of the summer camp he attended as a kid. They...

Orli Matlow sits down with Brandon Kramer and Lance Kramer, the director and producer of the Oscar-shortlisted documentary Holding Liat. The film follows the family of Liat Beinin Atzili, who was kidnapped by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7th, 2023, fighting to get her back through a hostage deal as the world around them promotes revenge. The Kramer brothers discuss making an October 7th film that promotes peace and reveal the most memorable audience reactions. They also react to the Israeli government's campaign against the filmmakers behind NAZA.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Lebanese American comedian Mahmoud Jaber to talk about the first time anything related to Ed Sheeran has ever been interesting. They discuss the amazing things about Lebanon (Comedy! Family! Food!) and the not-so-amazing things (war, Israeli occupation, war again). They also cover the improvification of standup, high school productions of Hamlet and Annie, and Comedy Karens.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Emmy-nominated writer and comedian Joey Clift to talk about his new book, We’ve Been Here The Whole Time!: A Not So Sacred Guide To All Things Native America. Joey, an enrolled member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, shares stories of Native badassery and diversity, what the LandBack movement actually is, and how the politics of Indian Country are not as harshly partisan as everything else in America. They explore the Hoobastank-approved Ilani Casino, the proper hand gesture for Mount Rushmore, and why Lake Ontario should be called Lake Ontario.

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Not an episode, but a short message on the holiest day in Judaism: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Watch or read Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. 

We'll be back tomorrow with a full show! 

Orli Matlow sits down with Emmy winner Poh Si Teng, director of the documentary American Doctor, in theatres now. The film follows three physicians who volunteer at besieged hospitals in Gaza, and spread the word about what they saw—which their tax dollars paid for. Poh discusses the process of filming with a Gaza-based crew under blockade, the cut scene she still thinks about, and how everyone can fight for the living, wherever they are.

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Find a screening near you at AmericanDoctorFilm.com

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Orli Matlow sits down with comedian Mika Stein for the War is Stupid High Holidays special, diving deep into Jewish philosophy and how to adapt to synagogues with guitars. Mika reflects on his experiences in Yeshiva and the Jewish non-profit world, being Black and Jewish, and how criticizing Israel more than America is like “hating your dad’s mistress.” They cover everything from the Jewish Labor Bund’s principle of doikayt (“hereness”) to the legacy of HBO’s Entourage.

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Orli Matlow sits down for Rafael Jesús Gonzalez, the first poet to appear on the show and the first Poet Laureate of Berkeley, California. Professor Gonzalez talks about his experiences in the Flower Power Revolution during the Vietnam War, organizing against nuclear weapons during the Reagan era, and building Dr. Martin Luther King's Beloved Community working towards healing. Professor Gonzalez reads two poems about the horrors of war, and explains how activism “must be deeply, deeply grounded in love and it must be informed by joy.”

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Orli Matlow sits down with Palestinian political thinker, strategist, and writer Hamze Awawde for a powerful conversation about complexity and complicity. Hamze dives deep into the “peace-industrial complex” and its priorities, how many “Israeli-Palestinian dialogue” events are scripted, and how “settler violence” is a euphemism for “state violence.” He encourages people to reflect on the last three years and to speak up, because in his words, “what are you going to lose? The ship is sinking anyway. So what are we trying to protect by staying stubborn about certain attitudes in this world?” 

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Orli Matlow sits down with pacifist Presbyterian pastor Ben Daniel, author of Grace Over Guns, which brings a proudly Christian perspective to pursuing peace in a militarized world. They discuss military violence’s dismal record in achieving peace, and stories of successful non-violent resistance in Costa Rica, Estonia, and The Bible. Ben discusses his experiences presiding over funerals, responding to the inevitable “What about World War II?” question, and finding inspiration in the anti-imperialist activism of Jesus. 

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Orli Matlow sits down with actor, writer, and producer Nick Pearl and in the spirit of The Sound of Music, the conversation starts with music and ends with fleeing Nazis. They explore what being Jewish means outside of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt™ and Nick’s experience going from having antisemitic high school bullies to receiving online d**th threats from Zionist Jews. They discuss his day with Ice T on Law and Order, the history of Jews in professional wrestling, and life in the Sultanate of Greater Mamdanistan. Nick goes deep into his grandparents’ stories of surviving the Holoca...

Orli Matlow sits down with clinical psychologist and academic Dr. Alice LoCicero to discuss what war does to the mind and spirit, whether experienced on the ground or through a screen. Dr. LoCicero explores whether moral injury is a medical issue or societal issue, pursuing systemic change as a course of treatment, and her work in Sri Lanka during their Civil War. They also talk The Odyssey, debating Odysseus’s DSM diagnosis. 

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Orli Matlow sits down with Dr. Ambrogio A. Caiani, senior lecturer in modern European history at the University of Kent and author of the new book Flirting with Evil: The Catholic Church in the Age of Total War and Globalisation. They discuss the Vatican’s allies during World War II (hint: they weren’t The Allies), what they knew during the Holocaust, and when did they know it. Dr. Caiani shares the moving stories of the modern saints who *did* save lives, the dangers of “Worship of the State,” and the political significance of Pope Leo XIV, the first reigning...

Orli Matlow sits down with foreign affairs correspondent Ashley Gate, who lectures at Columbia University on AI and drones, for the episode with the most “oh my god”s yet. They discuss the terrifying ways Artificial Intelligence is used in Gaza, Iran, and by men on the subway, and how war has evolved from using horses to employing “killer robots.” Ashley explains whether or not “autonomous weapons” are really autonomous, the need for regulation, and how accountability *isn’t* impossible. 

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Orli Matlow sits down with organizer and creator Jean-Paul Fartre for a conversation that’s more political philosophy than flatulence. Professor Fartre reveals the connection between dating apps and the post-9/11 War on Terror, because they're even worse than we thought. He shares his experiences teaching in San Quentin State Prison, and the differences between socialist organizing in The Philippines and the United States. They talk dialectics, how discussing American military dominance can help fight antisemitism, and JP makes the most enthusiastic case for revolutionary optimism yet. 

Recorded while Trump’s Memorandum of Understanding with Iran was techn...

Orli Matlow sits down with political scientist Bill Hartung, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and standup comedian. They discuss his latest book, The Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Home. Bill shares what the anti-war movement can learn from the anti-apartheid movement, the Luddites, and the 2026 NBA Champion New York Knicks, and how community can beat Silicon Valley.

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Orli Matlow sits down Rabbi Jill Jacobs, the CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, an organization that trains and mobilizes rabbis and cantors and their communities to bring a moral voice to protecting and advancing human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories. They discuss Truah’s decision to host Mayor Zohran Mamdani at their gala rather than declare him “an enemy of the Jewish people” (like a certain chair of UJA Federation did), and how that rhetoric does not help the Jewish community. Rabbi Jacobs shares her vision for a New York Jew...

Orli Matlow sits down with British Jewish historian, writer, and musician Joseph Finlay, who passionately argues against her claim from the Amsterdam episode that “London is like NYC for goyim.” They explore the rich Jewish history of London, which was one of socialism and anarchism up until Thatcherism. They discuss the anti-fascist resistance of the 1936 Battle of Cable Street, which was recently co-opted by the Zionist Right in response to a protest against West Bank settlement sales. They talk about British Jewish heroes like Oliver!’s Lionel Bart and British Jewish villains like Lord Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks—and the...

Orli Matlow sits down with Italian American comedian Ron Placone, whose show Anti-Fascist Pasta Night is heading to the Edinburgh Fringe this August. They discuss the true history of fighting fascism with food, covering everything from Mussolini to Heated Rivalry. Ron opens up about his political awakening during the Iraq War, the multiplicity of Italian American identity, and shares his pro tips for surviving a run at the biggest arts festival on the planet. 

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Orli Matlow sits down with British Jewish filmmaker Gillian Mosely, whose latest film Planet Israel explores Israeli society during and after October 7th. She investigates how right-wing Religious Zionism and settler ideology came to dominate Israel, with its roots in the work of Bibi’s dad’s boss Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Brooklyn-born convicted felon Rabbi Meir Kahane. They discuss what we owe our ancestors, interviewing people in Gaza, and the British Jewish experience—including Orli (figuratively) bombing in Camden cabarets.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Common Defense organizer Michael Carter and member Susan O’Neill, who served as an Operating Room Nurse in Vietnam. They discuss organizing veterans against forever wars, authoritarianism and VA privatization, and what Supporting The Troops actually looks like, with shoutouts to Stephen Sondheim and Bruce Springsteen along the way. They talk the realities that lead people to join the military, the militarization of society, and finding hope in people—and birds. 

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Orli Matlow sits down with comedian Gabe Pacheco, who might soon be subpoenaed by the federal government for joining the same aid mission to Cuba as Hasan Piker. They talk about Cuba’s history and present, whether Che Guevara shirts are as popular there as they are at liberal arts colleges, and why we need to bring the name Smedley back. 

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Orli Matlow sits down with Mattan Berner-Kadish, an advocate for civil rights in Israel since his parents sued the country when he was four years old. Mattan talks about his work in the Occupied West Bank, bearing witness to extreme Israeli settler and military violence, including the killing of his close friend and fellow football fan Awdah Hathahleen. They talk nepo babies in the IDF, ICC evidence on Israeli Tinder, and how American Jews are the most progressive in the world (complimentary). Mattan talks about his new nonprofit From Here Forward, and makes the case that Naftali Bennett is...

Host Orli Matlow welcomes Irish comedian and newly minted American citizen, Katie Boyle. Katie teaches Orli about iconic figures in Irish history including Michael Collins, the pagan goddess Bridgid, and Crazy Bob. They talk the cool anti-war Pope Louis XIV and the real purpose of religion, plus Katie covers gun control and abortion rights—and doing standup in places that don’t have either. They also cover The Troubles, The Great Famine, and the lessons that today’s empires can learn from Britain losing theirs.

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with Alex Willick, who was featured in the recent New Yorker article “At Synagogues, Tensions Are Boiling Over" by Eyal Press. A director at the New Israel Fund, he was invited to talk to the congregation about a recent trip to The Land, but the invitation was rescinded when he planned on speaking about settler violence in the West Bank. He shares the story that was banned from the bimah, and they discuss just how extreme this Israeli government truly is, its roots in the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, and what our responsibilities are as...

Host Orli Matlow sits down with Briana Gervat, author of There Will Come Soft Rains: A Journey Along the Western Front. Briana hiked for 36 days through France and Belgium, tracing the path of World War I, a devastating war that changed the world for the absolute worst (with the exceptions of Winnie the Pooh and Pilates). 

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with multimedia artist and 2025 Jonathan Larson Grant recipent Fouad Dakwar to celebrate the release of the concept album for his semi-autobiographical musical Fouad of Nazareth, out now! Fouad talks the Palestinian Christian immigrant theatre kid experience, covering everything from his family's Nakba story to which role he played in a summer camp production of Spring Awakening. They talk the "fairy tale" of the two-state solution, the Golden Age of Teen Angst musicals, and the universality of Fiddler on the Roof. 

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who is running as a Democrat to represent the March Madness champions of Michigan in the United States Senate. Abdul talks Iran and Lebanon, Israel and Temple Israel, and what a foreign policy that prioritizes the sanctity of human life would look like—as both a doctor and a politician. They discuss his favorite part of the Passover Seder, how Jews and Muslims can best unite against white supremacists, and the storied history of Detroit pizza.

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with Dutch-Jewish activist and community organizer Simcha Zijlstra to talk about the three pillars of Jewish life in Europe: The Shoah, antisemitism, and Israel-Palestine (and sometimes football hooliganism). Simcha shares his journey discovering his Jewish heritage, challenging Zionist "fairy tales," and reestablishing joyful Jewish community in Amsterdam, complete with gremsjelies—matzah-based fruit latkes.

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Orli Matlow sits down with Noa Wolf, Niv Likwornik, and Dalia Rubinstein, organizers for peace and justice in Israel-Palestine with Friends of Standing Together. The great conversation ranges explores everything from their activist origin stories to the existence of Amish Halal Farms. They discuss growing up in Israel and France, the best way to fight against all forms of hate (hint: it’s not bombs), and the importance of picnics and putting the social in social movements.

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Host Orli Matlow welcomes a humor writer, performer, and intrepid nerd culture anthropologist Justin Avery Smith, whose solo show Revenge of the Soy Boy is coming to the NYC Fringe Festival. Justin explores the real wars that inspired Star Wars (which is now being used to promote real wars), what George Lucas was trying to warn us about, and how the Jedi are actually the corporate Democrats of the galaxy. Justin also introduces Orli to the world of Star Trek, which she’s been accidentally representing since she broke her finger in high school. Humanity—and alienkind—have the capaci...

It’s the War is Stupid St. Patrick’s Day Special! Host Orli Matlow welcomes Mary Houlihan, an Irish American comedian with the gift of gab. They talk about her family’s history, the historical connection between Ireland and Palestine, and what Irish American families fight about if it’s not about Israel. They also discuss Tucker Carlson, art school, and Mary’s upcoming mission to Cuba, bringing medical aid and solar panels behind the blockade.

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Orli Matlow sits down with organizer Liza Behrendt, who is working to get “cool bank” Capital One not to renew their loan to Elbit Systems, Israel’s #1 weapons manufacturer (and NOT a beloved member of the Jewish community). Liza shares her journey going from Birthright to BDS, the Eject Elbit campaign’s wins so far, and the power Jennifer Garner has in this moment. They also discuss the 2008 Gaza War, the 2023-2026 Gaza War, the 2025 Iran War, and the 2026 Iran War.

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Host Orli Matlow sits down with educator and content creator Dr. Victoria Alexander-Thompson to talk the contradictions within America’s #1 export: Freedom. Victoria goes deep into the history of slavery in America, enslaved people’s resistance, and what’s missing from textbooks and “Hamilton.” She also explains where and how to find hope, and they send a message to people in the year 2317— the year when we will be further away from the legal discrimination of Black people, then we are close to it.

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