Israel-based educator and writer Sharna Marcus joined Leah on Friday, June 20th, to share the story of how she was able to get to Indiana from Israel during the active war with Iran. Spoiler alert: a cargo ship was involved.

We talk about her work as a Middle East history educator, the damage done by the "weapons of mass destruction" lies told by the Bush administration, finding Jewish identity and community, and more.

Follow Sharna online

• https://x.com/MsSMarcus
• https://www.instagram.com/sharnaranee/

Note from Leah: The podcast is just on a break while I recover from gallbladder surgery in march, moving in late April, and figuring out a whole new apartment. We recorded this episode before the US got involved directly in the war and I'm releasing it a few days after the ceasefire between Iran and Israel started.

In case it does not "go without saying" I deeply desire all of the hostages should be returned home immediately, that humanitarian aid needs to flow into the Gaza strip, and that I desire peace and safety for all people living in and around Israel. I don't know how we get there.

A few other links

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age
• https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/first-islamic-public-hospital
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wo2TLlMhiw
• https://www.youtube.com/@crashcourse/search?query=israel
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_culture_kid
• https://rebooting.com/
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-one-un-leaders-mistaken-timeline-caused-confusion-about-gaza-childrens-starvation-risk
• https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/
• https://zionistutopia.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Detroit-based Brandon Klein sat down with Leah to talk about his love of interviewing - AKA non-fiction storytelling. Brandon has been a meditation coach, lived "van life" in the national parks, and is the creator and host of Humanize the Human Eyes.

Keep up with Brandon on YouTube and Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/@brandonmklein/videos

https://www.instagram.com/brand0nklein/

Show Notes

• https://www.descript.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanseisen/
• https://goodnightoscar.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_gGwOlIb9k
• https://blackwing602.com/collections/pencils
• https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/lucas-balisong-knives/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phatic_expression

Fact check: It was Jack Paar and not Dick Cavett that hosted Oscar Levant, sorry for so confidently talking about the wrong late night host.

Second fact check: Rob Abrazado will return to editing the podcast on the next episode. The last few weeks have been rough in the Jones house, but I recently closed on a condo sale and have returned to the land of the living.