Are Americans getting the truth about Iran, Hamas, and the Middle East—or are dangerous narratives shaping what we believe?

On this episode of The Karol Markowicz Show, Karol sits down with Lisa Daftari, foreign policy analyst, podcast host, and founder of The Foreign Desk, for a revealing conversation about the Iran conflict, radical Islamic extremism, media bias, and the growing battle over information in America.

The daughter of Iranian immigrants, Daftari shares how the September 11 terrorist attacks inspired her career in journalism and national security. From being recruited by the CIA while in college to conducting undercover investigations into extremist rhetoric on American college campuses, Lisa explains why she believes the ideological battles Americans face today have been developing for decades.

Karol and Lisa explore how Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah are portrayed in American media, the influence of social media on public opinion, and why Daftari believes many Americans misunderstand the realities of the Middle East. They also discuss the Abraham Accords, anti-Israel activism on college campuses, and the importance of hearing directly from people living under oppressive regimes.

Plus, Lisa explains why she's reconsidering traditional higher education for her son, shares her perspective on legal immigration and the American Dream, and offers a powerful message about finding happiness, pursuing your passions, and appreciating life's everyday moments.

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Why do wealthy elites embrace progressive ideas while working-class Americans pay the price? Karol Markowicz sits down with bestselling author and Manhattan Institute senior fellow Rob Henderson to discuss his concept of "luxury beliefs," his remarkable journey from foster care to Yale and Cambridge, and why family stability matters more than society often admits. Plus, Henderson examines the rise of socialism among America's educated elite, the dangers of pornography and smartphone addiction, and the surprising connections between Dostoevsky and modern politics. He also shares practical advice for building a better life.

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Karol Markowicz sits down with Tablet Magazine’s Liel Leibovitz for a powerful conversation about Jewish faith, identity, antisemitism, and why reconnecting with the Torah may be more important than ever.

Liel explains the mission behind the Simchat Torah Challenge and why Jews of every level of observance can find wisdom, meaning, and spiritual strength in the Torah. He also shares his own journey back to religious Judaism, why modern life is facing a deeper spiritual crisis, and his surprisingly optimistic prediction that America could be headed toward a new golden age.

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Karol Markowicz sits down with author and Storytime for Grown Ups host Faith Moore to discuss her new romantic comedy, Wooing Jane, a wildly original story that brings Henry VIII into the modern world to help two lonely people fall in love.

Their conversation quickly expands into a bigger question: Have men and women forgotten how to woo each other? Moore discusses chivalry, modern feminism, changing expectations between men and women, and why people can struggle to form meaningful romantic relationships in an increasingly online world.

Karol and Faith also explore dating apps, online friendships, parasocial relationships and the danger of comparing imperfect real people with idealized versions of people created online. Moore argues that while technology can help people connect, ultimately “reality is the most important thing.”

Plus, Faith explains why she believes younger generations may begin putting down their phones and reconnecting with books, exercise, the outdoors and face-to-face relationships. And she closes with a simple piece of advice for building a better life: the things worth having are often hard—and you can do hard things.

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Karol Markowicz sits down with Dr. Yossi Sheffi, MIT professor and author of Unsafe at MIT: A Chronicle of a Campus War on the Jews, for a candid conversation about antisemitism, campus activism and what Jewish students have experienced at one of America’s most prestigious universities.

Sheffi explains why he decided to document events at MIT, including interviews with roughly 50 students, and argues that although conditions on campus have improved, an undercurrent of antisemitism and harassment remains. He describes Jewish students being excluded from study groups and discusses why that can have a particularly serious impact in engineering programs built around collaborative work.

Karol and Sheffi also tackle a question facing Jewish parents: Should their children still attend elite universities where antisemitism has become a concern? Sheffi discusses alternatives, the difference between undergraduate and graduate education, and efforts by Jewish faculty and students to build stronger communities and academic partnerships.

Plus, Sheffi discusses the response he's received since publishing Unsafe at MIT, why he believes speaking out is worth the consequences, and the life philosophy that guides him: do the right thing regardless of whether people applaud or vilify you.

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Karol Markowicz sits down with education researcher and policy expert Jay Greene, Director of Research at Do No Harm and Senior Fellow at the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies, for a wide-ranging conversation about school choice, antisemitism, higher education, DEI, medicine, and the future of American education.

Greene explains his research into antisemitism and challenges the idea that greater education necessarily reduces anti-Jewish attitudes. He discusses an experiment designed to measure differences in how respondents treated Jewish and non-Jewish subjects and offers his theory about the political and social forces that can sustain antisemitism.

Karol and Jay also dive into the dramatic expansion of school choice, including Greene’s role in developing what he calls the “Red State Strategy.” Greene explains why advocates shifted their argument toward parental control over children's education and discusses the growth of universal school-choice programs following the pandemic.

Plus, Greene discusses why he believes Jewish institutional life could experience a renaissance, his upcoming research, and why his advice for young people is simple: start adulthood early—work, marry, build a family, and avoid unnecessarily delaying adulthood.

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Best-selling author and three-time National Jewish Book Award winner Dara Horn joins Karol Markowicz to discuss her new book, The Final Solution to the Jewish Question: A Love Story for the Living, and what thousands of years of Jewish history can teach us about survival, courage and refusing to bow to tyranny.

Horn explains why she sees Jewish civilization as a tradition built around questioning, dissent and individual agency—and why the Jewish people don't fit neatly into modern categories of religion, ethnicity or identity. She also discusses the rise of antisemitism since October 7, her experience serving on Harvard's antisemitism advisory group and the challenges Jewish students face on elite college campuses.

Karol and Dara also examine whether institutions like Harvard can change, why Horn believes some traditional approaches to combating antisemitism have fallen short, and her efforts to educate students about Jewish history through the Tell Institute.

Plus, Horn shares an optimistic prediction about the future of artificial intelligence and truth online—and explains why having the courage to speak up, even when doing so carries a social cost, can ultimately strengthen your integrity.

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