J Street Conversations

[Recorded on July 1, 2026] Listen in on an incredible Word on the Street Live with Brad Lander days after his decisive Democratic primary victory in NY-10 to discuss what the campaign’s implications are for the future of the Democratic Party, the American Jewish community and the increasingly difficult conversation over Israel and Palestine.

Recorded on June 24, 2026 | Ilan sat down with Iran experts Nate Swanson and Ari Tabatabai to unpack one of the most remarkable foreign policy reversals in recent memory.

Recorded on June 17, 2026 | A conversation with Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America

Recorded on June 10, 2026 | A conversation on how Reform Jews in the U.S. and Israel are linked in a shared fight

Recorded on June 3, 2026 | We sat down with Phil Gordon, a former National Security Adviser to Kamala Harris and one of the Democratic Party’s leading foreign policy voices to talk about the dramatic shifts in American foreign policy under Trump - from Gaza and Iran to growing tensions with allies and deep debates within the Democratic party itself.

Recorded on May 27, 2026 | A conversation on the 2024 election, the latest on Iran negotiations, Amb. Leiter’s comments about J Street and the state of Israeli politics.

Recorded on May 21, 2026 | An honest conversation about the obligation to confront hard truths wherever they lead.

[Originally published on Substack on April 23, 2026] Listen in on Ilan and Jeremy's conversation with Senator Chris Murphy on Word on the Street Live, covering everything from Iran to the future of Democratic foreign policy when it comes to Israel – and more broadly!

[Originally shared on Substack on April 29, 2026] Listen in on Jeremy and Ilan's sharp conversation with former US negotiator Wendy Sherman – who hasn’t just worked on Iran policy, but negotiated it, face-to-face, with the people on the other side.

[Originally recorded on May 6, 2026] Hady Amr on how to get Democrats and Republicans to stop treating Palestinians as an afterthought.

[Originally published on Substack on May 13, 2026] Israeli leader Colette Avital on fighting for a moral future

Where American Jews Really Stand on the War with Iran by J Street

US and Iran Agree to a Ceasefire. Now What? by J Street

Are You a Zionist? A Conversation Across the Divide by J Street

Stacey Abrams on How We Take Back Power: A special edition of Word on the Street by J Street

ICYMI: Daniel Biss on Why this Victory Belongs to J Street by J Street

(Recorded February 28, 2026) | LIVE from J Street's National Convention: In Conversation with Ehud Olmert, Elana Kaminka, and Rula Daood by J Street

Jeremy was traveling today, so I hosted Word on the Street Live solo and sat down with my old friend and colleague from the Obama and Biden Administrations, Andrew Miller, for a conversation rooted in what he calls the “Israel Exception.” Andrew, an alum of the State Department and the National Security Council, argued that Israel gets a level of political, military and diplomatic cover no other a...

Today on Word on the Street Live, we were joined by Rabbis Sharon Kleinbaum and Tamar Magill-Grimm for a powerful and unsettling conversation about what’s unfolding in Minneapolis/St. Paul – and what it’s demanding of Jewish leaders right now. Rabbi Magill-Grimm leads a Twin Cities–area synagogue and was among local clergy who helped amplify and participate in the call for national faith leaders t...

Today, we sat down with Daniel Biss – Evanston mayor and J Street–endorsed congressional candidate – to dig into the issues driving his campaign for Illinois’ 9th District. With just 48 days until the primary, this local race has taken on national significance, fueled by a crowded field, major outside spending and intense debate over issues like Israel-Palestine and immigration enforcement. We tal...

We covered a lot of ground on Word on the Street Live this week. The common thread? The norms that have shaped world events throughout our lives are shattered; the strong are trying again to ‘do what they can’ as Thucydides wrote, and those of us fighting for what is right have our work cut out for us. Here’s a preview of the topics we covered in this week’s discussion: - Phase Two of the ceasefir...

Today, I was joined by J Street’s own Hannah Morris, Vice President of Government Affairs, and Tali DeGroot, Vice President of Political and Digital Strategy, for a conversation about where this political moment is heading – and how J Street is preparing for 2026. We zeroed in on the terrain we’re navigating right now: Democratic primaries, the upcoming midterm elections, the legislative battles u...

Ilan and Jeremy dug into the Trump-Netanyahu visit, what our takeaways were, and what the latest updates mean for the future of Gaza, the West Bank, and more. In our conversation, we dove deeper into: The differences between the public appearance - Trump and Bibi praising one another - and the reporting of the tensions in the meeting itself around Israel’s annexation of the West Bank and relations...

Today on Word on the Street Live, I sat down with Ben Cohen – activist, philanthropist and co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s – for a conversation about ice cream, activism and the ways personal values can guide public action. Over a pint, we explored: How Ben’s Jewish upbringing shaped his commitment to justice in Israel and Palestine, the origins of Ben & Jerry’s and its deeply rooted social mission ch...

How to Combat Antisemitism: A Conversation with Amy Spitalnick | Word on the Street by J Street