The Promised Land

The Anti-Defamation League is a prominent New York-based NGO that’s been operating for well over 100 years. While initially focused on combating antisemitism, the ADL has expanded its focus to include other forms of hate and prejudice. However, since the barbaric attacks in Israel on October 7, the ADL has – for good reason – focused much of its efforts on the unprecedented rise of Jew-hatred thro...

Amidst surging antisemitism, terrorism, and social division, and at a time when Israel continues to fight an unprecedented war with Hamas and other terrorist organizations – seeking to liberate dozens of hostages – the governments of France, the UK, and Canada – agreed to recognize Palestinian statehood.   For many, both Jews and non-Jews alike, this move doesn’t just feel theatrical – it feels da...

Since October 7, the world has witnessed an alarming surge in disinformation, antisemitism, and targeted violence—old lies dressed in new rhetoric, spreading hatred and division across the Western world. Amid this darkness, a small but powerful group of voices has emerged to challenge the chaos with clarity, truth, and reason. One of the most eloquent and incisive among them is Natasha Hausdorff....

In this episode of the Promised Land podcast, MLI Senior Fellow Casey Babb sits down with Hussein Aboubakr Mansour, an Egyptian-American intellectual and senior research fellow at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, to discuss the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Recording on June 18th during the sixth day of hostilities, they explore the strategic implicatio...

In this poignant episode of The Promised Land podcast, research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Mariam Wahba shares her deeply personal reflections on the tragic murder of her friend, Yaron Lischinsky, and Sarah Milgram, murdered by an anti-Israel fanatic in Washington, DC. Mariam recounts her shock at learning of their deaths, an event that seemed inevitable in the face of r...

In this episode, MLI Senior Fellow Casey Babb sits down with Loay Alshareef – a Saudi intellectual, historian, and prominent thought leader who has dedicated his career to promoting interfaith dialogue and mutual understanding across the Middle East. Loay challenges the narratives that dominate Western discourse—from the myth of Israel as a colonial enterprise to the deliberate misuse of the term...

In this episode, Casey Babb sits down with Ahmed Alkhatib, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, to discuss the complex and evolving situation in Gaza, the rise of Hamas, and the broader implications for Palestinians and Israelis. Alkhatib, a former Gaza resident, shares his personal experiences growing up amidst the violence of the Second Intifada, the rise of Hamas, and the challenges of navi...

In this episode of The Promised Land , Senior Fellow Casey Babb sits down with David Hirsh, CEO of the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism, to explore the resurgence of antisemitism in the 21st century. Together, they discuss the intersection of anti-Zionism and antisemitism, the impact of the October 7th attacks on Jewish communities worldwide, and the challenges of combating...

In this episode, we are privileged to welcome Irwin Cotler to the show. Irwin is not just a scholar of human rights - he is one of its fiercest defenders. A former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, an advocate for political prisoners across the world, and now a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, he has spent his career exposing injustice, calling out hypocrisy, and standing where others...

In this episode, MLI senior fellow Casey Babb sits down with Susan Heller Pinto, Vice President of International Policy at the Anti Defamation League (ADL), to explore the enduring fight against antisemitism. As the world grapples with rising hostility toward Jewish communities and a resurgence of radical ideologies, the ADL's mission has never been more urgent. From grassroots advocacy to interna...

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of Domestic Policy at MLI interviews Mark Sandler, a distinguished criminal lawyer, educator, and Chair of the Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism. Mark has an extensive background in addressing hate crimes and shaping policy responses to protests and public order challenges. Together, they delve into the rising social tensions in Canada—e...

In this episode of the Promised Land podcast, Deputy Director of Domestic Policy and Promised Land project lead Peter Copeland interviews Mustafa Akyol, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, where he focuses on the intersection of public policy, Islam, and modernity. Together, they discuss Islam and western civilization, sorting through the tensions that may exist, how those might be overcome, an...

In this episode, we turn our focus to the power of interfaith allyship in confronting antisemitism and championing pluralism. Reverend Dr. Andrew Bennett is uniquely suited to this conversation. As Canada’s first ambassador for religious freedom, a Deacon of the Catholic Church, and the program director for faith communities at Cardus, his career has been devoted to fostering dialogue across divid...

On November 18, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute hosted Arsen Ostrovsky for a compelling discussion on Israel's conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, exploring the broader implications for Canada and global stability. In this episode, we’d like to share that discussion with you.  Arsen Ostrovsky is a distinguished expert in international law and human rights, and the CEO of the International L...

In this episode, MLI Senior Fellow Casey Babb interviews Urban Warfare expert John Spencer on Israel's complex battle against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Spencer outlines Hamas' guerrilla tactics, embedded within dense civilian areas where people ae used as human shields and which complicate hostage rescue efforts for Israel. The conversation highlights Israel’s precision airstrikes ta...

In this powerful episode of The Promised Land , host Dagny Pawlak speaks with Éloge Butera, a survivor of the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda and a member of the Jewish community, about the rising tide of antisemitism in Canada. Drawing from his unique perspective, Butera reflects on the dangerous parallels between the rhetoric surrounding Jews today and the language used in the lead-up to historical gen...

In this episode, MLI Senior Fellow Casey Babb speaks with Einat Wilf, an expert in Middle Eastern affairs, about the ideological underpinnings driving conflicts in Israel and the region. They discuss how Israel's recent period of perceived safety masked growing threats, highlighting the need to counteract ideologies like Palestinianism and Hezbollah's influence. Wilf argues for a comprehensive app...

In this episode of the Promised Land Podcast , MLI Senior Fellow Casey Babb sits down with Ambassador Immo Moed to discuss how the escalating conflict in the Middle East, particularly in Israel, is reverberating through Canadian society. Ambassador Moed sheds light on the challenges facing Jewish communities in Canada as they confront rising tensions and antisemitism. With insightful analysis, we...