Born To Worship Israel: The High Cost of Breaking from The Tribe w/ Danielle Deluty

In this episode of The Thin Veil, Ezra sits down for a cathartic and deeply personal heart-to-heart with comedian, writer, doula, Female Intern podcast host, and former Zionist Danielle Deluty. Danielle grew up within an observant Modern Orthodox Jewish community, where political, familial, and religious ties to Israel were deeply intertwined. As she grew older, she began questioning the contradictions within the tradition she had inherited, particularly around gender equality. Those early cracks eventually led her to challenge both her Zionism and the religious framework that had shaped her identity, setting her on a path toward becoming an outspoken advocate for Palestinian liberation. In this revealing and vulnerable conversation, Danielle traces her journey of learning and unlearning, including formative encounters with Palestinians that challenged her worldview and gradually pulled her away from the pro-Israel advocacy she had once embraced. We explore the complicated relationship between Judaism and Zionism, the tensions Danielle feels with anti-Zionist Jews whose more liberal or secular religious upbringings differ sharply from her own, and the profound emotional cost of breaking with the community that once gave her life meaning and belonging. Ultimately, we wrestle with a question that remains unresolved: How do we hold people accountable for harmful beliefs while remaining open to their humanity, especially when those people are our own family and community? A conversation about indoctrination, identity, inherited trauma, Palestinian solidarity, and the difficult work of learning how to break with the past without losing our capacity for compassion. Danielle on Substack https://femaleintern.substack.com/ Website and Female Intern Podcast https://www.femaleintern.com/ https://www.femaleintern.com/podcast Danielle on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@femaleintern_ ⭐️PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW OF THE SHOW ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW LEAVE A ONE-OFF TIP ON KO-FI BECOME A REGULAR SUPPORTER ON PATREON  🇵🇸GET INVOLVED  JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE CONNECTING GAZA 🎙 LISTEN / WATCH / FOLLOW THE THIN VEIL THE THIN VEIL ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS THE THIN VEIL ON YOUTUBE THE THIN VEIL ON INSTAGRAM ✍️REACH OUT / SEND FEEDBACK [email protected] 👋 FOLLOW EZRA EZRA ON INSTAGRAM EZRA ON FACEBOOK EZRA'S WEBSITE EZRA ON YOUTUBE 🎵 THEME MUSIC BY MAGIC IN THE OTHER MAGIC IN THE OTHER WEBSITE MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON INSTAGRAM MAGIC IN THE OTHER ON YOUTUBE (00:00) - The Worst Thing That Happens When You Educate Women (00:44) - Introducing Danielle Deluty (03:08) - Why Danielle Envies Anti-Zionist Jews (04:18) - Growing Up Modern Orthodox and Zionist (08:37) - Questioning Women's Roles in Orthodox Judaism (13:24) - AIPAC, Republican Politics, and the Need to Belong (15:10) - Holocaust Trauma and Israel as a Promise of Safety (18:49) - Where Were Palestinians in the Story? (22:14) - The David Project and Pro-Israel Education (24:22) - Witnessing the Reality of an Israeli Checkpoint (28:12) - A Palestinian Professor Changes Her Perspective (31:40) - Law School, Political Radicalization, and Care Work (34:49) - October 7 and a Painful Family Divide (36:53) - Jewish Memory and the Politics of Victimhood (42:08) - Has Zionism Hijacked Judaism? (44:21) - Jewish Accountability and Complicity (46:06) - Palestinian Liberation vs. Redeeming Jewish Identity (51:30) - The Personal Cost of Leaving Zionism (53:58) - Biblical Narratives and Connection to the Land (56:40) - Is There a Path Toward Repair? (58:58) - Remaining Soft in a World of Violence (01:01:50) - Compassion, Boundaries, and Urgency (01:03:06) - Following Palestinian Leadership (01:04:14) - Closing Remarks ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★