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On October 7, 2023, militant pro-Palestinian groups carried out a series of attacks on Jewish Israelis, during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza, which has escalated into a humanitarian disaster that the United Nations and other organizations are terming a genocide.
Almost three years later, as violence continues in Palestine and Israel, many people want to understand the conflict but aren’t sure where to begin. Some Catholics worry they’ll say the wrong thing or don’t know enough to contribute meaningfully. Others wonder what responsibility they have to pay attention to a conflict happening half a world away.
This episode of Glad You Asked offers historical context and explores why Catholics have a moral stake in what is happening. The hosts speak with scholars Jordan Denari Duffner and Julie Schumacher Cohen about the history of Israel-Palestine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and how Catholics can approach this moment understanding both the historical context and the demands of Catholic social teaching.
Denari Duffner is a Catholic theologian, author, and professor whose work centers on Muslim-Christian relations, interreligious dialogue, Islamophobia, and Israel-Palestine. Schumacher Cohen is a doctoral candidate in political science at Temple University, who focuses on religion and politics, and has long been involved in Israel-Palestine peacebuilding and advocacy. They are co-authors of the book, Palestine, Israel, and Catholic Social Teaching, forthcoming from Orbis Books in fall 2026.
Learn more about this topic in these links:
- “Our Catholic faith demands that we confront Islamophobia,” a U.S. Catholic interview
- “Christian antisemitism is not a thing of the past,” by Megan Clark
- “Reflections on human dignity in Israel and Palestine,” by Joseph Antoniello
- “The Voice of Hind Rajab calls us to confront reality in Gaza,” by Julie Schumacher Cohen
- “The fate of a soccer field points to the reality of life on the West Bank,” by Kevin Clarke
This episode is sponsored by Catholic Relief Services. In Gaza and beyond, Catholic Relief Services works with the local Church and trusted partners—serving communities of all faiths with compassion and care. Learn more at crs.org.
