What does it mean to live fully in two worlds—and feel at home in neither?In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, Dr. Nasreen Haddad Haj-Yahya, one of Israel’s leading experts on Arab society and state policy, shares a deeply personal and analytical perspective on the experience of Palestinian citizens of Israel. Drawing from her research and lived experience, she explores how government policy, economic marginalization, and social separation shape everyday life for Arab Israelis—and what it means to seek belonging, dignity, and equality in a divided society.This conversation, recorded after her appearance at the JTS convening Israel at a Crossroads, offers a rare and nuanced window into the complexities of identity, the enduring impact of the Nation-State Law, and the fragile promise of a shared future.
Bio of Nasreen Haddad Haj-Yahya Discussion Questions
- Glass Ceilings and Early Awareness
Dr. Haddad Haj-Yahya begins her story with a childhood memory of visiting a kibbutz and realizing that her dreams were bounded by social barriers. How do early experiences of exclusion shape identity and ambition? Can you recall a moment when you recognized social or cultural boundaries for the first time? - Identity and Belonging
“We are part of the Palestinian people, and we are citizens of the State of Israel.” How does Dr. Haddad Haj-Yahya describe the experience of holding both identities? What tensions—and possibilities—does she identify in that duality? - Measuring Democracy
Dr. Haddad Haj-Yahya suggests that one way to evaluate a democracy is by how it treats its largest minority. What does this lens reveal about Israeli society? How might that same question apply to other democracies? - October 7 and Aftermath
How did the events of October 7 and the war in Gaza impact Arab-Jewish relations within Israel, according to Dr. Haddad Haj-Yahya? What role can shared grief, empathy, or civic dialogue play in times of national crisis? - Hope and Responsibility
Despite the challenges she outlines, Dr. Haddad Haj-Yahya emphasizes the need for shared society and a win-win future. What forces or values give her hope? What role can external Jewish communities play in supporting that vision?
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