Peaced Off!

Peaced Off! is a film and conversation series born out of frustration, heartbreak, and the urgent, persistent desire for peace.

Presented by The Film Collaborative, Peaced Off! explores Israeli and Palestinian stories through podcast episodes, films, and dialogue events that center empathy, truth, and shared humanity.

The mission is simple yet vital: to foster empathy, promote honest dialogue, move beyond polarization, and build common ground—one story at a time.

Episode premiere dates subject to change.

Hosts

Orly Ravid is the Founder and Co-Executive Director of The Film Collaborative.

Abe Gurko is a producer, activist, and writer whose book, Won’t Be Silent — Don’t Stop ’Til It Matters, has also become his mantra. He promotes dialogue at the intersection of culture, politics, and storytelling.

Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and publication archives.

Podcast Episodes:

Will be available as Video podcast on this website and as Audio podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.

Episode 1
”The Path Forward”

July 8, 2025

Guests
Julie Cohen: Academy Award-nominated, Emmy- and Peabody-winning documentary filmmaker, and co-director of RBG, My Name Is Pauli Murray, Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down, and Every Body.

Mo Husseini: Palestinian American peace activist and co-founder of The Path Forward

Julie and Mo discuss their short film, The Path Forward, about the Mo’s movement promoting dialogue, nonviolence, and mutual recognition between Israelis and Palestinians.

Episode 2
”My Hope for Palestine”

July 8, 2025

Guest
Samer Sinijlawi: Palestinian political strategist, heads the Jerusalem Development Fund, widely recognized for his efforts to promote dialogue and practical solutions for peace.

Abe Gurko moderates a discussion between Samer and Orly as they drill down on Samer’s November 2024 article in The Atlantic, entitled “My Hope for Palestine: There’s still a path to lasting peace. But we’ll need a new set of leaders.”

Episode 3
”Whispered in Gaza” (Part One)

July 15, 2025

Guests:
Joseph Braude: Middle East expert, author, founder of the Center for Peace Communications

Ahed Al Hendi: Syrian activist, writer promoting secularism, human rights in the Middle East.

Joseph and Ahed discuss Whispers in Gaza, a groundbreaking video series produced by Joseph Braude, that reveals firsthand accounts from Palestinians living under Hamas rule.

Episode 4
”Whispered in Gaza” (Part Two)

July 22, 2025

Guests:
Joseph Braude: Middle East expert, author, founder of the Center for Peace Communications

Ahed Al Hendi: Syrian activist, writer promoting secularism, human rights in the Middle East.

Moumen al-Natour: Palestinian politician, lawyer, human rights defender, “We Want to Live”

The team from The Center for Peace Communications joins us for a second episode, this time with Moumen, who lives in Gaza, as they discuss the status of humanitarian aid and the desire to move forward in peace. 

Episode 5
How to Realign for Peace

July 29, 2025

Guests
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib: Palestinian American humanitarian activist, blogger, senior fellow at Atlantic Council, and founder and director of Realign for Palestine

Melanie Robbins: American peacebuilder, deputy director, Realign for Palestine  

Founders of Realign for Palestine discuss ways to shift narratives, how to change course. 

Episode 6
Twisted Words – Truth vs. Consequences

August 5, 2025

Guests
Laurel Leff: Professor; historian; author of Buried by The Times; Professor Emerita, Northeastern University

Sari Nusseibeh: Palestinian emeritus professor of philosophy and former president of the Al-Quds University in Jerusalem

Words Matter: A break down a few key terms with our panelists — not just definitions, but their etymology and how the words have shifted over time.

Genocide – Zionist – Ceasefire – Apartheid – Normalize

Episode 7
Reel Talk: “Holding Liat”

August 12, 2025

Guests:
Brandon Kramer: Director of Holding Liat. Washington, DC-based filmmaker and co-founder of Meridian Hill Pictures with his brother Lance.

Lance Kramer: Producer of Holding Liat. Washington, DC-based filmmaker and co-founder of Meridian Hill Pictures with his brother Brandon.

Libby Lenkinski: founding President of Albi, a new fund, institute and lab that uses cultural vehicles to establish paradigm-shifting narratives by and about Palestinians and Jews.

Brandon, Lance and Libby discuss Holding Liat, which premiered in at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year, where it won the Berlinale Documentary Award for Best Documentary. It recently had its North American premiere at the Tribeca Festival.

Episode 8
Discourse Over Discord on Campus

August 19, 2025

Guests
Elijah Kahlenberg: President and Founder of Atidna International.

Jadd Hashem: Vice President of Atidna International.

Elijah and Jadd join us to discuss their grassroots, campus-based peace and open dialogue initiative which seeks to solidify Arabs and Jews as cousins, one unified family, and not enemies.

Episode 9
Story Matters: Communication, Narrative, Advocacy

August 26, 2025

Yuval David: Emmy Award–winning performer, filmmaker, and actor, as well as a prominent advocate for Jewish and LGBTQ rights. Yuval serves as a strategic advisor to international NGOs, policy institutes, and advocacy organizations, bringing expertise in media, communications, and sociopolitical analysis.

Yuval joins us to discuss the importance of narrative and communication in his advocacy work, in his capacity as an advisor, and as a citizen of both the United States and Israel.