In this special episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah McGee is joined by Janatan Sayeh, Iran Research Analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, for an urgent conversation as historic protests erupt across Iran amid a sweeping internet blackout.

What’s really happening inside Iran right now? Are these protests different from past uprisings — and could this moment finally lead to regime change?

Drawing on both deep policy expertise and lived experience growing up in Tehran, Janatan offers rare insight into the ideology of Iran’s Islamic Republic, the brutality of its response to dissent, and why Iranians are increasingly risking everything to take to the streets.

We unpack:

🔥 What triggered the current wave of protests — and why they’re not just “economic”

📵 How the regime’s internet blackout is obscuring the true scale of violence

⚖️ The Islamic Republic’s ideology, from the 1979 revolution to today’s human rights abuses

🧕 Why women, minorities, and young people are at the forefront of resistance

🩸 What we know (and don’t) about casualties, executions, and the regime’s crackdown

🌍 The role of international pressure — and why Iranians are calling for outside support

🔮 What could come next if the regime collapses: military rule, monarchy, or reform?

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

Want to learn more about Passages? Visit www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

Welcome to Passages Pulse Episode 40 — recorded in Jerusalem with a stunning view of the Old City from the roof of the Austrian Hospice. With Sebastian away welcoming a new baby, Olivia Layne joins Josiah McGee for a “hot seat” conversation tackling some of the most common (and most controversial) questions about Israel that show up online and around the dinner table.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series recorded on location in Israel.

In this episode, we cover:

-Was Israel created because of the Holocaust?

-Did Europeans “gift” the land to the Jews?

-Are Israelis (and Jews) all white and European?

-What is a “Palestinian”? Race, religion, ethnicity, or identity?

-Is Israel an apartheid state?

Mentioned / Related Resources

https://youtu.be/y3H3scdcJvg

Disclaimer: Individual views are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages. Want to learn more about Passages?

Visit www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

In this week’s Passages Pulse, Josiah McGee is joined by Passages CEO Zach Bauer for a sobering conversation following the antisemitic terror attack during a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia.

How did a holiday gathering turn into one of the deadliest terror attacks in Australia’s modern history?

And what does this tragedy reveal about the global rise of antisemitism and radicalization?

We unpack:

🕯️ What happened at the Hanukkah celebration in Sydney and why this was an ISIS-inspired terror attack

🌍 The sharp rise of antisemitic violence in Australia, the U.S., and across the Western world

🚨 What warning signs were missed — and what governments can (and must) learn from this failure

🦸 Stories of courage and heroism that saved lives amid the chaos

🙏 How Christians should respond with prayer, clarity, and courage in the face of growing hatred

As antisemitism increasingly moves from rhetoric to real-world violence, this episode wrestles with the hard questions — and calls believers to stand firmly with the Jewish people during a time of fear and uncertainty.

If you’re trying to understand how hate becomes normalized, why these attacks are spreading, and what faithfulness looks like in dark moments, this conversation brings clarity grounded in Christian conviction.

What we know about the father and son suspects in the Bondi Beach attack: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/australia/bondi-beach-attack-suspects-father-son-rcna249258

Australian officials: Bondi terror attack inspired by ISIS, bombs found in shooters’ car: https://www.timesofisrael.com/australian-officials-bondi-terror-attack-inspired-by-isis-bombs-found-in-shooters-car/

EMERGENCY EPISODE: Deadly Attack in Sydney - with Jeremy Leibler, Nomi Kaltmann, and Nadav Eya: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4sFK9gx9A6OI4w302vatTw?si=7b7b3faa94334f4a

Disclaimer: Individual views are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages. Want to learn more about Passages?

Visit www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.