Look at how university campuses are represented in today's media landscape, and you'll often see the word radical. Since Oct. 7, this concept of campus radicalization—and censorship—is often pegged to Israel and Palestine, and the fear that students are being fed slanted narratives from their freshman year.

But that fear misunderstands what’s actually happening on many campuses. What makes university life so formative is more than just exposure to new ideas; it’s learning how to sit with disagreement. Students are meeting peers from different histories, faiths, and political realities—and when they engage with one another, they're sharpening their minds and clarifying their beliefs.

That’s the premise behind Bridging the Gap, a student-led effort bringing Jewish and Muslim students into sustained, face-to-face conversation. In this episode of In Good Faith, we hear from two of the organization's student leaders, Rasoul Kailani and Ellie Shram, about what they’re learning by debating instead of cancelling, and why the next generation may be developing stronger convictions—precisely because they’re being challenged.

Credits

• Hosts: Yafa Sakkejha and Avi Finegold

• Producers: Michael Fraiman and Zachary Judah Kauffman

• Editor: Zachary Judah Kauffman

This podcast is sponsored by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, with support from the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation.