Jonathan Elkhoury

The TRUTH About Minorities in Israel

What’s it like to be a gay Lebanese Christian — and proudly Zionist? In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah sits down with international Jonathan Elkhoury, a proud Israeli citizen who is challenging false media narratives and misconceptions about Israel one campus conversation at a time. Born in Lebanon to a father who fought alongside the IDF during Israel’s 1982 intervention in the Lebanese civil war, Jonathan fled Hezbollah rule and found refuge in Israel at age 9. He shares the harrowing story of his family’s escape, his emotional reunion with his father, and how Israel not only gave him safety, but also the freedom to live openly as a gay man — the only Middle Eastern country where that’s possible.

Jonathan’s story is a living example of intersectionality — and how true human rights work means defending people, not slogans. He is the voice anti-Israel activists try to silence. Don’t miss hearing him on this week’s can’t miss episode.

• Mentioned in this Episode

  Follow Jonathan on: IG: @jon_elk: https://www.instagram.com/jon_elk/?hl=en

  X: @Jonathan_Elk : https://x.com/jonathan_elk?lang=en

  Jonah & Jonathan’s trip with Sharaka for March of the Living: https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/israel-based-nonprofit-sows-seeds-of-peace-between-peoples-divided-by-centuries-of-conflict-5890414

  Jonathan Elkhoury on Defying Stereotypes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHCDIF83Bk

  Host & Production Team - Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Emma Webb, Nathan Wheatley, Valerie Patterson); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell

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