#188 - Friends of Zion

#188 - Friends of Zion

From The Middle by Andy and Roger

May 30, 2026 · 1h 2m · Season 1 · Episode 188

About this episode

Andy and Roger discuss the challenges of making friends as adults and delve into the complexities of antisemitism and anti-Zionism in the context of Israel and Gaza.

🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 188 – Friends of Zion In this episode, Andy and Roger discover that making new friends as adult men may be even harder than expected. After both signing up for Bumble for Friends in the hope of finding a few local mates to share a beer with, they quickly find themselves navigating a very different ecosystem. The pair discuss friendship apps, modern loneliness, online profiles, and the surprisingly uncomfortable experience of judging strangers based on a handful of photos and a short bio. The conversation then shifts to a much heavier topic: antisemitism, anti-Zionism, and the ongoing public debate surrounding Israel and Gaza. Using a series of test statements, Andy and Roger explore where criticism of Israel ends and antisemitism begins, why definitions matter, and how language can create confusion when different groups use the same terms in different ways. They discuss conspiracy theories, social media influence, foreign disinformation campaigns, generational attitudes, and whether rising concern about antisemitism reflects growing prejudice or broader cultural and political forces. As always, they attempt to find some middle ground in a debate…

People in this episode

Hosts: Andy, Roger

Topics covered

  • friendship
  • modern loneliness
  • antisemitism
  • anti-Zionism
  • social media influence
  • cultural debate

Keywords

  • Bumble for Friends
  • modern friendship
  • loneliness
  • conspiracy theories
  • political debate
  • cultural forces
  • social media

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Bumble

Places: Israel, Gaza

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