Office Hours with J &L

Office Hours with J &L

A collaboration between two seemingly unlikely friends -- a Jewish anarchist and academic historian of ideas/cultures, and a Palestinian fitness guru and banking executive. We host weekly shows -- in video form on YouTube and audio form here -- and discuss everything from economic theory to martial arts, philosophy and religion to investment tips, and world history to marriage and family.

Episodes

June 30, 2025 103 mins

Given the war, we discussed Iran again this week, with the emphasis more on the longer-term relations that country has with the US and Europe, and the rôle of imperialism in shaping its politics and outlook, as well as the wilful blindness that Americans often have about our government's foreign policy.

Mark as Played

Iran, Israel, and nuclear weapons are the subject of this week's episode, and given its complexity we may return to this another day as well, but we chat here about the logic of deterrance, Iran's stated and in some ways proven positions on nukes, and the current war against Iran by the US and Israel.

Mark as Played

In our second episode back from hiatus we rapped about the Gaza atrocities, the difficulty some folks have with calling this a genocide, and what it is that motivates so much intellectual dishonesty about these events (i.e., the structural and cultural features).

Mark as Played

Back after a long break, necessitated by Liam's insane schedule (and inssanity!), Jamal and Liam catch up on life, then talk a bit about Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, i.e., the budget act that means to rewrite the social contract and undermine our remaining constitutional safeguards.

Mark as Played

In this episode of Office Hours with Jamal and Liam, our guest Riley Livermore discusses resigning his commission in the US Air Force over the government's support for Israel's genocide in Gaza, as well as his time living in Israel and his observations there, and thoughts on the military-industrial complex.

Mark as Played

In this episode, Jamal and Liam talk about the results of the 2024 US presidential election, how this will affect the Palestine/Israel situation, and how people can organize for real change in a country rapidly drifting into neofascism.

Mark as Played

This week we interviewed and chatted with Dr Jonathan Bilal Abdullah, an EdD and LFMT, where we talked about the stigmatization of mental illnesses, the value of therapy as health care, and the difficulties in finding the kind of treatment that works best for each individual.

Mark as Played
September 9, 2024 91 mins

In this episode, Liam dives into the origins of racism and its links to power, capital, and the state. At the start, Jamal also recaps a recent book he did in his TikTok book club.

Mark as Played

This week Jamal interviewed Palestinian-German filmmaker and martial artist Lexi Alexander. Liam was sick and left after the introductions, but Jamal and Lexi had a great conversation and we hope you enjoy it.

Mark as Played

This week, on a fun impulse, Liam set the Wayback Machine for his days in IT, and talked about operating systems, especially GNU/Linux and its relation to Windows and MacOS X, and a bit about the free software / open source revolution.

Mark as Played
August 5, 2024 71 mins

In this episode, Jamal lays out some tips and tricks on purchasing a home and some of the pros and cons of renting one.

Mark as Played

This week's episode is a primer on what the ICJ and ICC are, how they differ, and how they affect the situation in Palestine/Israel. This episode was done with guest speaker Nicole Rangel, an international lawyer and scholar, who lays out most of the good stuff. We hope this helps especially the folks in the Palestine movement to know how international law can and does help us.

Mark as Played

In this episode, Liam and Jamal discuss the assassination attempt on Trump, the appeal of right-wing populism, and the core features of fascist and neofascist politics.

Mark as Played

In this episode, Jamal interviews MMA fighter and Olympian Kenny J. This is the first episode in which Liam does not appear, due to a schedule conflict, and was recorded differently. We hope you like it.

Mark as Played

Beginning another multi-part story, this is the first part of a discussion of the origins and evolution of Christianity from its Jewish and GrecoRoman roots. We start in Hellenistic Palestine with 1st c. Judaism, then look at the figure of Jesus as he appears to historians, and end with the split between James and Paul. The second part will look at the evolution of different Christian doctrines and their consolidation into a proto-...

Mark as Played

In this episode, Jamal explains what a 401k is and how they work, and why contributing to one (if you have the option) is a good idea.

Mark as Played

In this episode of OHwJL, Liam walks us through some key events in 18th and early 19th century Palestine, with Jamal as usual asking useful questions along the way.

Mark as Played
June 3, 2024 69 mins

In this episode, Jamal takes us through the basics of writing and perfecting a résumé. We cover AI tools for grading your work, how to integrate well with LinkedIn, how cover letters work, and some of the difference between a CV and a résumé.

Mark as Played

In the first of several days where we'll discuss the origins and evolution of capitalism, Jamal asks Liam about the definition, antecedents, and early stages in the development of the modern world-system.

Mark as Played
May 20, 2024 76 mins

This is the first episode of a collaboration between Jewish anarchist and historian Liam O'Mara and Palestinian banker and fitness guru JBS. In it we talk a little about our lives and upbringing, and what brought us to this project.

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    Health Stuff

    On Health Stuff, hosts Dr. Priyanka Wali and comedian Hari Kondabolu tackle all the health questions that keep you up at night with hilarity and humanity. Together they demystify the flashy trends, and keep you informed on the latest research. You can rely on Health Stuff to bring you real, uninhibited, and thoughtful health talk of the highest caliber, and a healthy dose of humor.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.