Unlearning Zionism: An Advocate’s Journey to Understanding Palestine

In an insightful and candid meeting held on January 13, 2025, Glenn Block opened up about his transformative journey from being born into a reform Jewish family to becoming a vocal advocate for Palestine. This blog post delves into the fascinating story, highlighting key points from the discussion and valuable resources shared.

Glenn Block’s Journey: From Zionism to Understanding Palestine

Glenn was born into a reform Jewish family and grew up in a Zionist environment where he was taught to fear Arabs, especially Palestinians. However, his worldview began to change at the age of 19 when he accepted Islam. This marked the beginning of his unlearning journey about Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians.

Despite his new faith, Glenn confessed that he still held a nuanced view about Israel although he was advocating for Palestine. It was not until October 7th, a date not specified in the meeting but one which Glenn refers to as a turning point, that he began to delve deeper into the history of Palestine and Israel. He spent a considerable amount of time reading, watching, and talking to Palestinians.

‘My world was rocked as I invested a lot of time to read, watch, and talk to Palestinians.’

Glenn has since been using his voice across various platforms to educate about Palestine and work to stop the genocide.

The Process of Unlearning

The process of unlearning for Glenn was a gradual one. Initially, he held some bias towards Israel despite advocating for Palestine. However, as he delved deeper into the history and spoke to Palestinians, he began to see the truth.

He noted that he never learned about the details of how Zionists began the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestine. The realization of how intentional the ethnic cleansing was from the get-go was a shock to him.

‘I never learned about the details of how Zionists began the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestine. How it was intentional from the get-go.’

He also mentioned that he used to believe the ‘both sides good/bad Palestinians’ argument until he began to explore the history in depth. This exploration led to a significant shift in his views.

Sharing the Journey and Advocacy

Glenn has taken his advocacy to various platforms. He has shared a series of videos on TikTok and Instagram about his journey of accepting Islam, unlearning Zionism, and understanding Palestine.

Furthermore, he has not shied away from connecting with others interested in his journey, offering his contact information on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, and email.

Recommended Resources

During the meeting, Glenn shared a wealth of resources that have helped him in his journey of understanding the Israel-Palestine conflict. These include various documentaries like ‘Al-Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe,’ ‘Gaza Fights for Freedom,’ ‘Israelism,’ ‘Tantura,’ and ‘The Settlers.’

He also recommended books including ‘The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine’ and ‘Hundred Years’ War on Palestine,’ and ‘Stolen Nation.’

These resources offer an in-depth view of the history, conflict, and the ongoing struggle of the Palestinians.

Next Steps

Glenn continues his advocacy work, using his voice to educate about Palestine. He also encourages others to join the fight, offering valuable resources, and connecting with others interested in understanding the truth about the conflict.

His story serves as a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to unlearn biases and seek the truth. It is a call-to-action for everyone to educate themselves about the ongoing issues in Palestine, and stand for justice.

Freedom Advocacy Network

recent posts

about