In this conversation, Bishop Justin Duckworth sits down with Fr. David Neuhaus, SJ, whose story spans Jewish German refugee heritage, apartheid‑era South Africa, and decades in Jerusalem. Fr. David shares how, as a teenager, he learned Arabic, entered a Palestinian Muslim family as an adoptive son, and later joined the Society of Jesus in the Middle East, experiences that shaped his view of identity, faith, and justice.

What We Cover

• A life shaped by Jewish German refugee roots and apartheid South Africa.

• Falling in love with Jerusalem’s diversity, learning Arabic, reading the Qur’an with a close friend, and sitting in the mosque.

• Why Fr. David says there is “no peace process”, situating today’s crisis in a timeline from 1917 to the present.

• October 7, the devastation in Gaza, and the escalating pressures in the West Bank.

• Living between communities, loving Hebrew language and Israeli culture while remaining deeply connected to Palestinian life and pain.

Why Watch
If you’re seeking a perspective formed by language, friendship, and long presence in the region, rather than headlines, this conversation is for you. It’s a human story that resists easy narratives and invites moral clarity.

👉 Coming Next: Part Two
Fr. David unpacks Christian Zionism and its impact, how theology, politics, and lived reality intersect. Don’t miss it.