Forward.com

Rubashkin’s Crimes

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST

For the Jewish community, the response to the conviction of Sholom Rubashkin, former vice president of the now-defunct Agriprocessors kosher meat company, on 86 counts of felony fraud should be a of extreme embarrassment over yet another example — did we need any more this year? — of a Jewish businessman gone bad.

A Wall For Us All

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:41:00 EST

An Israeli woman was arrested by the Western Wall for wearing a prayer shawl, an act of devotion common in many American synagogues. The self-named rabbinic authorities claim such behavior is offensive. But for many women, the act of prayer is incomplete without a tallit.

Abortion and Morality

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:09:00 EST

During the recent floor debate in Congress on health care legislation, Rep. Mike Pence, chair of the House Republican Conference, employed the language of morality to frame his support of the Pitts-Stupak amendment to prevent federal subsidies from going to any insurance plans that cover abortion. Using federal dollars to fund abortions “violates the deeply held beliefs of millions of Americans who believe abortion is morally wrong,” Pence said. “As members of Congress we have a responsibility to respect the moral beliefs of a vast majority of the American people.”

Age of Transparency

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:08:00 EST

When the Forward published a comprehensive story last week on leadership and compensation in the nation’s 75 largest Jewish communal organizations, it relied on data routinely made public by the federal government for all nonprofits. It takes time to find the information, double check the numbers, and draw out the story, but the fact is that anyone with the slightest computer skills can access this information.

Gender Negotiations

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:28:00 EST

A Forward survey finding that only 14.3% percent of the top jobs in the nation’s 75 largest Jewish communal organizations are held by women ought to serve as a wake-up call. So should the finding that women leaders are paid only 61 cents for every dollar earned by male leaders. These employment and salary gaps need to be addressed not just because of individual unfairness, but also because of the communal imperative to ensure that the very best people are leading these important organizations.

The J Street Challenge

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:26:00 EST

J Street’s coming out party was an exuberant, over-subscribed success. Now come the challenges. And they come from all directions. The scope and depth of attendees at J Street’s first-ever conference — from participants who lined the walls of packed rooms to well-placed speakers from the American and Israeli governments — proved that the new, scrappy liberal lobby is a force to be reckoned with.

November 9, 1989

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:23:00 EST

The East German government said at the time that it was an “anti-fascist protective rampart,” but everyone knew that was Soviet-speak for what it really was: a wall. The Berlin Wall. Made of fencing, barbed wire, concrete, and later surrounded by minefields, the fortified border between East and West Berlin did not only divide a city. It divided the world.

The Invisible Soldiers

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:15:00 EST

In many Jewish communities, it’s easier to name an American serving in the Israel Defense Forces than in our own military. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan don’t ignite the same intense reaction among Jews as did the fighting in World War II, when the Nazis’ obsession with extermination prompted a widespread desire to defend and a personal connection to the threat, whether one’s family was directly subject to the Holocaust, or not. And of course, then and for decades later, there was a military draft. Avoiding service was generally not an option. Now the volunteer armed forces are filled mostly with Protestants from middle America.

Saving Sudan

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:12:00 EST

President Obama’s predilection for finding diplomatic compromises for knotty world conflicts won him the Nobel Peace Prize, but it doesn’t always play well at home, where engagement can be ridiculed as naïve or wishy-washy. Sometimes, though, it’s the only way to thread the needle. And the president seems to have done just that with his long-awaited new policy on Sudan.

Goldstone’s Legacy

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:05:00 EST

Even if granted the very best of intentions, Richard Goldstone’s report on Israel’s and Hamas’s conduct during last winter’s military operation in Gaza has left a bitter and confusing legacy. Bitter, because rather than being a constructive prod toward self-examination of the morality of a new kind of warfare, the report has left Israel only more isolated and defensive. And confusing because the way Goldstone described his work in an exclusive interview with the Forward does not square with the irresponsible conclusions in the report itself.

What’s in a Name?

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:46:00 EST

The decision to transform United Jewish Communities to The Jewish Federations of North America, the organization’s chief executive, Jerry Silverman, said, was intended to create “a stronger, cohesive brand” for the umbrella organization that represents 157 restless, disparate local federations. Whatever you think of the lingo, Silverman is onto something.

Heed the Call

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:04:00 EST

An act of civil disobedience by a rabbi and ministers in Philadelphia helped to shut down a notorious gun shop. This kind of local non-violent protest, combined with efforts to change municipal and state laws, is a powerful way to combat the epidemic of gun violence that haunts too many communities in America.

Horror From Hollywood

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:03:00 EST

Why are female directors silent about Roman Polanski’s arrest after 31 years on the lam? Indeed, why are male directors rushing to his defense? And why pin this only on Hollywood?

Change on the Iran Front

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:08:00 EST

Israel’s new year got off to a promising start with a rare dose of good news on its most troubling battlefront: the Iranian nuclear threat. As it happened, Iran was also high on the agenda in New York when the world’s leaders gathered for the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly, right after Rosh Hashanah. The good news is that Israel was on the same side as the rest of the world for a change, while its worst enemy was the bad guy.

Behind the Boycott

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:08:00 EST

Time was when a boycott demanded personal sacrifice as an expression of political protest. But the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement against Israel will have none of that. Its adherents seem to be most interested in sullying Israel’s name and delegitimizing the state.

Forgive Us

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:07:00 EST

In light of the incivility plaguing American discourse, also reflected in the Jewish world, we have a suggestion for an addition to the list of sins for which we ask forgiveness in this season of repentance.

Doing Well, Doing Good

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:29:00 EST

In releasing ambitious guidelines to marry new ethical standards with the traditional laws of kashrut, the leaders of the Conservative movement are taking a bold step to align it with a Judaism that cares as much about social justice as it does about ritual practice. But the success of this endeavor depends on whether rank-and-file Conservative Jews will care as much about ritual practice as they do about social justice.

Honoring the Office

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:49:00 EST

In the last few weeks, President Barack Obama has been assailed as never before, and there is good reason for all Americans to be concerned. Not about the name-calling, per se; name-calling, slander, outrageous characterization have been a part of American presidential politics since, well, George Washington. The much revered other tall, lanky president from Illinois was dogged by epithets that today would make a Fox News commentator blush.

Family Values

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:02:00 EST

Be fruitful and multiply. But if you work for a Jewish communal organization in America, you probably won’t be able to count on help from your employer. The dearth of family-friendly policies in Jewish organizations has to change if we are to attract and keep good employees and practice what we preach.

Despairing Words

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:01:00 EST

Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s latest remarks on the power of boycotts lend credence to a dishonest and cruel analogy. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict does not resemble the South African experience, and a boycott of Israel will only harden hearts, not turn its public toward peace.