I couldn’t agree more with J.J. Goldberg’s conclusion in his column titled “First Step to Reflecting Jews’ Real Values? Focus Less on Israel,” published online January 22, that the real issues that motivate Jews to organized political action are classic domestic progressive issues, such as economic inequality, civil rights, reproductive rights and racial justice. But…
To the Editor: The assertion that thirty years ago, traditional leaders of the Conservative movement employed a “sociological argument masquerading as a halachic argument” when they opposed rabbinic ordination for women is patently false . In fact, today’s Open Orthodox endorsement of women’s ordination would have been unthinkable without the pioneering halachic critique and template…
Dear Editor, Hillary Clinton’s (Nov. 4, 2015) was a real disappointment. Her promise to “combat growing efforts to isolate Israel internationally and to undermine its future as a Jewish state” is illusory. Israel has a viable future only as a modern pluralistic civil society where all residents, Jewish or not, are equal citizens under the…
To The Editor, Over the past week we have worked with Paul Berger and The Forward to respond to questions for his article, We are pained to see any abuse or misconduct in our community. Eric Siroka’s actions are completely unacceptable to us, and we are fully committed to the sanctity, safety and security of…
In response to JJ Goldberg’s October 19 piece Dear Forward, It is time to “tax” the Jewish community to pay for Jewish day school. [The document] should also say that every Jewish professional should be protected from being fired if they advocate Jewish day school vehemently from their perch, bimah or position. I also thought…
Dear Editors; Jews and Catholics befriended each other long before their respective institutional hierarchies conferred permission to do so. Dorothy Day’s, Catholic Worker foundress, closest friends for twenty plus years included: Mike Gold, Judith Malina, Julian Beck and Rayna Simons When my hero Lenny Zakim of ADL in Boston died, half of the congregants at…
As Marshall Breger and Jack Bemporad point out in September 22, 2015, the Vatican has come a long way in healing the wounds it has inflicted on Jews and Judaism. But perhaps Jews haven’t responded because there is a great deal more to be done if the Vatican really wants to establish its bona fides:…
Dear Parent: I recently read in the Forward about a father (Neal) whose son has decided not to celebrate his bar mitzvah. There is no question that for many of us and our children the moment on the bima is full of meaning. Reading Torah, teaching a D’var Torah, leading the service. Our children learn…
Dear Editor: Lipstadt’s on the moral and political issues concerning policy on the Syrian refugee crisis raises four issues that trouble the author. One of the questions the author asks, is the “extent to which these new immigrants will commit to democratic principles.” This argument was raised several times at a Rosh Hashanah dinner I…
Dear Editor: In , Deborah Lipstadt raises some provocative questions which she says are “unanswered.” There is one basic answer to all of them, however. The answer arose out of the ashes of the Holocaust, haunted by the memory of those who were trapped by “paper walls” inside of a genocide. That answer is the…
I read the recent op-ed regarding BDS and my own childhood synagogue with sadness. While seemingly well intentioned, this wonderful shul made a serious mistake in inviting and promoting pro-BDS speakers. The op-ed makes two central, misguided arguments. First, as Jews we have some obligation based on “an inherent rabbinic tradition of debate” to give…
