Opinion

• Opinion

  Looking ‘White,’ Thinking ‘Other’

  ‘Be a Jew in private and a human being in public.” This was the mantra with which a generation of American Jews was raised, and the idea was to keep the Jewish particulars to yourself and blend in to the American dream. But the quality of the American Jewish experience has changed in the past…

  By Bethamie Horowitz

  3 min read
• Opinion

  What If the Biblical Ruth Came to America?

  If the biblical Ruth came to America today, what would happen? In the biblical story, Ruth was welcomed onto the fields of Boaz, where she gleaned what the regular harvesters had left behind. Boaz made sure that even this despised foreigner had a decent job at decent pay. When she went one night to the…

  By Arthur Waskow Jul 1, 2005 | 3 min read
• Opinion

  Between Religious Equality and Liberty

  Lawyers will be arguing for a long time about the practical effect of this week’s Supreme Court decisions in two cases related to the public display of the Ten Commandments. About the only thing that can be said with certainty is that the hope that the court would establish clear rules about religious displays to…

  By Marc Stern Jul 1, 2005 | 4 min read

Columnists View All

• Jay Michaelson What can really be done to prevent antisemitic attacks like Bondi Beach?

  

• Rob Eshman American Jews can’t agree about anything — except Iran

  

• Nora Berman Did crypto-Jews invent the modern tarot deck?

  

• Dan Perry Trump’s new Gaza plan marks a radical break from Israeli policy — can it succeed?

  

• Emily Tamkin Is Mamdani bad or good for Jews? Here’s how to tell

  

The Latest

• Opinion

  Reformists, Conservatives and Other Iranians

  A sense of dread befell the world last Friday: New Iranian president Mahmood Ahmadinejad is an extremist, a lover of nukes, a Beckham-hater, a believer in the separation of the sexes. To cut a long story short: Prepare for war. One could sense the disappointment that crossed the ocean with the news that former president…

  By Zvi Bar’el Jul 1, 2005 | 3 min read
• Letters

  July 1, 2005

  Group Backed Bolton A June 24 article on President Bush’s choice for ambassador to the United Nations fails to mention B’nai B’rith International’s support for John Bolton’s nomination (“Groups Buck White House on Bolton”). In fact, this support is a matter of public record, as B’nai B’rith International sent letters of support to the members…

  Jul 1, 2005 | 5 min read
• Opinion

  Build an Open Tent Instead of Guarding The Communal Gates

  A few months ago, Joshua Venture quietly closed down. We are proud that during its four-plus years of existence, our fellowship of Jewish social entrepreneurs piqued the interest of hundreds of unaffiliated young adults who had felt alienated by increasingly conservative and creatively stagnant Jewish institutions. We are proud, but we are also worried. We…

  By Amichai Lau-Lavie, and Ronit Avni, and Tobin Belzer Jun 17, 2005 | 3 min read
• Opinion

  ‘Green’ Nuclear Energy, in Black and White

  As the Senate debates its bipartisan energy bill, it is obvious that nuclear power is slated to make a comeback in America. The bill includes an extension to 2025 of the Price Anderson liability protection law, which caps the damages for which the nuclear industry can be held liable in the event of a catastrophe…

  By Lawrence Bush Jun 17, 2005 | 3 min read
• Opinion

  Unfinished Business at the Jewish Agency

  Sallai Meridor’s surprise announcement on May 10 that he would relinquish his chairmanship of the Jewish Agency for Israel and of the World Zionist Organization caught many, including me, off guard. I can only hope that whoever is chosen to replace him later this month is committed to seeing through to completion the important work…

  By Jerome Epstein Jun 17, 2005 | 3 min read
• Opinion

  Nickels and Dimes

  Given the magnitude of the crisis, there is cause to celebrate this week in the tentative accord on African debt relief that was reached in Washington between President Bush and the visiting British prime minister, Tony Blair. Thanks to Blair’s persuasiveness, Bush has now agreed to lift America’s objections and let the World Bank proceed…

  Jun 10, 2005 | 3 min read
• Opinion

  Thumping

  Few issues are higher on the political agenda of American Jews than the injection of religion into public life. Having fought for generations for the right to be considered full-fledged citizens of our country, we take exception to actions — public prayers, restrictive laws, declarations of faith — that suggest our Americanness is less complete…

  Jun 10, 2005 | < 1 min read
• Opinion

  Territorial Indigestion

  A reader writes, asking how it is that I have not written about Israel in many weeks. Reasonable question. It’s not because there’s been so much else going on here at home, although there has been; I am quite used to dividing my time and my attention. Nor is it that there’s been no news…

  By Leonard Fein Jun 10, 2005 | 3 min read