In the Forward’s opinion section, you’ll find analysis and essays from diverse corners of the Jewish world.
To pitch an opinion piece, email our Opinion Editor, Talya Zax.
Opinion
-
Opinion
American Jews ignore a far-right Jewish presidential candidate at their peril
With the world’s attention focused on the carnage in Ukraine, American Jews can be forgiven for not paying much attention to the upcoming French presidential elections; the first round of voting begins on Apr. 10. But they do so at their own peril. American Jews should know about Éric Zemmour, a right-wing author, media figure,…
-
Letters Members of Congress, including those AIPAC-allied, condemn group’s comments about Rep. Andy Levin
To the editor: As former and current members of Congress and supporters of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, we are all too familiar with how differing policy approaches to ending the Middle East conflict have been used to divide and polarize us as a community, especially during elections. That’s why at a moment when so much…
-
Opinion Why my synagogue is building a 55-unit housing development for the homeless
(JTA) — When IKAR, the Jewish spiritual community where I serve as the director of community organizing, realized our long-held dream of buying land in Los Angeles so that we could build a home for ourselves, we invited the community to imagine what we’d like to see included as part of this new physical space….
Columnists View All
The Latest
-
Opinion ‘It changed my life in ways I never expected:’ Readers share stories of personal firsts
Last week marked the 100th anniversary of Judy Kaplan becoming the first American bat mitzvah. In a column noting the occasion, our editor-in-chief, Jodi Rudoren, published a column considering the many female “firsts” women have racked up in the last century — and what comes next. “I’d been thinking that the era of female firsthood…
-
Opinion Why did the Academy leave the Jews out of its museum, anyway?
Amid all the controversy created over the Academy Museum’s initial decision not to include the story of the motion picture industry’s largely Jewish immigrant founders in its permanent exhibit, one question remains unanswered: Why? Why would the museum organizers, with $484 million and more than 300,000 square feet, decide to tell the story of the…
-
Opinion AIPAC’s endorsements risk irreparably damaging the U.S.-Israel relationship
For pro-Israel Americans and the journalists who cover them, AIPAC Policy Conference was the annual see-and-be-seen event. More than 18,000 of us descended on Washington each March for three days of parties, panels, networking and a lobbying day on Capitol Hill. Top donors were treated to a blowout party with enough members of Congress to…
-
Opinion Beloved rabbi’s influence also uplifted Black Jewish lives
Shimon HaTzadik (the Righteous) was a high priest during the Second Temple period. He would say, “On three things the world stands: On the Torah, on prayer, and on acts of kindness.” Later commentators would add that these three principles were the basis of why God created the world. In this light, a person can…
-
Opinion On the 100th birthday of the bat mitzvah, an artist remembers their own coming of age
View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Forward (@jdforward) To contact the artist, email [email protected].
-
Letters Extending daylight savings does not conflict with halacha
To the editor: The Forward reports that some Orthodox rabbis oppose extending daylight saving time throughout the year because “a 9 a.m. sunrise” would require them to attend to their morning prayers late and delay their arrival at work. Let’s first take a look at Jewish law. The 20 volume Babylonian Talmud begins with a…
-
Opinion An unlikely rap battle: How this Israeli-Palestinian duo forged a friendship and a movement
Sameh: When Uriya came to meet me 20 months ago at the bar I was managing in Jaffa, I suspected he was another patronizing Israeli looking for a token Arab for his project. I have always been an outspoken artist over my 20-year career as a leading performer in the Palestinian rap scene. I have…
-
Opinion What would Judy do? 100 years after first bat mitzvah, a meditation on female firsthood
This is an adaptation of Looking Forward, a weekly email from our editor-in-chief sent on Friday afternoons. Sign up here to get the Forward’s free newsletters delivered to your inbox. Download and print our free magazine of stories to savor over Shabbat and Sunday. A news release that hit my inbox late Thursday afternoon made…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
Culture Great news! The rapture is coming on Rosh Hashanah
- 2
Culture Ashkenazi Jews, there’s 1,000 years of history you’ve been missing
- 3
News Who was Horst Wessel, and why are people comparing Charlie Kirk to him?
- 4
Fast Forward 142 countries have voted for a path to Israeli-Palestinian peace, why are these 10 countries opposed?
In Case You Missed It
-
Fast Forward Israel’s secret ‘Esther Project’: DOJ filings reveal paid US influencer campaign amid AI-powered PR blitz
-
Culture Gary Shteyngart reflects on his botched bris in a new short film
-
Fast Forward Before his death, Charlie Kirk told Netanyahu that Israel faced a ‘5-alarm fire’ over PR strategy
-
Fast Forward Americans now sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis, poll finds
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
