Opinion

• Opinion

  My shul did everything right and the government still shut us down. They’re right.

  We’ve done everything right. We closed in March while other synagogues were waffling. When allowed to reopen, we adhered strictly to limits on numbers of worshippers. We masked, measured, and distanced, in contradistinction to other congregations in our area. But we have the mazel to be in a red area, so now we must limit…

  By Moshe Rosenberg

  3 min read
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  Opinion

  Don’t believe Trump’s cynical lies: He is not the protector of Jews but our greatest threat.

  On Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York announced sweeping new restrictions on parts of New York City with rapidly rising rates of coronavirus cases, placing a particular focus on neighborhoods with large proportions of Orthodox Jews. The news came just days after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio specifically asked the state to…

  By Joel Swanson Oct 7, 2020 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  By treating Orthodox Jews as the enemy, Governor Cuomo made himself one.

  On Tuesday morning, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo met with a group of Orthodox Jewish rabbis and community leaders. The meeting was intended to be, as Cuomo put it, a “good conversation” about the reasons he was placing restrictions on several New York City neighborhoods experiencing an uptick in positive cases of COVID-19. The governor…

  Oct 7, 2020 | 4 min read

Columnists View All

• Jodi Rudoren This is my last column as editor of the Forward

  

• Jay Michaelson Mamdani’s victory is an opportunity for Jews to relearn the art of disagreement

  

• Rob Eshman ‘Israel is seen as violent’ — and Israeli chefs, once global culinary icons, are feeling the heat

  

• Nora Berman Did Netanyahu coerce Trump into attacking Iran? No — but he tried with Obama

  

• Dan Perry For Trump and Netanyahu, statecraft is now synonymous with stagecraft

  

• Emily Tamkin Zohran Mamdani’s victory proves it: The ‘gotcha’ mode of fighting antisemitism has to go

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  Why Mike Pence, a proud Christian, represents me, an Orthodox Jew

  On Wednesday night, Vice President Mike Pence will face off against Sen. Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s running mate, in the 2020 vice presidential debate. And I for one am looking forward to it. It’s not that I’m an undecided voter. I’ve already made up my mind that I will vote for the Trump-Pence 2020 ticket,…

  By Eliezer Brand Oct 7, 2020 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  My biracial family is on the ballot this November. I know who we’re voting for.

  This Wednesday, like millions of Americans, my family will sit down together to watch the Vice Presidential Debate. My husband and I will curl up on the couch and pour cocktails and take turns shushing each other not to wake our preschool-aged daughter, who will inevitably wind up in my lap. My family is much…

  By Carly Pildis Oct 6, 2020 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  All education is political. Jewish education should be, too.

  All education is political — and so it should be. For some readers, this statement will not feel new. But I imagine for others, it might be rather startling. But consider at their very basic level, education systems are established and supported by governmental entities in order to perpetuate the society in which they are…

  By David Bryfman Oct 6, 2020 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  A candidate abused women. Why did lefty journalists defend him?

  A recent political story out of Kansas pitted progressive, socialist values against the treatment of women in a way that revealed that for all too many, women are not a central part of their progressivism. The story centers on Aaron Coleman, a 20-year-old Jewish student who became the Democratic nominee for a state House seat…

  By Mia Brett Oct 6, 2020 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Orthodox Jews must listen to the politicians. Jewish law commands it.

  In an iconic remark attributed to him, Jesus famously said, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21) Jesus was avoiding a trap set by the Pharisees seeking to persuade Pilate that Jesus opposed Caesar’s imposition of taxes. With his clever retort, Jesus effectively denied…

  By Joel Cohen Oct 6, 2020 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Yes, there’s an Orthodox COVID uptick. De Blasio and Cuomo are making it worse.

  Orthodox communities in New York and New Jersey are in the midst of a COVID uptick. That much is undeniable. But what is also undeniable is that New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo are botching the response, singling out Jews for the convenience and pleasure of antisemites. These are politicians with…

  By Eli Steinberg Oct 5, 2020 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  American Jews are more politically engaged than ever

  Throughout this chaotic election cycle, President Trump has frequently aired his personal suspicions about voter fraud. From his tweets to his comments during the first presidential debate, the President has repeatedly harped on this point, leading some to suggest that this is part of a greater effort to undermine Americans’ trust in their electoral system….

  By Samuel J. Abrams Oct 5, 2020 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  So someone you hate is sick. What Jewish tradition says about praying for them.

  So, you found out someone whom you detest is sick. Maybe it’s a political opponent. Maybe it is someone who you think is downright evil. Maybe they’re sick with COVID-19 or maybe it’s the flu. Or maybe it was just some bad sushi. Regardless of who is sick or what they’re sick with, if it’s…

  By David Bashevkin Oct 2, 2020 | 3 min read