Opinion

• Opinion

  Coronavirus is a test for the government. But it’s a test for us, too.

  Without a doubt, our government and our medical establishment are facing a critical test as the coronavirus pandemic widens. But they are not the only ones facing a critical test; we are, too: We human beings, we people of faith, we people of moral principle and ethical sensibility. The test we are facing is no…

  By Yosef Kanefsky

  3 min read
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  Opinion

  In the age of social distancing, we need to flood the internet with love

  On Thursday, the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County voted to shut down Jewish communal life out of precaution for the coronavirus, informing hundreds of thousands of Jewish parishioners that all synagogue gatherings including prayer have been canceled. That means no dining in at restaurants, no weddings, no shiva, no play dates, no large Shabbat meals…

  By Avram Mlotek Mar 12, 2020 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Rashida Tlaib’s t-shirt symbolizes peace, not hate

  Last Sunday, Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib came under fire for wearing a t-shirt that critics say incites hate against the state of Israel. What was on this shirt that was so inflammatory? A map of historic Palestine, embroidered with Arabic letters in the colors of the Palestinian flag. Thanks to this article of clothing, Tlaib…

  By Muhammad Shehada Mar 12, 2020 | 3 min read

Columnists View All

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

  

• Jay Michaelson American Jews were played — now what?

  

• Rob Eshman There’s a shocking new report on civilian deaths in Gaza. If only it were accurate.

  

• Nora Berman Is Netflix’s new show the most Jewish cartoon ever?

  

• Dan Perry Israel’s new gift to the far right could help end the Gaza war

  

• Emily Tamkin Entering motherhood — and an obsession with the works of an Italian Jewish literary hero

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  There’s no consensus on what constitutes antisemitism. So we at the ADL created one.

  It’s undeniable: Antisemitism is on the rise. We know the numbers; we have the data. It’s been weaponized for partisan gain, it’s been normalized in politics, and it has gone viral. Talk of conspiracy theories, foreign intervention, dual loyalty, and delegitimization of Israel continue to gain ground in the public conversation, moving from alt right…

  By Jonathan A. Greenblatt Mar 12, 2020 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  What it’s like finishing college at the beginning of a pandemic

  On Monday, March 9, I was a regular college senior at Cornell University, enjoying my last semester. I had finished nearly all of my graduation requirements, and had been enjoying my less academic courses like Swing Dance and Introduction to Wines. I was meeting up with old friends, making new ones, and looking forward to…

  By Josh Eibelman Mar 11, 2020 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  My Bernie Sanders problem

  In some ways, the Democratic presidential primary campaign has felt like a cruel joke, a perfect amalgamation of positive and negative forces that almost cancel each other out. We got the most diverse field in the history of the United States — and ended up with two old white men. We started with the most…

  By Batya Ungar-Sargon Mar 11, 2020 | 5 min read
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  Opinion

  Joe Biden will save us – from politics

  Last night, primary results confirmed what had become apparent last week: Joseph R. Biden will be the 2020 Democratic nominee for President. The familiar face sleepwalking through Iowa has made Joe-mentum the greatest comeback in primary history, the resurrection of a four-decade long presidential dream for the former Catholic boy from Scranton. Even those who…

  By Ari Hoffman Mar 11, 2020 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Why Bernie could never figure out how to run as a Jew in 2020

  Despite his promise this afternoon that he will continue to fight for the nomination, the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign died last night. He may soldier on and win one or two more states before this is all done. But the competition is done. Unless something totally unexpected happens, Joe Biden will be the 2020 Democratic…

  By Joel Swanson Mar 11, 2020 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  The media erased black voters. The left has to learn how to see them.

  Tuesday night, former Vice President Joe Biden followed up a strong Super Tuesday with another dominant electoral performance. Biden won by wide margins in Missouri and Mississippi, and then beat Bernie Sanders in Michigan, the state where the Vermont Senator was effectively holding his last stand. Even though Sanders announced this afternoon that he will…

  By Marcus Johnson Mar 11, 2020 | 5 min read
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  Opinion

  Trump’s presidency led straight to America’s epic coronavirus failure

  In her influential analysis of totalitarian regimes “The Origins of Totalitarianism”, German-Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt argued that the key to mass propaganda was the propensity of its audience to believe the worst, “no matter how absurd.” Totalitarian mass leaders understood that they could make people believe “the most fantastic statements one day, and trust that…

  By Alex Zeldin Mar 10, 2020 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  How my Jewish community has come together under quarantine

  Last week, New York’s first cases of coronavirus started sweeping the state, with most of them consolidating themselves to my small Jewish community in Westchester county. As of today, Governor Andrew Cuomo has sent in the National Guard. But the truth is, he needn’t have. Our situation is unique. Once we in New Rochelle’s Orthodox…

  By Tamar Weinberg Mar 10, 2020 | 4 min read