In the Forward’s opinion section, you’ll find analysis and essays from diverse corners of the Jewish world.
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Opinion
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Opinion
Letter | Your ‘Pro-Israel’ Response Just Proved My Point
In his reply to my article, Aaron Kalman first takes issue with my characterization of the “Independent Arab” state described in the 1947 UN Partition Plan as a “Palestinian state.” I do not regard this as an error. The independent Arab state would have served Arab Palestinians, thus calling such an entity a Palestinian or…
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Opinion Horrified By That Eurovision Promo? Welcome To Israeli Humor!
On Friday morning, Israelis woke to a new controversial music video hyping the Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place in Israel next week. ? This is the land of honey, honey! Let Lucy and Elia take you in a musical journey throughout the most important parts of Israel. We promise you won’t regret it!…
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Letters Letter | Yes, Jews Should Recognize The Nakba – But In Context.
Dear Editor, In his article “It’s Time for American Jews to Recognize The Nakba,” Abe Silberstein calls for an “honest accounting of [Israel’s] history.” Sadly, the author does not supply it. One key error is Silberstein’s description of the 1947 UN Partition Plan. Silberstein writes this plan “provided for a Palestinian state.” At best this…
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Opinion Israel Must Choose: Give The Palestinians A State – Or Equality.
Suppose President Trump’s long-awaited “deal of the century” turns out to be the “flop of the century.” Frankly, this is the most likely outcome since its architects have no real feel for or understanding of the conflict and what is needed to resolve it. After the initial hype, where would its eventual failure leave us?…
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Opinion It’s Time For American Jews To Recognize The Nakba
In a beautifully written column last week, the Israeli journalist Anshel Pfeffer explicated the contradiction at the heart of hasbara: by aggressively advocating for Israel’s right to exist, it implicitly grants that Israel’s legitimacy is actually a matter of debate. After all, he writes, “real countries don’t have to argue they are legitimate.” As we…
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Opinion With Rising Anti-Semitism, Jews Need Israel More Than Ever.
As Israel celebrates Yom Ha’atzmaut, its 71st anniversary, it is ironic that the major item on the agenda of the Jewish people at this time is the resurgence of anti-Semitism. Ironic, because the overriding theme of Theodore Herzl in initiating the Zionist movement more than 120 years ago was that a Jewish homeland in the…
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Opinion Israel Ignores Nonviolent Marches But Rewards Hamas’s Rockets
Last week’s escalation between Israel and Hamas was devastating. It was also avoidable, meaningless, and had little purpose aside from the respective flexing of muscles on both sides. 27 Palestinians and 4 Israelis paid for it with their lives. Thankfully, it all passed quickly. Hamas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached another understanding; thus,…
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Opinion Israel Is Trying To Deport Me For Human Rights Work. Here’s Why You Should Care.
I cover Israel and Palestine for Human Rights Watch. A year ago, the Israeli government revoked my work permit and ordered me, a U.S. citizen, to leave the country within two weeks, claiming that I promoted boycotts of Israel. We challenged the revocation and the law it was based on, which forbids entry to boycott…
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Opinion Birthright Has Failed Young Jews, But Not For The Reason You Think.
Over the past few years, Birthright, the ten-day Jewish roots trip to Israel, has taken something of a beating. Activist groups like If Not Now and J Street U have made a habit of attacking the trip, which has become something of a sacred cow in the Jewish community; these attacks include campaigns criticizing Birthright’s…
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Opinion Israelis Want A 2 State Solution. Here’s How To Make It Happen.
The Israeli elections seemed to prove what everyone already knows: the Israeli electorate has shifted radically right. But this is not entirely true. Studies consistently demonstrate that the majority of Israelis support center-left positions like the two-state solution, social-democratic economic policies, public transportation on the Sabbath, and upholding equality and democracy as the core of…
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Opinion Enough With The Victim Narrative. Jews Have So Much To Celebrate.
There is a dissonance between the Jewish story and the way we tell that narrative. We are a people who have demonstrated an inverse relationship between numbers and impact for thousands of years. We represent an unparalleled catalyst for curiosity and growth. As we celebrate the 71st year since its rebirth, the State of Israel…
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Opinion The Gaza hostage crisis could forever change how American Jews relate to Israel — but it’s not too late to fix that
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Yiddish ווידעאָ: היסטאָריקערין וויווי לאַקס באַשרײַבט געשיכטע פֿון לאָנדאָנער ייִדישער פּרעסעVIDEO: Historian Vivi Laks tells history of the London Yiddish Press
שבֿע צוקער פֿירט דעם שמועס מיט וויווי לאַקס און ביידע לייענען פֿאָר עטלעכע פֿעליעטאָנען פֿון יענע צײַטן.
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Yiddish World Puppet Monty Pickle is guest on the Forward’s ‘Yiddish Word of the Day’
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News Who is Bruce Blakeman, the ‘Almost Orthodox’ Jew running for New York governor?
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