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
Inspiring Women | Representing Women And Workers In Her Village
Jisr az-Zarqa is a coastal Israeli Arab village known more for its crime and poverty than the archaeological treasures it houses. Riddled with socio-economic problems, it’s a place most people avoid. Now, one woman born and raised there is working to change this image, making it proud even as she breaks with its tradition. Ever…
-
Opinion The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Of ‘The Left Hates Israel’ Slogan
The idea that the Left hates Israel is a commonplace one in the oped pages of major publications as well as at Shabbat tables and in synagogue pews nationwide. It’s certainly easy to think of many examples to defend this claim: the leadership of the Women’s March, Ilhan Omar’srecent tweets, and even the fact that…
-
Opinion Stop Giving Prizes To Celebrities. They Are Just As Flawed As The Rest Of Us.
In another professional life, I was in charge of the Liberty Medal ceremony at the National Constitution Center, where every year the medal is given “to men and women of courage and conviction who have strived to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe.” One year, I lobbied hard to select Aung…
Columnists View All
The Latest
-
Opinion Netanyahu Is A Gift For Democrats
There’s been a lot of chatter about the role Israel will play in the 2020 elections. On the right as well as the far left, many have been pushing the narrative that Israel will feature heavily, with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party forcing Democratic candidates to the left. Just as Bernie Sanders and…
-
Opinion 6 Happy, Hopeful Jewish News Stories From An Otherwise Crummy Week
Listen, we can admit it — it was not the greatest week for Jewish news. The double-whammy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s upcoming indictment charges and Michael Cohen’s congressional hearing, more troubling comments by Ilhan Omar, and the unsettling news about Jared Kushner’s security clearance the news this week by turns depressing and scary, not…
-
Opinion The Dangers of Mainstreaming Otzma Yehudit
In the ongoing fight against hate in the world, one of the true tests of success is whether or not one is ready to take on the extremists and bigots within one’s own community. It is, of course, vitally important. But sometimes it is a lot easier to call out purveyors of hate from other…
-
Opinion Debunking The Myth That Anti-Zionism Is Anti-Semitic
It’s a bewildering and alarming time to be a Jew, both because anti-Semitism is rising and because so many politicians are responding to it not by protecting Jews but by victimizing Palestinians. On February 16, members of France’s Yellow Vest protest movement hurled anti-Semitic insults at the distinguished French Jewish philosopher Alain Finkielkraut. On February…
-
Opinion The Key To Fighting Anti-Semitism? Children
It’s no longer deniable that anti-Semitism is on the rise across the globe. According to the Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents in the United States rose by a record 57% in 2017. Beyond the vivid and terrifying displays of anti-Jewish hate in the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville and the 2018 Tree of Life…
-
Opinion Why Does No One Care That China Is Ethnically Cleansing Uighur Muslims?
In 1948, the international community enshrined the promise of “Never Again” into international law when the United Nations General Assembly passed the Genocide Convention. Still reeling from the industrial scale mass murder that took place on both the European and Asian continents between 1936 and 1945, UN member states agreed to prevent and punish fellow…
-
Opinion Wake Up, American Jews: You’ve Enabled Israel’s Racism For Years.
Much like Donald Trump’s election, the merger between the right-wing settler Jewish Home party and the Kahanist Otzma Yehudit — encouraged and facilitated by Prime Minister Netanyahu — marks less a break with the status quo than its unmasking. There was once a time when even Likud members felt obligated to object to the Kahanists’…
-
Opinion Netanyahu Just Saved Liberal Zionism
Last Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did the unthinkable and welcomed Jewish terrorists into his ruling coalition. Facing possible indictment for a series of corruption charges and a plausible threat to his premiership during a rapidly progressing election cycle, Netanyahu pressured the far right party Bayit Yehudi to join forces with Otzma Yehudit, the…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
News Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s selection as JTS commencement speaker roils graduating class
- 2
Opinion American Jews have a Hasan Piker problem. Solving it is going to hurt
- 3
Opinion How Israel became a country where teenagers murder each other in cold blood
- 4
Sports NBA coach Steve Kerr: ‘Israel sought revenge for Oct. 7 and now 72,000 Palestinians have been killed’
In Case You Missed It
-
News Most Jewish voters rate Mamdani poorly, new poll finds
-
Fast Forward After a Maryland teacher’s death, her 200-piece Judaica collection finds new life in a Jewish museum
-
Fast Forward British Green Party candidate tweeted about killing Zionists from Anne Frank parody account
-
Yiddish World New documentary captures the lively history of Yiddish theater in America