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
Please Leave Politics Out Of Your High Holiday Sermons
Almost ten years ago, I was living in Cambodia in the tourist city of Siem Reap, home of the Angkor Wat temple complex, teaching fifth grade to local gifted Cambodian students. It was an incredible experience — except spiritually. I felt completely isolated from anything resembling a Jewish community. This was right at the cusp…
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Opinion Why Did We Stop Talking About Standing Rock?
In 2016, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe ignited an indigenous rights movement that captured the world’s attention. At Standing Rock, hundreds of indigenous groups and nonindigenous allies gathered to resist the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the havoc it would wreak on the health of both the environment and the members of the…
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Letters If You Don’t Believe In Judaism, Don’t Call Yourself A Jew
Dear Editor, I recently read Jane Eisner’s Forward editorial, “Is There A Future For Jews Without Judaism?.” I never thought that I was that hardcore of a Conservative, but upon reading the piece, I could not help having a definite response. I could not figure out why anyone who ditched the Jewish religion entirely would…
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Opinion Alan Dershowitz: I Am Not A Mouthpiece For Trump
The Forward falsely described me as an “informal adviser” to President Trump and as a “conservative.” I am neither. I am an objective commentator who has publicly criticized many of Trump’s policies, including on immigration, revocation of security clearances, Charlottesville and other issues. I have defended his civil liberties in precisely the same way I…
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Opinion Who Are The Jews Of France? Their Last Names Give A Clue
In my previous article, I wrote about the mysterious Jews of Italy, who seem to be neither Ashkenazi nor Sephardi. So it was natural to turn to a neighboring West European country, France, where the history of the Jewish communities is also quite non-linear. These communities pose a similar difficulty to the simplistic and popular…
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Opinion Trump’s Attack Against Palestinians Like Me Is An Attack Against All Refugees
As soon as the State Department released its official statement announcing its plan to cut off aid to the Palestinians and limit the definition of “refugee” to first generation Palestinians last week, journalists and political analysts starting contacting me. They all asked me the same questions: What does this mean for Palestinians? What do you…
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Opinion What Julia Salazar’s Jewish Identity Taught Me About My Own
When I first learned about the personal biography of Julia Salazar, a candidate for New York State Senate, I felt a glimmer of recognition — and that was after reading an article in Tablet Magazine calling into question her Jewish parentage. Her family narrative sounded completely plausible to me. Like the story Salazar tells of…
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Letters We Are Julia Salazar’s Former Classmates. We Had To Speak Out.
Less than two weeks ago, an article published in Tablet Magazine suggested that Julia Salazar, a candidate for the New York State Senate, lied about her Jewish and political past. Since then, other reports have also called into question her immigrant experience and class background. As friends and colleagues of Julia’s during her time at…
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Opinion There Are No Winners In Steve Bannon’s Booting From New Yorker Festival
The latest controversy over the question of public platforms for odious speakers revolves around Steven Bannon, Donald Trump’s former chief strategist and ex-publisher of Breitbart News, the Pravda of the Trumpian right. On Monday, the news that Bannon would “headline” the upcoming New Yorker Festival in early October, appearing in an interview with New Yorker…
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Opinion How Can We, As Parents, Trust That Our Children Are Safe From Abuse?
Welcome back to this special, post-Labor Day edition of Jane Looking Forward. If you wish to continue reading this weekly newsletter, please subscribe here. And spread the word! I spent much of last week shepherding into publication Ari Feldman’s superb reporting on how a child molester was able to pray on young Jews for decades,…
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Opinion Louis Farrakhan Had Every Right To Be At Aretha Franklin’s Funeral
One of the most incredible Black cultural icons, the voice of a generation and the Civil Rights Movement, passed away several weeks ago after a period of ill health. Aretha Franklin was mourned in a widely publicized service whose guest list was a cross section of Black America and leaders relevant to it. Dozens of…
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