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
Does Trump’s ‘Religious Freedom’ Executive Order Do Anything?
Before President Trump signed the “religious liberty” executive order on May 4, rumors about the contents of the rule spurred many rumors, as well as the requisite dire warnings from many in the media. Headlines in recent days declared such things as “Trump’s ‘religious liberty’ executive order is meant to legalize anti-LGBT discrimination” (Salon) and…
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Opinion A Game Of Same-Name Jewish Geography
In the late 19th century, my grandfather Jacob and his brothers left their Russian shtetl to seek a new life in South Africa. The rigors of pioneer life were not to Jacob’s liking; he returned to Russia, married my grandmother and immigrated to America. His brothers remained in South Africa, where they prospered and multiplied…
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Opinion Trump’s ‘Religious Liberty’ Executive Order Should Scare The Bejesus Out Of Jews
Be careful what you wish for. For years, the Christian Right, abetted by some Orthodox Jewish allies, has claimed that there’s a war on religion in America. Sometimes it’s the “War on Christmas,” sometimes it’s alleged persecution of Christians for practicing their faith, and sometimes it’s hard to articulate at all. Well, today, the president…
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Opinion Marine Le Pen: Sure Loser? Or A Mortal Threat To France?
France will soon decide whether to elect Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, or Marine Le Pen, the far right leader of the National Front, as president. Win or lose, Le Pen has had an impact on France – though just how much remains a matter of debate. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker: “The Future Of Europe…
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Opinion The Gory Bloodsport That Brought Father And Son Together
A few months before I began rabbinical school in Jerusalem, my father proposed that we take a trip to Nepal. I was 22 and in the middle of writing the Great American Novel, but I didn’t mind the interruption. I welcomed the prospect of trekking together through the rugged and remote mountain kingdom, a father…
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Opinion Why We Should Celebrate The 50th Anniversary Of The Six Day War
Jane Eisner’s article,”Inner Conflict: The Six Day War’s 50th Anniversary Merit Celebration Or Despair?”, is excellent. I learned the war broke out on Monday, June 5, 1967, when I was sipping an early morning vanilla malted in a newsstand/soda shop across from Columbia University. I tore through the New York Times reading the account (since…
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Opinion This Week In Anti-Semitism: Venezuelan Jews Flee, Hillel Stands Up To Hate
The Forward regularly monitors the surge of anti-Semitism across the country and around the world. The mission of this column is not to unduly alarm, but rather to raise awareness of a disturbing trend that, from some vantage points, can prove difficult to spot. Amidst a failed economy, food shortages, and anti-Semitic harassment, increasing numbers…
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Opinion Trump’s Meeting With Abbas: Should We Laugh Or Cry?
“Mr. President, with you, we have hope.” So said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during his joint press conference at the White House on Wednesday. As with so much in the Donald Trump era, it’s hard to know whether to laugh or cry. Hope? Trump’s Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, believes West Bank Palestinians —…
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Opinion These Are The Two Most Common Kinds Of Anti-Semitism
Fifty years ago, responding to growing tensions between Blacks and Jews following the Civil Rights movement, James Baldwin contributed an op-ed to the New York Times titled “Negroes are Anti-Semitic Because They are Anti-White.” “In the American context, the most ironical thing about Negro anti-Semitism is that the Negro is really condemning the Jew for…
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Opinion How Important Is Trump’s Meeting With Abbas?
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will soon meet with President Trump at the White House for the first time. After strongly proclaiming support for Israel throughout his presidential campaign, Trump now has an opportunity to reach out to Benjamin Netanyahu’s counterpart. Here’s what top Middle East hands say about the critical summit. Aaron David Miller,…
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Opinion Netanyahu’s Latest Move To Undermine Abbas Before Trump Meeting
Israel’s Prime Minister has a problem with the fact that the Palestinian social affairs department pays monthly benefits to support families of prisoners. In a Facebook video timed to reach the widest possible viewership on the eve of the Abbas-Trump White House meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu called on Palestinians to stop supporting families of prisoners. Netanyahu…
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