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
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Opinion
An Alternative Inaugural Prayer From the National Synagogue’s Rabbi
Shmuel Herzfeld, the rabbi of Washington’s oldest synagogue, Ohev Sholom – The National Synagogue, offers a new inauguration prayer. Dear God: Please give the president the wisdom and courage to guide the United States with fairness and kindness, and to help keep all of us safe and secure. Please protect us from violence and war…
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Opinion Honor Alberto Nisman’s Sacrifice by Continuing His Probe of Argentina Bombing
WASHINGTON (JTA) — On Jan. 18, 2015, Argentine terrorism prosecutor Alberto Nisman was found dead with a gunshot wound to his head in what was almost certainly murder, not suicide. Whoever murdered him didn’t just want to kill him but rather his body of work. They wanted to bury the revelations he was about to…
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Opinion Our Representatives Should Attend the Inauguration, and Support Our Institutions
Members of Congress like mine, should attend the Inauguration even if they, like me, believe the president-elect is not worthy of our respect because — and this is important — the peaceful transition of power in our nation is worthy of our respect. President Obama has urged us in these last few days to ensure…
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Opinion Betsy DeVos Shows How Jews Are Failing Early Tests in Age of Trump
Among the many crises plaguing the presidential transition, one has special meaning for American Jews. You could almost call it a test case in the ability of the Jewish community’s expensive network of institutions to serve our needs and handle the scrapes for which they were designed. And they’re failing. If you look closely, we’re…
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Opinion Barack Obama Became the Face of Liberal Zionism — for Better or Worse
(JTA) — During his campaign for president in 2008, I wrote a column suggesting that Barack Obama was struggling to connect with Jews because they weren’t sure that he supported Israel’s cause in his gut — that is, in his kishkes. I may have been the first to apply the term “Kishkes Factor” in relation…
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Opinion Eliot Engel Should Turn His Back on Trump — Not Reach for Handshake
When Donald Trump takes the oath of office Friday, dozens of members of Congress will not be there, including at least three Jewish lawmakers. Sadly, my representative will. By his presence, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-New York), who represents Riverdale and other parts of the Bronx and Westchester County, will honor a president who declares women…
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Opinion Barring Jared Kushner From the White House Would Be Unconstitutional
Commentators and political enemies jumped up crying nepotism the moment on January 9 that the President-elect announced his appointment of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as Senior Adviser to the President in the White House Office. Members of Congress and Mr. Kushner’s own lawyer immediately floated competing interpretations of the federal anti-nepotism law, which purports to…
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Opinion Why We Wouldn’t Let ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ Be Trump’s Anthem
Media controversy makes for big headlines. The follow-up — not so much. In the build-up to the inauguration with the difficulties of booking acts to play for Donald Trump, NPR host Kurt Andersen was discussing the president-elect’s musical taste. On the show, political analyst John Heilemann sang the chorus of “We’re Not Gonna Take It”…
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Letters We Must Continue To Be Vigilant To Avoid Catastrophe
Dear Editor, “Why Won’t More Jewish Groups Condemn Trump’s Shameful Nazi Comparisons?” by Jane Eisner, from January 13, 2017, was compelling. We were justifiably fearful during the campaign when candidate Trump bullied his way through the path to the nomination. The harassment of the media and discriminatory stands against minorities, religions and disadvantaged members of…
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Opinion My Meeting With Fethullah Gülen, the Man Accused of Plotting Turkey’s Coup
Last month, I met with Fethullah Gülen, “the man behind the coup,” according to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey, who accuses this reclusive cleric of being the brains behind the failed coup last summer in Turkey. Since 1999 Gülen has lived in exile from his homeland in a small compound converted out of an…
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Opinion Opening the Gates of Justice at ‘Hashem’s House’
When I was invited to sing in Israel this past Hanukkah, my heart filled with joy at the chance to celebrate the Holiday of Light in the City of Eternal Light. I went in search of truth and to return to my home of homes. But going home is never as easy as you think…
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Holy Ground A Jewish farmer broke ground on a synagogue in an Illinois cornfield. His neighbors showed up to help.
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Opinion I discovered anti-Zionism at the University of Michigan. I’m glad it lives on there
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Culture An Israeli genocide scholar looks to Israel’s history to understand ‘what went wrong’
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Opinion An alarming new battleground in campus fights over Israel
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