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
A Referendum on Israeli Occupation Is Not Just Risky — It’s Wrong
As the 50th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank approaches, Israeli peace groups are strategizing. I’ve written before about Daniel Bar Tal’s nascent initiative called Save Israel, Stop the Occupation. Now, two other groups — Blue White Future and Peace Now — have partnered, along with others, to help launch “Decision at…
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Opinion Why This African Israeli Doesn’t Buy Claims of Racism Against Ethiopians
(JTA) — “We are committed to helping ensure that the State of Israel welcomes Jews of all colors.” “We say, we have black lives that matter in Africa.” “In America, race has been a central area of Jewish concern historically.” These are all statements that have been made in the course of a well-orchestrated public…
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Opinion From Muslims to Ebola, Conservatives Always Want To Terrify Us About Something
Remember Ebola? It’s widely thought that our national panic over Ebola cost the Democrats the Senate in 2014. Of course, there were many other factors in play. But do you remember how Republican after Republican got on television to condemn President Obama for “not keeping us safe from Ebola”? Where’s Ebola now? Well, banished back…
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Opinion It’s Hard for Leftists in Israel? That’s Exactly Why You Should Stay.
The most common question I get asked about my decision to immigrate to Israel five years ago is “Why? Why would you move here?” Sometimes it’s asked by earnest American Jews, and sometimes it comes with a tinge of that famous Israeli cynicism. Either way, it raises the specter of another question, one that is…
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Opinion From Albany to Kansas City, the Jewish Community Is Stepping Up for Refugees
One year ago, a photograph of a small Syrian refugee boy woke up the world. Our hearts were broken open by the picture of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, whose body washed up on the Turkish shore after he drowned trying to reach safety. A litany of photographs soon followed: refugees in the back of trucks, on…
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Opinion Why It’s Absurd for a Pastor To Give Donald Trump a Jewish Prayer Shawl
“This is a prayer shawl straight from Israel,” Detroit pastor Bishop Wayne Jackson said as he draped a tallit around Donald Trump’s shoulders on Saturday, casually appropriating a Jewish ritual item for Christian purposes. Trump, who had just addressed the Great Faith Ministries, a black church, in an attempt to make inroads with African-American voters,…
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Opinion On Labor Day, Let’s Consider a New ‘Woman of Valor’
“Eishet Chayil.” The woman of valor. We never sang it in my home — it wasn’t part of our Shabbat tradition — but I’ve sat many times throughout my life at tables where the song was sung, the old dirge melody, ostensibly in honor of the woman of the house. Singing the song, I was always told,…
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Opinion How BDS Is Pushing Jewish Students Out of Social Justice Activism
A Barnard College sophomore recently articulated the sad choice many progressive Jewish students face on campuses around the country. In a Columbia Spectator op-ed, she called on Barnard’s student government to not support a sexual assault prevention group — a group she herself had once helped lead. She took this stand because the group had…
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Opinion Should I Give Up On Changing Israel from Within — and Take a Stand by Leaving?
A debate has been raging in the Israeli left over the past few weeks — primarily in the opinion pages of Haaretz and on my Facebook feed — about Israelis who are choosing to move away from Israel as a political statement. Although these leftists make up only a tiny percentage of Israelis, their departure…
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Opinion America and Israel Share a Weird Political Pathology. It’s Called Denial.
America and Israel have a lot in common. First of all, a strong political right tied to a fundamentalist religious establishment. Second, a highly polarized atmosphere in which each side sees the other as a deadly enemy. Third, a culture in which individuals increasingly side with their social-political-religious tribe rather than thinking independently — and…
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Opinion Why Jews Should Support Colin Kaepernick’s Brave National Anthem Protest
San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernick made waves this week by declining to stand during the national anthem at a pre-season game. Kaepernick, who has sat out the national anthem during at least one previous pre-season game, has faced backlash from those who see the refusal to stand as unpatriotic, disrespectful, and worse — specifically, that…
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News A pioneering Reform synagogue makes way for a booming Iranian Jewish community
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Opinion Who’s responsible for deadly antisemitism? Everyone will hate the answer
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Opinion Epstein and Iran are an antisemitism mega-crisis. Here’s what Jewish organizations should do about it.
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Film & TV Remembering Siskel and Ebert’s great debate: Mel Brooks or Woody Allen?
In Case You Missed It
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News These states want to ban the term ‘West Bank’ and replace it with ‘Judea and Samaria’
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News New York City’s top Jewish officials urge Mamdani to recognize Israel’s centrality to Jewish identity
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Fast Forward A lost film by Israeli B-movie director Sam Firstenberg gets a new life
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Fast Forward Looming large over Israel’s 78th Independence Day celebrations: Argentina’s Javier Milei
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