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
Why the New York Times Owes Us All a Big Explanation on Israel ‘Occupation’ Blunder
When I saw the headline of the New York Times article, “A split over Israel threatens the Democrats’ hope for unity” I was immediately drawn to read the story. It sounded ominous. What exactly is it about Israel that is crushing the Democratic Party’s hopes and standing in the way of their unity? Just two…
-
Opinion Jonathan Sacks Calls for Morality Along With Economics in Templeton Prize Speech
After 40 years, the jury is still out over the worth of the Templeton Prize. Most people have never heard of this Anglo-American award that goes to someone who has made “an exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension.” But its prestige is inarguable. Presented by a high-ranking member of the British royal family —…
-
Opinion Could Sins of Sara Netanyahu Force Bibi’s Downfall (He Wouldn’t Be the First)?
Twenty years to the day Benjamin Netanyahu won his first election, scraping past Shimon Peres by less than 30,000 votes, he received an anniversary gift: the police recommendation to press charges against his wife for misuse of public funds for the upkeep of their private residence in Caesarea. Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit, Netayahu’s former cabinet secretary…
Columnists View All
The Latest
-
Opinion From Donald Trump to Israel and Europe, Why This Lurch to the Right?
To quote Donald Trump, “What the hell is going on?” The global rise of right-wing populism — in the United States, across Europe and now in Israel — is clearly the leading news story of 2016. Each week, Trump says something outrageous that hasn’t been said by a mainstream politician in half a century. And…
-
Opinion Those Rapping Bais Yaakov Girls Are Not Weird — Or Even Surprising
Jewish media outlets were surprised and delighted by a recent viral video of two Bais Yaakov girls rapping about Dor Yesharim, a genetic testing organization. I was delighted, too. Surprised? Not at all. While there was nothing shocking to me about two Orthodox teenage girls rapping, the responses to the video have been both surprising…
-
Opinion How Right-Wing Critics Who Slammed My Book Proved Its Point on Israel
My recently published book, “Trouble in the Tribe: The American Jewish Conflict over Israel,” is not a polemic. It is not a critique of Israel. In fact, it is not really about Israel at all. It’s about how American Jews relate to Israel and increasingly fight over Israel — an argument that says much more…
-
Opinion Hoping To Stabilize His Cabinet, Benjamin Netanyahu Destabilizes Israeli Democracy
Benjamin Netanyahu was probably just aiming to broaden and stabilize his shaky coalition, with its precarious one-seat parliamentary majority, when he decided to bring in Avigdor Lieberman, the bombastic ultra-nationalist, as defense minister and de facto second-in-command. It’s often the case with Netanyahu, however, that what begins as a simple survival tactic quickly escalates into…
-
Opinion Debbie Wasserman Schultz Is Feeling the Bern — Let That Be a Lesson to Democrats!
Top Democrats are considering removing Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Congresswoman from south Florida, from her post — much to the delight of Bernie Sanders supporters. Many see Wasserman Schultz as a figurehead of the party establishment that is nakedly stacking the deck in favor of Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries….
-
Opinion It’s Time Orthodox Jews Speak Out Against Shomrim Patrol
The Brooklyn Hasidim accused of beating a young, gay black man named Taj Patterson back in 2013 are reportedly about to get a plea deal so sweet, they won’t serve a single day in prison. Patterson, who was beaten so badly that he was left blind in one eye, and who had homophobic slurs hurled…
-
Opinion If Bernie Sanders Has an Actual Plan for Israel and the Palestinians, He’d Better Say So Now
To this unpredictable, irony-filled presidential election campaign, add this: The first Jewish candidate to win state primaries and amass millions of votes is also the one trying to steer the Democratic Party platform away from its full-throated support of Israel. By appointing outspoken critics of the Israeli government as his representatives on the platform committee,…
-
Opinion Actually, Avigdor Lieberman Is Just What Israel Needs Right Now
Peaceniks may be up in arms about the appointment of Avigdor Lieberman as Israel’s next minister of defense, but the country’s enemies are worried — and rightly so. Yes, as the inevitable flurry of articles accompanying his appointment are sure to point out, Lieberman once said that Israel could bomb the Aswan dam in the…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
Fast Forward Expelled Oberlin Chabad rabbi says he ‘made a mistake’ with explicit social media chats
- 2
Culture Louis Theroux’s Netflix documentary on the manosphere takes a detour into antisemitism
- 3
Fast Forward Illinois primary pits Jewish candidate with deep Israel ties against AIPAC spending
- 4
Opinion Trump has forced an impossible choice on American synagogues amid antisemitic attacks
In Case You Missed It
-
Opinion We must rewrite the rulebook for fighting antisemitism — or conspiracists like Joe Kent will win the narrative wars
-
Fast Forward Joe Kent, now under investigation, insinuates to Tucker Carlson that Israel might have killed Charlie Kirk to stoke Iran war
-
Fast Forward ‘I’m alive!’: Netanyahu speaks in-person amid ongoing online rumors claiming he’s dead
-
Fast Forward Can James Talarico’s faith-forward politics invigorate the Jewish religious left?
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
