Opinion

• Opinion

  In Aftermath of Paris Attacks, a Lesson from the Holocaust

  As media attention focuses on the question of whether any of the Paris attackers entered Europe as refugees, I offer a few thoughts. First, it is important to recognize there is a risk that a small number of extremists might infiltrate refugee flows. Advocates for generous asylum policies — of which I am one —…

  By Rex Brynen

  2 min read
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  Opinion

  If Temple Mount Provocation Is Bad, What About Women of the Wall?

  With the worst (one hopes) of the recent spate of stabbings in Israel in the rearview mirror, it’s time to reap the benefits of hindsight. One benefit, as disturbing as it is undeniable, is the realization that violence lies just beneath the surface of at least a portion of Palestinian society. All that’s needed for…

  Nov 13, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Hope and Foreboding for Jews on Streets of Paris

  I have visited Europe many times, but last week I looked at it through a new lens in my first trip as CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. I undertook the trip after an invitation to address the annual meeting of the CRIF, the representative body for the French Jewish community and a valued ADL partner….

  By Jonathan A. Greenblatt Nov 12, 2015 | 3 min read

Columnists View All

• Jodi Rudoren This is my last column as editor of the Forward

  

• Jay Michaelson American Jews were played — now what?

  

• Rob Eshman I have the answer to Jon Stewart’s toughest question about Israel

  

• Nora Berman ‘Eddington’ is full of conspiracy theories but it’s not about Jews. Or is it?

  

• Dan Perry Recognizing a Palestinian state is a great way to doom Palestinians

  

• Emily Tamkin Is starvation in Gaza really Israel’s fault? The facts are clear

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  Getting Past Iran Feud Is Least of Federations’ Problems

  It was hard to escape the feeling that things were a little backward when the Jewish Federations of North America, the national network of local Jewish federated charities, convened in Washington on November 8 for its annual General Assembly. The organization was emerging from a painful, months-long crisis after being caught in the crossfire of…

  By J.J. Goldberg Nov 12, 2015 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  After Charm Offensive, Time for Benjamin Netanyahu To Act for Israel’s Sake

  (UPDATED) President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have made up, and American Jews can breathe a sigh of relief. Such is the conventional wisdom, anyway, the first reaction of those among us who become anxious, angry or alienated every time leaders of the U.S. and Israel are at odds, as if we are…

  By Jane Eisner Nov 11, 2015 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Is a New Edition of ‘Mein Kampf’ Really Such a Bad Idea?

  Last year, Ben Carson, the leading candidate for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, urged Americans to read “Mein Kampf.” Hitler’s classic, Carson explained, reveals the true nature of President Obama’s agenda. He neglected, however, to illustrate his point with the GOP’s favorite bogeyman, France. This is a country, after all, where only old or dubious…

  By Robert Zaretsky Nov 11, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Letters

  Why Hillary Clinton’s Opinion Piece Was Disappointing

  Dear Editor, Hillary Clinton’s (Nov. 4, 2015) was a real disappointment. Her promise to “combat growing efforts to isolate Israel internationally and to undermine its future as a Jewish state” is illusory. Israel has a viable future only as a modern pluralistic civil society where all residents, Jewish or not, are equal citizens under the…

  Nov 10, 2015 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Misusing Hard Data To Paint Palestinians As Irrational Animals

  In a lengthy essay titled and published in Mosaic, Daniel Polisar provides a detailed analysis of Palestinian public opinion of the kind that a professional pollster can appreciate: he draws on multiple sources, representing some of the trustworthiest Palestinian pollsters, and examines trends over time from numerous angles. Unfortunately, Polisar’s conclusions bear all the markings…

  By Dahlia Scheindlin Nov 10, 2015 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  How College Can Put the Jewish in Children of Intermarriage

  The late great baseball player and philosopher Yogi Berra once quipped, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Our new study, “Millennial Children of Intermarriage: Touchpoints and Trajectories of Jewish Engagement,” attests to Berra’s wisdom. Despite decades of worry that American “children of intermarriage” would be lost to the community, a large-scale study of young adult…

  By Leonard Saxe Fern Chertok and Theodore Sasson Nov 10, 2015 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  How To Fix Conservative Judaism’s Brand Problem

  When Alan R. Mulally was first introduced as CEO of the Ford Motor Company in 2006, during a time of turmoil in the auto industry, he was asked by an employee what kind of car he drove. His answer, “A Lexus. It’s the finest car in the world.” Lexus is made by Toyota. This story…

  By Joshua Rabin Nov 9, 2015 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  On Women Rabbis, We All Talk Past Each Other. Here’s Why.

  Since the Rabbinical Council of America voted to pass a resolution opposing any sort of ordination for women in the Orthodox world, Jews of all denominations have been talking past each other. For some, the granting of ordination to women and their hiring as clergy are developments not only long overdue, but also sensible, fair…

  By Alan Krinsky Nov 9, 2015 | 4 min read