Opinion

• Opinion

  Number One!

  You know when you have a hunch, an idea, and you dare to go with it? Set out on an adventure on the wings of a whim? And then find out that you’re an idiot? So I have a silly idea. (In fact, it’s an idea that emerges from the stable of Makom, the Israel…

  By Robbie Gringras

  2 min read
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  Opinion

  Why Liberals Gave Samantha Power the Cold Shoulder — and the Point They Missed

  One thousand Jewish liberals gathered in New York on December 13 for what was billed as a “new Israeli American discussion” about Israel and its future, sponsored by the liberal Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz together with the New Israel Fund. The event was a day-long seminar, addressing such hot-button Israeli issues as Palestinian rights, religion…

  By J.J. Goldberg Dec 15, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  3 Questions About the Salary Survey — and Answers

  The Forward salary survey, now in its seventh year, is an unparalleled collection and analysis of important data about who is leading the big national Jewish charities in America and what they are earning. It’s also put together by humans. That means the process is laced with endless judgment calls — especially since, as far…

  By Jane Eisner Dec 14, 2015 | 3 min read

Columnists View All

• Jay Michaelson What can really be done to prevent antisemitic attacks like Bondi Beach?

  

• Rob Eshman Australia shooting terrifies Jews worldwide — and strengthens the case for Israel

  

• Nora Berman Did crypto-Jews invent the modern tarot deck?

  

• Dan Perry The 3 responses to the Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack that could make Jews safer

  

• Emily Tamkin The fundamental miscalculation behind the GOP’s antisemitism crisis

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  I’m 13 Years Old and Israel’s Chief Rabbi Is Wrong About My School

  On December 1, Israeli Minister of Education Naftali Bennett visited my school, Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan (SSSM). During his visit, me and a couple of other fortunate middle-schoolers got to meet with him and ask him a couple of questions. Minister Bennett was very interested to learn about how our school teaches Judaism. Shortly…

  By Amnon Scharia Dec 14, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Why I Disagree With My Cousin, the Israeli Chief Rabbi

  The other day, I woke at the crack of dawn to finish studying halachic rulings in time for my Jewish Law class at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. But as I was plugging in, social media alerts from several sources alerted me that just minutes ago the Israeli Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi David Lau…

  By Amichai Lau-Lavie Dec 14, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  What Ayman Odeh Teaches Us About the Limits of Open Dialogue

  Arab Israeli MK and Joint List leader Ayman Odeh’s decision not to meet with the Conference of Presidents this week in New York — because the meeting was to be held in Jewish Agency offices — was the right move. As Odeh , “I came here to represent the Arab public in Israel to American…

  By Mairav Zonszein Dec 14, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Time To Crack Down on Newtown ‘Truthers’ Who Tarnish Memory of Noah Pozner

  It’s been three years since we last embraced our precious little boy, Noah. At six-years-old, he was the youngest child murdered at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. While our family may have managed to live through this tragedy, the passage of time has nowhere near dimmed the vivid memory of that day nor made it…

  By Veronique and Lenny Pozner Dec 14, 2015 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  3 Things You Can Do To Help Close Gender Gap

  In 2001, Shifra Bronznick created a national organization with an audacious mission: to advocate for women’s leadership in Jewish not-for-profits, and for policies that were family friendly and gender equitable. It wasn’t easy. But Bronznick was relentless — and visionary. She talked about the need for, and the benefits of, paid family leave long before…

  Dec 14, 2015 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Chief Rabbi’s Criticism of Conservative Jews Is Doomed To Backfire

  (JTA) — At the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly this year, it was made clear that a healthy Jewish community does not have to have unanimity on all issues, but we do need to be unified and, above all else, have civility in our discourse. It was obvious this week that Israel’s Ashkenazi…

  By Jerry Silverman Dec 13, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Why Chief Rabbi Couldn’t Be More Wrong About Conservative School

  Rabbi David Lau’s condemnation this week of Naftali Bennett’s visit to the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan was shortsighted and inaccurate in many ways. Most close to home for me, it denigrated the vital work we are doing at Schechter Manhattan to nurture positive Jewish identity in our students, the future leaders of the American…

  By Benjamin Mann Dec 12, 2015 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  How Republican Hate for Obama Is Burning Up the Planet

  When we talk about the Paris climate talks, most of our attention goes to the tug-of-war between the rich and poor nations. They’re playing chicken over who’ll pick up the tab for warding off disaster. But there’s another confrontation simmering at the edge of the major conference. Discussed mainly in whispers, it carries much higher…

  By J.J. Goldberg Dec 11, 2015 | 4 min read