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
Is Israel Borrowing from Vladimir Putin’s Playbook?
If you’re concerned about Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked’s introduction of a bill and to self-identify documents they submit to legislators, read on. If you’ve heard about Vladimir Putin’s decade-long campaign against NGOs in Russia with foreign funding, which led to eventually kicking almost all of them out and to undermining any vestige of democracy…
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Opinion Why I Don’t Want Bernie Sanders To ‘Talk Jewish’
(JTA) — At a campaign event in Virginia last week, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders invoked his Judaism in response to a question about Islamophobia in the media. The exchange drew widespread attention, in part because Sanders has mostly avoided discussion of how his religion informs his politics. The contrast between his approach and that…
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Opinion Orthodox Women Should Thank Feminists Who Came Before — But They Won’t
I’ll begin by saying this. I’m really excited at the idea that Modern Orthodox women leaders, some of them friends of mine, are getting support pouring in from all corners of the Jewish world. Well, maybe not all, but many. This includes the CCAR, the umbrella organization for Reform rabbis. It is truly inspiring. So…
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The Latest
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Opinion Why All Jews Should Speak Out About Orthodox Ban on Women Rabbis
(UPDATED) When mainstream Orthodox rabbis repeated their absolute opposition to ordaining women, in a statement issued late on the afternoon of Friday, October 30, I found that my predictable feminist outrage was tempered by an unpredictable shrug. Really, why should I care about what the Rabbinical Council of America says, anyway? I am not an…
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Opinion How I Would Reaffirm Unbreakable Bond With Israel — and Benjamin Netanyahu
We have recently marked the 20th anniversary of the assassination of then Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, a good friend, a courageous warrior and a great statesman. This somber anniversary, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington on November 9, is an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bonds of friendship and unity between the…
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Opinion A Lawsuit Cannot Stop the ‘Facebook Intifada.’ You Might.
A consortium of pro-Israel organizations has filed a class-action lawsuit against Facebook, seeking to force the social media giant to censor “incitement” and stop linking “terrorists” with one another. This is a 20th-century solution to a 21st-century problem, and will not work. Fortunately, there is a better way. There is no question that social media…
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Opinion Israel’s Top Generals Split With Benjamin Netanyahu on Roots of Terror Wave
Benjamin Netanyahu probably thinks he got the last laugh after the international uproar he touched off with his “Hitler didn’t want to exterminate the Jews” speech on October 20. But he just might have opened up a whole new can of worms. The Israeli prime minister was bombarded with criticism by everyone from Knesset opposition…
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Letters What To Do After Expelling a Rabbi
To The Editor, Over the past week we have worked with Paul Berger and The Forward to respond to questions for his article, We are pained to see any abuse or misconduct in our community. Eric Siroka’s actions are completely unacceptable to us, and we are fully committed to the sanctity, safety and security of…
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Opinion How Much Does Your Kid Really Know About Israel?
How much do Jewish kids know about Israel? According to a new report, very little. A team of researchers from Brandeis University created a multiple-choice test for measuring Israel literacy. Like so many multiple-choice tests of literacy conducted over the last century, this one found that kids don’t know enough. While most students knew that…
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Opinion Why My Jordanian Students Thought I Was Lying About Judaism
“So, wait, Miss — there is a difference between Jews and Israelis?” Coming from a seventh-grade Jordanian of Palestinian origin, this question was a breakthrough in my classroom. As a foreign teacher in a private Jordanian school, I need to be careful what I say in front of my students. I am not allowed to…
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Opinion What Would Yitzhak Rabin Think of Today’s Violence?
“A gun that appears in the first act will be shot in the third.” I thought about this phrase often after the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Many of those around me argued that the writing was on the wall and that all you had to do was look to see what was coming. And I…
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