Opinion

• Opinion

  The Seder Is a Mother

  In a traditional nuclear Jewish family, there’s no denying that the father is the apparent authority figure. To be sure, it’s often, if not always, the case that the mother’s will and wisdom are what persevere. But, at least concerning appearances, it’s Dad who’s the “boss.” And perhaps never as obviously as at a traditional…

  3 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Lithuania vs. Morocco — Whose Jewish Museum Wins?

  Model of a Rabat Jewish bride in her finery / Jewish Museum in Casablanca I was fortunate enough to travel this month to both Morocco and Lithuania — the former for a class trip, the latter for an attempt to become acquainted with the land of my ancestors, including my ancestral hometown of Panevėžys (Ponevezh)….

  By Jonathan Katz Mar 30, 2015 | 4 min read
• 
  Opinion

  The ‘Stranger’ at Your Passover Seder? That’s Me.

  Illustration by Lior Zaltzman A week before my first Passover Seder, a friend took me to her local Chabad, where the rabbi outlined the ritual for us, from washing our hands to reading the Haggadah to eating the little sandwich. “You’ll do fine,” the rabbi said to me as I was leaving, which confused me…

  By Kelsey Osgood Mar 30, 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

• 
  Opinion

  John Boehner’s Double Standard on Bibi — and Obama

  In case you missed it: The No. 1 best comedy line of the weekend came from one of our best deadpan straight men, House Speaker John Boehner, Republican of Ohio. It came during a Sunday interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.” They were talking about the Israeli prime minister’s flip-flop on…

  By J.J. Goldberg Mar 30, 2015 | 6 min read
• 
  Opinion

  1 Thing Moroccans Want All Jews To Know

  Moroccan Berbers, seeking to build better ties with Jews, celebrate a traditional wedding / Getty Images One of the most intellectually stimulating weeks of my life was the one I recently spent in Morocco. More than the architecture or the food, the thing that stimulated me most — and that made me think of Ashkenormativity…

  By Jonathan Katz Mar 29, 2015 | 3 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Can You Vote in France While Wearing a Kippah?

  Can you vote in France while wearing a kippah? That was the debate that erupted among officials at the polling station on Sunday when Rabbi Avraham Weill, the Chief Rabbi of Toulouse, a city in southern France, went to vote in the municipal elections. He was initially turned away on account of his offensive attire…

  By Jesse Lempel Mar 29, 2015 | 2 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Who’s Making the Matzo Balls?

  **** is a new multi-media project that will look at who does what to make Jewish holidays at home happen. On one hand, households are more egalitarian than ever. On the other hand, women still do more housework than men. By some measures, it’s double. Over the course of the year we will be running…

  By Elissa Strauss Mar 29, 2015 | 7 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Is Ted Cruz Leading in ‘Sheldon Adelson Primary’?

  Getty Images Shmuley Boteach may have just dropped a major clue in one of the biggest mysteries of the 2016 Republican primary: Who does Sheldon Adelson like? In an email yesterday, Boteach’s charity, This World Values Network, announced that Texas senator and Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz would be a guest of honor at its…

  By Josh Nathan-Kazis Mar 27, 2015 | 2 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Next Time Your Jewish Parents Nag You, Try This!

  A still from The Brother Mike tapes You’ve been there. We all have. Your Jewish parents bust into your room and start their nagging routine: the command (“Clean up this junk!”); the bafflement (“How can anybody live like this?!”); the fake concern (“I’m only saying this because I love you!”); the guilt (“Don’t you know…

  By Sigal Samuel Mar 26, 2015 | 2 min read
• 
  Opinion

  When We Include Rabbis With Disabilities, Everyone Wins

  Eytan Yammer, William Tepper, Carnie Shalom Rose We expect a lot of our rabbis and most of them do their best to deliver. They head our congregations and often become public faces of the community. They are dedicated to the physical and spiritual wellbeing of their members and can be exemplars of service. But some…

  By Jay Ruderman Mar 26, 2015 | 3 min read
• 
  Opinion

  The Dilemma

  Benjamin Netanyahu’s surprising and decisive victory in the Israeli elections has created a wrenching dilemma for many American Jews: How to continue to love Israel while a government that violates many of our community’s values is in place? This is likely not an issue for those who unequivocally support Netanyahu’s aggressive, nationalistic stance and cheer…

  Mar 26, 2015 | 4 min read