In the Forward’s opinion section, you’ll find analysis and essays from diverse corners of the Jewish world.
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Opinion
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Opinion
How Netanyahu Put the Democrats to Shame
House Democrats listen to Netanyahu’s speech / Getty Images As the echo of the sustained ovations that greeted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress began to fade, Democratic apologists for the Obama administration had a problem. For several weeks, the White House succeeded in focusing attention on the question of…
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Opinion 11 Lies Netanyahu Told Congress on Iran
Getty Images / Lior Zaltzman The case Netanyahu laid out against an Iran deal in his address to Congress revolves around 11 core arguments. Think they sound convincing? Look at those arguments one by one, and you’ll see why each of them is bogus. Argument #1. More pressure can secure a better deal with Iran…
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Opinion Netanyahu’s Speech Just Raised the Stakes for All
Getty Images Benjamin Netanyahu dramatically, effectively — and perhaps, dangerously — raised the stakes in his speech to Congress today. The Israeli prime minister employed his considerable rhetorical skills to command the room, describing Iran in terms designed to frighten and excite, painting a ferocious picture of a nation hell bent on exporting its vicious…
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Opinion READ: Transcript of Netanyahu’s Speech to Congress
Getty Images Speaker of the House John Boehner, President Pro Tem Senator Orrin Hatch, Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, And House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, I also want to acknowledge Senator, Democratic Leader Harry Reid. Harry, it’s good to see you back on your feet. I guess it’s true what…
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Opinion Prayer for Agunot by Shelley Frier List
Creator of heaven and earth. / May it be your will to free the captive wives of Israel / When love and sanctity have fled the home, / But their husbands bind them in the tatters of ketubot. / Remove the bitter burden from these agunot and / Soften the hearts of their misguided captors….
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Opinion Preparing to Fast and Shpiel
It must be embroidered on a sampler somewhere: “Before Jews party, they should suffer a little.” Thus, we fast the day before Purim. Purim is, hands down, the biggest party of the Jewish year. Forget fall’s Simchat Torah, with its sips of single malt, THIS is the Big Megillah and we’re supposed to get trashed….
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Opinion Grappling With God’s Wrathful Side
Godology is a monthly conversation between *Forward columnist Elissa Strauss and Rabbi Scott Perlo in which they explore what it means to be “Godish” — to kind of, sort of, believe in God. SCOTT: Elissa, I think that most people take it as an article of faith that the angry “Old Testament God,” as some…
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Opinion The Real Existential Threat Is Not Iran. It’s Bibi.
Getty Images / Lior Zaltzman On the eve of his departure to Washington this week, Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli press assembled on the airport tarmac that he had a “sacred duty” to do everything in his power to protect Israel and the Jewish people from existential threats. As Netanyahu has said nearly every time…
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Opinion Bibi Should Speak to Congress — and We Should Listen!
Getty Images / Lior Zaltzman Despite all the chatter to the contrary, it’s important for Netanyahu to speak before Congress tomorrow — and we should all hear him out. For those of us who don’t yet see why — who focus too much on protocol and politics and L’Affaire Boehner and so may have missed…
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Opinion 4 Questions for Benjamin Netanyahu
Getty Images (JTA) — Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu: As American Jewish progressive Zionists, we are deeply worried about the threat that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose to Israel. We know you would like pro-Israel Jews to publicly defend your positions on Iran and your plans to speak to Congress next week. But we need some…
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Opinion Defending Lord Sinderby
I write in support of Lord Sinderby. Surely you’ve seen his character on “Downton Abbey”: more dour than Carson the butler, more rigid than Lord Grantham, Sinderby is a self-made Jew who is implacably opposed to his son’s marriage to a non-Jew. On the very morning of the wedding in a registry (no church or…
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