Opinion

• Opinion

  News Quiz: What is Javier Bardem’s Big Regret?

  Singers, swingers and Klingons . They’re all here in this week’s quiz, along with Javier Bardem — who probably wishes he wasn’t.

  By Lenore Skenazy

  < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  4 Things About the Times of Israel ‘Genocide’ Blunder

  So the blogosphere and social media were aflutter late last week over a post by a blogger at the Times of Israel which raised the possibility that Israel is justified in committing genocide against Hamas. Here are my four take-aways: It’s best to first read the thing you are railing against. The post, by Yochanan…

  By Jane Eisner Aug 5, 2014 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  A Punk Rocker, Tisha B’Av and Our Love of History

  The receptionist looked horrified. Well, maybe I exaggerate a bit. But she was definitely taken aback by the visitor, whose longish reddish hair, wrap-around sunglasses, piercings, leather jacket (over a tee) and boots set him apart from most of the people who are usually buzzed into Agudath Israel’s offices. I had been expecting him. He…

  Aug 4, 2014 | 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

  Is Gaza Carnage Just the Start?

  (Reuters) — The existential vise in which the state of Israel lives is tightening as the civilian body count and property destruction in the Gaza Strip mount. The latest war between Israel and Hamas is further testament to the historical fact that Israel’s forefathers had to conquer the land that today’s Israelis dwell in and…

  By John Lloyd Aug 4, 2014 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Why No Photos of Hamas Militants?

  Getty Images (JTA) — There’s no shortage of images from the Gaza conflict. We’ve seen rubble, dead Palestinian children, Israelis cowering during rocket attacks, Israeli military maneuvers and IDF footage of Hamas militants emerging from tunnels to attack Israeli soldiers. What we haven’t seen are practically any images of Hamas fighters inside Gaza. We know…

  By Uriel Heilman Aug 4, 2014 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  New Fights Loom as Israel Slows Gaza Fire

  The determination that the Israeli infantry officer thought to have been captured is in fact dead has changed the trajectory of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Operation Protective Edge, which now appears to be winding down. Military officers were quoted by Walla News and Haaretz late Saturday night as saying that IDF engineers will be…

  By J.J. Goldberg Aug 4, 2014 | 6 min read
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  Opinion

  The Turkey Conundrum

  On July 23, a Turkish group called on social media for a boycott of the books of Turkish Jewish novelist Mario Levi. The famous novelist was born in Istanbul, and one of his best-known novels is “Istanbul Was a Fairy Tale.” However, being throughly Turkish did not shield him from the anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli wind…

  By Ofra Bengio Aug 4, 2014 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  An IDF Reservist on Life at the (Protective) Edge

  This was posted this morning at Haaretz in Hebrew by Niv Shtendel, an Israeli blogger, filmmaker, author, film and television critic for Haaretz and Maariv. It describes his experience of — and impressions of — Operation Protective Edge as a middle-aged reservist called up to the front. My translation, so any mistakes are mine alone….

  By J.J. Goldberg Aug 3, 2014 | 7 min read
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  Opinion

  Where Is Our Compassion?

  It is all too easy to become inured to the horrors of war. What at first shocks us soon ceases even to arouse our attention. After decades of violent conflict, Israelis have become tragically accustomed to violence. Operation Protective Edge is just the latest in a long line of military operations and wars that Israel…

  By Dov Waxman Aug 3, 2014 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Prayers for the State of Israel. Yes, Now, on Tisha B’Av

  I get the impression that a lot of folks are feeling lost and helpless right now as we watch the tragedy unfolding in Israel and Gaza. Especially with Tisha b’Av approaching, people are looking for some way to express what they’re feeling in a manner that joins them with others in a community of spirit,…

  By J.J. Goldberg Aug 1, 2014 | 5 min read
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  Opinion

  Genocide Is Always Wrong

  It seems impossible to me that I am typing this line: Genocide is never permissible. Full stop. That one would even need to type such a line destroys me. That an author proposed such an idea? A horror. But It is also his newspaper. It is also the world he – they? We? – live…

  By Sarah Wildman Aug 1, 2014 | 3 min read