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
No, Presbyterian Divestment Is Not Anti-Semitic
Twitter Yesterday, Jane Eisner, with whom I most often agree, wrote about the Presbyterian vote to divest from Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions. These are three companies that reportedly participate in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank by providing heavy equipment for the construction of the barrier-fence, the destruction of Palestinian homes and building…
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Opinion When Christians Fight Over Israel
Choir members at the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida / Getty Images When Christians fight, Jews are collateral damage. The prize is Israel, or at least how Americans perceive Israel. That’s one lesson to take away from the Presbyterian Church-USA’s (PC-USA) decision on June 20 to divest from three companies that profit from Israel’s…
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Opinion Why We Should Honor Slain Civil Rights Workers With Jewish Holiday
For much of America, the 50th anniversary of the Mississippi civil rights workers’ murders on June 21 was a moment for quiet reflection. The lessons are familiar, but it’s useful to be reminded now and then: how far we’ve come in a half-century, the price that was paid, the tasks that remain and our stubborn…
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Opinion Why Does U.N. Love Israeli Caves? ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’!
Jesus Christ Superstar filmed in Israel’s Beit Guvrin Bell Caves / Youtube What makes a place so special that it might be considered the inheritance of all humanity — a World Heritage site, as it were? If you were to consult UNESCO’s list of World Heritage criteria, you would see that the international body that…
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Opinion The Jewish Left is Alive and Vibrant
Lital Eliyauh, an Israeli left-wing demonstrator, runs from Israeli tear gas in the West Bank Earlier this week, Jay Michaelson wrote that the Jewish left is in decline and may be dying. As proof, he cited data and statistics, and then went on to provide very few data or statistics. But even if Michaelson had…
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Opinion Why Presbyterian Divestment Feels Like Anti-Semitism
In a hotel ballroom in Jerusalem jammed with journalists from all over the Jewish world, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a rambling speech that covered everything from Iran’s nuclear ambitions to an Israeli cow that he claims produces more milk than any other cow in the world. Really. But I want to focus on his…
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Opinion Holiday for Jewish Refugees? Not Without Nakba Day.
Moroccan Jews living in the Jewish ghetto in Marrakesh circa 1955 / Getty Images I wish I could cheer the latest bill approved by Israel’s Knesset. I should, theoretically, be happy about it — the new law is designed to address the issues of people like me. And yet, when I read about it, I…
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Opinion Why I’m a Liberal — and I Hate the Nanny State
A few months ago I decided to research my genetic history. My partner and I were considering having children, and anyway, I was curious. So I signed up for 23andMe, which offers genetic testing by mail. All I had to do was spit into a vial, and a few weeks later I learned that I…
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Opinion News Quiz: Laverne Cox and Michael Douglas Make News
Greed may be good, but even better is having Michael Douglas right here in this week’s news quiz, along with ad men, airline mishaps and a resume builder you can believe in!
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Opinion Orthodoxy — It’s Not What They Want You To Think
American Apparel’s idea of an Orthodox man What is “Orthodox”? Is it “Haredi”? Is it “Modern”? Is it “Ultra”? Is it “Yeshivish”? These days, the Orthodox world is a confusing place. Fifty years ago, Orthodox Jews (who had been known at the turn of the 20th century as “Traditionalist”) talked about three flavors of Orthodoxy:…
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Opinion Why Supporting Israel Isn’t All in the Family Anymore
‘There’s been a kidnapping in the family,” wrote Haaretz columnist Bradley Burston, of Israel’s reaction to the ongoing agony over three missing teenagers, still gone as of this writing. It feels that way in America, too. Whatever angst exists in the relationship between American Jews and Israel disappears in times of crisis, evidence of a…
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