Opinion

• Opinion

  WhatsApp Is Way of Life for Israelis

  (JTA) — When my simple Nokia flip-phone broke last year and could not be repaired because it was so old, I upgraded – kicking and screaming – to an iPhone. My 14-year-old son – who is dying for a smartphone but has to make do with his iPod – handled downloading the apps, telling me…

  By Marcy Oster

  2 min read
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  Opinion

  Let’s Bet on Peace in Middle East — for Sake of Israel

  (JTA) — John Kerry is not a naive man. I met him recently at a luncheon at Georgetown University with a small group of Christian, Muslim and Jewish faith leaders brought together to hear the secretary of state’s frank reflections on the peace process. While deeply aware of the complexities and obstacles to peace, Kerry…

  By Sharon Brous Feb 11, 2014 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Tiger Mom, Why Not Raise a Little Mensch?

  The success of Jews has long been framed as a riddle to solve. Was it all that studying? The centuries of involvement in the money-lending business? Or maybe, the most controversial theory of them all, it’s genetic? The Chinese, for one, think our recipe for money-making lies in the Talmud. The latest attempt to crack…

  By Elissa Strauss Feb 11, 2014 | 4 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

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  Opinion

  The Jewish Lonely Hearts Who Meet Online

  When a Jewish baby is born, it is traditional to say, “May she/he be worthy of ascending to Torah, the wedding canopy and good deeds.” Or, as we single Jews find ourselves saying: “Thanks for the good wishes, but what’s with all the pressure? Two out of three ain’t bad, and I’m trying. I’m even…

  By Esther D. Kustanowitz Feb 11, 2014 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Anti-Semitism? Self-Segregation Isn’t the Answer

  Anti-Semitism in Europe is, once again, making headlines. In Paris, crowds sang, “Jews, France is not yours” at an anti-government protest last month. In Rome, a right-wing extremist mailed three pig heads to major Jewish sites, and Italy had its own anti-government protest — complete with anti-Semitic slogans — a couple of months ago. Plus,…

  By Anna Momigliano Feb 11, 2014 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Finding New ADL Chief: Hard. Replacing Foxman: Impossible

  The Anti-Defamation League will surely find a new national director to take over when Abe Foxman retires in July 2015, but it won’t replace Abe Foxman. And it won’t be the same ADL. For one thing, he’ll be a hard act to follow. There’s nobody quite like him, inside the league or outside. Nobody with…

  By J.J. Goldberg Feb 11, 2014 | 5 min read
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  Opinion

  7 Secrets of Highly Successful Synagogues — and Churches

  Less than one-third of American Jews belong to a synagogue, according to the Pew Research Center study of 3,475 Jews. And while a third is nothing to sneeze at, it does leave plenty for the picking. Ah, but how? While some synagogues are bursting with everyone from babies to bubbes, it’s no secret that others…

  By Lenore Skenazy Feb 11, 2014 | 9 min read
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  Opinion

  Handing Over the JDate Keys to My Mom

  ‘I have a good feeling about this,” my mother says. Which is refreshing to hear, since we are talking about my dating life, and most conversations about my dating life just turn into nonsensical debates over why the heck I’m still single — with an added serving spoon of Jewish guilt for me to do…

  By Jen Glantz Feb 11, 2014 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Chatting With JDate’s CEO

  The Forward interviewed Greg Liberman who has been president and CEO of Spark Networks since 2004. The company started with JDate, but now runs 20 other niche dating sites, including the popular Christian Mingle. Forward: Why do you think JDate has been so successful at doing something that the Jewish community has had such a…

  By Doni Bloomfield Feb 10, 2014 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  JDate Works for Profit — and the Continuity of the Jewish People

  As a businessperson who manages for-profit companies, I spend much of my time evaluating the merits of future projects based on their capacity to generate return on investment. A year ago I was invited — unrelated to my day job — to give a Jewish TED-style talk analyzing a company with which I have no…

  By Sam Z. Glassenberg Feb 10, 2014 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  News Quiz: Sochi Food, Hummus and Chuck Schumer

  This week’s Jewish News Quiz heads to Sochi, high fives skater Jason Brown, then comes back home to Hasidim, hummus and Chuck Schumer. Somehow, there’s always Schumer.

  By Lenore Skenazy Feb 10, 2014 | < 1 min read