Opinion

• Opinion

  Israel’s Most Dangerous Enemy

  The most dangerous current threat to Israel may well be Danny Danon, Deputy Minister of Defense and a star of Likud, the linchpin of the governing coalition. He is, in Robert Kennedy’s language characterizing Jimmy Hoffa, “the enemy within.” True, Israel is threatened by Palestinian and other would-be terrorists who seek to maim and murder…

  By Leonard Fein

  3 min read
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  Opinion

  Looking Beyond the Visionaries

  A generation ago, philanthropists and foundations launched a concerted effort to bring more creativity and vitality to Jewish life. They funded visionaries who they hoped would inspire a renaissance in Jewish life. Through vehicles such as Bikkurim: An Incubator for New Jewish Ideas, the Joshua Venture Group, the Wexner Graduate Fellowship and the Bronfman Fellowships,…

  By Dana Raucher Jun 28, 2013 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Brazil Grapples With Crisis of Expectations

  Peering in from the outside, it may be tricky to understand what’s going on in Brazil right now Unlike Tunisians and Egyptians, Brazilians did not take to the streets in historic demonstrations last week to overthrow an authoritarian government. After enduring a two-decade-long dictatorship, we’ve been living under democratic rule since the mid-1980s, and those…

  By Andrea Palatnik Jun 28, 2013 | 2 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 There’s a shocking new report on civilian deaths in Gaza. If only it were accurate.

  

• Nora Berman Is Netflix’s new show the most Jewish cartoon ever?

  

• Dan Perry Israel’s new gift to the far right could help end the Gaza war

  

• Emily Tamkin Entering motherhood — and an obsession with the works of an Italian Jewish literary hero

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  Should Kerry Bother?

  We are of a mind to tell U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry not to bother. That is not the usual attitude of this page, which has repeatedly spoken out in favor of the two-state solution and a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, brokered by the United States with the help of any…

  Jun 28, 2013 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Supreme Court Upholds Tyranny of the Majority — and Tarnishes Itself

  And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: … Do not do injustice in judgment by favoring the poor or deferring to the rich, but judge your neighbor in righteousness. (LEV. 19:1-15) Joshua ben Perachiah said: Judge every person to the side of merit. (MISHNAH PIRKEI…

  By J.J. Goldberg Jun 28, 2013 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Family of the Wall

  Comedian Sarah Silverman is known for her outrageous shtick. But her sister, Rabbi Susan Silverman, and niece, Hallel, have become leading members of the Israeli activist group Women of the Wall, which fights for women’s rights to pray as they see fit at the Western Wall. The Silvermans are well known for their involvement in…

  By Harvey Stein Jun 28, 2013 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  ‘Jewish’ Archbishop of Canterbury at Yad Vashem

  There was an unusual moment at Yad Vashem today. As virtually all foreign dignitaries do, the head of the Anglican church went to Yad Vashem during his visit to Jerusalem. And there, he encountered his own Jewish heritage in a stark and poignant way. As Archbishop of Canterbury, enthroned in March, Justin Welby leads the…

  By Nathan Jeffay Jun 27, 2013 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Bibi: Peace Essential, But Won’t End Israel-Bashing

  Haaretz reporter Barak Ravid writes that Secretary of State Kerry is arriving in Israel today amid “no signs” that he’s “nearing a breakthrough” toward peace talks. The funny thing is, it’s in the middle of an article that reports clear signs of a breakthrough. Specifically, he reports on a “senior Likud minister” telling him Netanyahu…

  By J.J. Goldberg Jun 27, 2013 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Anti-Israel Gay Group Stirs Toronto Controversy

  They’re back! And just in time for Toronto’s Gay Pride parade on Sunday, June 30. Who’s back? None other than Canada’s most high profile anti-Zionist gay organization — Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA). Formed by Toronto LGBT activists on the platform that Israel exists as an apartheid state and oppresses Palestinians — including LGBT Palestinians…

  By Lorne Opler Jun 27, 2013 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  ‘We Can Marry for Love’

  Big smiles and excited eyes were all around at one Greenwich Village synagogue on Wednesday noon. Members of Beit Simchat Torah, a congregation that has been a strong advocate for LGBT rights for four decades, were stopping by to congratulate each other and celebrate the historic moment. Two hours earlier, the Supreme Court delivered landmark…

  By Yermi Brenner Jun 27, 2013 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Mixed Blessing of Supreme Court’s Decisions on Gay Marriage and Voting Rights

  What does it feel like to be gay and Jewish, after the Supreme Court affirmed same-sex marriage? It depends on what being gay and being Jewish means. If these identities are like teams (or tribes) to which one belongs, then this last week was a glorious time to be gay, and a basically irrelevant one…

  By Jay Michaelson Jun 27, 2013 | 3 min read