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
A Jewish Fight for Public Education
Jews hold education sacred, and for good reason. An educated citizenry is a necessary precondition for any democracy. Similarly, for Jews of the rabbinic era — characterized by, among other things, a devolution of authority to local rabbinic leaders — education and learning have become a necessary precondition for engagement in the full kaleidoscope of…
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Opinion Ron Paul To Keynote Parley of Anti-Semites
Former Texas Congressman and perennial GOP presidential contender Ron Paul is scheduled to keynote a conference in Canada next weekend of a “radical traditionalist” Catholic organization that’s described by human rights organizations as a major center of anti-Semitism. Other scheduled conference speakers include John McManus, president of the John Birch Society, the hoary staple of…
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Opinion End of Jonathan Sacks Era
Two countries; two chief rabbinates. But the institutions could hardly be more different. I have spent part of this summer observing the Chief Rabbi elections in Israel, and part in the U.K., hearing the opinions of British Jews about the end of the Jonathan Sacks era, with their Chief Rabbi (or strictly speaking the Chief…
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Opinion Syria in the Crosshairs, All Outcomes Terrible
Rosh Hashanah, tradition teaches, is the birthday of the world, the mother of all new beginnings. This year, alas, you’d be forgiven for feeling as though it’s more like the end of the world. If so, it’s somehow fitting that it’s ending right where it began, somewhere east of Eden in the Fertile Crescent, in…
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Opinion As War Nears, Ghosts of Bush’s Iraq Haunt Obama
The United States moved several steps closer Friday to attacking Syria. President Obama strategized by phone with the British and French leaders, and briefly addressed reporters (video here, transcript here), just before a meeting with Baltic leaders, about the options he’s considering for responding to Syria’s reported use of chemical weapons. French president Francois Hollande…
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Opinion After Katrina, New Orleans Jews Bounce Back by Sticking to Polyglot Roots
Gumbo, the official dish of the state of Louisiana, combines many singular ingredients to create a beloved dish unique to this special part of our country. With foundations in many cultures — French, Spanish, African, indigenous, German and Spanish — gumbo describes the exciting diversity that is the New Orleans community. According to the Goldring/Woldenberg…
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Opinion Looking for a Shul for the Holidays?
As we head into the New Year, Jews around the world are getting ready to reflect, party, pray, and of course, eat! NEXT: A Division of Birthright Israel Foundation wanted to make it easier to find a High Holiday experience that’s fun, meaningful and close by, so they created an interactive map. With more than…
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Opinion ‘Dr. King Demanded Justice’
The following speech was delivered at this week’s ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Fifty years ago a Rabbi shared these steps with Dr. King and began his remarks by saying, “I speak to you as an American Jew.” My name is Alan van Capelle, and today I speak to you…
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Opinion Only 200 Words About Abuse at Y.U.
Here are the numbers you need to know regarding the Yeshiva University sex scandal. Nearly two dozen students first told the Forward that they were physicially and sexually abused by staff members at Y.U.’s high school for boys. Eventually, 34 of those students sued the school. The university spent a reported $2.5 million on an…
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Opinion Mountain Jews, Dagestan and Dude Named Genghis
(JTA) — An awkward silence set in between me and Genghis after he tells me that I am welcome to spend the night at the Derbent Jewish Community Center, but that I first need to “get clean” in the mikvah. I have not heard of congregations with mandatory ritual immersions for visitors, but this is…
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Opinion Y.U. Report’s Three Paragraphs Fails To Do Justice to Abuse — or Jewish Ethics
On August 26, the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell, hired by Yeshiva University to look into allegations of past abuse at the university’s High School for Boys, finally concluded its eight-month investigation and released a report detailing its findings. As one of the high school students abused in the early 1970s and as one…
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