Opinion

• Opinion

  Why Obama’s Speech Was Historic

  Barack Obama stepped down from the podium a couple hours ago after delivering what my gut tells me was a historic speech. I have two reasons for thinking this is true, but take these comments as a quick, first reaction. More than any other American president who has spoken about Israel and the conflict, Obama…

  By Gal Beckerman

  3 min read
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  Opinion

  Newsweek’s Rabbi List — and Ours

  The annual Newsweek list of America’s “Top Rabbis” — now hosted by The Daily Beast, since Newsweek doesn’t exist anymore as a print product — was published today, a day after the Forward’s first-ever reader-driven project looking for the nation’s most inspiring rabbis. The contrast is fascinating. Newsweek’s list is a classic journalistic attempt to…

  By Jane Eisner Mar 21, 2013 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  The Rabbi Who Inspired You Most

  I spent the past few weeks reading hundreds of nominations for the Forward’s new series, America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis. When we launched this project in early February, we hoped that people would respond — that they would take a little time to tell us about the rabbi who inspired them or their communities — but…

  By Abigail Jones Mar 21, 2013 | 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 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 is not deliberately killing journalists in Gaza. But it does bear responsibility for their deaths

  

• Emily Tamkin Trump’s attack on George Soros is ludicrous. It also endangers Jews (and everyone else)

  

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  Opinion

  Barack’s a Hit With Israeli Audience

  Barack Obama had young Israelis eating out of his hand, during his speech in Jerusalem, ticking all the boxes that the audience hoped, and throwing in a few good laughs. He reiterated his commitment to Israel’s security, spoke of the importance of the missile defense systems in the south to ensure that children can “sleep…

  By Nathan Jeffay Mar 21, 2013 | 2 min read
• Opinion

  Meeting Obama: Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon

  Moshe Ya’alon was one of the first ministers that Obama met for more than a handshake and a brief chat, as he was part of the small party that accompanied him to the Iron Dome. Moments before they viewed the installation, Obama said: “We stand together because peace must come to the Holy Land,” which…

  By Nathan Jeffay Mar 21, 2013 | 2 min read
• Opinion

  Hamas’s Not-Too-Subtle Reminder to Obama

  Israelis awoke this morning to hear that four Palestinian rockets were launched towards Israel from Gaza and two had slammed in to the town of Sderot, without causing injuries. After months of quiet on the border following Israel’s Gaza operation in November, the Gaza militants who launched the rockets clearly intended to send a strong…

  By Nathan Jeffay Mar 21, 2013 | 2 min read
• Opinion

  Trying to Put Detainees on Obama’s Agenda

  Obama went to Ramallah and held a summit with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today. The comments that the two men made afterwards were predictable enough – harsh criticism of Israeli settlement by Abbas along with Obama’s reiteration of his opposition to settlements; affirmation by Obama that he wants a Palestinian state along with warnings from…

  By Nathan Jeffay Mar 21, 2013 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Ancient and Modern Lessons for Obama

  Barack Obama’s first engagement today was a visit to the Israel Museum with an agenda that was, as the Forward’s Nathan Guttman has noted, laden with significance. So what did he actually see? He started in the Shrine of the Book, where he seemed genuinely fascinated by the Dead Sea Scrolls. Many of the documents…

  By Nathan Jeffay Mar 21, 2013 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Back to Future for Obama at Ben Gurion Airport

  It was like a return from the dead today at Ben Gurion Airport’s Terminal 1. Ever since it was replaced by a newer terminal a decade ago, it has been a graveyard of abandoned conveyor belts, gaps where vending machines used to be, and check-in desks for a couple of budget airlines that can’t afford…

  By Nathan Jeffay Mar 20, 2013 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Pope Francis, the Dirty War and the Jews

  Confronted by what it considers the existential threat of communism, convinced that Christianity and nationalism are one and the same, and compelled by self-interest to place social order above political liberty: Welcome to the world of the Catholic Church in Argentina during the “dirty war.” But most French Catholics during the “dark years” of 1940–1944…

  By Robert Zaretsky Mar 20, 2013 | 5 min read
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  Opinion

  ‘Shvartze’ and Why We Should Know Better

  One day, as I was writing at my desk, the phone rang. From Washington, it was the leader of a Muslim civil-rights organization on the line. “Rabbi, one of the big airlines just threw a number of imams off the plane because some passengers thought they looked suspicious,” he told me. “We would like to…

  By Arthur Waskow Mar 20, 2013 | < 1 min read