Opinion

• Letters

  The Communal Agenda

  The September 7 story on the Jewish Federations’ Global Planning Table, (“Internal Gridlock Stalls Federation Giving Reform”), features a provocative headline but misses the real story of this ambitious initiative. The Global Planning Table is designed to re-envision the way Jewish Federations raise and allocate funds for global Jewish needs. This complex process requires collaboration…

  < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Tweeting Michelle’s Speech

  Needless to say, the highlight of last night’s Democratic National Convention session was Michelle Obama’s speech. The nationally televised speech won an ecstatic reaction from delegates in Charlotte and garnered 28,003 tweets per minute, according to USA Today. Comments in the Jewish Twitter-sphere ranged from the First Lady’s wardrobe (love the pink) to the possibility…

  By Seth Berkman Sep 5, 2012 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Peace Takes Back Seat in Dems’ Platform

  What a difference four years makes. In 2008, the Democratic Party’s platform vowed “an active role” in aiding the procurement of “a lasting settlement” in the region. That accord would provide closure for Palestinian refugees via “an international compensation mechanism” and the creation of a democratic and viable homeland. The platform made reference to “the…

  By Liam Hoare Sep 4, 2012 | 2 min read

Columnists View All

• Jodi Rudoren This is my last column as editor of the Forward

  

• Jay Michaelson I supported Israel’s actions in Gaza in October 2023 — not anymore

  

• Rob Eshman The staggering hypocrisy behind Trump’s deal to free the last living American hostage

  

• Nora Berman How the Oct. 7 aftermath splintered the New York Dyke March

  

• Dan Perry It looks like Israel totally underestimated Trump

  

• Emily Tamkin This week proved it: Trump’s approach to antisemitism at Columbia is horribly ineffective

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  Rabin’s Killer+Hamas=BFF

  The brother of Yitzhak Rabin’s killer has said that the assassin gets along fine with jailed Hamas terrorists and sees “no difference” between himself and the sworn enemies of Israel. Hagai Amir made the comment in his first interview since his release in May. His brother Yigal Amir, Rabin’s killer, is still in prison. For…

  By Nathan Jeffay Sep 4, 2012 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Too Many Secrets

  Back in April, Stephen Colbert told his television audience about a new tax-exempt group he had created, one which “never has to disclose its donors, because it is a quasi-charitable organization called a 501(c)4.” As his own lawyer explained on the show, it’s a social welfare organization that is supposed to further public policy goals…

  Sep 4, 2012 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Occupation Corrupts Soul of Israel

  It is tempting to impute retroactive intentionality to yesterday’s events. As Gershom Gorenberg felicitously puts it, we mistakenly assume “that if things turned out a certain way, someone planned it that way.” Looking back now, it may seem a foregone conclusion that Israel’s settlement policy in the West Bank (and in Golan, too) was from…

  By Leonard Fein Sep 3, 2012 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Applying American Law to Far-Off Crimes

  The Obama administration recently took a troubling stance against victims of human rights abuses in a brief filed with the Supreme Court. The administration asked the Supreme Court to place strict limits on the reach of the Alien Tort Statute, an important law allowing people to file civil suits in American courts for violations of…

  By Janice Kamenir-Reznik and Ruth Messinger Sep 2, 2012 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  All Eyes on Migron

  Eight years after Israel promised America to start removing outposts and six years since the activist group Peace Now petitioned the courts to compel the government to evacuate the oldest outposts, it looks set to actually happen. Settlers have tried to save the outpost and the government has tried to give it a stay of…

  By Nathan Jeffay Sep 1, 2012 | 2 min read
• Opinion

  Clint Eastwood Makes Democrats’ Day

  Clint Eastwood’s surprise speech last night at the Republican National Convention has been described as “surreal,” “rambling,” and “sad.” The Dirty Harry actor stole the spotlight from Mitt Romney’s nominating speech (a big no-no in the spin room) with the speech that took aim at President Barack Obama and featured an empty chair and (how…

  By Seth Berkman Aug 31, 2012 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Don’t Just Look for Union Label

  Labor Day has arrived, and families across the country will be getting their backyards ready for barbecues. In progressive circles, a familiar message is making the rounds: Buy union. Make sure your grill is a Weber or Thermador, made by union hands. Eat Butterball and Hebrew National franks. A list of brands has been circulating…

  By Ari Paul Aug 31, 2012 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  A Bitter End

  In the peripatetic world of online publications, for two writers to stay in the same place for eleven years is unusual and laudatory. Yossi Alpher, an Israeli (and Forward contributing editor) and Ghassan Khatib, a Palestinian, started “bitterlemons” to provide a venue for real conversation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In time, their efforts grew to…

  Aug 31, 2012 | < 1 min read