Opinion

• Opinion

  The Voter Fraud Fraud

  Officials of the state of Pennsylvania can offer no evidence of anyone fraudulently voting in person for more than a decade, or planning to do so in November. None. But that didn’t stop Republican lawmakers and the Republican governor in this all-important swing state from enacting an outrageous new law requiring that anyone seeking to…

  2 min read
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  Opinion

  Sh-Berman Heat Wave Grips La La Land

  “Almost like in a boxing ring,” exclaimed a breathless local Fox News reporter. “Sparks flew” gasped the L.A. Times, describing Thursday night’s debate between dueling Jewish congressmen Howard Berman and Brad Sherman. But the soporific chin wagging between the two liberal, pro-Israel, balding Democrats, who were tossed by redistricting into a fight for the San…

  By Rex Weiner Aug 16, 2012 | 2 min read
• Letters

  No Coincidence

  Your August 3 article, “Circle of Pro-Israel Writers Rises,” mentions two former editors at Foreign Affairs, David Feith and Jordan Hirsch. What the article didn’t say was that each got his position, in subsequent years, through an extraordinarily competitive annual search for our junior editorial slot, beating out hundreds of other super-qualified candidates — and…

  Aug 16, 2012 | 3 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 She’s a titan of Israeli architecture. Her story contains troubling lessons for her country

  

• 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

  Ayelet’s Legacy

  Just over six months have gone by since little Ayelet Galena passed away, following a bone marrow transplant. The toddler’s struggle with a rare disease drew an outpouring of sympathy and support online. And Ayelet’s short life continues to have an impact. The effort of her parents, Seth and Hindy Poupko Galena, modern Orthodox Jews…

  By Blair Thornburgh Aug 16, 2012 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Israel Ups Iran Ante, But Is It Bluff?

  On August 12, Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, called for an international declaration that diplomacy with Iran had definitively failed. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government itself declared the talks all but dead even before they began, but Ayalon’s explosive comments added fuel to the bizarrely public debate in Israel about whether to bomb Iran. This debate…

  By Trita Parsi Aug 16, 2012 | 4 min read
• Opinion

  Obama’s Israeli Fans Sing His Praises

  “Tank you Mister Obama, about everyting.” So says a random Israeli interviewed in an exceptionally strange new video out today from the National Jewish Democratic Council. The video opens with jaunty music playing under images of missile batteries. Then Israelis stopped on the street say nice things about the president. One woman in a shopping…

  By Josh Nathan-Kazis Aug 15, 2012 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Hamptons Bar Mitzvah Brouhaha

  A fireworks display at a Long Island bar mitvah damaged a Bentley — and is threatening to singe a congressman’s career. Rocket debris from the rooftop fireworks demonstration apparently dented the high-end luxury car. But not before Tim Bishop, a Democratic congressman on Long Island, allegedly solicited a donation from the bar mitzvah boy’s father…

  By Josh Nathan-Kazis Aug 15, 2012 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Buoyed by Ryan Pick, White House Talks Health

  President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform is shaping out to be one of the party’s main selling point for Jewish voters in the November election. And Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan, champion of healthcare cuts, has only motivated Democrats to push the issue even more. Jewish elected officials and activists gathered for a conference call…

  By Nathan Guttman Aug 15, 2012 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Mel’s Back — But Not Off the Hook

  Mel’s back and the Hollywood legend isn’t quite sure why he was forced to go away in the first place. Touching on what the interviewer politely refers to as his “personal crises,” Gibson is asked if Hollywood is a forgiving town in the interview on comingsoon.net. To which he responds: No it’s not. They have…

  By Liam Hoare Aug 15, 2012 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Hebrew National Must Answer to Lower Authority

  In early August, the United States District Court of Minnesota scheduled a hearing to determine whether or not it will dismiss the now famous — or maybe infamous — class action lawsuit filed against Hebrew National. According to the plaintiffs, Hebrew National’s hot dogs and other meats failed to live up to their lofty billing….

  By Michael A. Helfand Aug 15, 2012 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Palestinian Statehood Could Be Escape Strategy

  As the Palestinians prepare for another attempt to win recognition as a state at the United Nations General Assembly, President Obama has a rare opportunity to show true friendship for Israel in a way that sets him apart from and ahead of his rival. He can welcome the Palestinian request and promise to support it….

  By J.J. Goldberg Aug 14, 2012 | 4 min read