Opinion

• Opinion

  What About Working Women?

  Nearly 60% of working age women in America participate in the labor force. But for all the anecdote-sharing by the wives of the two presidential candidates at their party conventions, the role of working mother was barely mentioned. In Ann Romney’s case, of course, the omission is understandable. Juggling the work-life balance is simply not…

  2 min read
• Letters

  Not Just a School

  Your August 31 article that described the exciting, innovative approach of the Jewish Journey Project was right on target. But the article’s title (“Fun Times at Hebrew School”) is misleading in a key way. From its inception, this project was designed to be an alternative to the traditional “Hebrew school,” which really no longer meets…

  Sep 5, 2012 | < 1 min read
• Letters

  Always Wrong

  I vehemently disagree with Rabbi Steve Wernick and his supporters who contend that it somehow is acceptable to quote sources without attribution in sermons, as he contended in your recent August 31 article. “When May a Rabbi Use the Words of Others.” To plagiarize is unacceptable, and to attempt to justify plagiarism is equally unacceptable….

  Sep 5, 2012 | < 1 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

• Letters

  More Ways To Adapt

  I just wanted to take a moment to share my appreciation for your June 8 article on the JCC program for people with Aspergers, “From Awkward to In Love.” I also wanted to share a bit about our program as I do not agree with a statement in the article asserting that Adaptations is the…

  Sep 5, 2012 | < 1 min read
• 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…

  Sep 5, 2012 | < 1 min read
• 
  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
• 
  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
• 
  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