Opinion

• Opinion

  Neither Rain Nor Traffic Slows Siyum (See Video)

  Despite rain and traffic jams, the mood was jubilant at MetLife stadium on August 1, as some 90,000 Orthodox Jews gathered to celebrate the completion of the study of the Talmud, or Siyum HaShas. A massive crowd of mostly ultra-Orthodox men in dark suits and hats packed the East Rutherford, N.J., football stadium, spilling out…

  By Ezra Glinter

  3 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Alive and Well?

  Judaism, the Economist magazine says in its latest edition, is “alive and well.” And not just in that “I’m okay, you’re okay” sort of way that seems more like treading water than riding the waves. “Judaism is enjoying an unexpected revival,” opens an 11-page special report of the British weekly magazine — enjoying the kind…

  Aug 2, 2012 | 3 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Crunch Time for Haredi Draft? Try 2013

  Today was supposed to be the start of what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called his “historic change” for Israel. But in reality, everything stayed the same. At midnight, the law that exempted Haredi men from national service expired. Which means that over the coming weeks, legally speaking at least, Haredi 18-year-olds are liable to be…

  By Nathan Jeffay Aug 1, 2012 | 2 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 The challah that changed everything: Tracing Jewish baking back to Poland

  

• Nora Berman The Kennedy Center canceled all its ‘woke’ programming — so why is this Jewish musical OK?

  

• 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

• 
  Opinion

  It Ain’t Just ‘Culture,’ Mitt

  Jon Stewart skewered Mitt Romney for his “culture” comments that suggested that Israelis are somehow superior to Palestinians. With frequent references to Romney’s gaffe-prone ways, Stewart reported on Romney’s controversial comments during his visit to Israel that attempted to pay homage to Israeli know-how and ingenuity. The late-night comic pointed out that there must be…

  By Hannah Rubin Aug 1, 2012 | < 1 min read
• 
  Opinion

  How ‘Personhood’ Hurts Real People

  If you’re discouraged by the nasty, vapid tone of this year’s presidential politics, you might want to take a fresh look at our states and counties, where hand-to-hand battles are being fought over a critical issue of real substance: Who (or what) is a person? Most of us think we know the answer intuitively. A…

  By J.J. Goldberg Aug 1, 2012 | 4 min read
• Opinion

  ‘Bibi Can’t OK Iran Strike As Defense Chiefs Demur’

  Ynet’s Atilla Shomfalvi quotes unnamed government insiders who say Prime Minister Netanyahu can’t order a military strike against Iran, even though it’s his decision to make, because the security establishment is unanimously opposed and the cabinet won’t approve an action over the defense chiefs’ opposition. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared last night [Tuesday] that he…

  By J.J. Goldberg Jul 31, 2012 | < 1 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Team Barack: Mitt ‘Failed Audition’ on Trip

  The Mitt Romney world tour is over, and now it’s time for President Obama’s team to put its own (negative) spin on the globe-trotting GOP candidate. The Obama campaign put together a press call today with senior advisers Robert Gibbs and Colin Kahl, to poke some fun at Romeny’s gaffes and to remind angry reporters…

  By Nathan Guttman Jul 31, 2012 | 2 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Pink May Not Fly in Deep Blue District

  Kevin Parker doesn’t have any catchy monikers like his pink-loving opponent, Mindy Meyer, in a race for state Senate in Brooklyn. “She says she’s ‘senator and she knows it,’ but I actually am senator,” said Parker, an incumbent Democrat. “I really do have responsibilities.” Meyer is now well known by her self-appointed name, Diva of…

  By Simi Lampert Jul 31, 2012 | 2 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Egypt President To Peres: I’ll Work for Peace

  Egypt’s new Muslim Brotherhood-linked president, Mohamed Morsy, has written to Israeli President Shimon Peres, the Israeli news site Mako-News 2 reports. In the letter Morsy thanks Peres for his Ramadan greetings and pledges “our best efforts to get the Middle east [sic] Peace Process back to the right track in order to achieve security and…

  By J.J. Goldberg Jul 31, 2012 | < 1 min read
• Opinion

  Introducing Forward 4.0

  What would Ab do? When faced with a great challenge, there’s the human tendency to launch a conversation with someone from the past whose leadership and vision would be so helpful today. At The Forward, that someone is Ab Cahan, our legendary founding editor, who oversaw half a century of innovative, impactful journalism. What would…

  By Jane Eisner Jul 31, 2012 | 3 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Romney’s Visit Shows Israel as Rising Power

  For people used to presidential candidate visits to Israel, Mitt Romney’s was a short, strange trip. Missing were the carefully scripted visits to high-profile places like Yad Vashem and Sederot. And though he did get a photo-op at the Western Wall, it wasn’t planned in advance. Press coverage was strictly controlled and interviews were minimal….

  By David Hazony Jul 31, 2012 | 4 min read