Opinion

• Opinion

  No (GOP) Sex on Tisha B’Av

  With President Barack Obama’s reelection only a few days in the rear view mirror, the topic of the Jewish role in American politics is still brewing — and we learned some tantalizing details about Mitt Romney’s summer trip to Israel. Democratic and Republican operatives sparred over the importance of the Jewish vote in the just-completed…

  By Nathan Guttman

  2 min read
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  Opinion

  Finding Meaning of Jewish Law in Sandy Shelter

  There were fallen trees everywhere. Twisted electricity pylons and crushed white picket fences littered the dark roadside as our Red Cross vehicle made its way to Locust Valley High School, in Long Island’s Nassau County. The roads were a labyrinth of dead-ends as a result of fallen debris and wrecked cars. Yet this was the…

  By Samuel Klein Nov 13, 2012 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  Two Giants in Baltimore

  Reminiscing on the golden days of Jewish American activism, two heroes of the Soviet Jewry movement took to the stage at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America in its main plenary session on Monday. Natan Sharansky, the former refusnik who is now head of the Jewish Agency for Israel and Nobel…

  By Nathan Guttman Nov 13, 2012 | < 1 min read

Columnists View All

• Alyssa Katz Class assignment: Get to know your murdered Jewish neighbors

  

• Rob Eshman Liberal Zionists are under attack. A new book proves their work has never been more important

  

• Dan Perry Israel’s most dangerous war is with itself

  

• Emily Tamkin American Jews have a Hasan Piker problem. Solving it is going to hurt

  

• Jay Michaelson Epstein and Iran are an antisemitism mega-crisis. Here’s what Jewish organizations should do about it. 

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  Forward 50’s Unexpected Stars

  I learn a lot about leadership by overseeing the painstaking but ultimately rewarding process of compiling the Forward 50 each year, of trying to identify the American Jews who have had the greatest impact on our lives in a variety of fields, from politics to culture to sports. And I learn even more about leadership…

  By Jane Eisner Nov 13, 2012 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Will Gaza Rockets Reelect Bibi? Is That Hamas’ Aim?

  Center-right commentator Shalom Yerushalmi at Maariv argues that the rockets from Gaza seem likely to turn the upcoming Israeli elections once again into a referendum on who has bigger guns, meaning a Likud reelection. Sadly, he says, that would again bury the election that seemed to be shaping up, the one that Israel deserves, the…

  By J.J. Goldberg Nov 12, 2012 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Disunity Key To Defeating Netanyahu

  After the latest political earthquake in Israeli politics — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to join with Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avidgor Lieberman to create right-wing “mega party” Likud-Beiteinu — Israeli liberals and centrists are panicking. They fear that the merger has locked up Netanyahu’s chances of winning another term and that they will give Lieberman…

  By Geoffrey Levin and Aaron Magid Nov 12, 2012 | 4 min read
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  Opinion

  What a Waste

  Six billion dollars. Six billion dollars. That’s the amount spent on the 2012 election campaign, according to an analysis of Federal Election Commission data by the Center for Responsive Politics. It is by far the most money spent on an election in American history — probably in human history — and that is thanks in…

  Nov 12, 2012 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Gaza Escalation Changes Political Tune

  Dozens of rockets launched by militants in Gaza have pounded down on southern Israel today, wounding three Israeli civilians. The round of violence began last night when Gazans launched an anti-tank missile which scored a direct hit, wounding four Israeli soldiers — an act that was followed by Israeli airstrikes on Palestinian targets in Gaza….

  By Nathan Jeffay Nov 11, 2012 | 2 min read
• Opinion

  The Forward Needs Your Help

  By Samuel Norich Nov 10, 2012 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Can States Nullify Fed Law on Health? How ‘bout Pot?

  Florida’s Tea Party-backed Gov. Rick Scott announced that he will refuse to implement the Affordable Healthcare Act, despite President Barack Obama’s reelection. Refusing to set up a state exchange doesn’t necessarily matter that much, since the law empowers the federal government to set up an exchange for states that fail to do so on their…

  By J.J. Goldberg Nov 9, 2012 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  McMansion Dude Backs Down on Vote Threat

  After President Barack Obama won reelection, controversial Florida time-share mogul David Siegel backed down from threats to fire workers who backed the president. Siegel, who famously built the biggest private home in America, told thousands of workers their jobs were safe and even gave them an average raise of 5 percent, according to the International…

  By Seth Berkman Nov 9, 2012 | 2 min read