Opinion

• Opinion

  When Rabbis Start Educating the Soldiers

  As Israel approaches an August 1 court deadline to scale back army exemptions for yeshiva students, the government’s top watchdog is warning of an emerging problem that confronts the army from the opposite direction. It seems the senior command is increasingly concerned about growing Orthodox rabbinic influence within the ranks. According to the annual report…

  By J.J. Goldberg

  4 min read
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  Opinion

  On the Train Back to Williamsburg

  On the G train home from the ultra-Orthodox rally at Citifield last night, I talked Zionism with a passel of Hasidim headed for Williamsburg. A rabbi named Yechiel Meir Katz had drawn an implicit historical parallel in his address earlier in the evening between the rejection of Zionism by the Orthodox and the need to…

  By Josh Nathan-Kazis May 21, 2012 | 3 min read
• Opinion

  Tel Aviv = Titanic or Pompeii or Sodom?

  How many clichés is it possible to stuff into one soft feature about Tel Aviv? That was my thought as I was watching Bob Simon’s 60 Minutes segment on the city, which included, in the first three minutes, these good, old chestnuts: “dancing on the Titanic,” “the last days of Pompeii,” and “later-day Sodom.” Were…

  By Gal Beckerman May 21, 2012 | 3 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 I have the answer to Jon Stewart’s toughest question about Israel

  

• Nora Berman ‘Eddington’ is full of conspiracy theories but it’s not about Jews. Or is it?

  

• Dan Perry A US official just made history in the West Bank — did he imperil prospects for peace?

  

• Emily Tamkin Is starvation in Gaza really Israel’s fault? The facts are clear

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  The Marriage Plot

  When President Obama declared his personal support for same-sex marriage — an announcement whose timing was politically motivated but was historically dramatic nonetheless — he galvanized somewhat more than half the American public, and displeased the rest. Those against allowing two men or two women to legally wed say they are concerned that broadening the…

  May 21, 2012 | 4 min read
• Opinion

  More Credit Where Credit is Due

  Many of us were grateful that the public editor of The New York Times, Arthur Brisbane, chose to devote his column today on the issue of crediting publications such as ours for the work we do. The case in point concerned The Times’ two-part series on sexual abuse in the ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn, and…

  By Jane Eisner May 20, 2012 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Stopping Them From ‘Tuning Out Israel’

  Just about wherever I go these days, or so it seems, I encounter 20-somethings who have tuned out of Israel. I know that there’s a difference between anecdotes and evidence, but when a series of uninvited anecdotes all point in the same direction — well, that’s a lot of smoke, and it makes sense to…

  By Leonard Fein May 20, 2012 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Jew vs. Jew Soccer Showdown

  The world’s most important sports event of the year is coming on Saturday, May 19. American Jews may feel a little left out when the UEFA Champions League Final kicks off, even though soccer is this country’s fastest growing team sport and and an increasingly popular draw on TV here. But they shouldn’t ignore it….

  By Dan Friedman May 18, 2012 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Confronting cremation

  'This conversation is difficult because it involves facing death.'

  By Rabbi Regina Sandler-Phillips May 18, 2012 | 4 min read
• Opinion

  When National Anthems Matter

  We’ve been thinking here a lot about the Israeli national anthem these days, and experimenting with some alternatives. But it’s also useful to be reminded why an anthem means so much to its citizens on a visceral, emotional level. And reminded we were when sent this feelgood of feelgood stories today. A wheel-chair bound Israeli…

  By Gal Beckerman May 17, 2012 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  London Jews Relieved at Livingstone’s Loss

  In April, a new phrase entered the London Jewish lexicon. The phrase is simple: “I’m sorry. I can’t. I’m Jewish.” It is a statement of political assertiveness that comes with a resigned smile, a semi-apologetic shrug of the shoulders and a half turn-up of the palms of both hands. It was said in response to…

  By Dave Rich May 17, 2012 | 5 min read
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  Opinion

  The Communal Cost of ‘Free’

  The first ever New York ELI talks, the Jewish version of the now famous TED talks, debuted on May 14 with a provocative and inspired monologue by David Bryfman. Australian born, casually dressed, he took to the stage before a hundred or so invited guests to challenge the conventional wisdom that the best things in…

  By Jane Eisner May 17, 2012 | < 1 min read