In the Forward’s opinion section, you’ll find analysis and essays from diverse corners of the Jewish world.
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Opinion
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Opinion
Is Adelson’s Money Tainted, or Not?
A Jewish Democratic organization is facing heavy pushback over its effort to make billionaire Republican donor Sheldon Adelson a liability for Mitt Romney among Jewish voters. Pro-Israel heavy hitters Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League and law professor Alan Dershowitz have lashed out in recent days at the National Jewish Democratic Council for calling on…
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Opinion Always a Difficult Balance
More than a dozen years ago, I wrote a plaintive column explaining why I was stepping down from a prestigious, demanding managerial position at a major newspaper to become a columnist and spend more time with my family. It was, I realize now, my Anne-Marie Slaughter moment. I wasn’t as famous as she, and I…
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Opinion The Freedom Argument
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court drama over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is over, it’s time to reflect on what seems to be the fundamental complaint about President Obama’s signature domestic program — its encroachment on individual freedom. Liberals may fulminate about the ruling’s hidden consequences, conservatives may fume over what they…
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Opinion Memories of Ben Gurion
Yitzhak Shamir, former Prime Minister, unrepentant terrorist, fervent nationalist, is gone. Ironically, he may best be remembered as the person who caved before the pressure of President George H. W. Bush and Secretary of State James Baker and, however reluctantly, participated in an ice-breaking peace conference in Madrid in 1991. Madrid was the first time…
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Opinion Israel and Russia Make Odd Couple
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Israel in late June with the ostensible purpose of helping to unveil a monument to the Soviet soldiers who helped defeat Nazi Germany. But Putin’s motivations for this trip to the Middle East were not so innocuous. In fact, they underlined the degree to which his ambitions for the region…
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Letters Inappropriate Linkage
Contrary to Larry Lerner’s remarks, expressed in his June 29 op-ed, “Time for a New Jackson-Vanik,” the Magnitsky Act now under consideration is not the “modern-day version of Jackson-Vanik.” Organized American Jewry lobbied for Jackson-Vanik, and Congress adopted it in 1974 with full support and after consultation with Soviet Jews — the courageous refuseniks who…
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Letters More Than Just Free
In his June 15 op-ed, “The Problem With ‘Free,’” David Bryfman criticizes free Jewish programs, for “devaluing Jewish experiences.” “Why would people want to pay for a Jewish experience,” he asks, if they know “they can get Jewish products for free?” Although he doesn’t mention it by name, there’s no doubt he’s including PJ Library…
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Letters Nixon’s Bright Side
With regard to your June 22 editorial, “The Depths of Nixonland,” while it is undeniably true that Richard Nixon distrusted Jews in general, his personal views were more than counter-balanced by his actions. In 1973, when things looked very bad for Israel during the Yom Kippur War, Nixon provided an emergency supply of ammunition and…
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Opinion Israel’s Coalition With Potential
The inclination by those in the peace camp, both in Israel and the United States, to react cynically to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s surprise announcement of a coalition agreement with Kadima party chairman Shaul Mofaz was not that shocking. But it is sorely misguided. Worse, it could be detrimental to Israel’s interests. Discounting the formation…
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Opinion Three revolutions of July
If months have personalities — April the cruelest, May the very merry, Adar the time for “increasing joy” — then July is the month of revolution. In this one month we mark the anniversaries of three historic political cataclysms that shook the pillars of human society. On July 4 we celebrate the American Revolution. July…
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Opinion Mitt Romney Is Going to Israel
Mitt Romney’s trip to Israel this summer signals a full-bore appeal to Jewish voters right around the time of the Republican convention in early September. Romney’s trip is designed to highlight President Obama’s decision not to travel to Israel during his presidency, said Fred Zeidman, a Texas oil executive and prominent Republican Jewish Romney supporter….
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Holy Ground A Jewish farmer broke ground on a synagogue in an Illinois cornfield. His neighbors showed up to help.
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Opinion I discovered anti-Zionism at the University of Michigan. I’m glad it lives on there
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Opinion An alarming new battleground in campus fights over Israel
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Culture An Israeli genocide scholar looks to Israel’s history to understand ‘what went wrong’
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Culture Jack Kirby finally gets his corner of the city that made him super
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Opinion When it comes to Israel/Palestine, everyone is sure that everyone else is a bigot
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Fast Forward Elected PA Jewish judge leaves Democratic party, citing ‘disturbingly common’ antisemitism
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Fast Forward At Abraham Foxman’s funeral, an elegy for the last generation with direct ties to the Holocaust