Opinion

• Opinion

  Still a Proud, Disappointed Zionist

  My father was skeptical of Zionism. He saw no reason to assume that the Jews would do better with nationalism than all the others had. Yet he winced only weakly when I joined Habonim Dror, the Labor Zionist youth movement, which became for the next 10 years as much my home/family as my family home…

  By Leonard Fein

  3 min read
• Opinion

  The Interview in Context

  Reading the long interview with the No. 2 Hamas leader, Mousa Abu Marzook, reminded me of the first time I was given a chance to interview then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin for the Palestinian daily Al Quds. At one point in the interview (the first ever to a Palestinian daily), which took place in…

  By Daoud Kuttab Apr 29, 2012 | 2 min read
• Opinion

  A Balance of Interests

  The Forward’s interview with Mousa Abu Marzook highlights some fundamental truths about peacemaking: You make peace with your enemies, not your friends; you make peace not to be nice, but because it is in your self-interest; real peace must reflect a balance of interests, not an imbalance of power, and security arrangements, not trust, will…

  By Lara Friedman Apr 29, 2012 | 2 min read

Columnists View All

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

  

• Rob Eshman The San Diego imam defended Oct. 7. His mosque still deserves our help

  

• Dan Perry What exactly did Israel gain from striking Beirut and provoking Iran?

  

• Emily Tamkin Outrage over Nicholas Kristof’s op-ed on sexual assault of Palestinians is missing the point

  

• Jay Michaelson When it comes to Israel/Palestine, everyone is sure that everyone else is a bigot

  

The Latest

• 
  Opinion

  No Secrets

  There was a time when Megan Kanka’s name was well-known for all the reasons that a parent most fears: The 7-year-old New Jersey girl was raped and murdered by a neighbor who, it turns out, had two previous convictions for sexually assaulting young girls. He lured little Megan into his house to see a puppy,…

  Apr 27, 2012 | 2 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Super PAC’s Party Like It’s 1896

  ‘There are two things that are important in politics,” Republican power-broker Mark Hanna once said. “The first is money and I can’t remember what the second one is.” Hanna posed his riddle, if that’s what it was, more than a century ago, while managing William McKinley’s successful 1896 White House bid. It’s remained a mystery…

  By J.J. Goldberg Apr 27, 2012 | 4 min read
• 
  Opinion

  An Anthem for All?

  There are times when beautiful, soulful music can transport us to a new and challenging place, a place we might never have visited were we not swept along with song. Neshama Carlebach performs that sort of music — when, for instance, she mixes ancient Jewish tropes with the pulsating rhythms of an African American Baptist…

  Apr 26, 2012 | 3 min read
• Opinion

  Bibi: Iran Making a Bomb. IDF Chief: No It’s Not

  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to CNN: Sanctions “better work soon” — so far they “haven’t rolled back the Iranian program — or even stopped it — by one iota.” IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz to Haaretz: The sanctions are beginning to bear fruit … CNN to Netanyahu: How do you know what they’re doing…

  By J.J. Goldberg Apr 25, 2012 | < 1 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Le Pen Is Real Winner in Vote in France

  Several years from now, historians may recount a conversation at the Elysée Palace, the residence of France’s president. While watching the returns of the first round of the presidential elections on Sunday night, Nicolas Sarkozy shrugs: “It’s a rebellion.” And an adviser, in turn, replies, “No, Monsieur le Président, c’est une revolution.” Or they may…

  By Robert Zaretsky Apr 25, 2012 | 4 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Expand Tax Breaks for Jewish Schools

  A day school education is the single best way to ensure that Jewish children understand the nuances of their religion and heritage

  By Melissa Langsam Braunstein Apr 25, 2012 | 3 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Orthodox Opposition to No-Names Policy

  Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes can usually count on the firm support of the ultra-Orthodox umbrella group Agudath Israel of America. While Hynes has been lambasted over the years by child abuse survivors and their advocates for his handling of sex abuse cases, Agudath has generally backed what it sees as his sensitive handling of…

  By Paul Berger Apr 25, 2012 | 2 min read
• 
  Opinion

  An Israeli Ex-Pat Addicted to Grief

  On a day like today, an Israeli in the Diaspora needs his fix of grief and bereavement. Today is Israel’s memorial day, a unique and emotional time for all Israelis, as they remember and honor those who fought to protect the Jewish nation, and prepare for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. Remembering has a very…

  By Itai Elizur Apr 24, 2012 | 2 min read