Opinion

• Opinion

  The Value of Brokenness

  “It did not take long before the first heavy grey stones came tumbling down, and the children of the village amused themselves as they flung stones into the many coloured windows. When the first rays of a cold and pale November sun penetrated the heavy dark clouds, the little synagogue was but a heap of…

  By Eric Schulmiller

  2 min read
• Opinion

  Rite of Returns: Jews Who Ran for Congress — Winners & Losers

  O.K., so how bad was it for the Jews? Not as bad as for Democrats in general. A few Jewish lawmakers were defeated, a smaller number of new ones were elected. A quick look at who’s in and who’s out offers some intriguing insights about the current state of American Jewry. As Yogi Berra once…

  By J.J. Goldberg Nov 4, 2010 | 4 min read
• Letters

  November 12, 2010

  Violence is an Obstacle to Modeling Jewish Behavior In Reza Aslan’s interesting op-ed piece, “Muslims: Make Like the Jews,” in the Nov. 5 issue, he correctly argues that education about Islam, alone — that is, acquiring facts about the religion — is insufficient to alter the negative perception most Americans appear to have about Muslims….

  Nov 3, 2010 | 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 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 Recognizing a Palestinian state is a great way to doom Palestinians

  

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

  

The Latest

• Opinion

  Be Nice

  Ironically, an election season characterized by ugly name-calling, physical confrontation — and so many negative ads that by the end of the campaign they became an indistinguishable, disgusting blur — has also seen notable attempts to promote civility. It’s hard to remember now, but Jewish Republicans and Democrats signed a civility pledge back in May,…

  Nov 3, 2010 | 2 min read
• Opinion

  The Longer View

  The day after the Republican electoral sweep, President Obama acknowledged that he took a “shellacking.” He agreed to consider modest changes to his health care reform and to reconsider maintaining tax cuts for some wealthy Americans. He pledged, again, to find bipartisan solutions to the crushing problems facing the nation, especially the economy, where he…

  Nov 3, 2010 | 2 min read
• 
  Opinion

  Making Meaning, Making Plans, Making Peace

  Now that the noise, worry and effort of the most expensive, most negative election season in American history is past, we can return, presumably, to our lives. ‘Change’ has won the day, so how will our lives change over the next two years? Here’s what five Jewish writers have to say about what happened, with…

  Nov 3, 2010 | 7 min read
• Opinion

  Bush Tax Cuts, Meet Rabbi Kalonymus

  One of the major questions in this election cycle has been whether the tax cuts enacted by President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003 will be extended. These tax cuts include some relief for middle-class tax payers, but they primarily benefit the wealthiest two percent of Americans — those earning more than $250,000 a…

  By Jill Jacobs Nov 3, 2010 | 3 min read
• Opinion

  Struggling Over Subsidies That Undo Modernity

  When the president of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem orders all classes canceled so students can attend an anti-government protest rally, you have to figure something is up. And you would be right. On November 1, university President Menahem Ben Sasson did just that: He canceled all classes from 6:00 p.m. on so that everyone…

  By J.J. Goldberg Nov 3, 2010 | 4 min read
• Opinion

  Yes, The World Can Be With Us

  On the same day the press first reported on the failed attempt to dispatch explosives to two Chicago synagogues, The New York Times carried a brief and disturbing [report][1] on an altercation between the popular Egyptian writer Alaa Al Aswany and the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI). Al Aswany, a voluble man in…

  By Leonard Fein Nov 3, 2010 | 5 min read
• Opinion

  10 Republicans Who Are About To Be Congress’ Key Foreign Policy Players

  There’s an interesting piece at ForeignPolicy.com listing 10 Republicans who can be expected to play a major role in helping or frustrating President Obama’s foreign policy and security goals over the next two years. It’s based on the assumption that the Republicans will take over the House of Representatives and their members will take over…

  By J.J. Goldberg Oct 31, 2010 | 2 min read
• Opinion

  What the Tea Party Wants. Also: Video Send-up on ‘Why I’m Voting Republican’

  When the Tea Partiers say they want to “take our country back,” what is the prior state they want to restore it to? Washington Post columnist Harold Meyerson wrote a smart piece today pointing out that their rhetoric is directed against Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and Woodrow Wilson’s Progressive reforms. It follows that they want…

  By J.J. Goldberg Oct 27, 2010 | < 1 min read