Opinion articles that represent the views of the Forward’s editors.
Editorials
The Latest
-
Opinion Who Shall Serve?
The issue of a citizen’s responsibility to serve his or her nation, in a military or communal capacity, for how long and under what circumstances, is fraught with both practical concerns and gigantic questions of meaning. As of this writing, Israelis are in full-throated debate over this issue. Americans ought to be. The Israeli debate…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Opinion What Would George Say?
George Washington’s iconic letter written to the Jews of Newport, Rhode Island, in 1790 is finally on public display after a decade in the shadows. The timing of its emergence as the centerpiece of a new exhibit at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia is exquisite. But then, it was bound to…
-
Opinion A Disastrous Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to let stand its disastrous 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission consolidated Sheldon Adelson’s position as the national leader of mega-donors in this year’s political races. He is so far in the lead that he has become the poster child for unprecedented, unfettered campaign spending, with promises…
-
Opinion The Undeserving Poor?
Americans have long debated whether the poor are worthy of our help. Most people don’t put it that way, of course, because it seems cruel or, at very the least, inappropriate. But the question flows through the public discourse whenever proposals for reforming public welfare come before Congress, or an extension of housing benefits is…
-
Opinion The Depths of Nixonland
Will the extent of our 37th president’s anti-Semitism ever cease to shock? Just when it seems we might have arrived at the last recorded utterance of “Jew boy” (sometimes said in front of Henry Kissinger, the Jewish secretary of state), there are new tapes to endure. The latest piece of evidence to add to the…
-
Opinion Cancel Putin’s Visit
It’s official. This summer, Russian president Vladimir Putin will be taking a trip to Israel, his first since 2005. It’s the consummation of a relationship that has been fostered by Israel’s Moldovan-born foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who also recently described Israeli-Russian relations — after 20 years of diplomatic contact — as “very positive.” That may…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
Culture Charlie Kirk kept a ‘Jewish Sabbath.’ What did he mean by that?
- 2
News Who was Horst Wessel, and why are people comparing Charlie Kirk to him?
- 3
Antisemitism Decoded Israel is being blamed for Charlie Kirk’s death. Here’s what that conspiracy theory says about the far right’s divide
- 4
Fast Forward ‘Murdered for speaking truth’: Netanyahu and US Jewish leaders mourn Charlie Kirk
In Case You Missed It
-
Opinion Israel’s central covenant with Jews is in peril like never before
-
Fast Forward Jerry leaves Ben & Jerry’s, progressive Jewish ice-cream giant, as company battles owner on Israel speech
-
Fast Forward NEH’s unprecedented $10M grant to Tikvah has some Jews celebrating and others crying foul
-
Fast Forward European Commission seeks sweeping sanctions on Israel amid Gaza offensive
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
