Georgia Jews: Vote Republican
It’s rare to vote for U.S. Senate races knowing who holds the other 98 seats, but that’s where Georgians find themselves facing down a run-off election. And fellow Jews, if you’re still undecided, it’s time to vote strategically. With Joe Biden heading to the White House and Democrats narrowly controlling the House, a Republican-controlled Senate … Continue reading
HOLOCAUST ANALOGIES AND TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY VICTIMHOOD
Food Network chef Alton Brown recently starred in his own Holocaust-related Twitter controversy. After angering some fans by sharing that he has voted for Republicans in the past, Brown wrotein since-deleted tweets, “Do you think the camp uniforms will be striped, like the ones at Auschwitz or will plaid be in vogue?” Someone responded, “Depends on … Continue reading
Douglas Macgregor’s anti-Semitic comments disqualify him from serving at the Pentagon
The staff of acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller recently grew, as retired Army Col. Douglas Macgregor was appointed as his senior adviser. Such an announcement would typically be ho-hum staffing news but not in this case. Macgregor has made fairly extensive comments about “the Israel lobby,” which he claims has bought off high-level American officials, including … Continue reading
In Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ Final Book, Wisdom for a Divided Nation
Americans faced tremendous challenges in 2019, but 2020 has turned the temperature way up, increasing pressure on families, civil society, and government. It’s been a year of stress and strain for many, bringing into sharp relief both social issues requiring urgent attention, as well as our common humanity and shared vulnerability. That makes this a … Continue reading
Quasi-Religious Parenting
Nearly a decade ago, long before I was the mother of four, I was a pregnant woman preparing for motherhood. Having learned about mission statements in a graduate school class, I thought my husband and I should have one for the massive parenting project we would shortly undertake. I can still picture us standing in … Continue reading
Antisemitism is the biggest issue for Jews. Why did it never come up during the election?
The end is nigh (thank God!). This election cycle is finally coming to a close. But despite the endlessness of the 2020 presidential election, and the microscopic attention paid to a never-ending list of topics irrelevant to the lives of American voters, one issue that is of utmost importance received scant attention: rising antisemitism. It’s … Continue reading
Cuomo’s Claims about Hasidic Wedding Deserve Scrutiny
People want answers. They crave certainty amid chaos. But for a year filled with tremendous upheaval and so much newness, there have been notably few questions — and that’s a problem. In pre-pandemic days, New Yorkers knew that Governor Andrew Cuomo was an abrasive bully, intolerant of those who didn’t share his political beliefs. Yet Cuomo’s eagerness to … Continue reading
Gov. Andrew Cuomo plays a dangerous double game with New York Jews
Sometimes, you’re sure there’s a back story; you just don’t know what it is. For example, four Democratic legislators representing Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn took the striking step of accusing Gov. Andrew Cuomo of a “duplicitous bait-and-switch.” A Jewish leader described feeling stabbed in the back by the governor. But now that the Orthodox Jewish daily Hamodia has shared a recording of … Continue reading
It’s Cuomo and de Blasio vs. New York’s Jews
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo can’t stand to be second best at anything, so this week, he’s taking on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to see who can more effectively alienate Jewish New Yorkers. It’s a heated battle because the incompetent de Blasio has thus far excelled at stigmatizing New York City’s Jews, ably … Continue reading
How everyday people can help Israel and support peace in the Middle East
This year can no longer be written off as a complete annus horribilis. Against all odds, peace appears to be breaking out in the Middle East. Last week, Israel doubled the number of formal peace agreements with its regional Arab neighbors, leapfrogging from two to four. To borrow a phrase from the Democratic presidential nominee, … Continue reading
