Op-Eds

To fight the onslaught of bigotry being unleashed against its members, America’s overwhelmingly Democratic and deeply liberal Jewish community needs to recognize some hard truths.

This past decade saw the reappearance of Russia as a superpower in the Middle East. Moscow has sought to fill every vacuum and to replace the United States politically. Moscow became the mediator Israel could not circumvent and a force on the ground with whom Israel had to coordinate deconfliction arrangements to prevent unwanted clashes between the militaries of both countries.

Israel’s geographical position means it must stay agile and manage complex relations with its Muslim neighbors through quiet collaboration and smart use of its technological and economic advantages. Over the past two decades, Israel has discovered offshore gas, begun extensive seawater desalination, and dramatically expanded its navy’s platforms and missions. Ten years ago, Israel depended on Egypt’s natural gas; nowadays, Israel exports natural gas to Egypt and Jordan.

The 2020 presidential and congressional elections will to a large extent determine whether the current trends of populism, polarization, and incitement coursing through American society, and of withdrawal from international leadership, will continue or come to an end; whether the phenomenon of “Trumpism” will persist or be remembered as an aberration;

In our “woke” world, discussing Jewish achievements can lead to accusations of racism. Such controversies also tell us a lot about the persistence of anti-Semitism.

That opportunity has finally been presented to us – nearly any Jew on earth who wishes to escape the prison of exile can do so. Tragically, half of our people are willfully blind to what is happening, though they cover their blindness with rationalizations

The simple reality is that it is a dangerous world out there – and not just for Jews. But Jews are particularly vulnerable because we are seen as easy targets. We get picked on because the bullies know we won't fight back.

The greatest myth of them all – the foundation on which every pro-Palestinian lie is based: The Jews are building settlements on Palestine.

Underlying the question "Should we bring back the JDL?" is the presumption that we possess the ability, the power, the wherewithal, and the will to revive the JDL and that anyone can lead it.

Here’s a New Year’s resolution for the complacent and the cowardly: Assuring the safety of religious Jews in 2020.

JTA invited Shimon Rolnitzky, writer, activist and Chassidic resident of Monsey, New York to sing a post-pogrom kumbaya.

The phenomenon of a growing reluctance to go to war and commit ground troops to combat can be seen around the world, not only in Israel. Citizens are increasingly demanding clarity on the purpose of the wars their armies are expected to fight.

As the symbol of clarity of vision, 2020 is the gold standard of seeing clearly, without distortions or blurs.

If antisemitism is to be fought effectively, three priorities have to be set. First, the Israeli government should establish an anti-propaganda agency. Second, an effort must be made to achieve a broad recognition that antisemitism is an ancient and integral element of Western culture. Third, there should be a consistent exposure of Jewish masochists who claim that Israel alone has to be perfect while others do not.

A response to Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton, Florida.

International organizations, starting with the United Nations itself, appear less relevant than ever. Classical media have also lost much of their power and relevance....

Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi shares his assessment of the growing risk of a direct clash with Iranian forces, saying, of course, that “it would be better if we weren’t the only one acting against them.”

Chanukah is a holiday that emerges from conflict, from the real fear that we could have disappeared. Chanukah is the celebration of our ability to be different, even as a minority.

Who is wise? The one who sees the birthing – i.e., the one who sees the forces in the past that gave birth to and shaped our present as well as the forces of the past and present that will give birth to and shape the future.

British prime minister Boris Johnson told Parliament that his government will not stand by while countries boycott Israeli-made goods.

This year, of course, January 1 is different. It is the date of the grand Siyum HaShas. It marks a time to celebrate the Torah in an almost unprecedented way, as hundreds of thousands join in celebrating the tremendous accomplishment of tens of thousands of learners.

It’s been more about a pursuit of power than a pursuit of justice.

Happy Chanukah

So, fellow Jews, there you have it. We may not intend to be racist, but we just are, and we must work on bettering ourselves if we want anti-Semites to stop attacking us.

I believe that the Senate need not wait for articles of impeachment to be transmitted. Senators are empowered by the constitution to begin a trial now — with or without further action by the House. Just as the House has the "sole power of impeachment," so too the Senate has the "sole power to try all impeachments."

A new JISS report says that Israel must be ready to tackle Iran militarily on its own and fight a pre-emptive war with Hizballah.

The Muslim world is deeply jealous of the singular status of Jew-hatred as the ultimate bigotry.

She seems to be delving into hair-splitting definitions in order to keep the focus primarily on only one source of anti-Semitism.

"Although Jews represent less than one percent of the population, half of the racist acts committed in France are committed against Jews." — French Member of Parliament Meyer Habib.

The British election returned a resounding mandate to the Conservative Party and decimated the antisemitism-wracked Labour Party. The lesson for the US Democratic Party is that punitive leftism and overt antisemitism are unacceptable, though divisions within the American Jewish community mute that message. For Israel, the lesson is to try to remain as bipartisan as possible, though that won’t be easy.