Enough already
March 17, 2010
With Passover approaching, someone ought to teach the Obama administration the meaning of “dayenu.” If the goal of Joe Biden’s visit to Jerusalem last week was to gain the upper hand on a balky Benjamin Netanyahu, the Jerusalem housing brouhaha was a gift from heaven. Read More
One of these things is not like the other…
March 10, 2010
Let’s clear something up at the outset: Comparing Saudi Arabia and Israel on gender equality, civil rights, and religious freedom is a little like comparing North and South Korea on food delivery, democracy, and technological innovation, or the New Jersey Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers on basketball prowess. Read More
‘An army run by 20-year-olds’
March 3, 2010
Nearly every American-Jewish male who visits Israel can talk about his “Uzi” moment. At some point, the young American finds himself next to an Israeli soldier, not much older — or even younger— than he. Read More
Seems like old times
February 24, 2010
The New Israel Fund under attack. Right-wing Jewish groups accusing left-wing Jewish groups of undermining Israel. Left-wing groups accusing right-wing groups of stifling dissent. A Likud-led government in power in Israel. When did 2010 become 1990? Read More
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Ham and angst
February 17, 2010
Although Jon Stewart regularly makes the Forward’s annual list of 50 most influential Jews, he doesn’t pretend to be a Yiddishe role model. On a show taped last Yom Kippur, he joked about eating a “Baconnaise and lobster omelet with a side of Jesus toast” that morning. The joke made me a little sad. Read More
The Times vs. the ‘savage partisans’
February 10, 2010
I’m not breaking any news by suggesting many Jews have a problem with the Times. If, during a speech at a synagogue, I were to say shrimp is actually kosher, the audience would nod politely and invite me to stay for coffee. But if I were to say that The New York Times is fair to Israel, I’d probably be chased into the parking lot. Read More
The shul around the corner
February 3, 2010
Over the years NJJN has covered several stories about minyanim that meet in ostensibly private homes, and that inexorably morph into full-fledged synagogues. The stories usually play out at zoning board meetings, where opponents fret about the traffic and noise, and supporters complain about NIMBY-ism with an overlay of intolerance. Read More
Remorse code
January 27, 2010
One of my favorite bits from The Odd Couple comes during a flashback episode. Felix and Murray the cop are in the army together. Murray is feeling down in the dumps, and a sympathetic Felix asks if it’s because the men are making fun of Murray’s big nose. Murray says, “I didn’t know the men are making fun of my nose!” “They are,” says Felix. “I heard them. One said it looked like a two-car garage.” Read More
You had me at BLEEP
January 20, 2010
I wanted to ignore Jersey Shore, I really did. I watched about 10 minutes of MTV’s decline-of-Western-civilization reality show, and thanked goodness that none of its ripped, gelled, tattooed, and horny characters was Jewish. But then I learned that Jersey Shore has its first Jewish cast member. And worse, as if they didn’t have enough problems over there, she is apparently Israeli! Read More
Learning from failure
January 13, 2010
Toward the end of our conversation about his new book, I asked veteran “Track II” diplomat Stephen P. Cohen if he remains hopeful about peace in the Middle East. Even for someone with a habit of measuring his words, Cohen paused for a long time before answering. Read More
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