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Oklahoma tornado: How you can help
Jewish groups are joining the effort to help those displaced by the tornado in suburban Oklahoma City.
A prayer for Oklahoma
Lord our God, we stood before You just a week ago to receive the Ten Statements of Your Torah. We stood, as though with our ancestors, and listened to the Torah reader chant descriptions of the smoking mountain, the thunderous…
Chabad center taking in Oklahomans displaced by deadly tornado
A Chabad center in Oklahoma City opened its building as a shelter for those displaced by a deadly tornado.
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Justin Timberlake and Coen brothers answer Jewish questions at Cannes
Using his preternatural smoothness, Justin Timberlake saved the Coen brothers from some serious awkwardness at a Cannes press conference for their folk singer film “Inside Llewyn Davis” on Sunday. “Jewish…
Sean Penn lobbies for Charedi man imprisoned in Bolivia
Actor Sean Penn urged a congressional hearing to pressure Bolivia to release a haredi Orthodox father of five under house arrest in the country.
Mel Brooks’ top 10 Jewy Jewish scenes [VIDEO]
Monday night marks the national premier broadcast of the American Masters installment on Mel Brooks. To mark the occasion, we’ve put together a collection of Brooks’ best Jewish clips.
- LIFE & CULTURE
Sarah Silverman sings about staying home in ‘Perfect Night’
For your listening pleasure, “Perfect Night,” in which Sarah Silverman recounts the benefits of skipping the club for the couch. Because this is a Silverman production you can expect references…
Maccabi Tel Aviv back on top but coach future uncertain
Champions Maccabi Tel Aviv have reasserted their dominance of Israeli soccer but media reports on Tuesday suggested they might have to continue their revival without coach Oscar Garcia.
7 Rules for Perfect Hummus
When was the last time you opened a tub of hummus and swooned? When was the last time a restaurant put a plate of hummus in front of you, and…
- BLOGS
State 194: A Documentary About Palestine
Opening this weekend at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 is a very hot-button new documentary called State 194, which follows the recent history of Palestine. Many will approach this film with…
7 Rules for Perfect Hummus
When was the last time you opened a tub of hummus and swooned? When was the last time a restaurant put a plate of hummus in front of you, and…
What would my Israeli grandmother think?
When I hear about the latest events in Israel – the air strikes on weapons facilities in Syria, the flare-ups over women donning prayer shawls at the Western Wall –…
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James D. Besser
Cooling down the the Iran rhetoric can help get real results
The Jewish community is just as concerned as ever about the menace of a nuclear Iran, but it is starting to temper its red-hot rhetoric on the issue. The reason: a growing sense that calling Iran the new Nazi Germany, its madman leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Hitler reborn, is hurting the community-wide effort to ratchet up the diplomatic and economic pressure on the Tehran regime.
Too-bright spotlight on religion marks Presidential bids
Should candidates for the White House have to pass a religious test? The Constitution says no, but increasingly American political culture says otherwise.
Correcting the tilt in Jewish politics—it’s not just Israel, stupid
What will it take to convince politicians that Jewish voters care about a wide range of issues, not just Israel?
Notes from the campaign trail: Israel and the Dems; Mitt Romney; GOP faves
Election Day 2008 is still more than a year away, but the 24/7 news cycle and the tidal wave of money already lavished on a long list of serious contenders have combined to redouble the assault on our senses and pocketbooks. Here are some notes from the campaign trail:
Evangelical leader’s speech backing Israel alarms some
The tent-revival pro-Israel speech by the Rev. John Hagee thrilled many delegates at the recent policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). However, others were alarmed. It was not by Hagee's message, which was hardly new, but by the reaction of a pro-Israel community that chooses to see only one side of a man and a movement with a complex agenda and a knack for recasting it for different audiences.
Faith-based foreign policy faces perils ahead
A stubbornly ideological administration has put the United States in a deep hole in the international arena -- and a vulnerable Israel could pay a big price for playing along with the true believers in Washington.
Analysis: Jewish silence on Iraq continues
The fact that a large majority of Jews opposes the war but their communal representatives refuse to speak out may accelerate the estrangement of so many from organized Jewish life, especially among younger Jews.
Is turnabout fair play for 110th Congress?
Last month's electoral earthquake means the 110th Congress, which convenes in January, will look very different from its do-nothing predecessor. But gridlock, the dubious hallmark of the past few sessions, will continue unless leaders in both parties decide to start working across party lines.
Latest poll bad news for Jewish Republicans
A new poll suggests no signs of a seismic partisan shift in the Jewish community. There are openings for the Republicans, but so far their candidates have been unable to take full advantage of them.
Lieberman War View Triggers Backlash
Lieberman's defense of the war stands in sharp contrast to the Jewish majority. A recent American Jewish Committee poll indicated that 70 percent of Jews now oppose the administration's Iraq policies, although that number was considerably lower in Lieberman's Orthodox community.
Poor, Darfur Lose in Budget, Israel Gains
Jewish groups, led by the United Jewish Communities (UJC), were particularly concerned about changes in Medicaid rules intended to slow the growth in the entitlement program.
Names to Watch on Way Up, Down in ‘06
Here are a handful of people to watch in the coming 12 months -- some on the way up; some on the way down.
Reform Body Rejects Science Distortion
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), the largest body of religious Jews in the nation, has forcefully come out against the "politicization" of science at a time when the issue is boiling over in state legislatures, churches and classrooms
Tax Cuts Bring Shameful Silence
This month House Republicans will try to wrap up work on proposals aimed at slowing the hemorrhage of red ink from federal budget ledgers while finding a way to pay for hundreds of billions of dollars of hurricane relief and for two wars that don't seem about to end anytime soon.
Abbas Gets Warm, Cold Reception
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas got a warm White House reception last week, but got a colder shoulder from Congress and few top items on his Washington wish list, starting with a commitment by President Bush to move forward aggressively with the stalled Mideast "road map" peace plan.
Katrina Touches Off School Voucher War
Nation
The Darfur Genocide Is Still on
Jews aren't among those being killed, raped and displaced in the Darfur region of Sudan, but the situation there is nonetheless a Jewish disaster.
The slogan, "never again," the redeeming lesson of the Holocaust, is turning into a farce in the African nation, as world leaders continue to find a dazzling array of excuses for inaction, including the obvious one: "It's a complicated situation," as cases of genocide always are.
Disaster Exposes Government Failures
President Bush and Congress talk a good game when it comes to homeland security, but the tragic truth is that the country is less able to cope with disasters than before Sept. 11, 2001. The proof is on the flood-ravaged streets of New Orleans, where an unprecedented natural disaster quickly produced violent anarchy and a flaccid government response that multiplied the suffering.
For all the money thrown at preparing for massive terror attacks and other disasters, the new Department of Homeland Security looked more like a Third World bureaucracy, as armed gangs roamed the city and people died for lack of food, water, sanitation and medical supplies.
Links to Christian Zionists Pose Peril
People are judged by the friends they keep.
Sucker Punched on Divestment
Jewish groups were sucker punched last week when the United Church of Christ (UCC) abandoned a carefully crafted compromise and instead voted to support "divestment" from Israel.
Jews Face Awkward Court Fight Position
The political brawl over the replacement for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who announced her resignation last week, could be the most bitter since Justice Clarence Thomas' 1991 confirmation battle.
And that free-for-all, which liberals and conservatives alike predict could be the "mother of all battles," could leave many Jewish groups in an awkward position.
The tenor of the debate was evident within hours of O'Connor's surprise announcement. Christian conservatives, calling in their chits from last year's presidential election, demanded that President Bush fulfill his promise to nominate judges like his favorites, Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Clarence Thomas. Just as sternly, groups associated with women's rights, civil rights and the separation of church and state warned of pitched battles ahead if the president doesn't make a "mainstream" choice.
Advocacy groups immediately hit the airwaves to sway public opinion. The nomination fight will almost certainly be the most expensive ever.
U.S. Acts Cautiously on Mideast Issues
It may be the most ideological presidency in recent memory, but on at least one issue, the Bush administration is pure pragmatism.
AIPAC—Let the Sun Shine In
By most measures, last week's policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was a success.
Washington Watch
The issue of religious coercion at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs is starting to reverberate on Capitol Hill -- with what one Jewish legislator said are ugly overtones.
The Faith Wars Heat Up
It's nothing less than a revolution; in states across the country, an empowered Christian right is changing laws, rewriting textbooks, transforming the judiciary and even redefining science.
The nation's culture wars have taken another leap in intensity. Since the 2004 elections, empowered religious conservatives have become more organized, more energized and -- critics say -- more extreme. They want action on their key issues, and heaven help politicians who defy them.
And the Jewish community, with a lot at stake, has been restrained in response. The growing entanglement of religious conservatism and partisan politics scares Jewish groups worried about keeping their tax-exempt status; so does the threat of losing new supporters of Israel and access to the political high and mighty.
But Jewish voters aren't so ambivalent, which is why the long-predicted Jewish partisan realignment remains fiction, not fact.
Presbyterians Won’t Budge on Divesting
You have to hand it to those Presbyterians. Their leaders know what they want, and they won't be deflected by things like logic, fairness or the well-being of people in the Middle East.
Gaza Strife and American Jews
Civil strife in Israel over Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza disengagement plan could cause new strains in the American Jewish community and accelerate the turning away from the pro-Israel cause, especially among younger Jews.
The Golden Rule of Jewish Leadership
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) has long provided one of precious few forums for Jews from across the political and religious spectrum to come together and debate the great issues of the day. But at last week's JCPA plenum in Washington, there was a palpable chill when it came to debate on some controversial issues.
Torture, Genocide and Jewish Silence
Jews around the world have worked hard to give life to the slogan "never again," but there are painfully abundant signs the world isn't listening. And, worse, a number of our own organizations have been reluctant to speak out on some of the moral rationalizations that contribute to the genocidal mindset.
Jewish Groups Stay Silent on Tax Cuts
For many Jewish activists, the dilemma is excruciating: Congress and the administration are debating a revolution in American life, but Jewish organizations, with rare exceptions, have been struck dumb.
Rice Promises More Mideast Presence
U.S. Mideast policy during the second Bush administration will be even more focused on the White House, with a new secretary of state who will be more directly involved in implementing the president's policies.
That was one message Condoleezza Rice, the president's choice to replace Colin Powell as secretary of state, offered to members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the opening round of her confirmation hearings on Tuesday.
She was expected to win confirmation and be sworn in by the end of the week.
U.S. Faces Tough Policy Challenges
With Sunday's elections, the Bush administration got something it demanded from the Palestinians: the beginnings of a democracy. Whether that produces a real, functional democracy remains to be seen -- and as that drama plays out, the administration faces some tough decisions and some big policy snares.
Battles Shaping Up in New Congress
With the holidays and the congressional interregnum, Washington has been a quiet place in recent weeks. But that quiet belies feverish behind-the-scenes planning as political partisans and advocacy groups get set for a particularly contentious legislative session.
2004 Takes Some Unexpected Turns
There's nothing as risky as end-of-year predictions, as 2004 so painfully demonstrated.
U.S. Wavering on Mideast Democracy
Last week, President Bush said it plainer than ever before: Palestinian democracy, not just an end to terrorism, is the essential precondition for any new U.S. peace efforts in the region.
Israel Can’t Ignore Divestment Threats
American Jewish leaders see it as a dire threat, but in Jerusalem, the current push for divestment by mainline Protestant groups eager to punish the Jewish state is a nonissue -- so much so that at a recent conference, Israel's foreign minister admitted he didn't have a clue about the raging controversy.
Israeli officials may be making a big mistake -- one more complication for Jewish leaders here who see divestment as a full-fledged emergency.
Gay Marriage: A Real Threat?
The intersection of religion and politics became a talk show hit after Nov. 2, when the religious right played a huge, and perhaps pivotal, role in the re-election of President Bush.
Jews are not of one mind about the new focus on faith in politics, but many in the large non-Orthodox majority remain uncomfortable with that trend and are downright scared of new threats to the church-state wall posed by the religious conservatives.
Peace Opportunity Requires U.S. Action
With Yasser Arafat in his Ramallah grave and President Bush promising to renew efforts to create a Palestinian state, speculation is mounting about exactly what the administration's next Mideast moves might be.
Stakes Loom Big in Future of High Court
Almost nothing President Bush does during his about-to-begin second term will affect the American future as profoundly as his appointments to the courts.
Mixed News for GOP Jews
Republican hopes for a big Jewish surge in this year's presidential contest were dashed on Tuesday when President George W. Bush, in his successful bid for a second term, claimed only about 24 percent of the Jewish vote nationally, according to exit polls published by major news outlets.
ELECTION 2004
In some ways, it's political business as usual in the Jewish community as a critical national election approaches.
Candidates Blow Campaign Smoke
It's crunch time in the presidential campaigns. With less than two weeks to go and most polls pointing to a photo finish, both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry are pulling out all the stops -- as long as those stops are in a tiny handful of swing states.
The spin machines are in overdrive; the campaigns are pouring out ads, position papers, talking points and press releases. But they're mostly blowing smoke when it comes to some of the top issues of the day.
Should Jews Oppose Evangelical Help?
In Israel this week, televangelist Pat Robertson inveighed against giving territory to the Palestinians, claiming that the goal of Islam is to "destroy Israel and take the land from the Jews and give East Jerusalem to Yasser Arafat.
Should Jews Oppose Evangelical Help?
In Israel this week, televangelist Pat Robertson inveighed against giving territory to the Palestinians, claiming that the goal of Islam is to "destroy Israel and take the land from the Jews and give East Jerusalem to Yasser Arafat.
Jewish Senators
Most observers expect the Republicans to increase their 51-48 majority, but Democrats are hoping several closely fought races in states like South Carolina and Oklahoma will limit their losses.
Is Israel Spy Claim a Neocon Backlash?
Hours after CBS News first reported that federal officials were investigating a possible Israeli "mole" at the Pentagon, the first analysis hit the wires claiming that the emerging scandal wouldn't damage U.S.-Israel relations.
Study Points to Big Church-State Shift
A new study reveals that the Bush administration is succeeding beyond the most optimistic projections of supporters -- and the most pessimistic fears of critics -- in funneling government social service dollars to religious groups, despite the refusal of Congress to pass most of its faith-based initiative.
Last week the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy issued an exhaustive report indicated that religious groups "are now involved in government-encouraged activities ranging from building strip malls for economic improvement to promoting child car seats."
Kerry Must Walk Mideast Tightrope
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass), who claimed the Democratic presidential nomination at the party's convention in Boston last week, is almost certain to win a substantial majority of Jewish votes on Nov. 2. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have Jewish problems.
U.N. Failing in Conflict-Resolution Role
All of this comes to mind in the face of this week's effort by the Palestinians to generate anti-Israel resolutions in the General Assembly in response to the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) -- the judicial but injudicious arm of the United Nations -- that Israel's controversial new security barrier is illegal and must be torn down.
Left, Right Playing Blame-Israel Game
Conspiracy theories unite the political extremes, a fact that stands out starkly as the fruitcake left and loony right converge around theories blaming Jewish neoconservatives for an Iraq War they despise.
Anti-War, Anti-Israel?
With things going badly in Iraq, the anti-war movement in this country is trying to expand its political base with a series of high-profile marches scheduled for this weekend.
And once again, planners of some of the events are using rising discontent over the war to boost other items on their agenda, starting with vehement criticism of Israel.
A primary sponsor of the new burst of protest: International ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), the anti-war group criticized last year for barring speakers who supported Israel and for a vehemently anti-Israel approach to the Mideast conflict.
Drama in Israel, High Stakes in the U.S.
Israeli politics is always a mix of high drama and low comedy, but the current fight within Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's divided government is anything but entertaining for Jewish leaders here.
Israeli commentators have noted that it is a struggle for the soul of the Likud party. How that turns out will have consequences for the U.S.-Israel relationship and on Israel's already-low standing around the world.
Danger Lurking in U.S.-Israel Linkage
Israel and the United States have more in common than ever as both nations fight the terror scourge. That's good news, but Jewish leaders would be wise not to get smug about it.
The war in Iraq could produce a sharp public backlash against U.S. involvement -- in that particular conflict and in a region that is hard on traditional American naivete. And that backlash could taint U.S.-Israel relations if the public links failed U.S. policies with Israel.
Vote Frenzy in Full Swing
President Bush's reelection team has developed a fast, efficient Jewish operation aimed at a select segment of Jewish voters in key states and Jewish campaign contributors nationwide.
Jewish Democrats are getting their act together to hold the line against Republican gains with pro-Israel voters. Their emerging strategy: to fend off claims the GOP has become the most pro-Israel party and then hit back with their huge advantage on domestic policy.
Record Gridlock Good for Liberals
Stalemate has become standard operating procedure for Congress in recent years, but this year's legislative gridlock could be headed for the record books.
Shuls, Day Schools Push for Security Aid
Should synagogues and Jewish day schools get federal tax dollars to help them beef up security to meet the rising terror threat?
Gaza Plan Foes Face Evangelical Aid Loss
With the Gaza disengagement plan picking up momentum and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon getting set to pitch the proposal to the Bush administration at Camp David next week, right-wing Jewish groups are counterattacking, hoping to forestall U.S. support for the plan. Their partners in this fight: Christian Zionists.
Speaking Truth to Power—Not
There's nothing bashful about Jewish organizations, but in 2004, many suddenly go mute if the subject involves potential conflict with the Bush administration.
Kerry’s Lead Alters GOP Jewish Strategy
The rise of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) as the Democratic front-runner, with Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) as a respectable second, will alter a lot of plans in Bush-Cheney re-election headquarters, and that includes plans for harvesting Jewish votes. Kerry's rise means an even more targeted Jewish GOP strategy, combined with an ongoing effort to pry Jewish campaign contributors loose from the Democrats.
Joe: What Went Wrong?
Sen. Joe Lieberman's visions of the presidency collided with an unpredictable New Hampshire electorate on Tuesday. Lieberman did better than some polls predicted, but probably not enough to salvage a candidacy that was out of synch with the changing political perspectives of the party's core activists.
AJC Poll Punctures Political Wisdom
The 2003 American Jewish Committee (AJC) survey of Jewish public opinion released this week was hard on the propagators of political conventional wisdom.
Republican Redux: Jews Going Right?
In a town famous for hot air, the Washington Post made a major contribution over the weekend with an oft-repeated tale of how Jewish voters, concerned about terrorism and Israel, are about to migrate to the greener pastures of the GOP.
Pols Face Israel Litmus Test
What is the proper pro-Israel litmus test for presidential candidates? And who gets to decide?
Four Words Slow Fight Against Terror
At home, the Bush administration is trying to convince a dubious nation that it needs even more law-enforcement powers to wage an effective war against terrorism, and around the world it continues to wage an uphill battle to enlist the rest of the world in the fight.
Upsetting the Bipartisan Applecart
It is a troubling paradox: Israel may be protected from new pressure from Washington by the upcoming presidential election, but that protection could foreshadow long-term damage to U.S.-Israel relations.
The reason: more and more, the pro-Israel effort is getting sucked into the quicksand of bitter partisan politics.
In today's take-no-enemies political climate, the bipartisanship that has been the goal of pro-Israel activism in Washington -- a goal steadfastly pursued, if not often attained -- is in dire jeopardy.
The DeLay Factor and the Jews
The recent clamor over Howard Dean's demand for U.S. "evenhandedness" in the Middle East was sweet music to the ears of Jewish Republicans, who hope 2004 will be a watershed in their long but frustrating effort to rally Jewish voters to their cause.
Washington Watch
Washington Watch
Chance for Peace Gains Wary Support
With the Mideast "road map" inching forward and a new Palestinian leadership gaining traction both at home and in Washington, Jewish leaders here -- with the usual exceptions -- are ready to give peace a chance.
Pro-Israel: Solidarity or Retail Politics?
There are no easy answers, but there are plenty of reasons to be worried.
The Right of Return Goes Both Ways
Last week, a group called Justice for Jews from Arab Countries published a report documenting the human rights crisis facing Jews in that part of the world following the creation of Israel.
U.S. Jewish Leaders Face Risky Situaton
As a new round of Mideast peacemaking begins, U.S. Jewish leaders are putting themselves on the line for a government in Jerusalem, whose real intentions are more impenetrable than ever.
‘Map’ Won’t Play Key Election Role
Opponents of the recently released Mideast "road map" are reassuring themselves that presidential politics will keep the Bush administration from pressuring Israel too hard to accept the plan, which proposes a diplomatic sprint to the creation of a Palestinian state by
2005.
Domestic Attention Deficit Disorder
Last week's release of the Israeli-Palestinian "road map" signaled the start of a new round of U.S. Mideast diplomacy and a new challenge for the pro-Israel groups that don't like some interpretations of the plan.
‘Map’ Puts Pressure on Bush and Sharon
The Bush administration starts a new round of Mideast diplomacy with a strong hand, thanks to its successful military action in Iraq and weak opposition at home.
Silence on Tolerance Issue Stirs Concern
Religious tolerance, traditionally a top priority for Jewish groups, seems to be not as much a priority when it comes to a growing, vocal and, according to some, increasingly radicalized Islamic community.
Road Map’s Route Leads Toward Clash
Democrats Facing Fight For Jewish Soul
The Democratic Party may be about to experience a battle for its Jewish soul. Less than a year before the first primary, the field for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination has turned into a crowd, but two names have special significance for Jewish voters and the politicians who woo them: Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) and the Rev. Al Sharpton -- the cautious, conservative lawmaker and the rhetorical bomb thrower.
The Right’s Secret Weapon: Red Ink
Students of political irony are having a banner year. A Republican president who campaigned against "nation building" is on the brink of a war intended to rebuild not just a nation -- Iraq -- but an entire region. And conservatives, long the archenemies of deficit spending, are suddenly embracing budgets awash in red ink.
The Jews and Iraq
Ask any rabbi or community relations professional; in Jewish communities across the nation, there is support for the Bush administration's Iraq policy laced with healthy doses of skepticism and outright opposition -- the whole range of reactions of a worried nation.
Danger Ahead for Europe’s Jews
State Department officials in recent weeks have quietly urged their European counterparts to take preemptive action to prevent new
anti-Semitic attacks in the wake of a United States-led military action against Iraq.
Polls Find U.S. Jews Worried but Calm
's been a busy few weeks for pollsters who study the Jewish community -- and for the politicians who turn each new survey into partisan fodder. At least three major surveys focused on different issues, but beneath the statistical mumbo jumbo, they pointed to the same thing: the U.S. Jewish public is worried about the unsettled state of the world but not panicked.
The statistical blitz offers hints that Jewish political allegiances may be softening, but despite the best efforts of the political spinmeisters, there is little sign of any wholesale political upheaval. Jewish voters may be receptive to new political messages, but right now they are listening, not buying.
In the American Jewish Committee (AJCommittee) 2002 Survey of Jewish Opinion, two conclusions stand out: fears about anti-Semitism are strong and pessimism about the Middle East peace process is growing.
The Pros See Some Cons on Lieberman
Now that his kippah is officially in the presidential ring, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) is expected to win enthusiastic support from Jews across the country. But his formal announcement on Monday has also touched off a quiet undercurrent of concern that 2004 may not be as opportune a time for a breakthrough Jewish candidacy as 2000.
Jewish Silence on Tax Plan Deafening
Washington is buzzing about the Bush administration's huge new tax cut proposal, but the silence from Jewish groups is deafening -- and revealing.
Extra Israel Aid: No Slam Dunk
In fact, much of this week's aid talk may be political playacting intended to give a boost to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in his reelection bid, not to produce real shekels in the Israeli treasury.
The Arafat Factor
According to a poll released last week by Americans for Peace Now (APN) and the Arab American Institute (AAI), U.S. Jews continue to support an active Mideast peace process and a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, despite two years of horrific terrorism and the bitter disappointment of a peace process turned sour.
DeLay’s Dilemma
Pitched partisan battles are what's in store for the upcoming 108th Congress.
Partners in Dysfunction
GOP Sweep Boosts Bush
It was a stellar night for the Republicans across the nation, and Tuesday's dramatic election results, with the GOP snatching back control of the Senate and tightening its grip on the House, will be a big boost for the foreign policy agenda of the Bush administration.
But with a razor-thin majority in the Senate, where the filibuster rules, the Republican leadership will not exactly have a blank check on the domestic front -- good news for liberal Jewish groups.
Increasing Political Isolation for Jews
If all those statistics are true about Jews still being one of the most liberal voting blocs in the nation, why are they increasingly estranged from the American left?
Easy: The left, ranging from the anti-globalism fringes to the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to some segments of the mainstream liberal community, has adopted policies and perspectives that even many progressive Jews regard as offensive and dangerous.
Wellstone—One of the ‘Frozen Chosen’
As Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) began campaigning for a third term, some pro-Israel activists tried to generate support for his opponent by whispering that the two-term incumbent was insufficiently supportive of Israel. But in almost every respect Wellstone, who died in the crash of his campaign plane in remote northern Minnesota last week en route to a funeral, was more representative of the Jewish political tradition than almost anyone else in political life.
The Power of the Swing Vote
Last week's Gallup Poll on Jewish political affiliations had some good news for both Democrats and Republicans, but most of all, it had good news for the Jewish community.
Washington’s “What, Me Worry?” War
Finally, it's over: the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in Washington and New York was a media extravaganza that provided a blend of remembrance, healing and strong TV ratings.
The Jews’ Best Friends
Who are the Jewish community's best friends in Washington -- members of the Congressional Black Caucus or Republican conservatives?
Jews Quiet on New Iraq War
A recent Internet posting on hundreds of discussion forums accused American Jews of leading the drumbeat for a new war against Iraq.
Budget Danger Ahead
In Jewish communal boardrooms in New York and Washington, all eyes are focused on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the tricky matter of U.S.-Israeli relations in a changing era.
Budget Danger Ahead
In Jewish communal boardrooms in New York and Washington, all eyes are focused on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the tricky matter of U.S.-Israeli relations in a changing era.
The Democracy Trap
The most obvious gap in the new Bush approach is its assumption that the Palestinian people really want peace, and that it's just a corrupt, unaccountable leadership that wants to intensify the fight against Israel, said Daniel Pipes, a longtime peace process critic and president of the Middle East Forum.
Irreconcilable Differences
Ironically, it may be because this administration wants to do the right thing on terrorism, while increasing support for Israel, that it now faces seeming irreconcilable goals.
Helpers Harm
It's one of the oddities of world affairs that the worse things get in the Middle East, the more various countries, international bodies and individuals want a piece of the diplomatic action. The region could use some help, but sadly, recent offers by a number of hopeful mediators are likely only to confuse matters and make U.S. diplomacy more difficult.
The Europeans, the United Nations, even Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan all want to lend a hand.
Making the Case for a Jewish State
Jews in more than 100 communities across the nation gathered on Sunday, March 24, to show their support for Israel -- a welcome, if hastily organized, expression of solidarity as the Jewish state faces continuing terrorism and an increasingly treacherous diplomatic climate.
The Arab Anti-Semitism Surge
American Jews have ever-changing opinions on peace in the Middle East, and even on the archvillain Yasser Arafat.
Zeidman’s Challenges
Fred Zeidman is coming to Washington to straighten out the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, and a lot of people wish him well. But it will take more than good wishes to help the spectacularly successful, periodically troubled council and the Holocaust Museum it runs.
Security vs Civil Liberty
As the United States intensifies its war against terrorism at home and abroad, the Jewish community may be poised to serve as a bridge between the Bush administration and some of its critics in the civil liberties community.
Escalation, Redux
This week's surge of Mideast violence and hints of a new level of sophistication by Palestinian terrorists have once again forced Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to reconsider his government's strategy in what looks more and more like a war of attrition.
In Israel’s Interest
President George W. Bush fired the first volley in the second phase of his anti-terror war last week when he used the annual State of the Union message to gird the nation for the challenges ahead.
Clueless In Jerusalem
It's one thing you can take to the bank: Every time a new Middle East crisis explodes on the world's front pages, there's another hue and cry in the Jewish world about the need for better hasbara (public relations).
Washington Reassesses
The Bush administration, reeling from a week of explosive developments on the troubled Israeli-Palestinian front, is reexamining even its limited efforts to win a cease-fire in the 16-month-old intifada.
That reassessment -- that resulted in this week's indefinite postponement of a new Mideast mission by U.S. special envoy Anthony Zinni -- comes as officials here and in Jerusalem digest disturbing revelations about Yasser Arafat's involvement in a recent arms smuggling scheme and his deepening involvement with Iran.
Big Questions for a New Year
It is a new year, but the world and nation are still agonizing over a lot of old problems. President George W. Bush has promised that the long, hard fight against terrorism has just begun, but it is far from clear exactly what the next phase in that war will be. At home, a faltering economy and vanished government surplus promise a new budgetary day of reckoning.
Moments of Truth
On Sunday, with crews still collecting body parts and shredded flesh after three horrific explosions in Israel, Secretary of State Colin Powell said it is the "moment of truth" for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Durban, the Sequel
Geneva and Ann Arbor, Mich., may be a world apart, but they now have something in common: both are settings for a reinvigorated effort to undercut the very legitimacy of Israel.
The same folks responsible for turning this summer's Durban conference on racism into an anti-Israel free-for-all are getting set for an encore performance in Geneva next week. And in college towns like Ann Arbor, Arab and Muslim student groups are using spurious comparisons with South Africa to discredit Israel.
Good News and a Big Squeeze
President George W. Bush last week plugged a gaping hole in the U.S. war against terrorism by expanding the executive order freezing the assets of terror groups to include Hamas, Hezbollah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Islamic Jihad.
Jewish leaders hailed the decision, which they said corrected an omission that left the administration open to charges of hypocrisy as U.S. troops hunt down terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.
Worrysome Headlines
If ever a president went into a period of national crisis with a surplus of good will, it was George W. Bush.
Diplomatic Train Wreck
Israeli officials were stunned by Monday's stern State Department rebuke over Israel's stepped-up military effort against the Palestinian Authority. And the fact they were surprised hints of deeper trouble to come along the U.S.-Israel axis.
Target One, Target All
Is President George W. Bush serious about waging a global fight against terrorists and the nations that support them? Or is he just targeting the sprawling network of Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks in Washington and New York?
Arab, Muslim Leaders Want Linkage
A parade of Arab and Muslim leaders is passing through Washington, promising support for the U.S.-led effort against terrorist kingpin Osama bin Laden -- but also urging the administration to press harder for a cease-fire and new negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Linkage, Redux
Despite aggressive spin control by Jewish leaders in the United States, the battle against the worldwide terror network of Osama bin Laden is already churning U.S.-Israel relations and resulting in intensified pressure on Jerusalem to work out a cease-fire with the Palestinians.
New—and Risky—Game for Mideast
The devastating terrorist attacks in Washington and New York changed everything in America, and the repercussions of what President George W. Bush is calling the "first war of the 21st century" will be felt throughout the Middle East, as well.
Exploding American Complacency
Terrorism, a part of everyday life in Israel for decades, exploded in the face of a complacent America with the twin terror attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11 and left a gaping, charred hole in the Pentagon in Washington.
The Good News About W.
Good news has been in short supply since the Mideast peace process crashed and burned last September and the region was engulfed with violence, which shows no sign of abating.
But for pro-Israel activists, there is one bright note: Bush II is proving to be a far cry from Bush I.
Biased Forum Feared
Jewish leaders are trying to spin a hopeful story about the fight to prevent the upcoming World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance from turning into an Israel bash-a-thon.
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May 17-23, 2013
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