A voter's-eye view of the city election

By Raphael J. Sonenshein
Published on May 14, 2013

This year, for the first time, the Pat Brown Institute at CSU Los Angeles went into the polling field.

Obama- Let Us Be Friends

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on February 8, 2013

Eric Garcetti: A new Jewish face for L.A.?

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on February 7, 2013

During a recent candidates’ forum at Sinai Temple, Los Angeles City Councilman and mayoral hopeful Eric Garcetti began his opening statement by thanking his hosts, the audience, and the moderator, Rabbi David Wolpe.

Members of the 19th Knesset sworn in at inaugural session

Published on February 5, 2013

The first session of the newly elected 19th Knesset opened in Jerusalem.

Peres receives official Knesset elections results

Published on January 30, 2013

Israeli President Shimon Peres received the official results of the elections for the 19th Knesset.

Can Bibi’s wife Sara spoil Israel’s coalition?

Published on January 25, 2013

Forging a coalition is, without a doubt, the most difficult part of the election process in Israel.

Israelis voted for reality

By David Suissa
Published on January 23, 2013

Regardless of what kind of coalition a bruised and humbled Prime Minister Netanyahu shapes in the new government, the prospects for peace will depend less on his government’s actions and more on the sentiments of Israel’s neighborhood.

Voters to Netanyahu: Get new friends

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on January 22, 2013

These were the most interesting-boring elections one could ever hope for. Boring – as the top job was secured early on by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Fascinating – as the parties, unburdened of having to compete for the top job, were free to combat one another for votes.

Plus a great undertaking: to reform the electoral system

By Gidi Grinstein
Published on January 22, 2013

Here are a few thoughts (scroll down for my personal commitment) in the immediate aftermath of tonight’s election results per the exit polls (results may change over coming 24 hours. As you can see every MK can tilt the balance:

Who is Yair Lapid? [VIDEO]

By JewishJournal
Published on January 22, 2013

Shmuel Rosner, Senior Political Editor of the Jewish Journal, speaks with Jewish Journal Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Rob Eshman about the results of the Jan. 23 Israeli election.

Likud leads, but rise of Yesh Atid, Jewish Home bode bumpy road ahead for Netanyahu

Published on January 22, 2013

His party shrunk, his opponents grew and his challengers multiplied.

Analysis: The consequences of Israel’s vote

Published on January 22, 2013

A few observations about the Israeli election results:

Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu take 31 seats; Yesh Atid comes in second

Published on January 22, 2013

Initial Israeli exit polls show the combined Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu ticket won the highest vote total while the new center-left Yesh Atid unexpectedly came in second.

Israeli parliament set for record influx of Orthodox lawmakers

Published on January 17, 2013

With Israel's election days away, Orthodox Jews swayed in prayer at a meeting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, delaying his entrance while politicians waited politely.

Netanyahu responds to Obama: Israelis will determine country’s best interests

Published on January 17, 2013

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to comments attributed to President Obama, saying that Israelis will determine the country's best interests.

Donald Trump endorses Netanyahu in video

Published on January 16, 2013

American billionaire Donald Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video released on YouTube.

Israeli left seeks to regain appeal with focus on economy

Published on January 16, 2013

In decline since the peace it sought with the Palestinians unraveled into violence, Israel's Labor Party looks set to regain some lost ground in next week's election after waging an economy-focused campaign.

Women head three major parties in Israel’s elections

Published on January 14, 2013

For the first time in Israel’s history, three of the major parties are headed by women. The Labor party headed by Shelly Yacimovich is expected to become Israel’s second-largest party, Hatnuah headed by former Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni is set to win seven seats, and the dovish Meretz and Zahava Gal-On is projected at five seats in the 120-seat parliament.

Knesset elections: A reader’s guide

Published on January 14, 2013

Remember the second U.S. presidential debate in October, when the incumbent Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney stood about six inches from each other, with one interrupting the other at every turn?

Netanyahu, right-wing coalition seen likely to prevail in Israeli elections

Published on January 14, 2013

Uncertainty is an inherent condition of democratic politics, but one outcome is all but certain in next week’s Israeli elections: the right wing will win and the left wing will lose.

Netanyahu maintains comfortable lead in pre-election polls

Published on January 11, 2013

Three Israeli election polls predicted victory by a comfortable margin for Israel’s HaLikud Beiteinu party in the country’s general elections on Jan. 22.

Social protest leaders hope to shake up Israel ballot

Published on January 3, 2013

They are young and they are driven. They got half a million Israelis out on the streets demanding social justice. Now they want their votes.

Palestinians see little hope in Israeli elections

Published on December 31, 2012

Palestinians say they do not expect significant improvement in their lives or a re-starting of the peace process after Israel’s national election next month.

This week from Israel

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on December 31, 2012

Polls: Netanyahu set to win Israel election but rightists gain

Published on December 28, 2012

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party is set to win a parliamentary election on January 22 although the popularity of a far-right party opposed to Palestinian statehood is growing, polls showed on Friday.

Support for Hamas soars

Published on December 18, 2012

A new poll shows growing support for the Islamist Hamas movement in both the West Bank and Gaza. If the elections were held today, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would beat Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Tzipi Livni to run in upcoming Israeli elections at head of new party

Published on November 27, 2012

Tzipi Livni has reentered Israeli politics at the head of a new left-of-center political party.

A response to a stiff-necked playwright

Published on November 5, 2012

David Mamet recently asked the following questions of “Jews planning to vote for Obama.” Herewith, my responses.

This Week from Israel

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on November 5, 2012

A Jew tours for Mitt Romney

By Dennis Prager
Published on November 1, 2012

I spent last week speaking to thousands of Romney supporters in four “battleground” states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and Virginia. I traveled with my Salem Radio Network colleagues Hugh Hewitt and Michael Medved and the actor Jon Voight, one of the few Hollywood stars who is a politically outspoken conservative.

Editorial Cartoon: Action vs. Inaction

By Steve Greenberg
Published on November 1, 2012

A note to a stiff-necked people

By David Mamet
Published on November 1, 2012

To those Jews planning to vote for Obama: Are you prepared to explain to your children not the principles upon which your vote is cast, but its probable effects upon them?

When Jonathan Mann and Israelis meet

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on November 1, 2012

By merging with Liberman, Netanyahu knocks out the left and casts his lot with the right

Published on October 25, 2012

Political pundits long have debated who is the real Benjamin Netanyahu. Is he a pragmatist handcuffed by his right-wing support base and, until his father’s recent death, fealty to his father’s nationalist vision?

Obama and Israel: The record, the facts

Published on October 25, 2012

President Obama has been criticized for being wrong for Israel. Even in the third debate of the Presidential campaign, a lovefest toward Israel, which was mentioned 31 times by the candidates, Governor Romney managed to get in a couple jibes against Obama's Israel policy.

Netanyahu, Lieberman to merge party lists for election

Published on October 25, 2012

The Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu parties will run in the upcoming Israeli elections on one list, ensuring that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forms the next government.

If Romney wins: Five things every Jew should know about Mormonism

By Mark Paredes
Published on October 19, 2012

The Mormon Church doesn’t endorse candidates or political parties, and although most American Mormons are Republicans, a Mormon Democrat has served as the Senate Majority Leader for the last five years. Owing to our history of persecution and emphasis on self-reliance, there is also a noteworthy group of Mormons with libertarian sympathies who do not easily identify with either party.

The American election and Israel

By Dennis Prager
Published on October 17, 2012

Americans who care deeply about Israel have to make two decisions regarding the upcoming election.

Entitled

By Rob Eshman
Published on October 17, 2012

I like entitlements. I know that’s somehow a terrible thing to say. “Entitlement” has become a dirty four-syllable word in our deranged political culture.

Netanyahu starts re-election bid with tough Iran talk

Published on October 15, 2012

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kicked off his re-election campaign on Monday, saying Israel had new unspecified "capabilities" to act against Iran's nuclear threat, an issue he said he had placed at the heart of the global debate.

The top foreign policy questions for Obama and Romney

By Douglas Bloomfield
Published on October 15, 2012

I concede that Mitt Romney and Barack Obama love Israel, are committed to its security and survival and they don’t want Iran to get nuclear weapons.

Presidential candidates’ Jewish surrogates debate in Virginia

Published on October 11, 2012

Prominent Jewish surrogates for President Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney tackled domestic issues and foreign affairs during a cordial debate in Northern Virginia.

Ehud Olmert considers political comeback as early vote looms

Published on October 10, 2012

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who has just received a slap-on-the-wrist sentence in a corruption case, is considering staging a political comeback in an election early next year, a former aide said on Wednesday.

Back to the 50’s

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on October 4, 2012

How to lose the next debate

By Marty Kaplan
Published on October 4, 2012

A couple of weeks ago, when I wrote a “Romney Wins First Debate” column, I didn’t think I was going out on a limb. Obama’s re-election was looking increasingly likely, but audiences don’t show up to watch paint dry.

Iran’s Ahmadinejad says election, not war, solution for Syria

Published on October 2, 2012

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said a national dialogue leading to elections was the way towards a solution to Syria's crisis, in remarks broadcast on Tuesday.

The 10 best political movies of all time

Published on October 1, 2012

With the U.S. presidential election looming large, we thought we'd look at the best 10 movies focusing on politics. Many of these films are quite old, but that's not a huge detriment. Writing and acting play huge roles in politics, and political films rely on the same fundamentals. The stories all involve the basic elements of human character, integrity, morality, honesty--and the complete lack of any of those traits.

Soros pledges $1 million to Obama Super PAC

Published on October 1, 2012

Billionaire George Soros pledged $1 million to a Super PAC supporting President Obama.

Congressional races to watch

Published on September 27, 2012

The following are descriptions of eight congressional races of particular Jewish interest, plus four others featuring potentially viable Jewish contenders.

Who’s making ‘daylight’ now?

Published on September 24, 2012

In the U.S.-Israel relationship, “daylight” is back, but this time it’s Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is being called on to draw down the shades.

Survey: 69 percent of Florida Jews voting for Obama

Published on September 20, 2012

Sixty-nine percent of Florida Jews say they will likely vote for President Obama, as opposed to 25 percent for Republican nominee Mitt Romney, according to a new survey.

Palestinians insulted by Mitt Romney’s comments

Published on September 19, 2012

Just eight weeks before the American presidential elections, Palestinians are furious over comments by Republican candidate Mitt Romney. The private remarks were made in May to wealthy donors but released only now.

Netanyahu: ‘It’s not about elections in America, but centrifuges in Iran’

Published on September 19, 2012

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dedicates much of his time to thinking about how to handle the Iranian nuclear issue, considering it a rapidly approaching existential threat. Not surprisingly, it was also the main topic of a wide-ranging interview he gave with Israel Hayom before Rosh Hashanah. Here is what the Israeli leader had to say:

Romney’s Libya comments landed with a thud, according to poll

Published on September 18, 2012

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney was the loser in a political fight over U.S. reaction to attacks last week on American diplomatic compounds in Libya and Egypt, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday.

Romney: Israeli-Palestinian conflict ‘unsolvable’ [VIDEO]

Published on September 18, 2012

Mitt Romney told fundraisers in a private meeting that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was "unsolvable" and that his strategy would be to "kick the ball down the field."

CON: Should rabbis endorse candidates?

By Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
Published on September 12, 2012

In the summer of 2008 I received a phone call from the Obama campaign asking me to serve as national co-chair of Rabbis for Obama. What prompted the call? First, an article I had written praising the senator for using his name Barack — which he said his father had told him means blessing in Hebrew — rather than the more generic Barry.

Dreaming of a wave election

By Marty Kaplan
Published on September 7, 2012

What just happened in American politics is not just that Charlotte mopped the floor with Tampa. It’s that Democrats connected with the country beyond their wildest dreams.

Wexler: Obama best bet for Israel’s security

Published on September 5, 2012

Robert Wexler, a former congressman who is a chief Jewish surrogate for President Obama, told the Democratic National Convention that reelecting Obama was the better choice for a secure Israel.

Tea Party: Will 2013 be payback time?

By Douglas Bloomfield
Published on August 29, 2012

Chances for the partisan gridlock in Washington to get even worse next year increased last week with the victory in Texas of the Tea Party-backed candidate for the Republican Senate nomination.

Amid roasted pigs, country music and rabbinical blessings, Romney seeks to define himself

Published on August 28, 2012

Whole barbecued pigs, cheerleaders and elegies to skinny-dipping farmers' daughters. That was the organized noise Sunday night at the opening bash of the Republican National Convention at Tropicana Field, the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg.