The Faith Wars Heat Up

By James D. Besser
Published on May 19, 2005

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.

Business Wins in N.Y.

By Adam Dickter
Published on November 8, 2001

During New York's mayoral campaign, Michael Bloomberg caused a minor ruckus when he seemed to advocate school prayer.

In an off-the-cuff remark, he said that reciting the Lord's prayer in public school hadn't been a bad experience for him as a Jewish child.

But Bloomberg, who won the mayoral election Tuesday in an upset victory over Democrat Mark Green, later said school prayer was unconstitutional.