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By Dr. Rafael Medoff , Special to JTNews “What is there to give thanks for, anyway?” That was the provocative question posed by the featured speaker on Thanksgiving Day 1968 at Kehilath Jeshurun, one of the largest Orthodox synagogues in Manhattan. The provocateur was Elie Wiesel, recently turned 40 andContinue Reading

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By Daniel S. Mariaschin , JTA World News Service WASHINGTON (JTA) — How’s this for a philosophical question: Can you hold a conference dedicated to the open debate of some of the biggest issues in society in a nation that is among the least amenable to any free and openContinue Reading

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By Fred Scherlinder Dobb and Terry Gips , JTA World News Service WASHINGTON (JTA) — With a tradition thousands of years old, Judaism informs us on taking the long view — the Divine view, as it were, since God is concerned even to the thousandth generation in the future (ExodusContinue Reading

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By Robert Wilkes , Special to JTNews This is the third in a series of articles by Robert Wilkes, who hopes to convince Seattle-area Jews that it is in the best interest of the Jewish people to consider voting for Republicans, or Democrats with more conservative viewpoints. We all haveContinue Reading

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By Rose Yu , Special to JTNews Editor’s note: This article was written by Rose Yu in response to the Aug. 20 issue’s M.O.T.: Member of the Tribe column in which Yu, who is Jewish and Chinese, but was referred to as being non-Jewish. I grew up with a bitContinue Reading

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By Joel Magalnick , Editor, JTNews There’s going to come a time in the not-so-distant future that the news of a food cooperative or some company deciding to boycott Israel isn’t going to make the front page of the JTNews. And if the past year is any indication, these eventsContinue Reading

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By Robert Wilkes , Special to JTNews This is the second in a series of columns by Robert Wilkes, who has taken upon himself the nearly hopeless task of convincing Jews it is in their best interest to vote Republican. I describe my wife Nancy as kinetic. She must alwaysContinue Reading

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By Philip Gerson , Special to JTNews From May 25—June 5, I joined in a Compassionate Listening Project delegation to Israel-Palestine, where I spent seven days in Israel and East Jerusalem and four days in the West Bank. Our group consisted of 24 people from North America that included Christians,Continue Reading

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By Yariv Oppenheimer , Special to JTNews Nearly two weeks ago, Israel marked a new low point in the way it chose to contend with its domestic and external policy dissidents. A state that will not let its citizens protest, demonstrate and demand justice, a state that is busy composingContinue Reading

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By Michael Oren , JTA World News Service WASHINGTON (Jewish Exponent) — Israel’s interception of the flotilla attempting to break the Gaza blockade has been the focus of massive international attention — and condemnation. In the melee of interviews, editorials and images, the basic facts of the incident have oftenContinue Reading

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By Robert Wilkes , Special to JTNews Let’s get it out and get it over with. I am a Jewish Republican. When my relatives found out, they sat shiva for me. As then-chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean, famously said on “Meet the Press:” “Our moral values, inContinue Reading

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By Robert Beiser , Special to JTNews Our event a few weeks back starts off sounding a bit like a joke: A sheikh, a rabbi, and a Christian professor walk into a Hillel…to discuss the nature of justice with a multi-faith audience. The punchline leaves a little to be desired,Continue Reading

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By Rainer Waldman Adkins and Teri Citterman , Special to JTNews I looked up, and I saw a man holding a measuring line. “Where are you going?” I asked. “To measure Jerusalem,” he replied, “to see how long and wide it is to be. — Zechariah 2:1-2 Let’s be clear:Continue Reading

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By David Harris , JTA World News Service carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and dozens of other officials crashed in the Katyn Forest near Smolensk, Russia on April 10, this immense disaster was also a personal tragedy. I lost friends in the crash that killed key leaders fromContinue Reading

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By Leyna Krow , Assistant Editor, JTNews I’m about to make a controversial statement. It’s a personal matter, but I think it still might ruffle a few feathers. Because this statement I’m about to make, it’s not something Jews are supposed to say, especially not this week. It’s uncouth, andContinue Reading

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By Ilana Cone Kennedy , Special to JTNews I work at a Holocaust Center. My daily language consists of the most obscene of numbers, concentration camps, death, suffering, and incredible personal miracles. I am just about to complete my seventh year as the director of education. When I tell peopleContinue Reading

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By Nevet Basker , Special to JTNews Much has been written in recent weeks about the announcement of new construction permits in Jerusalem. The timing of the announcement was unfortunate and embarrassing, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologized for it. But lost in the noise were some basicContinue Reading