Parsing Jewish Concerns over Mamdani
Rabbi Jill Jacobs attempts to add a measured note of calm, but questions remain regarding Mamdani’s candidacy for Mayor of New York City.
June 27, 2025
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Ralph Seliger
Israel and Jews in Crosshairs of NYC Mayoral Race
A charismatic young socialist, who is also a Muslim immigrant with a highly critical track record on Israel, has a significant chance to become the next Mayor of New York. Jewish New Yorkers need not panic.
May 20, 2025
Oscar-winning Doc is All Too True
Its narrative focus is upon the evolving partnership and friendship of two filmmakers — one a villager and the other an Arabic-speaking Israeli journalist, who is readily accepted for who he is, a “Yahud” (Jew) who has come in solidarity.
March 6, 2025
Navigating Around Trump’s Gaza ‘Riviera’
My dream scenario would be the imposition of moderate Arab forces and funding to oversee reconstruction and to shepherd in governance under a reformed Palestinian Authority, with the ultimate goal of negotiating peace with Israel.
February 13, 2025
Is Beinart’s Tirade against Blinken Fair?
… the Biden administration has wanted both to support Israel at a genuine hour of need and to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Gaza. This proved insufficient given the nature of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s extremist coalition government and the fanatical nature of Hamas, which is singularly indifferent to the suffering of its people.
January 7, 2025
Would One State be ‘Binational’ or ‘Eliminationist’?
Despite my disagreement with some of Prof. Khalidi’s views, I appreciate his anguish over the ongoing suffering of his people, and hope against hope that they and the people of Israel will emerge from their mutual horrors with a two-state peace.
January 1, 2025
A ‘Solidarity Visit’ in Wartime
There are pitfalls to “solidarity tours” of Israel in the wake of October 7th; this one tried, albeit imperfectly, to avoid them. The trick is to cultivate compassion and understanding for both Israelis and Palestinians at this terrible time.
July 9, 2024
‘Anti-Israelism’ is the Problem, Not Antisemitism
Most demonstrators may be against the existence of Israel as a country. This can be seen as anti-Zionism, but questioning the survival of a nation is actually worse than opposing an ideology (an “ism”).
June 13, 2024
Weaponizing ‘Genocide’
The deaths of children and other innocents in Gaza, mostly from US-supplied weaponry, are what’s driving campus protests. Too many non-combatants have died, but Israel is not trying to exterminate the Palestinian people.
April 15, 2024
Antisemitism’s a Recurring Virus; Israel Triggers Fresh Outbreaks
Global eruptions of antisemitism precipitated two conferences at the same venue, over 20 years apart. Although Israel is not to blame for the hatred of Jews, its policies and military actions often trigger it.
February 17, 2024