Archive by Author: TTN Blog

Initially, a factually flawed article in the NY Times alarmed our Third Narrative discussion group by reporting that the Trump administration’s new executive order was redefining Jewishness in “national” or even “racial” terms.  The actual text of the “Executive Order on Combating Anti-Semitism” does not do that however.   Two of our Third Narrative colleagues are in […]

A number of Third Narrative colleagues were eager to discuss Sen. Bernie Sanders’ article in Jewish Currents magazine, “How to Fight Antisemitism.”  Steven Lubet has blogged twice on Sanders’ essay, beginning with praise for Sanders lauding (in the Senator’s words) “the enormous achievement of establishing a democratic homeland for the Jewish people after centuries of […]

This is a brief point-counterpoint taken by permission from The Third Narrative’s email discussion group.  It began with TTN’s editor, Ralph Seliger, commenting on an essay by Shaul Magid (pictured), a Jewish studies scholar at the University of Indiana from 2004 until 2018, now at Dartmouth, and a fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute.  Prof. […]

Our TTN colleague, Robert D. Johnston, a professor of history at the University of Illinois at Chicago, has informed us that his son, Isaac, “who is studying at the Conservative Yeshiva this year, was attacked by right-wing settler extremist thugs [during Sukkot] while helping bring in the Palestinian olive harvest.  So were four of his other […]

Our TTN colleague, CUNY prof and Nation columnist Eric Alterman, draws a connection between a recent statement by Pres. Trump and years of neoconservative attacks on American Jewish liberalism.  Here are selections from Alterman’s “Trump’s Comments on the ‘Disloyalty’ of Jews Have a Sordid History” (subtitled, “Neocons believed that a bit of evangelical anti-Semitism in exchange […]

At the beginning of August, the executive committee of The Third Narrative’s affiliated Alliance for Academic Freedom (AAF) sent an open letter to the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) against a resolution proposing the boycott of Israeli academic institutions.  On the weekend of August 10-11, allies and members of the AAF were instrumental […]

In an extensive email discussion, participants in The Third Narrative (TTN) have indicated some difference of opinion regarding this episode as it has evolved.  There’s a clear consensus that Israel erred politically in reversing its prior stated decision to allow Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar to enter Israel; Ameinu, TTN’s sponsor, was consonant with […]