Author: David Rutman

Jewish life has always been shaped by the tension between belonging and boundary. In every generation, Jews have had to decide which elements of the surrounding culture can be absorbed, and which cannot, without hollowing out what is meant to endure. That question has become sharper, not softer, in the age of social media, where […]

State Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) announced today that he would be stepping down as Co-Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus on Feb. 15. Wiener’s decision comes amid criticism from Jewish groups about statements he made about Israel. In his statement, Wiener linked the timing of his decision to both his congressional campaign and […]

After a quarter century shaping generations of rabbis as dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson is stepping into a new role at American Jewish University (AJU) — one that reflects both his enduring influence and his forward-looking vision for Jewish life. AJU has announced that Rabbi Artson will be […]

Israel has a good reason to object to the inclusion of dignitaries from Turkey and Qatar in the so-called Gaza executive committee. That’s one of several bodies, committees and other bureaucratic  infrastructure that were put together by the Trump administration to handle the “day after” in Gaza. A statement last Saturday made Israel’s displeasure clear, […]

Not many people know that the Memphis hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 is now the home of the National Civil Rights Museum. In describing King’s legacy, the museum highlights his universal and unifying appeal: “A leader of all people, Dr. King never chose fear, but always chose courage and […]

Long-simmering antisemitism on the American Right has erupted into plain view. Nick Fuentes says that Jews control the media and cannot be part of Western civilization because they are not Christian. Candace Owens believes that Israel killed President John F. Kennedy and Charlie Kirk. Tucker Carlson charges that the Jews want to replace the white […]

This Monday is MLK Day, a national holiday to honor one of our great heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But for a group of public schoolteachers in New York City, “NYC Educators for Palestine,” Monday will be a day for Palestinian propaganda, as they will host a “Palestine Teach-In.” The group has accused Israel […]

Suddenly, it looks like it’s over. The butchers of Tehran are winning. The uprising that “felt different this time,” with millions of courageous Iranians marching for their freedom and an end to their oppression, feels like a memory. As The New York Times reported on Friday: “A heavy police presence and deadly crackdowns on protesters […]

There have already been several documentaries and one television series about the events of Oct. 7, 2023. Now, there is also a feature film, “12 Hours in October,” directed by Danny A. Abeckaser. The film portrays the horrors of that day through the perspectives of several fictional characters as they face the terror and chaos […]