Mike Rothbaum
By Mike Rothbaum
-
Opinion We don’t talk about ‘White anti-Semitism.’ Stop talking about Black anti-Semitism
It’s a difficult topic to bring up in mixed company, but it must be said: We need to have an honest conversation about White anti-Semitism. The anti-Semitism that exists throughout the White community is frightening. Many people know about White movie star Mel Gibson, who famously said that “the Jews are responsible for all the…
-
Opinion Why Did Ilhan Omar’s Tweets Trigger More Outrage Than Synagogue Shootings?
This is not how I expected to be a rabbi. Yes, I expected that I would confront anti-Semitic graffiti — graffiti like the kind one of my students found spray-painted on a high school ball field, around the corner from our synagogue. But I didn’t expect to hold three healing services for synagogue murder victims…
-
Opinion The Shameful Misuse Of Jewish Power
In 1908, New York police commissioner Theodore Bingham wrote an extended piece for The North American Review. It was entitled, “Foreign Criminals in New York.” In it, Bingham derided his own city’s immigrants, whom he labeled criminals “of exotic origin.” While Bingham clearly viewed all immigrants with suspicion and contempt, he reserved his most savage…
-
Opinion We’re Now Locking Our Synagogue’s Doors. It’s Not Because of Linda Sarsour.
It’s a decision I prayed we would never make. We’ve talked about for months. But, at this point, even I won’t argue with it. From now on, our shul will keep its doors locked at all times. Even during davvening. A locked door is the last thing a person should find at a synagogue. A…
-
Opinion After Protesting Trump at AIPAC, Will Rabbis Go Public With Their Politics?
When the American Israel Public Affairs Committee invited Republican front-runner Donald Trump to address its annual policy conference, it unintentionally achieved something remarkable: The lobby spurred rabbis from across the denominational spectrum to express their political views in public — even if it meant catching hell from their congregants. This is the first time I…
Most Popular
- 1
Fast Forward ‘Rabbi rebellion’: 33 Orthodox rabbis endorse Harris
- 2
Opinion I was a Bernie supporter. This year, I’m voting Trump. Here’s why liberal Jews like me made the switch
- 3
Opinion Here’s why Orthodox Jews are loyal to Trump — even if they don’t love him
- 4
FIRST PERSON As a rabbi, he helped others mourn. So why wouldn’t his daughter say kaddish for him?
In Case You Missed It
-
Culture How Quincy Jones scored with the gritty story of a Harlem Holocaust survivor
-
Fast Forward Crown Heights get-out-the-vote activists aim to turn election into a show of Chabad’s local force
-
Fast Forward 4 Jewish questions for Election Day 2024 and its aftermath
-
Fast Forward Trump is spending time with critics of Israel. His Jewish supporters aren’t concerned.
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism