Editorial & Opinion | Gary Rosenblatt

To GA Planners: Sharpen The Debates

11/27/2012 | Gary Rosenblatt | Editor And Publisher | Gary Rosenblatt

The three-day annual conference of communal leaders known as the GA (General Assembly), held in Baltimore earlier this month, turned out to be a microcosm of its parent body, the Jewish Federations of North America: an impressive collection of committed, caring professional and lay people, spread too thin and lacking in focus, and giving the impression of following rather than leading at a critical juncture in Jewish life.

Permission To Support Israel Without Measure

11/20/2012 | Gary Rosenblatt | Editor And Publisher | Gary Rosenblatt

Sitting in my home this weekend and reading about the trauma the people of Israel have endured under rocket attack in recent days, I never felt closer to Israel — or further away.

I was reminded of the story of the hen and the turkey reading the Thanksgiving Day menu the farmer had posted, calling for the next day’s dinner to feature “scrambled eggs and the traditional holiday meal.”

“From you he wants a contribution,” the turkey said ruefully to the hen. “From me he wants total commitment.”

Behind The Curve

11/13/2012 | Gary Rosenblatt | Editor And Publisher | Gary Rosenblatt

“Moneyball” has entered the political scene, big time, and old-school Jewish leaders here and in Israel better take note.

President Barack Obama’s re-election ushered in a new era of successful, highly sophisticated campaigning that is certain to be duplicated in the future, replacing punditry and prognostication with the kind of mathematics-based analytics that the Oakland A’s front office used a decade ago to make the team competitive in the American League West despite low salaries for the players.

What If There Were No Jewish Newspapers?

11/06/2012 | Gary Rosenblatt | Editor And Publisher | Gary Rosenblatt

I received a call several weeks ago from the exec of a mid-sized Jewish federation asking for my thoughts on a growing problem in his community: the local, independent Jewish newspaper is in financial meltdown and cannot go on as is.

“How can we help?” he wanted to know, recognizing the key role the paper has played in the community for decades.

"Who’s Best For Israel?" Not A Simple Question

11/01/2012 | Gary Rosenblatt

If Mitt Romney is elected president next week, Bibi Netanyahu will finally exhale, with a sigh of relief. The Israeli prime minister can feel confident that he will not be pressured to make peace with the Palestinian Authority anytime soon.

But is that a good thing?

Don’t Mistake Criticism Of Policies As Lack Of Caring For Israel

10/23/2012 | Gary Rosenblatt

On the Israel-diaspora front, surprising good news and, unfortunately, not-so-surprising bad news.

First, the bad news. The arrest and harassment of a woman reciting the Shema prayer aloud during Rosh Chodesh services this past week at the Western Wall is nothing less than shameful — an act that Jews of all denominations and beliefs should view as an embarrassment and outrage.