Looking at the year’s biggest stories in St. Louis and Israel — Ferguson and the Gaza conflict —poses the opportunity for some strange comparisons.Here’s one example: Many St. Louisans, while sympathetic to the underlying issues surrounding the...

There’s one easy reflection regarding Cuba, and one tougher one.The easy one first: Amid all of the competing narratives on re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba, there is nearly unanimous applause for the well-timed Hanukkah gift of Alan P....

Torture represents one of the basest forms of conduct we can engage in as humans. So are there times it’s okay as Americans? As Jews?The recently released Senate Intelligence Committee report on Central Intelligence Agency activities has overwhelmed...

Israel has to navigate a narrow course between its self-defense interests on the one hand and not being drawn into the ongoing, perilous, Syrian civil war on the other. Recent events exhibit the delicate nature of the situation.A statement issued by the...

Israeli voters might be forgiven for thinking that their leaders are more interested in power for power’s sake than in the vital, orderly, effective governance of the state of Israel in a region fraught with dangers. Israeli voters would be correct. —...

• “Like many Americans, we are deeply disappointed by the Grand Jury’s decision. ” Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc, self described as “a national organization inspired by Jewish values and the steadfast belief that Jewish Americans, regardless...

Hamas gloats at terror and encourages death. The Palestinian Authority condemns violence then implicitly excuses it in the next breath. And all in the first hours of mourning after an abominable terrorist attack on Jews.That’s the deplorable state of...

Amidst the recent spate of horrific acts of terrorism and violence in Jerusalem, the Israeli government has offered a long overdue ray of sunshine to Israelis and Jews worldwide.The new measure, effective immediately, allows municipal rabbis to perform...

Some of the language used by United States, Israeli and Palestinian officials in recent days sounds more like the escalating rhetoric between opponents at a World Wrestling Federation grudge match than the serious diplomacy demanded by these critical...

“Receiving ordination, however, is not the end of the rabbi’s career as a student of the Torah. On the contrary -- it’s just the beginning. A community rabbi will continue his search for knowledge and truth for the rest of his life, in the hopes...

In the region who didn’t raise with me spontaneously the need to try to get peace between Israel and the Palestinians, because it was a cause of recruitment and of street anger and agitation.” So said U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry last week,...