A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light
A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light
A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light
All content by Marty Rochester
US Army tanks face off against Soviet tanks, Berlin 1961.jpg US Army tanks face off against Soviet armor at Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin, October 1961.

If the Cold War could end, so could the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Marty Rochester
Published June 18, 2025

Could Talmudic debate help solve world’s intractable problems?

Marty Rochester
Published April 21, 2025

The diversity experiment failed

Marty Rochester
Published February 5, 2025

The 10 most important events since WWII

Marty Rochester
Published December 18, 2024
Is a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict inevitable?

Is a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict inevitable?

Marty Rochester
Published August 21, 2024
Bean counting racial outcomes is no way to achieve equality

Bean counting racial outcomes is no way to achieve equality

Marty Rochester
Published July 11, 2024
Jewish students on the campus of the University of Missouri talk to police after a Shabbat Table was vandalized on campus.

Let’s talk about antisemitism on college campuses

Marty Rochester
Published February 21, 2024

Equity-driven dumbing down of K-12 education accelerate

Marty Rochester
Published December 7, 2023
Book bans: Both sides do it, and both should be opposed

Book bans: Both sides do it, and both should be opposed

Marty Rochester
Published August 23, 2023
Youth today could learn lessons from hardships of past generations

Youth today could learn lessons from hardships of past generations

Marty Rochester, Special To The Jewish Light
Published February 24, 2023
Marty Rochester

The benefit of experience in judging the past vs. today

MARTY ROCHESTER
Published May 4, 2022
Marty Rochester

Finding off ramp for Putin is best case resolution for Ukraine

MARTY ROCHESTER
Published April 3, 2022
Young participants wave Israeli flags at the ‘Walk in Support of Israel’ held Sunday at the I.E. Millstone Jewish Community Campus. More than 500 people turned out for the event, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem. See Bob Cohn’s story and additional photos on page 4. For a gallery of more than 100 images from the event, visit stljewishlight.com/multimedia. Photo: Andrew Kerman

Why do Jews flock together?

MARTY ROCHESTER
Published February 21, 2022
Op-Ed: The madness of our political system

Op-Ed: The madness of our political system

MARTY ROCHESTER , Special For The Jewish Light
Published December 16, 2021

The five biggest problems facing the U.S. today

Marty Rochester
Published November 21, 2021
Afghanistan withdrawal will come back to haunt us

Afghanistan withdrawal will come back to haunt us

Marty Rochester, Special to the Jewish Light
Published October 22, 2021
The problem with critical race theory

The problem with critical race theory

Marty Rochester
Published September 23, 2021
Marty Rochester

True friendship, like life itself, takes nurturing

MARTY ROCHESTER
Published August 27, 2021
Andy Mesnier salutes after placing a new American flag at the grave of a veteran at New Mount Sinai Cemetery on Sunday morning. Mesnier, of Troop 982, based at Sorrento Springs Elementary School in Ballwin, was one of close to 100 Boy Scouts who came to the cemetery to place flags. Boy Scouts from Troop 11, based at Temple Israel also participated. About 275 scouts visited each Jewish cemetery on Sunday.

If I had a hammer: Speaking out for Uncle Sam

MARTY ROCHESTER
Published August 2, 2021
What ever happened to compromise?

What ever happened to compromise?

MARTY ROCHESTER
Published June 21, 2021
A call across the aisle for a respectful conversation

A call across the aisle for a respectful conversation

MARTY ROCHESTER
Published May 21, 2021
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The world could stand a large dose of the Rebbe’s wisdom

Marty Rochester
Published April 23, 2021
J. Martin Rochester, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, is the author of 10 books on international and American politics.

Oy vey: The excesses of identity politics

Marty Rochester
Published March 25, 2021
J. Martin Rochester, Curators’ Teaching Professor of Political Science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, is the author of 10 books on international and American politics, including his latest: “New Warfare: Rethinking Rules for An Unruly World.”

Here’s why liberalism is not my cup of latte

Marty Rochester
Published June 21, 2018
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