America is a melting pot of cultures, and it is undeniable that the distinctions setting apart each culture are slowly deteriorating. According to the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus, Jews make up approximately 10% of the UCLA population. Surrounded by…
Morsi, Obama and Bibi: which of these is not like the others?
Please Note: The individual opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Ha’Am Newsmagazine as a whole. An exciting trifecta of recent events: the American presidential inauguration was a few weeks ago, Israeli elections just…
Is new Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel anti-Israel?
By now, thousands of articles have been written about newly-nominated Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Many of them thrust one of two extremes at the reader: either that Chuck Hagel is a rabid anti-Semite and Israel-hater, or that Chuck Hagel is…
When Americans cannot compete, we all lose
Home to the second largest Jewish community, with some 5.2 million Jews, the United States’ political climate is undermining the ability of its citizens to trust their government. Paul Krugman, Nobel laureate in economics, opined in his blog Economics and…
Politically correct America: a nation in fear
In the age of advertisements and billboards, almost no public space is devoid of banners, announcements, or commercials. In New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco, a fiery dispute over a series of controversial ads posted on various municipal…
Haphazard accusations of genocide hinder humanitarian cause
Since the escalation in violence between Israel and Hamas earlier this month, it has been nearly impossible to sign on to Facebook or Twitter without seeing an exchange of rhetoric between supporters and opponents of Israel’s latest military campaign against…
A short-term scare: Hungarian lawmaker calls for a list of Jews
Unless your name is Oskar Schindler, making a list of Jews has never led to anything positive. Last week, in a shocking and disgraceful turn of events, Hungarian Parliament member Marton Gyongyosi offered a vile tidbit of advice in response…
“Pharaoh” Morsi and Israeli foreign relations: is the broker for peace broke?
What do false goatees, megalomania, and President Mohamed Morsi have in common? Pharaonic rulership, according to a number of disgruntled Egyptians, quoted by The Guardian as believing their country to have acquired a “Mubarak with a beard” after Morsi declared presidential “immunity” from judicial oversight and the ability to pass laws as he pleases. The engineer-come-dark-horse-politician has…
Israel on the backburner: is Obama too busy for the Jewish state?
This article is in response to an op-ed piece by Thomas Friedman published in the New York Times on November 10th, 2012. I would like to express my utmost respect for Mr. Friedman as a renowned journalist and state that…
A helpmate opposite him: the Jewish vision of respecting women
This article is in response to the piece published in Ha’Am on October 21st, 2012. I would like to make it clear that I respect the writer of the original article, and welcome all further discussion of this issue. Religious…