Category
Commentary
Center Court
At the Mercedes-Benz Cup doubles final last Sunday at UCLA, the clumps of Israelis in the grandstands waved their blue-and-white flags between points and yelled out encouragement in Hebrew. They were cheering on the team of Yoni Erlich and Andy Ram, who had reached the finals by defeating the top-seeded team in the world, Americans Bob and Mike Bryan.\n\nAt one point a woman began chanting, \”Yisrael! Yisrael!\” and a few others joined in, but mostly people just clapped and smiled, thrilled that their country could put such a team on center court.
My Work Is Not to Blame for Jew-Haters
Usually I only respond to fair and thoughtful criticism, but I\’ll make an exception in this case, because people I respect tell me that Rob Eshman, the editor-in-chief of this publication, is both a smart and decent guy.
Recently, he wrote a column on July 29 about my new book — \”100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (and Al Franken is \’37),\” and this is how the column began: \”Jewish Americans are only 2 percent of the nation\’s population, but they are 25 percent of its problem.\”
Of course, he doesn\’t believe that. The point was that I supposedly believe that. Why? It seems that Eshman actually counted up all the Jewish people on the list, came up with 25, and, well, you do the math.
Good thing my name is Goldberg and not something WASPy or the column might have begun, \”This is a book written by a Jew-hating bigot.\”
Schwarzenegger Is Losing Jewish Vote
In November 2003, California voters recalled Gov. Gray Davis and replaced him with Arnold Schwarzenegger. White voters backed the recall by a large margin, but Jewish voters swam against the tide, with 69 percent voting against the recall. On the second part of the ballot, where voters chose a replacement candidate, Schwarzenegger collected a surprising 31 percent of Jewish voters.
I suggested then in these pages that Schwarzenegger might eventually do well with Jews: \”Jewish voters aren\’t likely to abandon the Democratic Party anytime soon, but will likely give Arnold Schwarzenegger a chance to prove that he can govern in a bipartisan, moderate manner…. If Schwarzenegger truly seeks to solve the state\’s problems without being a tool of right-wing forces, and with an open-minded, progressive approach, he may find a surprising number of friends among California\’s Democratic-leaning Jewish voters.\”
Chance given, chance blown.
Tsfat Nourishes the Spiritually Hungry
As I climbed the green Galilean hills of Tsfat to reach the family hosting me for Shabbat, I wondered how it had changed since the last time I was in Israel\’s mystical city.
Goldberg’s List
Jewish Americans are only 2 percent of the nation\’s population, but they are 25 percent of its problem. That\’s according to Bernard Goldberg, whose new, bestselling nonfiction book is called, \”100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (and Al Franken is No. 37).\”
There’s No Place for Ugly Words on Gaza
The withdrawal of Israeli settlements and settlers from the Gaza Strip will dominate the Jewish summer.
How Can Right, Left Each Be So Sure?
Some months ago, at a kind of evening salon in a settlement just south of Jerusalem, I read a short story I\’d written to a group of friends and acquaintances.
Happy Birthday, Me!
In a few weeks I\’ll turn 33 and, sadly, I realize I\’m long past being anything \”for my age.\” I\’m no longer cute for my age, talented for my age, a good reader for my age. All qualifications and special considerations have long passed. There\’s nothing I can get away with now because, \”After all, your honor, he\’s only 33.\”
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