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Articles by Stuart Weinblatt
The Beat Goes On
In the 1960s, when Cher performed as one-half of a popular duo with her husband, Sonny Bono, they recorded songs as “Sonny and Cher.” One of their biggest hits was “The Beat Goes On.” I always thought the song’s title was a metaphor for the persistence and continuity of life: that despite all the turmoil and upheaval of a tumultuous era, there are things that remain constant: the beat goes on. Having recently returned from two months in Israel, I keep thinking about that song.
Rabbis must lean into Zionism from the pulpit this holiday season - opinion
BySTUART WEINBLATTAUGUST 31, 2026 18:00 Many Jews feel that the current climate feels like Germany of the 1930’s. People worry that we, like those who came before us, are oblivious to the signs all around us, and are too comfortable and complacent in our conviction that “it can’t happen here.” For the first time in my lifetime, there are those who no longer believe in the uniqueness of the American experiment, and its relative safety for Jews.
Self-described Zionist organization stops acting like one
Is Israel’s existence as a Jewish state a core value T’ruah is prepared to defend?” T’ruah calls itself a Zionist organization. Yet its recent actions, increasingly legitimizing individuals, organizations and ideas that reject Zionism and deny the legitimacy of Israel’s continued existence as a Jewish state suggest otherwise.
When a self-described Zionist organization stops acting like one
(Aug. 20, 2026 / JNS) T’ruah calls itself a Zionist organization. Yet its recent actions, increasingly legitimizing individuals, organizations and ideas that reject Zionism and deny the legitimacy of Israel’s continued existence as a Jewish state suggest otherwise. As leading rabbis of the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition, an independent network of more than 2,000 North American rabbis spanning all denominational movements, we are deeply concerned about this contradiction.
Lindsey Graham: Our True Guardian
The tributes pouring in for Lindsey Graham rightly praise his many qualities, especially his deep love for and tireless service to the United States. As a Jew and a steadfast supporter of Israel, I join those who are especially saddened by the loss of one of Israel’s greatest friends and champions. In addition to all the wonderful things being said about him, we should not........ © The Times of Israel (Blogs) visit website
Lindsey Graham: Our True Guardian
The tributes pouring in for Lindsey Graham rightly praise his many qualities, especially his deep love for and tireless service to the United States. As a Jew and a steadfast supporter of Israel, I join those who are especially saddened by the loss of one of Israel’s greatest friends and champions. In addition to all the wonderful things being said about him, we should not forget his wonderful sense of humor and the fact that he never took himself too seriously.
From despair to hope: Mideast moderation Original
(July 12, 2026 / JNS) It is not often that one experiences the extremes of despair and hope on the very same day due to encounters with the same subject. Recently, I attended an academic conference at the University of Haifa on contemporary antisemitism. The sessions explored topics ranging from media bias and Holocaust denial to the climate on university campuses. One session, devoted to the sources of Muslim antisemitism, was especially disturbing.
Time for a Divorce: Should the Democratic Party Be Broken Up?
The results of Tuesday’s NYC primary results are terribly upsetting. What to do about it? James Carville is 100% right when he says that there should be a schism in the Democratic Party and it should separate from the Democratic Socialists. The Democratic Socialists’ values and policies are radically different than the traditional Democratic party, one which historically has been home to the majority of American Jews for generations.
Time for a Divorce: Should the Democratic Party Be Broken Up?
The results of Tuesday’s NYC primary results are terribly upsetting. What to do about it? James Carville is 100% right when he says that there should be a schism in the Democratic Party and it should separate from the Democratic Socialists. The Democratic Socialists’ values and policies are radically different than the traditional Democratic party, one........ © The Times of Israel (Blogs) visit website
Lashon HaRa – Bad Mouthing A Nation
At the end of this week’s Torah portion, (BeHa’Alotecha), an incident with Aaron and Miriam speaking ill of Moses draws our attention and returns to a topic dealt with on more than one occasion in the Torah – the harmful effects of lashon hara – gossip. We all are guilty of doing it – which is precisely why classic Jewish sources devote so many pages of texts and have developed so many guidelines addressing the problem.
Lashon HaRa – Bad Mouthing A Nation - Stuart Weinblatt
At the end of this week’s Torah portion, (BeHa’Alotecha), an incident with Aaron and Miriam speaking ill of Moses draws our attention and returns to a topic dealt with on more than one occasion in the Torah – the harmful effects of lashon hara – gossip. We all are guilty of doing it – which is precisely why classic Jewish sources devote so many pages of texts and have developed so many guidelines addressing the problem.
The Danger Of Candidates Rejecting Aipac Funds - Stuart Weinblatt
Over the last few days, hundreds of American citizens gathered to participate in the American political process – lobbying for policy and engaging with lawmakers who align with their values, just as advocates do for a myriad of interests every single day.
The Blogs: The Danger Of Candidates Rejecting Aipac Funds
Over the last few days, hundreds of American citizens gathered to participate in the American political process – lobbying for policy and engaging with lawmakers who align with their values, just as advocates do for a myriad of interests every single day.
The Blogs: Of Super Bowl Ads, Brett Stephens and Where to Put Our Energy
Brett Stephens, in his recent lecture at the 92nd Street Y, ignited a debate that has been simmering within the Jewish community for some time: The question of whether we are devoting too much of our communal energy and resources to combating antisemitism at the expense of strengthening Jewish identity. Stephens, like Dan Senor, who delivered last year’s lecture, argues that while antisemitism is real and troubling, our disproportionate focus on fighting it may be misplaced.
The Blogs: A Nation Turns Its Lonely Eyes to You: The Return of Ran Gvili
The ordeal of the last hostage seized by Hamas and taken to Gaza more than 843 days ago came to an end this week with the return of the body of Ran Gvili and with his arrival at his final resting place today.
On These High Holy Days, Rabbis Must Restore Jews’ Faith in Israel
One Erev Yom Kippur a few years ago, I introduced a sermon by saying, “I am going to give a nonpolitical sermon tonight. I am going to talk about why we must support Israel.” To many, that statement may seem paradoxical. But just as rabbis, regardless of affiliation, are advocates for living a Jewish life, so too should we be advocates for the Jewish people, especially for the nation-state of the Jewish people. And this has never been more important than today.
The Blogs: On These High Holidays, Rabbis Must Restore Jews’ Faith in Israel
One Erev Yom Kippur a few years ago, I introduced a sermon by saying, “I am going to give a non-political sermon tonight. I am going to talk about why we must support Israel.” To many, that statement may seem paradoxical. But just as rabbis, regardless of affiliation, are advocates for living a Jewish life, so too should we be advocates for the Jewish people, especially for the nation-state of the Jewish people. And this has never been more important than today.
Rabbis who stand up for Jews
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Fighting Antisemitism Before It’s Too Late
The cold-blooded murders of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky in Washington, D.C. followed by the terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, and the torching of the home of the Governor of Pennsylvania are among the most recent and high-profile attacks on Jews – and that is just in this country.
The Blogs: Needed: Rabbis Who Stand Up For Jews
At a time when Jews and the Jewish state are under attack from so many directions, one would hope that we could at least expect support from our rabbis. But instead, many engage in virtue signaling, or what in football terms is referred to as “piling on.” It is not necessary to delineate the very real physical assaults on Jews, Jewish institutions and even Jewish-owned or Jewish or Israeli-themed restaurants around the world.
The Blogs: That Was the Week That Was!
What an eventful week! The United States bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities has led to the feeling of relief among many Israelis that the Damocles sword that has been hanging over their heads for decades has been removed.
We are not alone Original
(May 15, 2025 / JNS) Where can rabbis gather to hear from the Speaker of the House and a progressive Democratic senator about their support for the State of Israel? Where can they join Christian ministers to advocate for Israel, participate in a respectful discussion about the administration’s efforts against antisemitism, study biblical texts, learn about troubling antisemitism trends, and hear from influential authors and student leaders confronting anti-Israel activity on campus?
The Blogs: The Antisemitism Summit: Can We Accept Yes for an Answer
When is an antisemite no longer an antisemite? And when is an antisemitic party no longer antisemitic? I was thinking about this as I attended the recent Global Summit Against Antisemitism sponsored by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and organized by Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli.
On the Huckabee Nomination
The nomination of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee to the next United States ambassador to Israel has generated controversy and negative response from some unexpected sources, including certain groups purporting to speak for America’s Jews. The head of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, claiming to speak for 2,000 Reform rabbis, recently sent a letter to all 100 U.S. Senators urging them to oppose the nomination of Governor Mike Huckabee as U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
About that ad in ‘The New York Times’
New York Times readers opened the newspaper last week and saw a full-page advertisement declaring, “Trump has called for the removal of all Palestinians from Gaza. Jewish people say no to ethnic cleansing!” The ad was signed by a few dozen Jewish celebrities and hundreds of rabbis. If you found this ad odd, you’re not alone. For starters, the ad was not intended to influence policy. No one should believe that a full-page ad in The New York Times, of all places, will sway this president.
About that ad in ‘The New York Times’ Original
(Feb. 20, 2025 / JNS) New York Times readers opened their newspapers last week and saw a full-page advertisement declaring, “Trump has called for the removal of all Palestinians from Gaza. Jewish people say no to ethnic cleansing!” It was signed by a few dozen Jewish celebrities and hundreds of rabbis. If you found this odd, you’re not alone. For starters, the ad was not intended to influence policy.
A Path to Peace or Prolonging the Conflict?
By Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt The late Geula Cohen, a Likud member of Knesset, was asked how she would react if her son, who at the time was serving in the Israel Defense Forces in Lebanon, was captured. She replied that she would stand outside the Knesset and join the protestors in shouting and demanding that the government do whatever it takes to get her son released.
The Blogs: A Path to Peace or Prolonging the Conflict?
The late Geula Cohen, a Likud member of Knesset was asked how she would react if her son, who at the time was serving in the IDF in Lebanon was captured. She replied that she would stand outside the Knesset and join the protestors in shouting and demanding that the Government do whatever it takes to get her son released. And then, she would go inside the Knesset and take her place in the parliament and tell her colleagues not to listen to the demonstrators outside.
Who Should American Jews Vote For?
Who Should Jews Vote For? I recently conducted interviews with senior representatives of the Trump and Harris campaigns, on the subject: “Who Should American Jews Vote For?” In such a close contest, how we Jews vote, especially in swing states, may sway the outcome of this election and could help determine who will be the next president of the United States. Our conversations focused primarily on foreign policy, especially in regard to Israel.
Dear fellow Americans, this is the speech President Biden should have given - opinion
Instead of giving hope to Hamas to hold out for a better deal, which only serves to prolong the fighting, now is the time for leadership and moral clarity, not moral equivalence or ambiguity. "My fellow Americans, I, like many of you am deeply troubled by the accidental killing of seven workers from World Central Kitchen in Gaza by an Israeli strike. I say accidentally because I was assured that this was not intentional targeting.
Open Letter to the National Women’s Studies Association
By Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt After the Oct. 7 invasion and sadistic massacre in Israeli towns near the Gaza border, Hamas terrorists and their supporters bragged, celebrated and even shared photos and videos of their crimes against humanity on social media. Their atrocities included mutilating infants and raping women next to the dead bodies of their friends. Hamas terrorists have admitted that they were given orders to specifically kidnap women with the intention of raping them.
ZRC Condemns Women Studies Group - Stuart Weinblatt
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ZRC Condemns Women Studies Group
Open Letter to the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) from the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition (ZRC) After the October 7 invasion and sadistic massacre in Israeli towns near the Gaza border, Hamas terrorists and their supporters bragged, celebrated, and even shared photos and videos of their crimes against humanity on social media. Their atrocities included mutilating infants and raping women next to the dead bodies of their friends.
What’s A Rabbi To Speak About on the High Holidays?
In a few days Jews from around the world will gather to welcome the New Year and to celebrate the holiest days on our calendar. Rabbis are working on our sermons and refining our messages for the largest crowds of the year. Many of us will speak about Israel and the challenges facing it. We are being implored by many respected individuals who we have relied on to help interpret events in Israel to weigh in on the current crisis surrounding the controversy about judicial reform.
What coverage of Biden can teach us about coverage of Israel
By Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt A recent column inThe Washington Post about President Joe Biden’s declining poll numbers makes the case for Israel better than anything I have read in a long time. Lamenting the president’s poor standing, Perry Bacon Jr. writes, “The mainstream media has played a huge, underappreciated role in President Biden’s declining support over the past year.” He claims that Biden’s plunging poll numbers are the direct result of the media’s negative coverage of him.
What coverage of Biden can teach us about coverage of Israel
Spread the word. Help JNS grow! Share now: A recent column in The Washington Post about President Joe Biden’s declining poll numbers makes the case for Israel better than anything I have read in a long time.
America’s rabbinical schools must require ‘ahavat Yisrael’ from their students
Spread the word. Help JNS grow! Share now: This open letter was recently sent to all major ordaining rabbinic seminaries in the United States. We American rabbis write to express our concern about the attitude of many rabbinical students towards Zionism and Jewish peoplehood. The primary purpose and mission of a rabbinical school is to train individuals who will serve as leaders and educators of the Jewish people.
Why a coalition of Zionist rabbis is necessary
Not too long ago it would have been unheard of for Jews or Jewish leaders to question and criticize Israel while it was under attack. Yet the now famous (or depending on your perspective, infamous) letter signed last year by 90 rabbinical students critical of Israel defending itself from incoming rockets hurled at it by Hamas did just that. It was a wakeup call for the American Jewish community.
About the attack in the synagogue in Texas …
(January 28, 2022 / JNS) I was struck when reading commentaries on the Torah portion of the past week with its relevance to what happened in the synagogue in Texas the previous Shabbat. Although it contains the Ten Commandments, it is not named after Moses, who went up the mountain and brought the commandments to the people, but after his father-in-law, Yitro (Jethro). The opening verse tells us that Yitro heard something, though doesn’t indicate what it is that he heard.
About the Attack in the Synagogue in Texas…
A law enforcement vehicle blocks the street where a man has reportedly taken people hostage at a synagogue during services that were being streamed live, in Colleyville, Texas, US January 15, 2022. REUTERS/Shelby Tauber JNS.org – I was struck when reading commentaries on the Torah portion of the past week with its relevance to what happened in the synagogue in Texas the previous Shabbat.
How does Archbishop Tutu stack up against Jewish values?
By Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt The reaction to the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Dec. 26 reveals a blind spot in the tributes in the general press, among world leaders and even among rabbis and Jewish leaders. Tutu was clearly a courageous figure who deserves praise for his brave struggle to end apartheid in South Africa. But he also made a number of incendiary, antisemitic comments and gave speeches that were extremely hostile to Israel.
The Dangerous Language Of Desmond Tutu
(JNS) The reaction to the death of South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has revealed a blind spot in tributes that have poured in from the general press, world leaders, and even among rabbis and Jewish leaders. Tutu was clearly a courageous figure who deserves praise for his brave struggle to end apartheid in South Africa.
The dangerous language of Desmond Tutu
He minimized Palestinian acts of violence and misapplied the experience of apartheid in South Africa to Israel. 762 WORDS Spread the word. Help JNS grow! Share now: (January 5, 2022 / JNS) The reaction to the death of South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has revealed a blind spot in tributes that have poured in from the general press, world leaders, and even among rabbis and Jewish leaders.
Assessing Desmond Tutu
Jan 3, 2022, 11:57 PM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Surprisingly a number of rabbis and Jewish leaders have a blind spot when it comes to an assessment of S. African Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s.
Jewish unity is needed now more than ever
(September 22, 2021 / JNS) Most of us are familiar with the beautiful custom of dipping apples in honey at this time of year. As we dip the apple in honey, we say a bracha, a blessing, and wish for each other a shanah tovah u’metuka k’dvash, that the coming year will be as sweet as honey. A lesser-known custom, which has become increasingly popular and more widespread in recent years, is of Iraqi origin, and one that my wife, whose family is from Baghdad, introduced to me.
IHRA Definition of Antisemitism: An Important Tool to Combat Surge in Jew-Hatred
Photo by tzahiV/Getty Images If there is anything we have learned in the last few weeks, it is that, unlike Las Vegas, what happens in Israel, doesn’t stay in Israel. Last month’s conflict between Israel and Hamas unleashed a torrent of attacks on Jews around the world, as well as on Jewish institutions and places of business associated with Jews.
A life preserver to Jews who hold fast to it
Photo by Beny Shlevich/ Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license By Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt If any one thing has united Jews throughout the ages, it is anti-Semitism. Yet in this era of increased polarization and division, it seems we cannot even agree anymore on what constitutes anti-Semitism.
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