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JWisdom: Ultimate opportunities by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky May 8, 2008 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Israel at 3,500+ Jonathan Tobin: Still Fighting the Same War Steven Plaut: How ‘nakba’ proves the fiction of a Palestinian Nation JWisdom: Taking Israel for Granted? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher May 7, 2008 Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Israel is irrelevant to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Dion Nissenbaum: Latest Olmert scandal could derail efforts to force Israel's compromises JWisdom: My Inner Ventriloquist by Sara Yoheved Rigler May 6, 2008 Caroline B. Glick: Anti-Zionism at 60 The Kosher Gourmet By Ethel G. Hofman: In honor of Israel's 60th anniversary, the former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with a smorgasbord featuring the taste and essence of the Jewish homeland JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Jewish Deer in Nazi Headlights May 5, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Busy work Jonathan Mark: Remarkable half-century old Mike Wallace interview with Abba Eban puts current anti-Israel sentiment into perspective May 2, 2008 Rabbi Berel Wein: Rote religiosity Caroline B. Glick: Whitewashing Hamas JWisdom: Parent trap? May 1, 2008 David Zwiebel: Faith communities can learn from Orthodox Jews in stimulating private philanthropy for religious education George Friedman and Peter Zeihan of Stratfor: The Shift Toward an Israeli-Syrian Agreement JWisdom: It's time to wake up by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis April 30, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Pennsylvania's Democratic slugfest may leave some Jewish votes up for grabs The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Fresh herbs, sauteed veal and tiny creamer potatoes makes a light spring dinner JWisdom: How to Build a Mentch by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 29, 2008 Daniel Pipes: Barack Obama's Muslim Childhood Joel Brinkley: On human rights, the U.N. once again strikes out JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: When The Truth is Unbelievable April 28, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: I'm often stuck in the doctor's waiting room for hours! Doesn't he owe me something for my wasted time? Steven Emerson: New U.S. government policy advises agencies to avoid using some of the very same words that make up terror groups' names JWisdom: Why You & I Never Die: A Jewish View of Immortality, Part I by Rabbi David Aaron April 25, 2008 Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg: Schadenfreude isn't kosher for Passover --- or at any other time Rabbi Berel Wein: The secret of how the data bank of memory is transferred from one generation to the next JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen, Part III April 24, 2008 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The successful failure Fred Burton and Scott Stewart of Stratfor: Placing the terrorist threat to the food supply in perspective JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen, Part II April 23, 2008 Connie Ogle: An intricate game of a novel Jonathan Tobin: Making Sense of the 'J Street' Jive JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen April 22, 2008 Jonathan Rosenblum: Why Israel's 'Leaven law' matters Caroline B. Glick: Obama the Savior April 18, 2008 Rabbi Harvey Belovski: Multimedia tool of antiquity Caroline B. Glick: Revealed Truths vs. revealed lies JWisdom: More than miracles by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky April 17, 2008 Rabbi Avi Shafran: Deconstructing Dayeinu Rabbi Elazar Meisels: Is innovation at the Seder a slap at tradition? JWisdom: Discovering Your Divine Mission, Part III by Rabbi David Aaron April 16, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: A Prayer for Sderot's Children Ethel G. Hofman: Sumptuous Seder JWisdom: The Divine is in the details by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 15, 2008 Rabbi Dovid Zauderer: Let Charlton Heston Go! Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Jimma, tyranny's enabler JWisdom: Relationships: Beyond Mars & Venus, Part IV by Dr. Lisa Aiken April 14, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: The Snitching Supervisor Jonathan Tobin: Forget the Fun and Games! JWisdom: Sincerity is Valued Most by Rabbi Abraham J. 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Recently someone asked me to translate some financial documents that are clearly forged. Should I agree? Jonathan Rosenblum : Israel is unwittingly helping to fuel the international campaign of delegitimization against it JWisdom: Matzah and leaven as a life philosophy by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. April 4, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The Mystery of Suffering Caroline B. Glick: Fear of democracy JWisdom: Dirty Jews by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky April 3, 2008 Rabbi Y. Y. Rubinstein: Parents --- and the children who would be them The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Manweiler: Tempted by restaurant dressings? Don't be. Here are recipes that can be made at home, healthier! JWisdom: The importance of retaining a 'slave mentality' by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 2, 2008 Mitch Albom: Child abuse, disguised as faith Jonathan Tobin: Unreasonable Accommodations JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith with Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Eliminating Jewish Influence over Germans March 22, 2007 J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !) Oct. 29, 2003 Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review April 30, 2008 / 25 Nissan 5768 Dream Teams May Test Party Ties By Jonathan Tobin Pennsylvania's Democratic slugfest may leave some Jewish votes up for grabs http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Despite Sen. Hillary Clinton's decisive triumph in the Pennsylvania primary, when supporters of Sen. Barak Obama look at the totals of pledged delegates elected to the Democratic convention, they know that the Illinois senator's eventual coronation in Denver is still the likely outcome of the Democrats' nominating marathon. Nevertheless Democratic officials know that the wounds opened up by his slugfest with Clinton may be felt long after the primary is forgotten. Though the dominant theme of post-Pennsylvania analysis has been Obama's failure to capture the affection of working-class Democrats, exit polls here revealed another potential problem for him: the Jewish vote. In many of the previous primaries, Jewish Democrats who are generally part of Obama's favorite demographic — upper income professional whites — either supported the senator from Illinois or split the same way as the rest of the white vote. But Pennsylvania was different. Here, the 8 percent of voters who identified as Jewish went 62-38 for Hillary, seven points higher than her overall margin. GOP HOPES LIVE Though not exactly earth-shaking, it was probably enough to give hope to Jewish Republicans who never tire of predicting the end of Democratic dominance of the Jewish vote. They're headed for disappointment. Unless the Democrats nominate Jimmy Carter at their Denver convention instead of Obama or Clinton, there's no doubt that the majority of Jewish votes will go to the Democrats, no matter who wins the nod of the super-delegates. Though polls have shown that some Clinton voters would either stay home or vote for Republican John McCain if Obama is the nominee, Democrats have scoffed at suggestions of mass defections. And no group feels the pull of partisanship during what is surely one of the most partisan moments in American political history than the Jews. With the majority of Jews critical of the war in Iraq, McCain's pro-life record on abortion (a key issue with Jewish women who like Hillary) and with the economy in a downturn, there are plenty of reasons for Democrats to be optimistic. But what the Pennsylvania results should remind us is that all it will take to switch the Keystone State from the blue Democratic column over to the red Republican ledger is a small shift in the numbers, not a huge one. Here in Pennsylvania, Jews comprise only about 2.3 percent of the total population. Yet in the Democratic primary, they accounted for an estimated 8 percent of the vote. That means that even if the majority of Jewish Clinton backers embrace Obama, should a significant minority of them consider his drawbacks too much to take, that could possibly tip the scales of the overall vote. The same holds true in other states where, like Pennsylvania, the presidential race is likely to be close. And when one considers that polls show McCain being only a few percentage points behind Obama in an otherwise solidly Democratic state like New Jersey, the significance of any sort of shift among Jews (who make up 5.7 percent of the total population there) would be telling. Though backing for the Jewish state has been the GOP's sole wedge issue for Jewish voters, Obama has undercut doubts on that score by endlessly repeating his mantra of support at every conceivable opportunity. Republicans and some Clintonites may question his sincerity, but Israel alone is not going to cost Obama many Jewish votes. Yet Clinton clearly scored at Obama's expense with Jewish voters and others with her willingness to threaten Iran if it acquires nuclear weapons while Obama was still talking about engaging its leaders. Obama had also thought he had put his 20-year association with the radical Rev. Jeremiah Wright to rest in a speech given here in March. His rhetoric convinced most of his fans in the media that it was a non-issue, but Wright's refusal to shut up has exacerbated the problem. The cleric's April 28 speech before Washington's National Press Club made it clear that the notion of his extremism was no media invention. His stated support for Louis Farrakhan, belief that America brought 9/11 upon itself, and that the U.S. government invented the AIDS virus and spread drugs among blacks were every bit as venomous as the sound bytes previously aired on the cable networks. Obama's association with Wright and former Weatherman terrorist Bill Ayers are the sort of thing that increases doubts about his judgment and character in a way that is particularly scary to many Jews. Unless Obama stops trying to have it both ways and simply disowns Wright, his former mentor will continue to hurt him badly. Likewise, he is going to have to start sounding tougher on Iran lest he give McCain the chance to make it sound as if he would acquiesce to a situation in which Israel's existence might be endangered. That said, it must still be considered a given that McCain has little chance of matching the modern Republican record for Jewish votes that Ronald Reagan set in 1980 when he won just under 40 percent against Jimmy Carter. And if Democratic leaders can put a shotgun in the backs of their two candidates and force them to accept an Obama/Clinton "dream" ticket, then they may well be able to maintain their hold on the 75 to 85 percent of Jewish votes they have generally received in the past. The Lieberman Factor THE LIEBERMAN FACTOR However, Jewish Republicans have their own "dream" ticket in mind. That would mean McCain tapping his close friend Sen. Joseph Lieberman as his running mate. Lieberman, who ran as Al Gore's running mate in 2000, has repeatedly said he won't do it. His standard disclaimer is "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt." But if McCain offered him the nomination, don't bet on Connecticut's sainted junior senator turning him down. Such a choice would enrage conservatives who didn't back McCain, but have nevertheless been demanding that the irascible Arizonan show them a little love. But as political guru Stuart Rothenberg recently wrote on the Realclearpolitics.com Web site, Lieberman is the perfect choice to help the Republicans win independents and Democrats in November. He also notes that McCain is also exactly the sort of person who would delight in a pick that would infuriate his two least favorite groups: ultra-conservatives and liberals who see the pro-war independent Lieberman as a turncoat. Lieberman is an unlikely choice for McCain. His stand on Iraq and willingness to make nice with Republicans also means that many Jewish Democrats will probably not follow him. But given the fact that all of the other GOP possibilities have their own serious drawbacks, choosing Lieberman may actually turn out to be the least illogical choice available to McCain. Obama's weakness may be leading Republicans to overestimate their chances this year. But if they get their "dream" ticket, then you can throw all previous commentary about Jewish voting patterns out the window. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. JWR contributor Jonathan S. Tobin is executive editor of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent. Let him know what you think by clicking here. Jonathan Tobin Archives © 2007, Jonathan Tobin