Ben Sales

One of the most appealing, revolutionary, perplexing and perhaps sustainable aspects of J Street’s message is that there is not one but multiple ways to be pro-Israel. Appealing because it lets us be freer with our opinions; revolutionary because it appears to break with the traditional American Jewish idea that we must present a unified…

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Vandals defaced the future frat house of Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) at the University of Memphis, covering it with swastikas and writing “Welcome 2 Frat Row, Jews,” according to reports by the JTA and Eyewitness News in Memphis, Tenn. Thomas Holland, the president of ZBT, suggested to Eyewitness News that the incident may have been…

How naive I must have been, just eleven short months ago, to think that when I elected Barack Obama the only thing I would be getting was a liberal, articulate and intelligent Democratic president focused on reconciliation, progressive policy and transparency in government. What I didn’t know, and what I’ve since discovered by the grace…

The first major political tragedy I remember was the death of Yitzchak Rabin in November, 1995. I was nine years old and until the Twin Towers fell Rabin’s assassination was my “Where were you?” moment, at least in Jewish school. I was walking into my parents’ bedroom and my mother had the TV on. She…

These are heady times for the progressive Zionist student: over a year ago J Street launched, almost eight months ago Obama took office and today marks the beginning of J Street U, the collegiate arm of the progressive, pro-Israel, pro-peace lobby. J Street’s taking an active and direct role on  campuses should mark a sea…

I know you do. To show that love, check out this contest from fellow JewBlog JewSchool and J Street, the political arm of the progressive Zionist movement. The more voices we can get to support progressive policies in Israel, the better. Check it out.

Breaking news: Rahm Emanuel is not a Nazi. You’d think that this would be clear, seeing as Emanuel identifies as Jewish, belongs to an Orthodox synagogue in Chicago, sends his kids to Jewish day school, served Israel in the Gulf War and is the son of an Irgun fighter of the 1940s. This is not…

I’ll say it: I’ve never been a huge fan of the Western Wall. The wall itself is cool, surviving 2000 years through conquerors and the elements and its historical symbolism for the Jewish people, both as a bulwark and as a sign of mourning, cannot be overstated. But then we decided to come and start…

It’s been said one thousand times before, I know, but someone missed the memo. Hillel calls itself “The Foundation for Campus Jewish Life” and that description sums up the organization’s mission, at least. Whether or not it’s effective in realizing that goal is a different story, but Hillel does have a variety of social justice,…

Forget Iran. Forget Hizballah. Forget Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad, the Al-Aqsa Brigade, rogue terrorists and anyone else. Forget Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the rest of the Arab world. Forget 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973. Forget Lebanons I and II. Forget the Intifadas. Forget Cast Lead It started with protesting. The yelling, marching…

As I tried to look at my evolving haircut in the mirror my eyes turned to the numerous certificates, letters of recognition and even a diploma touting the qualifications of the man who was now trimming my hair, a bonafide barber’s apprentice, according to New York State. I don’t know whether I’ve ever gotten a…