During my many years in international business and public life, I have had the good fortune of sitting down for lunch with people with whom I completely disagreed, in practice and principle: Soviet communists, heads of state from various unsavory regimes, benighted religious figures, corrupt business leaders.
— Edgar Bronfman, Sr.
For decades, the plight of the Palestinian people has been exacerbated by internal corruption, a lack of effective investment, and the political cynicism of the Arab states, who often did not have the best interests of the Palestinians at heart.
If Catholics and Jews can today come together regularly for talks after so many tears and so much blood have been shed, than Jews and Arabs must be able to do the same.
Arab youth are taught to wonder, 'Since the Holocaust was a European affair, why are the Palestinians being forced to pay for the creation of Israel?'
In politics, as in business, leadership is crucial.
George W. Bush is long gone, and with him the idea that 'Israel can do no wrong.'
A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a region free of Iranian nukes are worthy goals that should be able to withstand public scrutiny in every Middle Eastern capital.
There are no easy solutions for Israel's own governance problems.
In the modern era, Jewish sovereignty over the land of our ancestors is a relatively short phenomenon. From the time of the successful Maccabean revolt to the Roman annexation in 63 BC constitutes about 100 years of Jewish rule. Combined with Israel's independence in 1948, this is about 160 years of effective sovereignty.
The beauty of Judaism is that it demands we ask questions, especially of ourselves.
Israel desperately needs peace if it is to come anywhere close to being the 'light unto nations' of Jewish dreams.
My father put it right when he said: 'I don't get ulcers. I give ulcers.'
The Jews' fear of assimilation and intermarriage should not replace fear of anti-Semitism.
I would like every Jew to be as comfortable in his skin as I am in mine.
My childhood was marked by a tension between privilege on the one hand and emotional dysfunction on the other.
I remind everybody that the Sabbath was the Jewish gift to civilization.
As a liberal and progressive, I abhor the notion of conflict and bloodshed and very much want to find a diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear issue.
Investments are a real partnership, with an expected return; donations are a gesture made as a result of ethical, religious, or political passions.
The Arab world needs to appreciate that legitimate historical claims and modern necessities are what make Israel the homeland of the Jewish people.
Based on the Gaza precedent, Israel should not simply be expected to withdraw from territory and let it devolve into a state of anarchy. The West Bank is simply too close to Israel's major population centers and infrastructure to allow it to become another launching pad for rockets.
Agribusiness could provide an opportunity for joint Israeli-Palestinian projects, spurred on by Israeli technical expertise in this field.
Contrary to many of the rumors and innuendo in circulation, I wholeheartedly believe that Obama views Israel's security as absolute.
There are signs that the Arab states are beginning to realize that a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to the entire region, and not just to Israel.
The principles governing Western democracies, of which Israel rightly considers itself a part, are based on the assurance that everyone has a vote, but also that the minority needs to yield to the wishes of the majority.
Just as we send young American Jews to Israel through the Birthright program, we need to also consider a 'reverse Birthright' for Israeli kids to come see America.
Maintaining control indefinitely over millions of Palestinians will inevitably lead to a demographic nightmare and cannot be sustained if Israel is to remain true to its founding principles.
The most vexing problem Israel faces is its relations with its neighbors. From the inception of the state until today, Israelis have felt besieged, surrounded by enemies who want to make them disappear.
I'd vote for Mickey Mouse before I voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin.
Intermarriage is not a calamity but an opportunity for both a Jewish and non-Jewish partner to learn.
Making money is marvelous, and I love doing it, and I do it reasonably well, but it doesn't have the gripping vitality that you have when you deal with the happiness of human life and with human deprivation.
Researchers consistently find that most older volunteers, when compared to older nonvolunteers, have fewer functional and physical impairments, overall better health, higher life satisfaction and less depression. In addition, they attend religious services more frequently and belong to more social organizations.
A peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will likely depend to a great extent on the economic development of a future Palestinian state. As I have argued before, private sector investment - especially in the West Bank - is going to prove crucial in creating the right political and social context for peace.
A lasting two-state solution requires two credible partners, and not just one side - Israel - taking superficial steps simply to placate world opinion.
With the common Iranian threat bringing the Sunni Arab world and Israel closer together, an Israeli-Palestinian peace would go a long way in improving relations and rebuffing Iran's regional ambitions.
The search for a Jewish national home came about due to centuries of anti-Semitic pogroms, expulsions, discrimination and hate. The Holocaust was simply the evil culmination of all that came before it.
Much of what has gone wrong in the pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace is due to a lack of strong leadership, primarily among the Palestinians.
The Palestinian economy is, and will likely continue to be, highly reliant on trade. And yet, trade between the Palestinian Authority and the Arab states is extremely limited.
It is high time that the Arab world's professed desire for peace is matched by responsible action, and not more of the same equivocation.
Economic support from the rest of the Arab states to the fledgling Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is virtually non-existent.
Jewish sovereignty and governance over our ancestral home are, I believe, important goals that every Jew ought to support.
The majesty of the American Jewish experience is in its success marrying its unique Jewish identity with the larger, liberal values of the United States. There is no need anymore to choose between assimilation and separation. We are accepted as equals.
John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as running mate is the towering example of his poor judgment. Palin's ignorance of public affairs is monumental.
As an American Jew who loves Israel, I cannot support John McCain. He cannot provide what Israel needs most - a respected, credible, morally strong America.
I've had three wives. I've had five weddings.
In terms of defending Jews, I'm a Jew.
No one said anything to my face, but I constantly heard comments denigrating Jews.
I don't believe in God. I do believe in Judaism. I believe in ethics, morals.
