Samuel J. Abrams
ARTICLES BY: Samuel J. Abrams
When a Jewish Landmark Disappears, So Does Jewish Presence
Another major Jewish institution has collapsed - and the implications reach far beyond San Francisco. The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) has closed and is selling its...
Why Negative Narratives About Zionism Are Reshaping American Opinion
Support for Israel in the United States is in part a battle of narratives. Pro-Israel advocates emphasize democracy, pluralism, and Israel's role as a refuge...
New York Jews Don’t Need Rhetoric; They Need Equal Justice Under the Law
New York City’s new antisemitism czar, Phylisa Wisdom, has introduced herself with the language of inclusion: “expanding the communal table,” “pulling up additional chairs,” convening stakeholders,...
Redeeming the Time, Rabbinically
We live in a culture that is very good at avoiding ultimate questions. Death is kept offstage. Time is treated as infinite. The modern self...
Misguided Super Bowl Ad: Antisemitism Isn’t a Sticky Note — It’s an Institutional Failure
It is an odd sign of the times that one of the clearest statements about antisemitism this year came not from a university president or...
When Society’s Good Intentions for Jews Replace Equal Citizenship
A secular Manhattan school responded to October 7 by holding a Shabbat gathering. The head of school spoke with moral seriousness. Jewish families felt seen....
As Campuses Reopen in 2026, Jewish Students Face a Deeper Institutional Failure
As college campuses re-open for the Spring 2026 semester, university leaders are eager to project calm. Protest encampments have been cleared. Media attention has drifted....
America at 250: Why the Jewish Story Is Central to the American Experiment
In 2026, the United States will mark its 250th anniversary. The semiquincentennial -- "America 250," as it is now branded -- will bring speeches, exhibitions,...
Jewish America’s Future Depends on All Its Communities — Not Just the Coasts
American Jewish life has long been anchored in a small number of powerful metropolitan centers. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and a handful of...
When Standards Disappear: What the Mamdani Reversals Reveal About Jewish Political Vulnerability
When New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office, he pledged to "protect our Jewish neighbors." Within hours of taking power and very deliberately, he reversed two...
Jewish Communal Institutions Failed the Oct. 7 Test — Mergers, Consolidations, and Closing Some Institutions Is One Answer
For years, Jewish leaders have warned of a "talent pipeline" crisis: too few professionals entering and remaining in Jewish education, campus life, advocacy, philanthropy, and...
The US Coast Guard Keeps Trying to Loosen Restrictions on Swastikas — Have We Passed a Point of No Return?
It is hard to describe the insanity of what the US Coast Guard just did -- or nearly did -- without sounding alarmist. But alarm...
The Unheralded Jewish Hero of Bondi Beach: When Strength Means Standing for Others
Something important happened at Bondi Beach -- not only because of the horror inflicted there, but because of how a few ordinary people responded when...
After Bondi, What Hanukkah Really Means This Year
Before Hanukkah (and before the Bondi Beach massacre), my son asked me what the holiday is really about. Not the gifts, not the latkes, not even...
