Ops & Blogs | The Times of Israel » Melanie Goldberg

A Palestinian Insult to Rosa Parks

Melanie Goldberg — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:58:28 +0000

Segregation and apartheid are the ever running themes surrounding Israel on college campuses in March. Of course Israel is far from an apartheid, as even the most vehement anti-Israel supporters, like Norman Finkelstein, will advocate. However, with the introduction of their new bus lines for Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, clearly without explanation or adequate [...]

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A Personal Account by Someone Who Was at the Brooklyn College BDS Event

Melanie Goldberg — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 19:16:32 +0000

I was made aware of the SJP event, “Judith Butler & Omar Barghouti – BDS Movement for Palestinian Rights,” in early January. I was appalled that Brooklyn College’s Political Science Department was co-sponsoring the event, because I did not feel that a publicly funded academic institution should endorse such hateful and anti-Semitic views. However, since, [...]

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Communicating Discrimination – Indiscriminate Feelings

Melanie Goldberg — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:20:36 +0000

Today I was reminded again that I live in a secular country, and not one that will necessarily appreciate nor accommodate my religious values. Living in New York City and being a practicing orthodox Jew in the twenty-first century, it almost seems expected that everyone understands the restrictions of the Sabbath, and one will not [...]

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As Usual, the Missing Piece

Melanie Goldberg — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:58:05 +0000

A boycott of elections. No, I am not talking about these past 2012 U.S. elections in which many Americans refrained from voting due to the lack of an ideal candidate for their needs. I am talking about the upcoming Israeli elections this January. And how apparently many of Israel’s Arabic citizens are taking a stand [...]

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Revolutionary Springs, Freezing Winters and Four (more) Years of Failed Attempts

Melanie Goldberg — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:01:37 +0000

Am I scared to be living for the next four years in a world where President Barack Obama and his top advisors are its leaders? No. Chuck Hagel doesn’t scare me. John Kerry doesn’t scare me. Even the ever-lovely Mike Harris doesn’t scare me Maybe it’s my naïveté and my youth or maybe it’s the [...]

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The Case for Judea and Samaria

Melanie Goldberg — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:21:08 +0000

When regarding Judea and Samaria, the common use of the term “settlements” has long irked me. I haven’t taken a liking to the term “West Bank” either. No country has ever had to call the land captured in a defensive war a “settlement.” It was universally accepted as their land that they won fair and [...]

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A different understanding

Melanie Goldberg — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:15:44 +0000

Let’s call these kids Johnny and Bobby. Bobby, Johnny and David used to be friends. Not the best of friends, but friends nonetheless. They used to share a huge box of action figures. But then they got into a fight. And the teacher decided that Johnny and Bobby could have all the action figures, except [...]

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Ahmadenijad Has Found Himself a New European Best Friend

Melanie Goldberg — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:06:16 +0000

There are reasons we say never forget. This week, a Holocaust-denying Hungarian lawmaker asked his government to draw up a list of Jews who reside in Hungary, since they might pose a national security threat. In a statement to the parliament, Márton Gyöngyösi, deputy group leader of Hungary’s radical-nationalist party, said, “I think such a [...]

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An Open Conversation

Melanie Goldberg — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 02:51:23 +0000

I’m a big believer in open conversation. I don’t actually think people have to agree with what I say. I just believe I should be given the chance to say it. Therefore, I invite any and all to contest my opinions and the facts I proceed to give forth. Because I think it’s healthy to [...]

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The Five Percent

Melanie Goldberg — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:06:20 +0000

Most Israel advocacy groups tell you that your aim is to reach the “ninety-percent” of people-because five-percent are already on your side and the other five-percent you’ll never convince. Sadly, I realize now I should’ve listened to this advice. However, being that earlier this week the highly active Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) on [...]

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I went to a Jewish School Too: How Context Plays a Part in Every Middle-East Conflict Story, A Response

Melanie Goldberg — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 02:13:47 +0000

If I’ve learned anything in my short twenty-one years of life, it is that if you start an argument with a mild irrelevant means of justification, you don’t really have a strong argument. But that’s just what you did, Mr. Veselka. In your article entitled “David Then Goliath: How Israel Has Transformed From a Scrappy [...]

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Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Melanie Goldberg — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 21:41:55 +0000

If only the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was as easy as teaching five-year-olds how to share. The comments made by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas last week, took many an Israel-supporter off guard. Utterances such as, “I believe that the West Bank and Gaza is Palestine. And the other parts are Israel,” a vow [...]

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Absent of Context

Melanie Goldberg — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 04:01:08 +0000

I know I’m not an expert, and that my wisdom doesn’t even come close to exceeding my years. However, I have always found it imperative to seek out the truth, especially when I care about something. And Israel remains one of the most important things in my life. Therefore, I always find it to be [...]

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The Things Kept – The Decision to Trade for Gilad Shalit One Year Later

Melanie Goldberg — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 01:18:43 +0000

I wrote this last year, when we first got Gilad back. I find it still resonates now, even meeting him this week. Was it the right thing to do? Maybe. All I know for sure is that I’m happy he’s home and I’m happy he gives strength and hope for so many. You’re waiting on [...]

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UnSmart (Broken Tele)Phone

Melanie Goldberg — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 03:01:43 +0000

I remember playing broken telephone as a kid. For those of you who have an inadequate childhood, this is the game that has us all sitting in a circle whispering messages in each other’s ears. The messages must sound similar, but cannot stay entirely the same. Meaning “President Obama” could wind up as “I killed [...]

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