James H. Stein, at The Blogs

James H. Stein

Cardiologist, professor, and Jewish community lay leader

May 21, 2026, 11:21 PM

What Nicholas Kristof Teaches Us About Antisemitism on the Political Left

Photo credit: Brooke Balentine on Unsplash

The mainstream political left demonstrates a particular form of antisemitism. It is not overt hostility, but something harder to identify: motivated reasoning, a preconscious worldview that governs what a person finds credible, what requires proof, and onto whom the...

Jan 5, 2026, 5:54 AM

Featured Post

The empty Jewiness of Marty Supreme

This image released by A24 shows Timothée Chalamet in a scene from 'Marty Supreme.' (A24 via AP)

When cruelty is normalized and Jewish identity and Holocaust memory are used as movie props, the loss is more than cinematic

Dec 9, 2025, 12:51 AM

Where Thresholds Meet

A questionable letter on one of my mezuzah scrolls, later repaired by the sofer.

On Illness, Intention, and the Meaning of a Jewish Doorway Not many people know this, but I had bladder cancer when I was 29 years old. Although frightening at the time, it never returned and the years passed with routine...

Nov 17, 2025, 11:44 PM

What I Learned from 5,800 Chabad Emissaries

Rabbi Avremel Matusof and my son Jake at the Kinus Gala Banquet.

Yesterday I was honored to attend the Kinus HaShluchim gala banquet, which is part of the annual gathering of Chabad emissaries from around the world. Coming as a guest of the Chabad Madison community offered a powerful window into...

Oct 29, 2025, 3:42 AM

Mocking Rabbis Has Become a Sport

A culture of casual contempt is eroding Jewish life. In one of my favorite comedy bits, Modi Rosenfeld contrasts how Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews speak about their rabbis. The Sephardi character beams: “This rabbi is special. He knows Torah, he...

Oct 26, 2025, 1:01 AM

“Settler-Colonialism” is the Wrong Word for Israel

Because mislabeling the conflict distorts moral reasoning and replaces analysis with accusation. These days, many people apply the word “colonialism” to Zionism and Israel as if it were a settled fact, deploying the word as if its meaning were fixed...

Aug 10, 2025, 6:58 PM

How We Speak About Israel May Shape What’s Next

In a time of deep fracture, urgency alone is not enough. How we speak about Israel, and to each other, can determine whether our words divide or open the door to change. Last Friday I wrote about the crisis that...

Aug 9, 2025, 12:27 AM

When the Country You Love Nears the Precipice

Israel is moving at full speed toward a political and moral precipice that many believe it has already fallen over. For those of us in the Diaspora who love her, the question is no longer whether to act, but...

Jul 31, 2025, 11:06 PM

Does Israel Make Jews Less Safe?

This essay responds to critiques I received after publishing my recent piece in The Times of Israel about progressive Jews holding antisemitic views. One came from a progressive friend I respect deeply. They argued in good faith and with...

Jul 23, 2025, 9:28 PM

When progressive Jews have antisemitic ideas

As a lifelong liberal committed to racial and economic justice, I am troubled by how easily some progressive Jews cross from legitimate criticism of the State of Israel’s policies into corrosive statements that deny Israel’s right to exist and...

About Me

I’m a Jewish community lay leader with personal interests in Jewish life, practice, and communal dynamics. By day, I’m a cardiologist and professor. The views expressed are my own and do not reflect those of my employers.

Contact Me