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Nov, 21, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Money matters?

Caroline B. Glick: Civilization walks the plank

Nov, 20, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Bronfman's blindness

The Kosher Gourmet By Linda Gassenheimer: Portobellos add a hearty flavor to pasta with pesto

Nov, 19, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Spread the wealth? Jewish tradition and income equality

Elliot B. Gertel: 'Mad Men': Tackling prejudices or reinforcing them?

Nov, 18, 2008

Dr. Debby Schwarz Hirschhorn: The End of the Age of Reason

Jonathan Tobin: Does Barack + Bibi = Disaster?

Nov, 17, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: The End of the Age of Reason

Diana West: Gulling Americans into making terror legit?

Nov, 14, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: The Power of Spiritual Inertia

Caroline B. Glick: The perils ahead

Nov, 13, 2008

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: How Bush and Obama together could change the Middle East dynamic

The Kosher Gourmet by JeanMarie Brownson: Sweet and savory, crispy and meltingly tender bestilla

Nov, 12, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Tyrannical Co-Workers

Michael Doyle: High Court to consider today donated monuments that may have religious messages in public parks

Nov, 11, 2008

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Will Obama stop government officials considering institutionalizing financial jihad?

Jonathan Tobin: They Will Decide Their Own Fate

Nov, 10, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: $8 billion, modern-day Tower of Babel being built?

Barry Rubin: A letter to the president-elect from a Middle East realist

Nov, 7, 2008

Rabbi Francis Nataf: Of Children and Immortality

Caroline B. Glick: Livni's Obama strategy

Nov, 6, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: How I tricked a classroom of apathetic students into grasping the fallacy of moral relativism

The Kosher Gourmet By Gina Kim: Tips for making the perfect soup --- includes recipes

Nov, 5, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist By Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Destitute Debtors

Bruce Weinstein: 'Religulos': Bad title,even worse movie

Nov, 4, 2008

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Treasury Dept. submits to Shariah law

Frida Ghitis: A surprise for Obama in the Middle East

Nov, 3, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Who says Jews are Smart?

Jonathan Tobin: Was He Wrong About Everything?

Oct. 31, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Our Immutable Noble Essence

Caroline B. Glick: Running against Bush

Oct. 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: The End of the Special Relationship?

Steve Lipman: 'Kid Kosher' Gets A Title Shot

Oct. 29, 2008

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: GET US THE TAPE THE L.A. TIMES REFUSES TO RELEASE, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU CASH!

Dr. Ari Korenblit: Making The Write Choice for President

Oct. 28, 2008

Mona Charen: Denial runs through American Jewry

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Sell-off to capitalism or sell-out to Islam?

Oct. 27, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Are tax deductions for charitable donations moral?

Jonathan Mark: The Mystery Of The Arab-American Vote

Oct. 24, 2008

'Why aren't all religious people vegetarians?': Response by Miriam Kosman

Caroline B. Glick: Testing Obama's mettle

Oct. 23, 2008

Daniel Pipes: Obama Would Fail Security Clearance

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A fast chicken dish with an Asian accent

Oct. 20, 2008

Gary Rosenblatt: Still One Torah

Jonathan Tobin: Government 'Gifts' Are Not Free

Oct. 17, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Sukkos and the Great Meltdown

Caroline B. Glick: The disappearance of law

Oct. 16, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Copying DVDs: RIP OR RIPOFF?

Cal Thomas: Blaming the Jews (again)

March 22, 2007

J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review July 26, 2005 / 19 Tammuz, 5765

Washington's girl-crazy summer

By Kathryn Lopez


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | The knee-jerk reaction some critics have had to John Roberts being selected as the president's first Supreme Court pick reeks of foolishness. This has been their thinking: A woman is retiring, and a woman must replace her. And so they just can't get that into a "John."

Even retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's first public reaction was: "He's good in every way, except he's not a woman." Perhaps President Bush should have nominated one of his twin daughters to the Supreme Court instead. Think that's silly? Then read the letter Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., sent to President Bush the morning after the Roberts announcement:

The freshman senator wrote, "You and I both have two daughters. The profound message we should be giving to them is that their gender creates no limitations for them to live up to their G-d-given potential. Yet, I fear that with the loss of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor from the United States Supreme Court, we are sending the opposite message."

However, Salazar conceded that "the fact you have not selected a distinguished woman in the mold of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is not a reason for disqualification." How grandiose of you, senator. I can hear John Roberts now, upon confirmation: "Thank you, senators, for looking beyond my obvious liability — my gender. You took a chance on me, confirming me despite the irrevocable damage I may do to the girls of our nation, who, like my own daughter, dream, as they play with their Justice Barbies, that one day some open-minded president will nominate them instead of some slice of Wonder Bread — well, me — to the Supreme Court. I'm so sorry I am a man, but I will try my very best not to be too much of a Neanderthal in robes."

Salazar's letter was not an isolated incident in Congress. When rumors were flying that Chief Justice Rehnquist might free a second seat on the court, four women senators (two Republicans, two Democrats) wrote to Justice O'Connor pleading with her to reconsider walking away from the court. They wanted her to be named the first woman chief justice. Why? Because they don't think there's another woman out there who someday might fill the slot? Because a woman will never be considered outside of their ridiculous suggestion?

We really aren't this silly, are we? Bush defied conventional wisdom — on the Left and Right — when he picked a guy to fill the O'Connor seat. Good for him.

Am I a self-loathing woman? No, just looking for a qualified judge chosen not because of the rules of an identity-politics game, but because he's (or she's) the qualified American who the president wants, period.

Novel, I know. Devoid of the kind of overwrought emotive nonsense that has surrounded the Justice O'Connor retirement. One Supreme Court writer (Slate's Dahlia Lithwick) wrote just before the big O'Connor announcement: "What we forget — what I forget — is that O'Connor single-handedly blew open more doors for young women than almost any human being alive on this planet. What we forget is that it's possible to be baffled by her ideology, worried by her power at the center of the high court, anxious about many of her views, and still feel the impulse to hug her."

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I think I'll skip the girl-power hugs and stick to a nominee's judicial qualifications.

A Chicago Tribune headline read "Women express disappointment that court will have only 1 female." No offense to Justice O'Connor and others, but I wouldn't be surprised if you stood on a street corner (preferably not across from the Supreme Court), randomly asked women walking by who the other female Supreme Court justice is, and got the wrong response. Maybe Laura Bush? Or Hillary Clinton? She's a judge, right? If you did this a month ago — before O'Connor made news — asking for the name of any woman on the Supreme Court, I don't think you would have gotten too many right answers.

Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day O'Connor as the first female justice in July 1981. That was an important historic milestone (look, gals, no glass ceiling). So, by now — you would think — we would all be capable of taking a collective deep breath, look at John Roberts on his merits, then look at the next nominee on his — or her — merits, and stop insulting American women. There'll be another woman on the Supreme Court, but hopefully it won't be because of her gender. It will be because she's the qualified judge the president decided is capable of carrying out such an immense, crucial duty.

President Bush set a healthy precedent with Justice Roberts. I hope the girls understand that.

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