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Jonathan S. Tobin

Jonathan S. Tobin

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of the Jewish News Syndicate, a senior contributor for The Federalist, a columnist for Newsweek and a contributor to many other publications. He covers the American political scene, foreign policy, the U.S.-Israel relationship, Middle East diplomacy, the Jewish world and the arts. He hosts the JNS “Think Twice” podcast, both the weekly video program and the “Jonathan Tobin Daily” program, which are available on all major audio platforms and YouTube. Previously, he was executive editor, then senior online editor and chief political blogger, for Commentary magazine. Before that, he was editor-in-chief of The Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia and editor of the Connecticut Jewish Ledger. He has won more than 60 awards for commentary, art criticism and other writing. He appears regularly on television, commenting on politics and foreign policy. Born in New York City, he studied history at Columbia University.

Googleplex Headquarters, San Jose, Calif. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
From the Editor-in-Chief
The true face of the authoritarian threat
The ADL’s boycott of Facebook over its refusal to censor political ads sounds high-minded but, like Google’s suppression of conservatives, it’s a threat to free speech.
Jun. 17, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
Chelsea Handler. Source: YouTube.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Why can’t you get canceled for anti-Semitism?
As careers are ruined for often-wrongful accusations of racism, Ilhan Omar remains untouchable, despite her anti-Semitism. The same will be true for Chelsea Handler.
Jun. 16, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba. Credit: Embassy of the United Arab Emirates.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Will Israel’s West Bank move torpedo normalization with the Arab world?
An article by a Gulf state diplomat warns that Netanyahu’s plans will endanger diplomatic breakthroughs, one of his greatest achievements. Is that a good reason to change course?
Jun. 15, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
The Arch of Titus in Rome. The arch contains panels depicting the triumphal procession celebrated in 71 C.E. after the Roman victory culminating in the fall of Jerusalem, which is mourned on the Jewish holiday of Tisha B'Av. Credit: Flickr.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Tear it down? No. Stand up against illiberal intolerance!
Jews could play the same game and demand that monuments to anti-Semitism should be desecrated or torn down along with alleged racists. But we shouldn’t.
Jun. 12, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the 2018 AIPAC Policy Conference. Credit: Haim Zach/GPO.
From the Editor-in-Chief
If AIPAC isn’t supporting Israel’s government, what is its purpose?
By distancing itself from Jerusalem on annexation, the lobby is creating a crisis for the pro-Israel community, no matter who wins the next U.S. election.
Jun. 11, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and, at right, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) in Jerusalem. Credit: GPO/Kobi Gideon.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Can Pro-Israel Democrats hold off an AOC clone?
The left’s effort to take down New York Rep. Eliot Engel will be a test case for the ability of the party establishment to keep a pro-Israel veteran in a majority minority district.
Jun. 10, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
A Black Lives Matter protest against police brutality in St. Paul, Minn., in 2015. Credit: Fibonacci Blue via Wikimedia Commons.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Cancel culture comes to the Conference of Presidents
The left’s attempt to expel the ZOA because its leader took issue with the Black Lives Matter movement is more evidence of the spread of an out-of-control outrage mob.
Jun. 9, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
Kippahs in all sizes, material and colors. Credit: Wikipedia.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Jews come in all colors, but they shouldn’t be defined by race alone
The claim that Jews of color are being undercounted is more than an arcane demographic dispute. It’s part of an effort to hijack the national Jewish agenda.
Jun. 8, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that he was going to seek to cut the budget for the LA Police Department by $100 million to $150 million. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Defund the police? Only if you’re willing to sacrifice Jewish security
The obligation to pursue justice is not negotiable. Neither is the rule of law. Jews and all minorities need both to feel safe.
Jun. 5, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
Nikole Hannah-Jones, a “New York Times” Magazine staff writer who won the Pulitzer Prize for her “The 1619 Project.” Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
From the Editor-in-Chief
The stakes in redefining America as an evil country
Ideologues who believe that America is still a racist nation are shaping the post-George Floyd narrative. The Jewish community should not support this false vision.
Jun. 4, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
Synagogue interior. Credit: Pixabay.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Which rights take precedence in a pandemic turned civil crisis?
If coronavirus restrictions on religious services are enforced while anti-racism mass protests are allowed, are the lockdowns still valid? And has the rule of law vanished?
Jun. 2, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
A mural of George Floyd, 46, who died as a result of police brutality in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, by Eme Street Art in Mauerpark in Berlin, Germany. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Outrage over the murder of George Floyd doesn’t justify intersectional myths
Jews share the pain of those who protest racism. But extremists who link this crime to Israel’s efforts to defend itself against Palestinian terror are spreading a big lie.
Jun. 1, 2020
Jonathan S. Tobin
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