by Matthew Friedman | Nov 12, 2025 | Commentary, Jewish Life
A couple of weeks ago, I had lunch with a friend from work. It’s something that I rarely have time to do, given my insane teaching schedule, so I welcomed the opportunity to sit down and have a friendly chat. The chat, over macaroni and cheese from the Whole Foods...
by Matthew Friedman | Oct 3, 2025 | Essays, Jewish Life, Politics
In May, I started writing an essay pushing back against the dominant Maximalist Zionist narrative that criticism of the State of Israel and support for Palestinian civil rights and national autonomy is antisemitism. I documented the history of the rhetorical equation...
by Matthew Friedman | Jul 4, 2025 | Behind the Lines, Essays
The sky over Camp Wooden Acres in St-Adolphe-d’Howard, Quebec erupted in color and light; the flashes and trails of the fireworks reflected in the lake below. It was 4 July, and we had had a similar pyrotechnic display just three nights earlier. But these fireworks...
by Matthew Friedman | Jun 30, 2025 | Behind the Lines, Commentary
This is my Canada Day confession: I lost my “us“ about a decade ago, along with my “res“ and my “gues.” I stubbornly held onto them throughout graduate school in the United states, and I even have a footnote in my dissertation about my preference for “theatre“ rather...
by Matthew Friedman | Jun 24, 2025 | Behind the Lines
I’ve been drinking a bit more beer than usual, lately. I blame the hot, humid, New Jersey weather, I guess, but also that, since my partner finally came out as an occasional beer drinker, I’ve been picking up the odd six-pack to keep in the fridge – Allagash,...
