David Suissa

California

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at Jewish Journal (Los Angeles)

Publisher and EIC @JewishJournal, speaker, columnist, host of "The David Suissa Podcast."

Articles

Trump Bombs Amalek

6 days ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

Why did President Donald Trump choose Saturday night to bomb three nuclear sites in Iran, including the formidable one in Fordow? Here’s one possibility: Iran kept insulting him by rejecting his offers or demanding conditions. They were acting like the wily mullahs who ran circles around Obama and Biden. They thought they could still play their old games with Trump, even though Trump was wily enough to know they had no leverage given Israel’s massive assault.
The Year Badass Israel Made a Comeback

6 days ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

In Alcoholics Anonymous, they say you have to hit your own bottom before you can make any progress. Israel hit its bottom on Oct. 7, 2023. It’s impossible to overstate the monumental security breakdown that allowed a ragtag gang of terrorists to invade the Gaza border and massacre 1200 Israelis. In a region where power rules and a fearsome reputation is a national life insurance policy, Israel never looked so weak and vulnerable.
The Non-Banality of Evil: Persian Edition

1 week ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

In December 2024, Iranian authorities introduced a law that, according to Amnesty International, “permits the imposition of the death penalty for peaceful activism against Iran’s discriminatory compulsory veiling laws.” In other words, if you’re a woman peace activist in Tehran and your hair covering wasn’t quite right that day, you may get the chair. That level of evil is anything but banal.
Maybe Israelis Simply Got Tired of Walking on Eggshells

2 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

From its very birth 77 years ago, when five Arab armies brought a welcome wagon hoping to drive their new Jewish neighbors into the sea, Israel has been walking on eggshells, never knowing when one or more of its enemies would strike. It’s not as if those eggshells got in the way of a full-on embracing of life and the creation of a vibrant culture. Rather, the unpredictability of terror created its own cycle of anxiety that never seemed to go away.
Why Won’t Jewish Democratic Critics of Israel Criticize Democrats?

2 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

I hear it all the time from progressive Jewish critics of Israel: Self-criticism is a great Jewish value. It’s not just our right to criticize Israel, it’s our obligation!No kidding. It’s clear that self-criticism is an important virtue, Jewish or otherwise. How can we hope to grow without it? My problem is that these, loud, proud, self-righteous proponents of criticizing Israel seem to clam up when it comes to criticizing their own party.
New Report Reveals $1 Billion Qatari Influence Campaign at Georgetown University

2 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

A sweeping new report has cast fresh light on the growing role of foreign influence in American higher education, reporting that Georgetown University received more than $1 billion from Qatari sources over the last three decades.
Instead of Lowering the Flames of Anger, LA Mayor Karen Bass is Fueling Them

2 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

My beloved Los Angeles has erupted in chaos and violence, this time over ICE operations, and once again, we see a lack of leadership. Instead of showing respect for law and order, LA Mayor Karen Bass has expressed anger. “This morning, we received reports of federal immigration enforcement actions in multiple locations in Los Angeles,” Bass said in a statement on Friday. “As Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our city in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place.
The Food Fight Between Trump and Musk Has Covered Up What Really Matters

3 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

The spectacular public fallout between President Trump and his former best buddy Elon Musk, what a pundit called the “most important personal relationship in the world,” is a great example of how the junk food of sensationalism can quickly suffocate the health food of what really matters. If you recall, Musk’s initial beef was with Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” which the president was pushing through Congress, and which would add trillions to a U.S. debt that is already out of control.
The Incredible, Bewildering Power of Nothing

3 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

I have a dear friend who volunteers once a week in the Emergency Room of a local hospital. One of her roles is to help alleviate that anxiety-filled process of waiting for treatment. So she gets to hear stories from people, and I get to hear some of them. Yesterday, she met an elderly lady whose husband came in for an emergency. As the woman shared her distress, she added: “We had such a good day yesterday. Nothing happened.”For some reason, that phrase has stuck with me.
How Do We Explain the Fanaticism and Extremism of Sports Fans?

3 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | David Suissa

The biggest sin of modern times is arguably any form of extremism. It doesn’t matter where it comes from or how we label it. Whether it’s extremism that leads to fascism or communism or oppression or dictatorship or bigotry or any other ill that sucks up our humanity, we can usually trace these ills to fanatics who are owned by their ideology. And yet, there exists one major, bewildering exception to that universal truth– sports fans.