Laden...
| INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT. SINCE 1897. Give a tax-deductible donation Why users of one social media platform are boycotting it today, mayoral candidate wins pickle-eating contest but not heart of NYC Jews, the world's shortest Yiddish eulogy and more. OUR LEAD STORY ⛺️ How Camp Ramah survived a Harry Potter spoiler 16 years ago
When our intrepid reporter Louis Keene first pitched this story, we assumed it was about color war, or turning bunks upside-down, or skunks. But no, it was about a 672-page book. On July 18, 2005, two days after “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” was released, a group of boys at Camp Ramah in Ojai, Calif., did the unthinkable: they chalked and painted a major spoiler all over camp.
“It was a totally devastating, clinically precise, utterly hilarious assault on the innocence of youth,” Keene said.
Most at camp had the ending ruined immediately — it was hard to miss, with the dining hall, the bathroom mirrors, and even the walking paths all emblazoned with the spoiler. Zach Lasker, camp director and Potter fan, tried to avoid it by not putting in his contact lenses. One counselor was being guided by her campers blindfolded, hoping not to see the (literal) writing on the wall. But ultimately, the only one at Ramah who didn’t have it ruined was the teenage boy who read the whole book the day it arrived – and originated the prank.
Keene tracked down more than a dozen key characters to construct this detailed retelling, 16 years later. In these waning days of summer, and as we approach the Jewish season of repentance, the culprits are expressing regret.
ALSO IN THE FORWARD☝️ From ‘Star Wars’ to Madonna, 9 times shofars showed up outside shul: Ram horns probably won’t be joining the regular rotation of your average wind section anytime soon. But our culture reporter PJ Grisar found that the shofar has found its way into some surprising places over its extensive history. Read the story >
WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY👇 ✍️ The pandemic has generated a flurry of letters to God: three times the usual number have arrived at Israel’s post office in the past year. “Dear God, please end the coronavirus pandemic,” wrote a boy from Germany. “And please, make my parents buy me a new iPhone and JBL speaker.” On Monday, a rabbi placed the letters into cracks in the Western Wall. (Bloomberg)
🤔 Mike Richards, who was … checks notes … the executive producer of “Jeopardy!,” then its new co-host, then removed from his hosting duties … has now been fired entirely from the popular show. His ouster came after revelations that he made offensive comments about Jews, women and Asians on an old podcast. (CNN)
🍽 Chef Stewart Woodman is opening Shiloh, a new kosher restaurant in Minnesota that aims to celebrate Jewish cuisine dating back to the 17th century. “I have a love affair with beets and chicken liver,” he said. “We’re not looking necessarily to just appeal to the folks who keep kosher. We’re looking to create a great restaurant that happens to be kosher.” (Star Tribune)
⚖️ A death-row inmate who considers himself a Messianic Jew is filing a lawsuit against Texas prison officials who are denying his request to have his Baptist pastor lay hands on him when he is executed next week. “The power of human touch is more than just physical,” Pastor Dana Moore said. “It’s the way God created us.” (NYT)
🎸 Sending positive vibes to KISS frontman Gene Simmons, born Chaim Witz in Haifa, for a speedy recovery after he tested positive for COVID. This comes as bandmate Paul Stanley recovers from the virus. The band has postponed its upcoming tour dates (A.V. Club)
🗞 If you’re a consumer of Jewish news (which I know you are because you’re reading this), then you’re certainly familiar with Tom Tugend, the 96-year-old journalist who has been writing for seven decades and through three wars. One of his favorite stories was a piece he wrote about himself. (JTA)
🎙 Seth Rogen has launched a podcast. Maybe we can do some cross-promotion with “A Bintel Brief”? Asking for a friend. (NY Mag)
Shiva call > Max Nathan, a Shakespeare scholar who founded a New Orleans festival to honor the bard, died at 86. He was also a practicing attorney who taught for more than 50 years at Tulane Law School. He was active in local chapters of the ADL, Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Endowment Foundation. “He had an insatiable curiosity about everything,” said a retired judge. (NOLA, Tulane)
YOUR TURN: SHARE YOUR 9/11 STORY ✍️ Twenty years ago, the 9/11 attacks changed the world. As we look back on the anniversary of a tragedy that has shaped all of our lives, we want to hear your stories. What did you experience on 9/11? How are you thinking about that experience now, 20 years on? Please fill out this form, or send us an email.
FROM OUR YIDDISH SECTION 🎤 A rabbi walks into a funeral:At the annual Yiddish immersion camp in Copake, N.Y., the star of this year’s talent show was, arguably, 2-year-old Mendele Whiteman for his rendition of the popular Purim song, “Hop Mayne Homentashn.” But not to be outdone was Ruth Kohn, a professional Yiddish translator, who performed a standup routine about the world’s shortest eulogy. Someone needs to get Kohn an agent and a primetime sitcom. Watch the video >
ON THE CALENDAR 🗓 On this day in history: Shalom Hanoch, the father of Israeli rock, was born on Sept. 1, 1946. He composed his first song at 14 and by his 20s, with his band, The Churchills, ushered in a psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll sound to Israel. His “inventory of songs is a unique cultural resource, a tremendous lifetime achievement,” Ben Shalev writes in Haaretz. “It really shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
Happy birthday to Alan Dershowitz, who turns 83 today. (Maybe he should be the next host of “Jeopardy!”?)
Some users of Twitch, a service where people livestream themselves playing video games, are boycotting the platform today. The walkout is aimed to bring attention to the hate and online harassment that has plagued the service. You’ll recall that NBA player Meyers Leonard outraged many this spring when he shouted an antisemitic slur while playing a game on Twitch.
PHOTO OF THE DAY 📸 Four siblings who were hiding in a Kabul apartment were reunited this week with their mother in Albany, N.Y., marking the end of a frantic, days-long rescue mission to get them to safety. The patchwork effort was shepherded by Rabbi Moshe Margaretten of the Tzedek Association, one of many Jewish groups that have been helping evacuate Afghans.
Support Independent Jewish Journalism The Forward is a non-profit 501(c)3 so our journalism depends on support from readers like you. You can support our work today by donating or subscribing. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of US law. MAKE A DONATION BECOME A SUBSCRIBERCopyright © 2021, The Forward Association, Inc. All rights reserved. The Forward Association, Inc., 125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038 Click here to unsubscribe from this newsletter. To stop receiving all emails from the Forward click here. |
Laden...
Laden...
