 INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT. SINCE 1897.  In today’s briefing: America's first Anne Frank Center, controversial tattoo project in Pittsburgh, rare butterfly spotted in Israel, the secret Jewish history of Jethro Tull and much more. OUR LEAD STORY 👋  PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Jewish wisdom can help Governor Cuomo apologize for real
As the Book of Proverbs declares, “When arrogance appears, disgrace follows; wisdom is with those who are unassuming.” Such contrition was not fully on display when Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York resigned from office following allegations of sexual harassment on Tuesday.
“The first step of learning from one’s mistakes is not issuing triumphant proclamations, but embodying quiet humility,” writes our opinion editor, Laura E. Adkins.
She suggests Cuomo, who is Catholic, look to Jewish wisdom for a way to fully repent and navigate his new life. In particular, she points to the teachings of the 13th century Spanish rabbi, Yonah of Gerona. His ethical treatise, “The Gates of Repentance,” is a 683-page guide to the agonizing steps required to truly atone for what one has done wrong. Read the story >
In a related essay, our culture reporter Mira Fox writes about why this was the right Jewish month for Cuomo to resign. Traditionally, Elul is a time of reflection in anticipation of the repentance and judgment of the High Holidays.
On Yom Kippur, “we must accept God’s judgment,” Mira notes, “and apologize even for sins we have no recollection of committing — lying, deceiving, stealing, and more — even for sins we don’t believe we committed.” Read the story >
Related:
ALSO IN THE FORWARD 🎸  PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES The secret Jewish history of Jethro Tull:The rock group has songs named after hymns and the Lord above.The cover image of its biggest-selling album, 1971’s “Aqualung,” was painted by Brooklyn-born American-Jewish artist Burton Silverman, whose 1983 drawing of Philip Roth hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. But wait, there’s more! Our Seth Rogovoy delivers the goods in the latest installment of his “Secret Jewish history” series. Read the story >
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6 THINGS AMERICAN JEWS ARE TALKING ABOUT👇  TATTOO ARTIST BRITTANY MCCARTY AT AN EVENT IN TEL AVIV. (PHOTO: COURTESY OF HEALING INK) 1. A nonprofit that providesfree tattoos to Israeli soldiers injured in combat and survivors of terror attacks is offering its services to people affected by the massacre at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue.To mark the third anniversary of that deadly shooting, the group, called Healing Ink, plans to visit Pittsburgh Oct. 3 and 4. More than a dozen people have signed up, but some rabbis are critical of the project, arguing that the Torah forbids tattoos. (Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle)
2. Netflix is developing “Nice Jewish Girls,” a dark comedy about four sisters in the aftermath of a death in the family. The series is loosely based on the real-life experience of Anni Weisband, the show’s creator. (Deadline)
3. The University of South Carolina will be home to a permanent exhibition and educational program in partnership with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, becoming one of only four partner sites in the world and the only one in North America. “We hope this is a starting place,” said Doyle Stevick, the new Anne Frank Center’s executive director. “And that it will inspire people to continue to learn about the dangers of prejudice and discrimination and to recognize that we have the ability to stand up and make a difference.” (The State)
4. A Chabad rabbi is tweeting his unusual three-week Jewish heritage trip through Turkey. He’s made some discoveries along the way, including previously undocumented gravesites; observant Jews living far from Istanbul; and unusual Jewish customs borne of cooperation with the country’s Muslims. (JTA)
5. Yosef “Yogi” Oliff, an Orthodox high school basketball star in Chicago, has been offered a scholarship to play at West Point. “I’ve walked four miles to the gym, I’ve walked in snow, I’ve walked in negative weather,” Oliff, who is 17 and 6-foot-1, said of navigating competitive sports and Shabbat observance. He is waiting to see which other Division 1 colleges reach out to him before making a decision. (Jewish Insider)
6. A butterfly enthusiast staying at a Dead Sea hotel spotted a rare western pygmy blue butterfly that had never before been seen in Israel. The sudden appearance of the species has scientists in a flutter. “Did somebody travel in the U.A.E. and bring it back? Could it have come from the U.S.? We don’t know,” said Dr. Oz Ben-Yehuda of the Israel Butterfly Association. “It’s hard to believe that one of them flew over the whole of Saudi Arabia and Jordan and got here and laid eggs.” (Times of Israel)
Shiva call: Walter Yetnikoff, the schmoozy music executive who worked with Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones, has died at 87. “Walter was a street fighter,” said Billy Joel, “a man who didn’t shy away from confrontation with other power players when it came to protecting his artist’s interests. I loved him as a dear friend and a mentor, in a business where real friendships don’t exist.” (Los Angeles Times)
PHOTO OF THE DAY 📸  PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES A sign instructing congregants on proper medical mask-wearing is seen during socially-distant morning prayer services at the Stadttempel synagogue in Vienna, Austria. The Hebrew text is a reference to the Four Sons of the Passover seder.
The one with the mask on properly is labeled, “wise;” the one with nose exposed, “simple;” the one with the mask under his chin, “doesn't know how to ask;” and the one with no mask at all, “wicked.”
ON THE CALENDAR 🗓  PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA 📳 On this day in history: Jewish actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr received a patent for a “frequency-hopping spread spectrum” on Aug. 11, 1942. The system was used by the U.S. Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis and later became the basis for both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology. Want to learn more about Lamarr? Check out the 2017 documentary “Bombshell.” Gal Gadot is also working on a series for Apple TV+ about Lamarr, who has been dubbed the most beautiful woman in the world.
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