Laden...
| JEWISH. INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT. Give a tax-deductible donation New antisemitism stats have us at 5x Kristallnacht levels, Pancho Villa's Jewish target, the rise of 'Jewitches' and the new herring store that has no herring. FROM THE FORWARD Forget Astros vs. Braves. How about rabbi vs. rabbi? Barry Gelman and Adam Starr – one from Houston, the other from Atlanta – have placed a friendly bet on this year’s World Series matchup. Call it a holy wager, with the winning side receiving a gift of Jewish books. But before that can be decided, there needs to be some redemption. The Astros were caught cheating during the 2017 season, in which they won the World Series. “The Torah is forgiving to those who have repented,” said Starr, pictured above with his children. Read the story >
Opinion | How to lie with statistics, antisemitism edition.In the laundry list of data points from the American Jewish Committee’s new survey was this literally unbelievable statistic: 3% of the country’s 5.8 million Jewish adults had been the victim of an antisemitic physical attack in the past 12 months. That’s 174,000 people – five times the number directly affected by Kristallnacht. It’s also within the survey’s 3.9% margin of error. Laura E. Adkins, our opinion editor, argues that the way such surveys are spun to the public and to policymakers can be dangerous for free speech and other principles American Jews hold dear. Read the OpEd >
The key to understanding the universe is questioning everything you think you know — which also happens to be a fundamental tenet of Judaism.“The universe has this origin story and origin stories are also such a religious thing among people,” Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, an astrophysicist with a new book out, told the Forward’s editor-at-large, Robin Washington. “The bigger question is, are you sure you’re doing science and not just doing religion with equations?” Her experience of “having to explain to people, yes, you can be Black and Ashkenazi at the same time,” means that “I’m used to also saying yes, the universe is different than you thought it was.” Read the interview >
When Pancho Villa attacked the U.S. in 1916, he was after the head of this Jewish merchant: It was one of the only times in the 20th century that a foreign army ever invaded the continental United States, and the famous Mexican revolutionary had only one goal: to kill the Lithuanian-born Sam Ravel. That bizarre chapter in American life is now a documentary, “UnRaveling,” produced and written by Ravel’s granddaughter. Read the story >
But wait, there’s more… A Yiddish dictionary has been revised and expanded. Among the new terms are translations for “lockdown” and “breakout room.”A deep dive into 12 million documents led to the revelation of high-powered Israelis implicated in possible nefarious deals. “You have to read the whole thing,” said one of the journalists who spent eight months on the project, “which is a big pain in the ass.” Brent Spiner from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is one of the “top three living Jewish Texans,” according to our contributor Dan Friedman, who reviews Spiner’s new novel about the slightly askew relationship between a celebrity and his fans.
WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY Kathryn Hahn, who previously portrayed a rabbi in 'Transparent,' was set to play Joan Rivers in a new series. (Getty Images) 👉 A rift between the two rabbis at a prominent Upper East Side synagogue has ruptured into public view, with the younger one being fired and congregants questioning who will eventually take over for their nonagenarian founding rabbi. Read the incredible behind-the-scenes story of big salaries, big egos and a succession plan gone awry. (JTA)
⚖️ Two men went on trial in Paris on Tuesday, accused of killing an 85-year-old grandmother who survived the Holocaust. The crime against Mireille Knoll occurred a year after another Jewish woman, Sarah Halimi, was thrown to her death from a Paris balcony. (AP)
🎬 Because of issues around the life rights of Joan Rivers, a limited series in which Kathryn Hahn would have played the legendary comedian is not moving forward. The series had stirred up a controversy over “Jewface,” as the non-Jewish Hahn was set to play the quintessentially Jewish Rivers. (Forward)
🇮🇱 A group of 35 Republican senators are pushing legislation that would block the Biden administration’s plan to reopen a U.S. consulate in Jerusalem to serve Palestinians. There is also a bill pending in the Knesset to block the move. (Twitter)
🧙 A disparate group of women calling themselves ‘Jewitches’ are embracing both Judaism and witchcraft. “It encompassed so much of what I was already doing,” said Aliza Einhorn, a professional astrologer. (Religion News Service)
✡️ When rapper Lil Nas X performed while wearing a Star of David necklace, it sent a group of internet sleuths on a mission to investigate. Is the singer Jewish or was it cultural appropriation? (Alma)
🎥 Several Hollywood actors, including Helen Mirren and Neil Patrick Harris, signed a letter this week in support of the upcoming Tel Aviv International LGBTQ Film Festival. The annual event has become a target of boycotts by those who say Israel is “pinkwashing” its image as a distraction against its activities toward Palestinians. (Times of Israel)
🐟 A new herring store has opened in Manhattan and it’s missing … herring. No, it’s not because of some global supply-chain problem. The first shipment of 15,000 filets isn’t expected until December because, according to the shop’s owner, it “needs 11 weeks in our unique brine to arrive at the flavor, colors and aroma that we want.” (NY Jewish Week)
Shiva call > Mort Sahl, who recorded the earliest example of modern stand-up comedy, died at 94. His piercing social satire paved the way for the likes of Lenny Bruce, George Carlin and Richard Pryor. “He just doesn’t bring to mind any other performer in the history of show business,” Dick Cavett once said. (Forward)
ON THE CALENDAR Rabbis who were leading services at Tree of Life console each other at a vigil. (Getty Images) On this day in history: A gunman opened fire during Shabbat services at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018. Eleven people were killed and six more injured in the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history. Evidentiary hearings have finally begun in the shooter’s trial; some survivors are asking that he not receive the death penalty. The community has rebounded in inspiring ways, Mark Oppenheimer writes in a new book about the aftermath of the shooting. “It was really about people helping each other, caring for each other, nurturing each other, helping each other heal and thrive,” he said. “I actually found it one of the most uplifting things I’ve ever worked on.”
In honor of American Beer Day, revisit this essay from Leah Koenig about the foamy story of Jews and the amber ale, which she says “is simply the story of American acculturation, writ tipsy.”
And since it’s National Black Cat Day, we’ve dug up this classic 1936 Forward ad promoting a Minnesota nightclub: “After Rosh Hashanah, dine and dance at Black Cat Club,” it read.
ICYMI: BINTEL LIVE! The first season of our Jewish advice podcast, “A Bintel Brief,” wrapped up this month with a live session offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what goes into the making of the show. Editor-in-chief Jodi Rudoren interviewed hosts Ginna Green and Lynn Harris, along with the Forward’s archivist Chana Pollack, about how it feels to be bringing our century-old advice column into the modern era. Plus, they answered a few audience questions. Watch the live broadcast here and catch up on all the episodes here.
PHOTO OF THE DAY (Photo: Christof Koepsel/Getty Images) Shahar Nakav of Israel (right) challenges Svenja Huth of Germany (left) during a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying match that took place Tuesday in Essen, Germany. Germany won 7-0.
Thanks to Louis Keene and Jodi Rudoren for contributing to today’s newsletter. You can reach the “Forwarding” team at [email protected]. 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 / SUBSCRIBE TO FORWARD.COM / SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERS Copyright © 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...
