Whenever news breaks, the Forward brings you the Jewish angle. Last month, when it was reported that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had received luxury vacations, real estate, private jet travel, and more from billionaire Harlan Crow, I wondered how pervasive these kinds of gifts were across the court. So when I stumbled across a mention of Justice Elena Kagan’s high school classmates trying to send her a Russ & Daughters gift basket, I went digging for more information. Turned out Kagan was so worried about the ethics of accepting bagels, lox and babka from her friends that they scrapped the plan. It was the perfect Forward story: funny and serious, focused on Jewish community while engaging with national news — and exclusive, with plenty of bagel content. Support our news team with a generous donation today. If you donate $125 or more, you’ll receive a year’s subscription to the Forward, so you never miss the next breaking news story — about babka or otherwise. |
When I reported this story, I had no idea that it would be shared by thousands of people, featured on cable news, and even referenced in an editorial cartoon at The Washington Post. It’s been a great way to bring a distinctly Jewish point of view to the larger story of the Supreme Court’s ethics, corruption and backlash. Our news team relies on donations from generous individuals to power our journalism! Make your donation today. |
Beth Harpaz Senior Copy Editor The Forward |
