February 11, 2005
100 YEARS AGO
• A telegram arrived this week from members of the Jewish Labor Bund in Russia describing events over there. Part of it read, “At the behest of the Bund’s Central Committee, massive strikes have broken out in all regions where the Bund is active: in Vilna, Bialystok, Kovno, Dvinsk, Pinsk, Mohilev, Berditshev, Homel, Riga, Lodz, Warsaw and in many, many other places bloody battles are taking place between the people and the army. At the funerals of fallen comrades, large revolutionary demonstrations are taking place.” The reaction to this telegram on the part of Bundist sympathizers was enthusiastic: Thousands of dollars were collected and sent straight to the revolutionaries.
75 YEARS AGO
• Should a Jew by the name of Louis Goldstein be allowed legally to change his name? Not if he happens to appear in court before a judge by the name of Louis Goldstein! The petitioner, Louis Goldstein, wants to change his name from “Goldstein” to “Golding.” The judge, Louis Goldstein, asked him why. “The name doesn’t sound good,” the petitioner said. “It’s bad for business.” The judge, who is undoubtedly an expert on the name, replied: “Goldstein doesn’t sound good? Golding sounds better?” The judge refused to accept his request, saying that having a Jewish name never caused trouble in business for anyone.
50 YEARS AGO
• “Yiddish is sick, Yiddish has been destroyed, but quality work is being published in Yiddish, work which is full of talent and intellectuality,” Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote, using his pseudonym, Yitskhok Varshavsky, in a review of the recently published translation of the Bhagavad-Gita into Yiddish. “When I first heard about it, I asked myself, ‘Who needs the Bhagavad-Gita in Yiddish?’ I then said to myself, ‘What do you mean who needs it? I need it! And I am surely not alone.’”
Order up! The hot and fresh documentary Deli Man from our friends at Cohen Media is now playing in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more cities! Who’s planning deli and a movie? 
Gustav Meyrink's novel 'Der Golem' made the Jewish Frankenstein a household name. A century later, authors and readers are still conflicted about literary value. 
The legacy of Benjamin Netanyahu's speech wasn't sound bites or standing ovations. American Jews and organizations like J Street and AIPAC now know they can debate policy — while supporting Israel. 
Welcome to the donut carwash! http://jd.fo/q7lRN 
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**PHOTOS**: Forget about Halloween — #Purim is the real party in Israel. We bring you some of the best costumes in the Holy Land, from Alice in Wonderland to the Avengers. Iran has threatened Jews for decades. But Laura Shapiro Kramer had a very different experience in the land where the Purim story takes place. 
Boris Nemtsov was killed in broad daylight steps from the Kremlin. The opposition leader's murder has shocked Russians, but Moscow is no stranger to assassinations. 
You haven't seen #Netanyahu's speech until you've seen it like this: remixed as an amazing techno dance song! Watch the video — and dance along — here. PRESENTING: THE JEWISH DAILY BACKWARD - THE LEADING JEWISH NEWSPAPER IN A UNIVERSE!!!1 HAPPY #PURIM! 
When Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about Iran, he couldn't resist drawing a parallel to the #Purim story. We, in turn, couldn't resist imagining the holiday in Bibi terms. Enjoy! 
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