Forward.com

The Jewish Designer Who Taught Marc Chagall

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

A new exhibit at the National gallery features the sets and costumes of Leon Bakst. The Russian designer was Marc Chagall’s teacher — and worked to hide his Jewish roots.

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Playing Hunger Games on the West Bank

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

William Sutcliffe’s new novel “The Wall” combines elements of fairy tales and dystopian young adult novels. But it’s set in the present-day Israeli settlements.

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Heading Into the 'I' of the Knaidel

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

Did Arvind Mahankali spell ‘knaidel’ correctly or not? The problem lies not with Yiddish, the New York Times or a 13-year-old boy. Philologos says it is the English language.

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Is It Last Dance for Kaveret, the 'Israeli ABBA'?

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST

Kaveret sold hundreds of thousands of records in the ’70s and represented Israel in the Eurovision song competition. Now the band’s reuniting for what they say will be their final concerts.

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Recalling the Jews, Radicals and Rogues Who Created Greenwich Village

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

Why were Jews so integral to the creation of New York’s downtown arts scene? Greenwich Village historian John Strausbaugh explains a unique neighborhood bond.

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10 Reasons Superman Is Really Jewish

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

The new Superman film is out and the superhero is celebrating his 75th birthday. Here’s 10 reasons to believe the Man of Steel might actually be Jewish.

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Defining Franz Kafka Proves a Kafkaesque Dilemma

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST

Were Franz Kafka’s books the most typically Jewish documents of his time? Reiner Stach sheds light on Kafka’s last years and his inner conflicts.

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David Nirenberg Traces The Long, Bewildering History of Anti-Semitism

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

David Nirenberg traces the history of anti-Semitism from ancient Egypt through 20th-century Europe, encompassing literary criticism of ‘The Merchant of Venice.’

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What Makes a Jewish Joke Jewish?

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

Ruth Wisse offers a cogent analysis of Jewish humor in her new book. Why does she overlook several decades of scholarship on ethnic jokes?

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True History of an Unknown Hero of the French Jewish Resistance

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

For her service in the French Resistance, Charlotte Sorkine Noshpitz was awarded a slew of medals and honors. And yet hardly anyone knows her stranger-than-fiction story.

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Poor Heiress Pens Unorthodox Orthodox Memoir

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

‘The Astor Orphan’ tells the story of growing up on a grand estate. Unfortunately, all was not right behind the curtain of one of America’s most famed blueblood families.

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Viewing Franz Kafka Through Lens of his Sexuality

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST

If ever there was an author whose works resisted analysis, it’s Franz Kafka. A new book emphasizes the author’s repressed homosexuality and fantasies about boys.

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It's a Hebrew Thing — You Get It or You Don't

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

The Hebrew phrase ‘ha-mevin yavin’ roughly means ‘Let him who understands, understand.’ Or as our Italian friends might say: “Capeesh?”

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The Enduring Jewish Traditions of Philanthropy and Collecting

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

Patronage and aesthetic sensibility are hallmarks of the modern Jew. The philanthropy of people like Leonard Lauder and Michael Steinhardt is part of an enduring tradition.

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British Comedy Legend Jonathan Lynn Brings Unique Style to Los Angeles

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 06:00:00 EST

Jonathan Lynn grew up as the only Jewish boy in the British town of Bath and is the nephew of Israeli leader Abba Eban. Both shaped his classic comedy, ‘Yes, Prime Minister.’

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Gesher Theatre Explores Challenges of Dramatizing I.B. Singer's 'Enemies'

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

Isaac Bashevis Singer’s ‘Enemies’ is a gripping and challenging work to stage. Yevgeny Arye discusses bringing the horror of the Nazi era to a 21st century American audience.

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Holocaust Museum, Turning 20 Years Old, Confronts 21st Century Challenges

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has been touring America for its 20th anniversary. One challenge is soon there won’t be any more survivors to interpret its artifacts

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Violence Meets Solitude at Jewish Museum's Jack Goldstein Exhibit

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

Jack Goldstein was an artist whose work comprised an astonishing variety of media. A new exhibit in New York sheds light on his inspiring and tragic career.

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World War II's Unsung Heroes Get Their Due at Spruced Up Lyon Museum

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

A new museum in Lyon aims to educate visitors about the role of the French resistance movement in aiding Jews and others during the Holocaust.

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Belgium Museum Will Tell Story of Red Star Line That Carried Jews to America

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:00:00 EST

A museum dedicated to the Red Star Line will open in Antwerp soon. The shipping operation carried more than 2 million people — many of them Jews — to a new life in America.

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