“Schmatta: Rags To Riches To Rags,” a documentary about the rise and decline of New York’s garment district — and the efforts to preserve what remains of a sector that played a vital role in the American Jewish experience during the past century — premieres October 19 on HBO. Its director, Marc Levin, recently sat down with the Forward’s senior writer Nathaniel Popper to discuss the Jewish workers, employers and gangsters who shaped the fashion industry; how the garment district influenced designers like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Donna Karan, and what the Torah has to say about what we wear.Read More
Laurie Sandell, grew up listening to her father tell dazzling tales about his wartime heroism and his friendship with Henry Kissinger— only to find out, as an adult, that those stories were pure fiction. She recently sat down with the Forward’s arts and culture editor, Dan Friedman, to discuss that shocking discovery, which she details in her new graphic memoir, “The Imposter’s Daughter” (Little, Brown).Read More
In this podcast, Forward contributor Michael Kaminer speaks with former “Seinfeld” writer Carol Leifer about her new memoir, “When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win,” her relationship with her late father, working with Larry David, and what a body builder and a challah have in common.Read More
Forward Editor Jane Eisner discusses some highlights from the August 14 issue with Web Editor Gabrielle Birkner.Read More