Ari Feldman is a staff writer at the Forward. He covers Jewish religious organizations, synagogue life, anti-Semitism and the Orthodox world. If you have any tips, you can email him at feldman@forward.com. Follow him on Twitter @aefeldman.
Ari Feldman
By Ari Feldman
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Fast Forward Sefaria Updates App With Built-In Grogger For Purim
The digital Talmud study app Sefaria has released a special update for Purim: The app now has a built-in grogger. Purim, the raucous holiday of spiels, drinking and dress-up, is beloved also for its participatory reading of the Scroll of Esther, the holiday’s principal text. Traditionally listeners are invited to boo the name of the…
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Fast Forward Right-Wing Israeli Political ‘Fascism’ Perfume Ad Leaves People Scratching Their Heads
A new Israeli political ad from the conservative party The New Right has garnered laughs, scorn and confusion in both Israel and the U.S. The satirical ad features Israeli Justice Minister Ayeley Shaked as the face of a perfume, “Fascism.” It features Shaked posing in slow motion, showing off the fragrance bottle, as taglines float…
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News Will You See Blackface At Your Purim Party — Even After Another National Debate?
Somehow, a teenager wearing blackface got into the Purim party. That much was obvious to the black Jewish woman who pointed him out to the organizers of the party, hosted by Chabad-Lubavitch of South La Cienaga, a Jewish community center in Los Angeles. Despite the fact that his face was completely covered in black makeup,…
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Fast Forward WATCH: Jews From Manhattan Synagogue Created Welcome Path In Front Of Mosque
Members of the Manhattan synagogue Congregation Beit Simchat Torah gathered Friday afternoon to show support for Muslims going into New York University’s Islamic center in the wake of the massacres at two New Zealand mosques. A tweet from a Muslim activist about their welcome path into the mosque garnered over 90,000 likes. Jews created a…
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Fast Forward After Omar’s Israel Comments, Jewish And Muslim Pols Sought Understanding At Emotional Private Meetings
In the days after the latest controversial statements about Israel made by Rep. Ilhan Omar, Jewish and Muslim lawmakers held a late-night, secretive meeting near Capitol Hill to try and ease tensions and create understanding. The previously unreported meeting was described in an article from the Washington Post. At the meeting, about a dozen lawmakers…
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Fast Forward 5 Williamsburg Yeshivas Allowing In Unvaccinated Students, NY Health Dept Says
The New York City Health Department announced Wednesday that five Williamsburg yeshivas were allowing unvaccinated children to come to classes, violating a directive from the department that all city yeshivas ban unvaccinated students. The directive, issued last year, was meant to combat the ongoing measles outbreak in New York State, which has occurred exclusively in…
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Fast Forward House Democrats’ Investigation Sets Sights On Ivanka — Carefully
House Democrats did not include Ivanka Trump in their list of 81 people and institutions from whom they requested documents earlier this month as part of the investigation into Donald Trump’s relationship with Russia. But 52 of the 81 requests included requests for documents about Ivanka, suggesting that the House investigation is looking squarely at…
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Fast Forward Survey Points To Strong Connections Between Jews And Muslims In U.S.
A survey is pointing to relatively strong relations between the U.S. Muslim and Jewish communities, even as Jewish groups publicly push back against alleged anti-Semitic statements made by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress. The survey was conducted earlier this year by the Institute for Social Policy and…
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