Elissa Strauss has written for the Forward over a number of years. She is a regular contributor to CNN, whose work has been published in a number of publications including The New York Times, Glamour, ELLE, and Longreads.
Elissa Strauss
By Elissa Strauss
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The Schmooze Writer Sues To Stop Sale of Schindler’s List
Marta Rosenberg says she is the rightful heir to anything that once belonged to Oskar Schindler, including the copy of one of Schindler’s lists that is now on sale for $2.2 million by New York historic memorabilia dealer Gary Zimet. Of the seven copies of the list that once existed, this is one of the…
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The Schmooze Mother-In-Law Jokes Are Kosher, Judge Rules
A U.S. District Judge in New Jersey recently ruled that comedian Sunda Croonquist can continue making fun of her Jewish mother-in-law. Croonquist, the AP reports, a half-Swedish, half African-American woman who married a Jewish man, was sued two years ago by her in-laws who were offended by her jokes. And just in case things weren’t…
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Life On Banning the Veil
The veil worn by some Muslim women has emerged as a potent hybrid symbol in Europe. And the question of whether or not it should be worn has sparked debates about everything from feminism to religion, democracy, freedom, immigration and assimilation. Belgium recently passed a law banning full-face veils, France has a similar law in…
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Books Our Rack: The Sisterhood Reading List
Beginning this month, The Sisterhood will feature a monthly roundup of book recommendations for our readers. We will include books that are geared toward Jewish women, along with other women’s-interest titles that we believe will be of interest to Sisterhood readers. Nonfiction: • A diverse group of writers share their feminist “aha” moments in the…
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Life The Hairy Issue of Female Hair Removal
For the most part, body hair as a political statement has fallen out of favor with third-wave feminists who, unlike their second-wave sisters, seem at home with a shaven armpits and legs. The New York Times recently had an article about women’s mixed feelings about visible body hair on women. The news hook was Mo’Nique’s…
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Life Biblical Matriarchs, Chick Flicks and the Power of a New Dress
In almost every single chick flick, there is a pivotal scene during which the character goes shopping. It is almost always presented as a montage of different stores, outfits, looks, and expressions, and it signals for the character a passage to second chances, redemption, and, ultimately, a resurrection. I would like to be able to…
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Life Debut Novel ‘Kapitoil’ Produces a Surprisingly Likable Jewess
In his new debut novel “Kapitoil” (Harper Perennial), Teddy Wayne tells the story of Karim Issar, a young man who relocates to New York City from Qatar to help a big financial firm prepare for the Y2K bug. Though shortly after beginning his new job, Karim ends up creating a computer program that helps his…
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News Tales of a Teenage Bedwetter
The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee By Sarah Silverman HarperCollins, 256pp, $20 Jewish comics are usually thought of as self-deprecating Woody Allen types whose singsong shtick hearkens back to the Borscht Belt. Sarah Silverman is not that kind of Jewish comic. Neither schlemiel nor schlimazel, Silverman instead plays the part of a cocky…
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