Esther Kustanowitz
By Esther Kustanowitz
-
News In Los Angeles, a theatre spotlight shines on next-gen Iranian-American voices
When she was growing up in Woodland Hills in Los Angeles’s suburban San Fernando Valley, Ora Yashar felt very American. But at home, her parents were preoccupied with their native Iran. “I always heard stories,” Yashar told the Forward. “My parents were always talking about life before the Revolution. They always talk about Iran.” The…
-
News LA entrepreneurs create “wedding registry” for LA hospitals in need
The calls from the frontlines were disturbing. Emily Kane Miller, CEO of Ethos Giving had heard from her medical professional sister-in-law that supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) were running low in her hospital. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Faraut, CEO of LA LOOP, had heard the same from a doctor in her family. Seeing the need for…
-
The Schmooze The ‘Italian’ hand gesture’s also Israeli — plus, more Jewish emojis, please?
The Unicode Consortium, also known as “the emoji people,” released its list of 65 new icons on Thursday, thrilling at least two groups with their inclusion of what they’re calling the “Italian hand gesture” of pinched fingers and a raised hand. Of course, Italians love it — they use it to signal disagreement. But a…
-
Film & TV Penka Kouneva Wants to Blast Hollywood’s Celluloid Ceiling
Courtesy Penka Kouneva // From left to right, Jeremy Borum, Penka Kouneva and Nathan Furst working on the Dreamworks feature “Need for Speed” At six, Penka Kouneva was playing piano in her hometown of Sofia, Bulgaria. At 12, she was composing music for children’s theater. At 17, a song of hers won a Japanese competition…
Most Popular
- 1
Culture Why saying ‘L’shana Tova’ on Rosh Hashanah may not be the correct phrase
- 2
Culture A Jewish prophet of the 1980s would be horrified to see that we didn’t heed his warnings
- 3
Opinion This is the most disorienting Rosh Hashanah in memory
- 4
Fast Forward Meet Lev Kreitman, who brought down Tel Aviv shooter and survived Nova music festival on Oct. 7
In Case You Missed It
-
Fast Forward Nova survivor reveals she witnessed rape on Oct. 7 at Tel Aviv memorial ceremony interrupted by rocket sirens
-
Fast Forward In NYC, Jews gather together — and apart — for prayer and protest to mark one year since Oct. 7
-
Fast Forward Trump visits gravesite of Lubavitcher Rebbe to mark Oct. 7 anniversary
-
Fast Forward Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff plant a pomegranate tree for Oct. 7 victims
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism