Jerry Kowalski, an occasional contributor to the Forverts, is a retired lawyer, rabbi, writer, lecturer and humorist.
Jerry Kowalski
By Jerry Kowalski
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Yiddish World My embarrassing moment in a Yiddish-speaking men’s clothing store
In the 1950’s, this neighborhood had so many Holocaust survivors, even Italian shopkeepers understood Yiddish
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Yiddish World At this yeshiva, academics, religion — oh, and the occasional Playboy mag
Although students were unruly, at times even sneaking the rabbi’s car keys from his coat pocket, many later became highly successful.
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Yiddish World Tea, cake and passionate political discussions
For years, the author's parents hosted lively gatherings of Holocaust survivors in their home in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
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Fast Forward Why some Satmar Hasidic leaders endorsed Zohran Mamdani as mayor, stunning many Jewish voters
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Opinion I’m an Israeli who lives in New York. Here’s why I’m voting for Mamdani
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Sports It’s so cool that Sandy Koufax was there for that
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News How Mamdani became New York’s next mayor, with Jews divided between fierce opposition and fiery support
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Opinion The three profound Jewish lessons of Mamdani’s astonishing victory
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News Mamdani’s victory divides Jewish leaders one more way: Whether to say congratulations
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Fast Forward In a first, a ballot initiative to divest from Israel has won at the ballot box in Boston suburb
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Fast Forward In NJ governor’s race, Mikie Sherrill fends off GOP candidate whose aide spurned ‘money from Jews’
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