Philissa Cramer
By Philissa Cramer
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Fast Forward Tennessee school board removes ‘Maus,’ iconic Holocaust novel, from its curriculum
(JTA) — A Tennessee school board voted unanimously to remove “Maus,” Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel about his father’s Holocaust experience, from its curriculum after board members raised objections about curse words, nude drawings and “not wise or healthy” content within it. Spiegelman, who won a 1992 Pulitzer Prize for the book, told CNBC that the…
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Fast Forward As Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis unfolded, Jews turned to prayers designed for moments of danger
(JTA) — Jews who pray according to traditional liturgy each morning recite a line that is usually symbolic: “Blessed are you, God, who frees the captive.” On Saturday that line became painfully meaningful as a number of Jewish worshippers were taken hostage during Shabbat services at their Texas synagogue. And as the afternoon stretched into…
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Fast Forward 33 years after classic bar mitzvah episode, revamped ‘Wonder Years’ revisits the ritual
(JTA) — Paul Pfeiffer’s bar mitzvah made Jewish television history when “The Wonder Years” devoted an episode to it in 1989. Pfeiffer, played by a Jewish actor named Josh Saviano, was the best friend of the show’s main character, Kevin Arnold, also played by a Jewish actor — Fred Savage — but who was not…
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Fast Forward What is rabbi?’: Angela Buchdahl becomes a ‘Jeopardy!’ clue
(JTA) — Few rabbis appear before more people than Angela Buchdahl, the senior rabbi of New York City’s Central Synagogue. But Buchdahl may have become one of the most recognizable rabbis ever after her name — and face — appeared as a clue on “Jeopardy!” Wednesday night. The cameo came toward the end of the…
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Fast Forward ‘Jeopardy!’ devotes entire category to Yiddish theater
(JTA) — In recent years, Yiddish theater has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence, with Yiddish-language performances wowing audiences in New York, online and, last month, Stockholm. But perhaps its biggest audience yet came on Thursday night, when “Jeopardy!” devoted an entire category to it. The iconic quiz show is seen by an estimated 8.7 million people…
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Fast Forward A Massachusetts town apologizes after using Christian menorah in holiday display
(JTA) — A small municipal holiday event turned into a big problem for Medford, Massachusetts, after a city worker included a menorah picture produced by Messianic Jews in a display about world religions. The suburb of Boston apologized for the display, which appeared during last week’s Holiday Extravaganza, a city event aimed at promoting local businesses….
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Fast Forward In Ghana for ‘spiritual cleansing,’ NYC Mayor-elect Eric Adams celebrates Hanukkah with Chabad
(JTA) — (New York Jewish Week via JTA) — Eric Adams told reporters he planned to engage in “some spiritual cleansing” during a trip to Ghana this week. Still, the appearance of New York City’s mayor-elect at a Hanukkah party Wednesday in Accra came as a surprise. Adams joined Rabbi Noach Majesky, a Brooklyn expat…
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Fast Forward How a determined Jewish community helped bring home Danny Fenster, the journalist imprisoned in Myanmar
(JTA) — HUNTINGTON WOODS, Michigan — For nearly six months, anyone driving through this well-manicured and heavily Jewish residential Detroit suburb was guaranteed to spot the yard signs. They were red, white and blue, with a large black-and-white illustration of a bearded young man sporting a beanie and a faint smile. “FREE FENSTER,” the signs…
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