Philissa Cramer
By Philissa Cramer
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Fast Forward Tokyo Olympics creative director fired over 1990s comedy skit mocking the Holocaust
(JTA) — The creative director of the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony has been fired after a Holocaust joke he made during a 1990s comedy skit drew attention this week. Kentaro Kobayashi, a popular comedian and actor, joked during a television appearance in the 1990s, “Let’s play the genocide of the Jews,” according to a video…
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Fast Forward British Jews to get apology 800 years after antisemitic laws that led to their expulsion
(JTA) — British Jewish leaders say an anticipated apology from the Church of England for antisemitic laws enacted in 1222 is “better late than never.” The church is planning a formal “act of repentance” for next year, the 800th anniversary of the Synod of Oxford, a set of laws that restricted Jews’ rights to engage…
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Fast Forward Mass fatalities feared in building collapse in heavily Orthodox area near Miami
(JTA) — Jewish emergency response services are participating in a search-and-rescue mission after a 12-story apartment building collapsed in Surfside, Florida, a heavily Orthodox town near Miami Beach. At least one person has been killed in the collapse, which took place without warning at about 2 a.m., and authorities in Surfside say they fear many…
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News A bake sale to combat antisemitism draws high-profile Jewish foodies, but few non-Jewish allies
When Daniela Weiner heard about a virtual bake sale against antisemitism, the Chicago pastry chef and food photographer didn’t think twice about joining. Weiner is not Jewish. But she has participated in benefit bake sales before, raising $1,500 last year for racial justice causes, and she also knew that some of her Jewish friends in…
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Fast Forward White House science advisor Eric Lander sworn in on Pirkei Avot published in 1492
(JTA) — When Eric Lander was sworn in today as the White House’s first-ever Cabinet-level science advisor, the geneticist also made Jewish history — by taking his oath of office on a 500-year-old copy of a Jewish text filled with ethical precepts. Lander chose a 1492 edition of Pirkei Avot from the Library of Congress’…
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Fast Forward New York City public school principal draws criticism after urging staff to support Palestinians
(JTA) — The principal of a Brooklyn middle school has apologized to her staff after sending an email last week calling on them to support Palestinian liberation — even as some of them say they did not think an apology was necessary. Amanda Bueno, who heads M.S. 136, emailed teachers and administrators at her school…
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News The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has torn apart Chicago’s biggest Facebook moms group
(JTA) — The tens of thousands of Chicago mothers in a private Facebook group called MamaHive typically post about sleepless babies, strollers and playgroups. But on Sunday night, with the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza entering its second week, a post went up that broke the mold. “We, the admins of MamaHive…
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Fast Forward Israel targets Gaza with airstrikes, artillery and tank fire, ushering in a new phase of growing conflict
(JTA) — Israel’s army unleashed a wider military attack on Gaza Thursday night, inaugurating a new phase in a conflict that has claimed dozens of lives in the last several days. The war has already reached several milestones in a region accustomed to conflict. Hamas, the terrorist group that controls Gaza, has sent an unprecedented…
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Fast Forward Why some Satmar Hasidic leaders endorsed Zohran Mamdani as mayor, stunning many Jewish voters
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Sports It’s so cool that Sandy Koufax was there for that
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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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