PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. He can be reached at [email protected] and @pjgrisar on Twitter.
PJ Grisar
By PJ Grisar
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Culture This Passover, honor 5 women who made the Exodus possible
This Passover we can honor the tenacity of Miriam, the agency and pain of Yocheved and the commitment of Batya — women whose efforts helped lead us out of Egypt. After all, we owe them. Though they were pivotal to Moses in his efforts to shepherd our people out of bondage, these figures are given…
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Culture Jessica Walter, a wonderful person who played ‘difficult women,’ dies at 80
Jessica Walter, the Emmy-winning actress who embodied the women’s college cliques of the 1930s, the Jewish literati of the 1960s, and had a remarkable final act as two iconic matriarchs in the 2000s, has died at the age of 80, Deadline reports. Walter was born January 31, 1941 in Brooklyn to Jewish parents and raised…
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Culture On Houdini’s 147th birthday, the incredible stories you never heard
Writer’s Note: Today would have been Harry Houdini’s 147th birthday. At least we think so — he always said he was born April 6, possibly out of ignorance of the true date. It’s one more bit of dissembling from a man notorious for invented biography. In honor of the occasion, we are reprinting this piece…
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Culture In Taipei, an artist prepares for a Seder with his own Haggadah
Leon Fenster’s community is hosting what may be one of the largest legal Pesach Seders of 2021 — they’ll be using his Haggadah. The 34-year-old artist will lead the ceremony for a crowd of around 200 people in Taipei, Taiwan, where he has remained through most of the pandemic. It is a city in a…
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Culture On William Shatner’s 90th birthday, a reminder of when he could laugh at himself
William Shatner AKA Captain Kirk Turns 90
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Culture Was the Last Supper a ‘Seder?’ And 3 other vital Passover questions, asked and answered.
When we ask at our Seders why this night is different from all other nights, there are the stock responses and the ones we take for granted. We receive explainers on slouching, unleavened bread and why we dip our herbs. We don’t get into what Jesus’ Passover plans were in Jerusalem. In our Haggadot, we…
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Culture After vandalism, ‘Soup Nazi Kitchen’ in Washington paints over provocative sign
For one, brief, bizarre moment a Soup Nazi restaurant was coming to Everett, Washington. Redditters were quick to note the storefront of “The Soup Nazi Kitchen” in the downtown area, advertised with a sexualized female Nazi mascot in SS-like uniform — not the mustachioed visage of the Soup Nazi of “Seinfeld” fame or his real…
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Culture On ‘Soul of a Nation’ Nick Cannon talks teshuva — but Black Jews don’t get equal time
Nick Cannon addressed his journey of teshuva following a summer of professional setbacks due to antisemitic comments — but he may have misrepresented what exactly he needs to atone for. On ABC’s “Soul of a Nation,” Cannon spoke with anchor Linsey Davis about the infamous episode of his “Cannon’s Class” podcast in July, where he…
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