Sam Kestenbaum is a contributing editor and former staff writer for the Forward. Before this, he worked for The New York Times and newsrooms in Sana, Ramallah and Beijing. Contact him at kestenbaum@forward.com and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum and on Instagram at @skestenbaum.
Sam Kestenbaum
By Sam Kestenbaum
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News ‘Blacks For Trump’ Man Claims Mantle Of Fallen Hebrew Israelite Leader
Who is “Michael the Black Man”? Spotted earlier this year at Trump rallies enthusiastically hoisting “Blacks for Trump” signs, Michael Symonette is back in the national spotlight after scoring a prominent seat at Trump’s rally this week in Phoenix. He’s not your typical political activist, though. He holds particularly unusual beliefs about ancient history, global…
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Fast Forward The Story Behind This ‘Blacks For Trump’ Guy Is Even Stranger Than It Sounds
“Michael the Black Man” is back. Spotted earlier during the campaign, hoisting “Blacks for Trump” signs at rallies, Michael Symonette — a Miami activist who believes blacks and whites are the true Hebrews of the Bible and Trump was elevated by the Hebrew god Yahweh to lead — is back to let the world know…
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News Before Instagram Spat, Mnuchin’s Wife Was Panned For ‘White Savior’ Africa Memoir
Louise Linton, the wife of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, is at the center of a social media storm after snapping at an Instagram followers who challenged her online. Linton posted a photo of herself disembarking from a plane with her husband, with a white scarf flung glamorously around her neck. “Great #daytrip to #Kentucky! #nicest…
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Fast Forward Hasidic Nonprofit In Crown Heights Busted For Running Illegal Hotel
An Hasidic charity whose stated mission is to help the impoverished has been operating an illegal hotel in Brooklyn and charging up to $300 a night. The Chabad Lubavitch Hospitality Center was issued violations for “illegal transient use” on July 21 by the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement, according to a report on the local…
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Fast Forward Televangelist Says Resisting Trump Is ‘Fighting The Hand Of God’
Paula White, spiritual adviser to Donald Trump, believes that the president is a king who has been “authentically raised up by God” to lead — and that opposition to the president is tantamount to resisting God’s will. “Whether people like him or not, he’s been raised up by God because God says that He raises…
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Fast Forward Jewish ‘Adopt-a-Nazi’ Fundraiser Raises $85K Before San Francisco Rally
The Jewish Bar Association of San Francisco has raised more than $85,000 as part of an unusual fundraising campaign to combat a right-wing rally proposed for next weekend in San Franciaco. A GoFundMe campaign titled, mockingly, “Adopt-a-Nazi (Not Really)” aims to protest a gathering known as the “Patriot Prayer’s Freedom Rally San Francisco” by raising…
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Fast Forward For Amar’e Stoudemire, Farming Is Holy Work
Hebrew Israelite basketball star Amar’e Stoudemire is working the land at his Hudson Valley farm, and quoting scripture as he’s doing it. In a photo uploaded to Instagram on Sunday, Stoudemire, wearing work gloves and heavy boots, stands in front of a tractor on his 190-acre farm, located about two hours from New York City…
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News Was Jewish Antifa Caught Off Guard By Charlottesville White Supremacists?
For Jewish protesters gathered at this month’s far-right rally in Charlottesville, facing off with white nationalists meant coming face to face with groups that call openly for their murder. “First stop Charlottesville, next stop Auschwitz!” white supremacists shouted, brandishing swastika flags and hoisting their arms in the Nazi salute. “Get in the showers!” “For weeks,…
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Fast Forward ‘Rabbi rebellion’: 33 Orthodox rabbis endorse Harris
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Opinion I was a Bernie supporter. This year, I’m voting Trump. Here’s why liberal Jews like me made the switch
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Opinion Here’s why Orthodox Jews are loyal to Trump — even if they don’t love him
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FIRST PERSON As a rabbi, he helped others mourn. So why wouldn’t his daughter say kaddish for him?
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News Jewish voters play key role in N.Y. House races, but number of Jewish members of Congress will drop
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Fast Forward 79% of Jews voted for Kamala Harris, according to largest preliminary exit poll
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Fast Forward Trump wins, promising to reshape the United States and its relationship with Israel
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Fast Forward Craig Goldman of Texas wins race, becoming 3rd Jewish Republican in Congress
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