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 [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum and on Instagram at @skestenbaum.
Sam Kestenbaum
By Sam Kestenbaum
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Fast Forward Amid Temple Mount Clashes, Jewish Activists Dream Of Rebuilt Temple
Amidst protests and violent clashes in Jerusalem over access to the Temple Mount, a Jewish activist group has released a provocative video that depicts a computer-generated image of a rebuilt Jewish Temple looming over the site. The Temple Institute is a prominent organization in what is known as the Temple Mount movement, which is made…
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News Orthodox Push For Eruv Sparks Fierce Backlash In New Jersey Suburb
More than 200 residents of the New Jersey suburb of Mahwah packed a local park Monday night to celebrate what speakers called a victory against a potentially negative influence on the wealthy town. It wasn’t an upsurge in crime or some kind of unwanted real-estate development that had them so riled up. It was the…
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Fast Forward Rapper Lil Twist Gets ‘Loyal’ Tattooed on His Face — In Hebrew
Over the weekend, the 24-year-old rapper Lil Twist posted a video of himself getting three in-home tattoos — including the Hebrew word “ne’eman,” meaning “loyal,” stenciled above his left eyebrow. The tattoo artist can be seen looking up the Hebrew spelling of “loyal” on Google in the video. Twizzy Tat Session @rockrollg @ashtonkingg YOUNG MULA…
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Fast Forward Laura Loomer Gets Nose Job — From Far Right’s Favorite Plastic Surgeon
Laura Loomer, an ascendant Jewish figure of the far right, is reportedly getting a nose job next month — and her surgeon says he’s hoping to become the go-to face-lift doc for the so-called “alt-right.” “I am so excited for my nose job!!” she wrote on Instragram. “How could anyone say no to this? It’s…
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News God Sent The Holocaust, Says A Rabbi Reviled — And Adored
Over the course of a two and a half-hour long video on the meaning of life, Yosef Mizrachi lectured in a thick Israeli accent about the majestic and terrifying power of God. Scenes of rolling thunderclouds and the immensity of the universe are contrasted with what Mizrachi, an ultra-Orthodox rabbi known for his popular outreach…
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Fast Forward Trump’s ‘Spiritual Biographer’ Is Reform Jew-Turned-Evangelical
The author of a forthcoming book on the spiritual life of the president is a Reform Jew-turned-Christian who has written extensively on Donald Trump’s relationship with evangelicals. David Brody, chief political correspondent for the Christian Broadcasting Network, calls himself a “Bible-believing Christian” and “Jewish believer.” His public Facebook profile features a photo of himself praying…
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News As Temple Mount Flares, Jewish Movement Sees Opportunity To Reclaim Holy Site
Tensions are high in Jerusalem after a Palestinian attack left two Israeli police officers dead on the Holy Esplanade, the site known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount. For many, the attack and subsequent security lockdown are cause for alarm since protests over the sacred site at the…
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News Controversial Pro-Israel Pastor John Hagee Basks In Return To Spotlight
On Monday night, the megachurch pastor the Rev. John Hagee addressed a crowd of thousands at the annual summit of Christians United for Israel, the organization he founded over a decade ago. Standing in front of a massive projected image of the Western Wall, the controversial evangelist spoke in uncompromising and biblical language about the…
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News Analysis Gaza didn’t cost Harris the election. But her approach pointed to a broader problem
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