Seth Rogovoy is a contributing editor at the Forward. He is the author of Bob Dylan: Prophet Mystic Poet (Scribner, 2009) and the forthcoming Within You Without You: Listening to George Harrison (Oxford University Press).
Seth Rogovoy
By Seth Rogovoy
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Culture The Secret Jewish History of Cat Stevens Revisited
When I went off to sleep-away camp in 1972 for the first time, the soundtrack of the summer — especially for those like me, who arrived with guitar in hand — was all Cat Stevens, all the time. By 1972, Stevens had already achieved his greatest success with a stunning trio of albums released in…
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Culture Why Are So Many of Today’s Recording Stars Named After Prophets?
Maybe it’s a coincidence. Maybe it’s a trend. Maybe it’s the times. Maybe it’s the birth pangs of the Messiah. In coming weeks, new recordings are expected from a half-dozen artists bearing the names of prophets and such — Tori Amos, Moses Sumney, Ariel Pink, Benjamin Clementine and a rock-rap super-group called Prophets of Rage…
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Music The Secret Jewish History of The National
The alternative rock band The National is backed by Jewish twin brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner
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Culture Randy Newman’s 7 Most Jewish Songs
Legend has it that at age nine, Randy Newman asked his father, “Hey dad, what’s a Jew?” A friend had invited Newman to a party; the friend’s father called to explain that he had to disinvite Randy because the event was being held at a restricted country club. At that point in his life, Newman…
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Film & TV The Secret Jewish History of Planet of the Apes
Spoiler Alert: If you don’t want to know how “War for the Planet of the Apes” ends, you probably should stop reading this article halfway through.) A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a science-fiction movie pitting humans against non-human enemies was unleashed upon the world, and from that moment on, the…
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Culture The Secret Jewish History of ‘Game of Thrones’
“Game of Thrones,” the popular medieval fantasy series that one of its creators describes as “‘The Sopranos’ in Middle-earth” — a reference to that other medieval fantasy saga written by a guy with too many R’s in his name, JRR Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” — is full of intrigue and drama, as well as…
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Culture The Secret Jewish History Of 7-Eleven
When you walk into your local 7-Eleven today to get your free Slurpee — this being July 11, or 7/11, or, as it is celebrated everywhere, “7-Eleven Day” — consider for a moment that the convenience the store brings is based upon gematria, or the hidden meanings of numbers in Judaism. Everyone knows the meaning…
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Culture The Secret Jewish History Of Stephen King
Author Stephen King was really born with that name. Not for him the path from Irwin Alan Kniberg to Alan King. He came out all ready, at least in name, to become one of the best-selling authors of all time, just as he was. Although when it came time for the prolific writer — as…
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