Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of Jewish culture. Here, you’ll learn about the latest (and sometimes earliest) in Jewish art, music, film, theater, books as well as the secret Jewish history of everything and everyone from The Rolling Stones to…
Culture
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That time Yiddishists met extraterrestrials a short while ago in a galaxy not far away
It was a normal summer internship at the Yiddish Book Center ... until the Jedi invaded our turf
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ADL Bestows Honor on Madoff
[ ![][2]][2] Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff was re-graced yesterday when the Anti-Defamation League awarded him the Inadvertently Good for the Jews prize for his work in “demolishing a centuries-old stereotype: that Jews are good with money.” In a lavish ceremony held near the breakfast nook of the Madoffs’ Upper East Side apartment — where Madoff…
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The Middle East: Peace At Last!
[ ![][2]][2] After thousands of years of communal strife, a comprehensive Middle East peace agreement has been reached that will make war, bloodshed and religious violence relics of history. In a joint statement, leaders of Israel, Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria all hailed the peace agreement as “the dawning of a new age of peace, brotherhood…
The Latest
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Wonka Factory Receives Hekhsher
[ ![][2]][2] *Following is the required report filed by the Unorthodox Union inspection team and intercepted by the Backward. It describes the full process they undertook to determine whether a particular sweets-producing entity complies with the highest-level standards for kosher certification. * Kosher inspection team arrived at Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory, now seeking kosher certification….
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Philip Roth’s New Novel About Philip Roth
[ ![][2]][2] THE PLAGIARIST By Philip Roth Houghton Mifflin. 212 pages. $25 Philip Roth has always been a conflicted warrior, balancing his high regard for his literary and sexual talents against a contempt for his own venality. His newest novel, “The Plagiarist,” is, yet again, a recapitulation of his overarching career, but the master has…
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Who Put the Coal in Coalition?
[ ![][2]][2] When people ask me, “Who put the fun in fundamentalism?” I always answer that it was a little-known 14th-century Sufi Pir named Sayyid Jalal al-din Husayn Bukhari. More to the point this month is who put the fundamentalists in power, and, in the wake of the fractious Israeli elections, a Mr. Will Tiberias…
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Rahm Emanuel’s Guide to Down-to-Earth Parenting
Rahm Emanuel is the tough-but-fair, no-nonsense chief of staff for President Barack Obama. He is also a former chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The loving husband of Amy Rule and father of three small children, he’s taken lessons he learned in the rough-and-tumble world of politics and applied them to the challenges of…
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Shake Hizzoner’s Hand!
[ ![][2]][2] Have you ever wanted to look and feel important for at least one brief second, no matter how little you deserve it? This is your chance! For a mere $50, for a limited time only, you too can Shake Mayor Bloomberg’s Hand – and have the picture to prove it! We know what…
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Alex Rodriguez Admits to Kabbalah Use
[ ![][2]][2] In a tearful televised confession, New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez yesterday confirmed long-rumored allegations of performance-enhancing kabbalah use during a live interview with ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons. Citing pressure to stay competitive, Rodriguez acknowledged resorting to the practice of esoteric Jewish mysticism on multiple occasions since being introduced to its mysterious…
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Extreme Gaza Makeover
Finally, good news for a city torn by war, terrorism, political intimidation and a crippling embargo: The popular ABC show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” is coming to Gaza City. “My producer was just watching the news and thought, ‘Those guys could use a makeover!’” said host Ty Pennington. Although at first Pennington objected, once he…
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Where On Earth Is Our Chicken Soup?
[ ![][2]][2] We’ve been patient for a long time, but we’re just about at our limit. Enough with the excuses. Would you please tell us why we don’t have our bowls of matza ball soup? It’s a bit too much to take after all our people have been through. First, slavery in Egypt. Then the…
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Letters
[ ![][2]][2] Thank You, Backward! Dear Backward, Thank you so much for your insightful, independent and comprehensive coverage of all things Jewish. It’s really nice to have a critical look at the community for once. I look forward to my weekends when I can kick back, relax and read my paper just the way my…
Most Popular
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Culture I ranked the NYC mayoral candidates exclusively based on their bagel orders
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News How Jewish can you be in a Boca country club? Wrapping tefillin got a family suspended, lawsuit says
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Opinion Mike Huckabee’s stunning, terrifying new gift to the Israeli right
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Opinion Greta Thunberg’s Gaza flotilla was never going to help Palestinians
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Culture What was Albert Einstein thinking as he gazed down on Trump’s military parade?
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