This is the Forward’s coverage of Jewish culture where you’ll learn about the latest (and sometimes earliest) in Jewish art, music (including of course Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen), film, theater, books as well as the secret Jewish history of…
Culture
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Study Provides Snapshot of Struggling Supplementary Schools
America’s Jewish supplementary schools are struggling to remain relevant as a torpid American economy and higher rates of intermarriage and religious apathy take their toll. Many Conservative and Reform Jewish parents are opting out of giving their children a religious education. Supplementary schools, also known as Hebrew schools or complementary schools, operate for a few…
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August 22, 2008
100 Years Ago in the forward Isaac Sheinfeld, 22, was scheduled to marry 18-year-old Ella Winkler, but at the last minute he got cold feet and disappeared. Having made all the arrangements for a wedding, Winkler was furious and had Sheinfeld arrested for breach of promise. As the police brought him into the Essex Market…
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Mocking Stereotypes for ‘Olympic’ Glory
While the world is glued to Michael Phelps’s latest athletic feats and people are still taking about Jewish wonder Jason Lezak, who on Monday swam the fastest leg in the history of the 4×100-meter Olympic freestyle relay, the closest most American Jews are to making a chlorinated splash this summer is at sleep-away camp, a…
The Latest
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Greatest Jewish Olympian Sulks Over Losing the Champion Spotlight
Usually it’s Jewish mothers who boast and brag about their children’s accomplishments. A big ego on a nice Jewish boy, however, is rather unbecoming. Mark Spitz — who is “considered the Greatest Olympic athlete of all-time” and “is synonymous with excellence,” according to his Web site — may be about to have his record of…
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Books Former Forward Hand Max Gross Schlubs It Up for All of New York to See
Former Forward hand and “From Schlub to Stud” author Max Gross is flaunting his schlubby ways on WCBS for all of New York to see. Now, some might be surprised to tune into WCBS and see a schlubby young man with a wild red Jewfro talking up a book with a subtitle like “How to…
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Jews Swim Like Fish: Gold and Silver for U.S. and an Israeli First
Jews are making waves at Beijing’s Water Cube these days. Jewish swimmers Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber-Gale were half of the U.S. 4×100-meter freestyle men’s relay team that won the gold today, smashing records along the way. “I knew I was going to have to swim out of my mind,” [said]( (http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/08/11/sports/0811-SWIMMINGRELAY_3.html ‘said’) anchor Lezak,…
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Olympic Fever Makes Iranian Swimmer ‘Ill,’ But a Countryman Hugs an Israeli
Politics broke the surface of Oympics swimming yesterday when Iran’s Mohammad Alirezaei pulled out of the men’s 100m breaststroke heats, and the Olympics, just minutes before he was due to compete against Israel’s Tom Be’eri. According to Iranian’s state-media reports, Alirezaei fell ill and was carried to a Beijing hospital. But Iran has a history…
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First Olympic Shabbat: Silver Jew, Bronze Bust and an Act of Violence
Across Beijing today, TVs were tuned to the first day of Olympic competition. While most people here were cheering for China, I was cheering for fellow American and fellow Jew Sada Jacobson, who won the silver medal in the women’s fencing individual saber event, after besting Russian, Ukrainian and Cuban competitors. Jacobson is a member…
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As the Games Begin, Telling Applause and Infectious Excitement
Ditan Park in central Beijing was once where the Emperor would make sacrificial offerings to please the gods at the Temple of the Earth. Tonight, the red walls and clipped lawns again became a place of ritual celebration — this time, to gaze up at two massive screens broadcasting the Olympic opening ceremony. At 8…
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Unterzakhn, Part 22
Below, read this week’s installment of Leela Corman’s new graphic novel, “Unterzakhn,” which is being serialized in the Forward. (Or, to start at the very beginning, click here). CLICK FOR LARGER VIEW
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Beijingers Holding Their Breath, and Not Just Out of Anticipation
The sky here today is a blinding white. No puffy clouds, no patch of blue. No bright sun. Beijingers will tell you this is normal humid summer haze. China Daily ran an article today under the headline “Air is fine, let the Games begin.” The piece quotes from yesterday’s press conference with the International Olympic…
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