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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Kenny G thinks he’ll win an Oscar. First he has to find his soul.
Like the tides, romance or dentists’ waiting rooms, Kenny G has always seemed to exist. But have you ever wondered what he’s like? It is the saxophonist’s particular curse to take up the most mental real estate in his biggest detractors — critics and purists who dismiss his mass appeal brand of virtuosic musical Novocaine…
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In a heartbreaking and inspiring new film, the soul of an actress — and the lives she touched — lives on
In equal measure a valentine to his late wife, a tribute to her as an actor, director and writer on the cusp of a serious career, and an exploration of personal grief, “Adrienne” is a skillful, almost seamless film and a notable debut for director Andy Ostroy. The 90-minute documentary could easily have slipped into…
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How a poor Jewish immigrant made a fortune as a madam — and why we’re still uncomfortable talking about it
On Dec. 10, 1913, a 13-year-old Yidishe meydl arrived alone and almost penniless at Ellis Island. She was to have traveled to America from Eastern Europe with a cousin, who decided to abandon the journey. The new immigrant’s name was Pearl Adler. The oldest of at the time eight siblings, she hailed from Yanow, a…
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How a right-wing Jewish presidential candidate is channeling de Gaulle, X-Men and ‘The King’s Speech’
After months of hedging, Éric Zemmour finally crossed the Rubicon yesterday. In a video released on YouTube, the racist and reactionary pundit declared his candidacy in next year’s French presidential election. Upon parsing the video’s words and images, a chorus of commentators have noted the many cues Zemmour took from Charles de Gaulle’s historic appeal…
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In ‘Licorice Pizza,’ P.T. Anderson shows us what makes Jews — and Haim — unique
Thanks to Paul Thomas Anderson, we can now glimpse the Haim family’s Shabbat dinners
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Why the story of cream cheese is the story of Jews in America
When it comes to “bagels and lox,” the cream cheese is essential but goes without mention. Like the marinara sauce in “spaghetti and meatballs,” it plays a leading role but gets no top billing. Still, a tart, bright red tomato sauce gets noticed. Cream cheese, however, inspires no secret nonna recipes. Even Jewish gourmands who…
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Hanukkah today would make the Maccabees roll over in their graves
Corporations — and plenty of everyday people — treat Hanukkah as Jewish Christmas. It has a nice little story about miraculous oil, plus you decorate your house and give gifts. Even plenty of Jews feel this way; Hanukkah provides a way for us to participate in the music, media and cheer that dominates the Christmas…
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Mel Brooks delivers 500 pages on his favorite subject – himself
All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business By Mel Brooks Ballantine Books, 480 pages, $25 Mel Brooks’ memoir begins with a promise. In a preface, the 95-year-old actor-writer-director vows to make an intimate confession to his reader — one not to be shared with anyone. Then, he thinks a bit more about the…
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The last and greatest gift Stephen Sondheim gave us
The thing about Stephen Sondheim is that there is almost nothing meaningful to write about him, because he captured what was remarkable about himself better than anyone else ever could. In his lyrics and his music, Sondheim, the musical theater genius who died Friday at the age of 91, gave voice to an extraordinary spirit….
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Stephen Sondheim wrote the soundtrack to all our lives
It’s a cliché to say that an artist has written the soundtrack of your life. When you think about it, every artist we grew up with — even the ones we despise — writes that soundtrack. But when I think about Stephen Sondheim, that cliché is actually true. Every key moment of my life, I…
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Why Jews are literally ‘the people of Thanksgiving’
Jews are linguistically rooted in gratitude; the word for Jew in Hebrew is directly tied to the word for thankfulness
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