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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The Jewish lawyer fighting against fake vanilla — and for 3-legged squirrels
In front of me is a bottle of vanilla seltzer. Its label states it was made with “natural flavors.” When I mention the brand to Spencer Sheehan, his voice jumps an octave. “Oh, I know that!” says Sheehan, 41, with a Long Island lilt. “Natural flavors technically will have a small amount of vanilla, but…
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20-Year-Old Jewish baseball phenom eyes stardom in Cleveland
Pitcher Josh Wolf, 20, was drafted by the New York Mets in 2019 as the 53rd pick-the highest ever from St. Thomas High School. He won the Michael Freedman Award for Outstanding Jewish Male High School Athlete of the Year from The Jewish Sports Heritage Association. The Texas native got a package of more than…
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That time Mary Wilson played a ‘Supreme Yenta’ on stage
Mary Wilson, who died on Feb. 8, 2021 at the age of 76, is being hailed throughout the world today for the musical legacy she leaves behind as a member of the Supremes, the female vocal trio that ruled the airwaves from the mid- to late-1960s, along the way bringing the R&B sounds of Detroit’s…
The Latest
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This pastor translated Biden’s name to Hebrew. He won’t like his own Hebrew name.
Every so often, fringe Christian figures look to Hebrew to impute Satanic inspiration. Sometimes, it backfires tremendously. One-upping this woman who slammed Monster energy drinks with the sign of the beast, right-wing pastor Perry Stone has translated President Joe Biden’s name into Hebrew. When you break it down — eliding some vowels and looking into…
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Part Tarantino, part ‘Parasite,’ totally Jewish — Michael Mayer’s Israeli Hollywood nightmare
Picture this. It’s just after Havdalah, the post-Shabbat religious service that separates the holy from the profane. Michael Aloni, cute as ever, is sitting at the dining room table, along with members of his family and a number of guests. The rabbi from the school is supposed to be joining them. No matter—they’ll get started…
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Books “Golem Girl” captures life of imagination and disability culture
When artist Riva Lehrer was a child, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” deeply resonated with her. Her association with the legend was understandable—Lehrer was born with spina bifida, a condition when the spine and spinal column do not fuse in utero. Lehrer was born in 1958, when 90% of children with spina bifida did not survive. It…
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An impeachment with the power to cleanse and restore
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story appeared in the Forward on Jan. 13, 2021. Every article on impeachment insists that “impeach” does not mean to “remove” — but rather, in a quasi-Talmudic tone, the word means to “officially state the charges against a public official.” As law bloggers scrambled to parse the parameters…
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In HBO’s ‘A Perfect Life,’ Judaism is a crucial issue — until it isn’t
“Vida Perfecta,” or “A Perfect Life” in English, opens with a breakup. Specifically, it opens with Maria breaking up with her fiancé Gustavo over and argument about whether or not one should have an enema before anal sex. Their argument is conducted in front of a real estate agent as they purchase an apartment together…
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Amy Schumer’s mayo pitch was not exactly the Super Bowl’s most Jewish ad
Super Bowl LIV was a disappointing spectacle for even the most devoted Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan: a rout never makes for interesting viewing. And while we congratulate the Glazer family on a victory handily won — while cringing a bit each time the commentators said it was a “great night for [Buccaneers coach Bill] Arians”…
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For more than a century, Ruth Dayan dreamt of harmony in Israel
Ruth Dayan, the Israeli social activist and fashion entrepreneur who died on Feb. 5 at age 103, played well with others with matchless fortitude. She exemplified the belief that meaningful human interactions require recognizing the suffering of others and trying to do something to help. She was born in Haifa, then part of the Ottoman…
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Indie drama ‘Leona’ uses a forbidden romance to critique Mexico City’s Orthodox community
(JTA) — At the start of the film “Leona,” an indie drama set in Mexico City, protagonist Ariela watches her close friend immerse in a mikvah, or ritual bath, with a group of other family and friends. It’s an awkward but festive occasion, as the friend’s wedding is fast approaching. After leaving, as soon as…
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