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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As schools and synagogues go digital, this online Torah source is racking up record numbers
With everyone at home these days, web traffic is spiking and — apparently — online Torah is much in demand. Many schools have closed their physical campuses and moved classrooms online in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. The effects of these extreme measures has forced educators at Jewish day schools…
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Daily distraction: Take your kids — and yourself — to Lincoln Center
Welcome to your daily distraction, our recommendations for ways to stay engaged and entertained while we socially distance ourselves to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak. You can find our past recommendations here; many of the opportunities we’ve highlighted are ongoing. It’s Sunday. The weeks right now are long and taxing, so it’s especially important to…
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Coronavirus exposed a huge gap between the media and the American people
If you’re not part of the political or chattering classes, you might have missed two recent tempests that erupted in tiny teacups on the devil’s banquet of the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, the President insisted on calling the virus that causes COVID-19 the “Chinese virus.” And this week, he’s insulted a number of reporters at…
The Latest
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Daily distraction: Cooking school, chamber music and a trip to the zoo
Welcome to your daily distraction, our recommendations for ways to stay engaged and entertained while we socially distance ourselves to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak. You can find our past recommendations here; many of the opportunities we’ve highlighted are ongoing. It’s Saturday. Whether or not you ordinarily observe Shabbat, as our work and home lives…
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The Forward’s Youth Writing Contest Guidelines
The Forward’s youth writing contest seeks essays, prose and poetry of 1,000 words or less on the topic “What It Means To Be Free.” The contest is open to all middle and high school students attending public, private, parochial or home schools. Entries should be sent to [email protected]. They must be received by May 1,…
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The unbearable emptiness of being Woody Allen
Apropos of Nothing: Autobiography By Woody Allen Arcade Publishing, 400 pages, $40 Let’s get it out of the way: Here’s a list of terms Woody Allen uses to refer to women in the first chapter of his new memoir, “Apropos of Nothing.” His mother, one of five sisters: “arguably the homeliest of the swarm.” His…
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‘Unorthodox’ takes a story of spiritual exodus to uncharted territory
The most compelling parts of “Unorthodox,” Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir about her scandalous exit from the Hasidic community don’t have anything to do with her exit at all. After a captivating look at her childhood, rich with sense memory and intimate detail, Feldman chronicles her exodus from Satmar Williamsburg for a less restrictive community in…
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I’m self-isolating as fast as I can: My 8 days of quarantine
I assumed that Donald Trump’s “Fifteen Days to Slow the Spread” was the new “30 Days to Thinner Thighs,” a plan for the country to use coronavirus as a shape-up opportunity, until I discovered he was rebranding self-isolation. However upsetting it was to small business owners and those involved in extra-marital affairs, for me it…
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Bob Dylan gave us a 17-minute JFK murder ballad for our quarantine. Uh, thanks?
In this tough time, many artists are reaching their fans with new and unreleased work — oftentimes we wish they didn’t. That “Imagine” collab is roundly considered a travesty. I, for one, had no need of that pitchy, unused track from “Hamilton.” I must admit, however, that I didn’t expect Bob Dylan, infrequent Twitter user…
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What ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ taught me about being Jewish
Larry David exemplifies the ambivalence of American Jewry with itself
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WATCH NOW: Virtual Conversation: How should American Jews observe Israeli Independence Day?
Watch the recording here! Celebrate Yom Haatzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, with a Happy Hour with two Forward contributing columnists, Ari Hoffman and Joel Swanson, as they debate how — or even if — American Jews should be celebrating Israeli Independence Day. Bring a glass of wine or cocktail to the interactive discussion, moderated by opinion…
Most Popular
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Film & TV The new ‘Superman’ is being called anti-Israel, but does that make it pro-Palestine?
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Fast Forward Tucker Carlson calls for stripping citizenship from Americans who served in the Israeli army
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Music ‘No matter what, I will always be a Jew.’ Billy Joel opens up about his family’s Holocaust history
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Culture She was my Hebrew school bully — and I finally learned what happened to her
In Case You Missed It
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Fast Forward Nation’s largest teachers union rejects move to cut ties with ADL
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Culture In this Holocaust story, there are few words, no swastikas, no yellow stars — just movement, passion and empathy
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Opinion What Democrats fighting Trump should learn from Germany’s failure to stop Hitler
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Fast Forward 31st anniversary of AMIA bombing marked by ceremonies in Argentina, Israel and, for the first time, Congress
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