NEW YORK (JTA) — The 16-year-old counselor stands in a tan uniform shirt, untucked, with green jeans, a green kerchief tied around her neck and epaulets on her shoulders. Two patches are embroidered on her chest. And she’s surrounded by a circle of 11-year-olds. Her task on this Sunday morning in uptown Manhattan is to…
Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein dismissed reports of a sexual harassment scandal — even as he hired powerhouse lawyers in anticipation of upcoming bombshell exposes. “The story sounds so good, I want to buy the movie rights,” scoffed the 65-year-old producer to the Hollywood Reporter. Despite the bravado, Weinstein has hired Lisa Bloom, who specializes in…
Making a profit by purchasing cheap debt and selling it for a higher price is not illegal; indeed, Boston billionaire Seth Klarman has made much of his fortune that way. But it can be unpopular, especially when the indebted party is struggling. Klarman’s hedge fund, The Baupost Group, holds $911 million in Puerto Rico’s debt,…
Four Jewish businesses in New York City were targeted on Monday with anti-Semitic fliers received in the mail that included Nazi swastikas and other hateful symbols and rhetoric. “It is disturbing that at least four Jewish-owned businesses across New York City were apparently intentionally targeted with the same piece of racist and bigoted hate mail,”…
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is unlikely to resign from serving President Trump because of a so-called “suicide pact” he agreed to with fellow cabinet members, BuzzFeed News reported Wednesday. Tillerson gave an unusual press conference on Wednesday morning in which he denied reports that he had called President Trump a “moron” and had to…
The University of Wisconsin-Madison saw a huge spike in anti-Semitic hate crimes in 2016, according to a report released by the school last month. The report was released by the university to comply with federal law mandating such reports annually. It noted 20 reported hate crimes in 2016, with 14 motivated by bias against religion—with…
Natalie Grumet, a Jewish breast cancer survivor who was shot in the head during Sunday night’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, has regained consciousness. Her family members say that she is able to interact with them with hand signals and by writing. Grumet was standing next to her friend at the concert when Stephen Paddock…
In the season premiere of the PBS’ show “Finding Your Roots,” hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Larry David and Senator Bernie Sanders are told of their respective ancestries. David gained acclaim in 2015 for doing a “spot-on” impression of the senator, a performance made easier by the widely remarked-upon fact that David shares Sanders’…
KOBE, Japan (JTA) — Like many international smugglers, the one servicing the Jewish community of this port city 300 miles east of Tokyo has perfected his poker face to avoid customs inspections. He brings in kosher meat and, ahead of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, three of the four species — the plants that Jews…
An Indiana state judge threw out a lawsuit by the former wife of longtime Subway pitchman Jared Fogle, who accused the sandwich chain of continuing to use the now-imprisoned Fogle as its spokesman after learning about his sexual interest in children. Judge Matthew Kincaid of the Boone County Superior Court said in an order dated…
Like other ecommerce juggernauts such as Net-a-porter who create online magazine spreads as a way to sell their merchandise, Ivanka Trump HQ has sent out an email today announcing their “Fall Fashion Issue.” Being that most “Fall Fashion Issues” tend to come out in late August/Early September, it seems that Ms. Trump’s brand is a…
