Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of the robust lives of American Jews. Here there’s a little of everything about the multifaceted world of Jewish life. There are light-hearted Jewish celebrity stories and shocking Jewish celebrity news. Food is also plentiful,…
Life
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The Powerful Yom Kippur Lesson From The 1919 ‘Black Sox’ Scandal
With the arrival of the Jewish penitential day of Yom Kippur alongside baseball’s postseason, it is fitting that we also mark the 100th anniversary of baseball’s original sin — the “Black Sox” scandal. In October of 1919, eight White Sox players conspired to throw the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. In the century since,…
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When Christmas Is Recognized — And Yom Kippur Isn’t
No, my kids will not be going to pottery class tonight. It’s Kol Nidre, the start of the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. They’ll be getting ready for shul. We’re lucky to live in Montclair, N.J., a town with plenty of Jews, a focus on diversity and inclusion, and a wonderful art museum with…
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Rabbis Share Their High Holiday Sermons
Here’s the thing about High Holiday sermons: if you don’t like one, or don’t quite get the point, just wait — there will be another one coming soon enough. Over the weekend, we published a group of excerpts from sermons that 65 rabbis shared with us ahead of Rosh Hashanah. The overriding theme was anti-Semitism,…
The Latest
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‘I’m Not Really Supposed To Be Here’: Orthodox Mothers On Nursing In Shul
When Yael Mandel nursed her baby girl during kiddush in her Orthodox synagogue’s sanctuary, no one seemed to mind. Even the rabbi walked over to her seat and said a warm gut Shabbos. But not everyone welcomed the image of a woman breastfeeding in a sacred space. One synagogue member posted anonymously in an Orthodox…
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From The Shuk To Your Table, Chef Einat Admony’s New Cookbook Highlights Her Diverse Roots
It was a celebration wholly representative of Chef Einat Admony’s new cookbook “Shuk.” Crammed into her intimate West Village restaurant Balaboosta, Monday night was a hodgepodge of chefs, writers, influencers, and family—and it indeed felt like a loud family affair. The crowd could have easily been partying at a stall hidden deep in Jerusalem’s Shuk…
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Round Challah For The High Holidays? Try These Other Traditional Shapes!
In my decades as a congregational rabbi, I always knew it was time to order our challot for the season the moment I started drafting my five High Holiday sermons. I knew that there would be no time to bake one, much less several, though I did manage to prepare our family version of seasonal…
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QUIZ: How Well Do You Remember The News From This Jewish Year?
The Jewish year is coming to a close and we’re about to party like it’s 5780. But first — lets find out if you remember the biggest, wildest, and weirdest headlines of this Jewish year. If you’re a little rusty and want to remind yourself just how things got so whack, take a look through…
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How To Host Rosh Hashanah Without Losing It: Tips From Molly Yeh And 5 Other Jewish Influencers
The High Holidays are approaching — a time of celebration! Reflection! Brief starvation sandwiched in between two large meals! And much more. Tis the season to gorge ourselves on Judaism — standing for hours in shul, reading responsively, shuckling plaintively, and mouthing along in spiritual ecstasy while mentally strategizing the starting lineup for our fantasy…
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Israel Baseball Makes History — and Makes a Grizzled Sportswriter a Fan Again
When I heard that Israel’s national baseball team would play its final Olympic qualifying game on Sunday at noon in Parma, Italy, I did the quick math from my hotel room in Scottsdale, Ariz., where I’m currently covering baseball for MLB.com. Noon in Italy meant 3 a.m. here. So I set my alarm for 2:45…
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When It Comes To Social Justice, Synagogues Should Start Thinking Like Conservatives
At a meeting of my synagogue’s board of trustees, the discussion turned to social justice. At which local food cupboard, the president asked, should our members volunteer to make sandwiches? While the talk dragged on, I looked around the room: By my count, twelve board members owned their own businesses. Providing free food to the…
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12 Synagogue-Chic Dresses Under $100 For Rosh Hashanah 2019
Your sweet and stylish new year begins Day 1. For Rosh Hashanah, have fun with your look — think bold prints, bold colors, bold silhouettes. Turn some heads with these beautiful budget-friendly, synagogue-appropriate dresses (and jumpsuits!). 1) Be seen but be cozy in this voluminous statement dress. Zara dress with voluminous sleeves, Zara., $69.90 2) Reach…
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Fast Forward Their Pacific Palisades synagogue is standing, but all three rabbis lost their homes
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Opinion Why is Netanyahu poised to OK a ceasefire that’s favorable to Hamas? One word: Trump
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News Scoop: Heritage Foundation plans to ‘identify and target’ Wikipedia editors
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Opinion What a remarkable Torah rescued from Iran — then LA’s fire — can teach about community amid devastation
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