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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American Jews Are Getting Rituals Like Mikveh All Wrong
In our community, there is a Marine Corps captain currently on yet another deployment to Afghanistan. He serves our country as both a soldier, and a medic and a firefighter. Every day of his deployment While he’s deployed, he sees the devastating effects of war on children, women and the elderly. And every time he…
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An Etiquette Guide To Paying A Shiva Call
Exploring what the Shiva customs in Judaism are
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Top Four Myths Around Jewish Mourning
Death is often the elephant in the room, but luckily, Judaism gives us many guidelines for how to manage it when it happens, whether it’s been coming a long time, or surprises those closest out of the blue. Following those rules and keeping to Jewish law and practice can bring many people comfort in the…
The Latest
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Jewish Death And Mourning? There’s An App For That
It’s no one’s favorite topic, but facing death is inevitable. While hundreds of books and articles have been written to help families deal with the emotional repercussions of a loss, many fewer resources exist to advise them on how to deal with the logistics. In our complex society, most people have assets and accounts strewn…
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What We Talk About When We Talk About Death
One sunny Thursday evening in June, eight people, ranging from thirty-somethings to senior citizens, sat around a table at the Manhattan Jewish Community Center nibbling on cookies. In front of them stood Sally Kaplan, one of three facilitators present from the organization What Matters, a New York City-based not-for-profit that facilitates group and individual conversations…
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When Holocaust Memories Are Too Heavy – A Survivor Considers Assisted Suicide
I didn’t lay a hand on her — all I did was propose a suicide plan. My mother broke her hip this summer, and quickly went from being a remarkably mobile 86-year-old to facing a convalescence that began with a high degree of helplessness. During her first week of rehab, when she still needed two…
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In Crown Heights, Hasidic Graffiti Artists Are Pushing The Boundaries
If you walk by Primo Hatters men’s hat shop on Kingston Avenue in the heart of Crown Heights, you might just miss it. Look into the alleyway on the side of the store, and you’ll see a striking bright blue portrait of an old Hasidic rabbi. Solomon Souza, a 25-year old graffiti artist, and 40-year-old…
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These Women Are Running Booming Challah Businesses – All Through Instagram
NEW YORK (JTA) — Mandy Silverman remembers being scared of the kitchen as a child. “There was a constant joke in my house growing up that I would mess up instant iced tea,” she recalled in a phone interview with JTA last month. But a quick glance at her Instagram feed reveals how things have…
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What The New York Times Got Wrong About Me As A Hasidic Woman
A few months ago I was featured in a photo essay in the New York Times. Now, I had my hesitations, because I was afraid of my words being misinterpreted or manipulated to say something I don’t mean. I breathed a sigh of relief when I actually saw the article, because overall the tone was…
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Why Is This Kosher Establishment Selling Donuts To Boys – And Salad To Girls?
Earlier today, the following advert started making the rounds on social media: In time for ‘yeshiva week’, winter vacation from yeshiva day schools, this kosher restaurant in New Jersey posted an online advertisement for mid-winter specials. The only thing notable about it was the amount of misogyny they could fit onto one leaflet. Residents of…
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When A Rabbi And A Mega-Church Pastor Learned To Pray Together
Do you know your neighbor? I live in the crowded city of Los Angeles. I see my neighbors who live in the adjacent buildings to my home, just feet from my own front door. I could not tell you their names. We wave to each other on our way to work, but that is the…
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