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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Big Brother: Kashrut Edition
Israel is a spiritual place — a place where many say they can always feel God watching over them. Thanks to two newly proposed virtual monitoring initiatives — a virtual kosher supervisor and cemetery guard — God may not be the only one watching. The Chief Rabbi of Beersheva, Yehuda Deri (brother of former Shas…
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‘Free Range’ Mom Lenore Skenazy To Advise Forward Readers
Columnist and humorist Lenore Skenazy will be answering readers’ questions as the Forward’s next Bintel Brief advice columnist. Skenazy, a former New York Daily News and New York Sun columnist, now writes a syndicated column that appears in more than 100 newspapers. She also runs The Week magazine’s topical humor contest, “hat’s Next?” She is,…
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Rabbi Eliyahu on a Woman’s Place
There seems no end to the stream of astounding stories out of Israel relating to the official rabbinate there. This one, for instance, which says the rabbinate revoked an Ethiopian immigrant’s conversion to Judaism in retaliation for the legal action against a prominent rabbi. The immigrant was injured when he tried to leave the parking…
The Latest
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Golda Meir’s Legacy, and Parsing the ‘War and Peace Index’
Three in five Israeli Jews supports Benjamin Netanyahu on settlements. But when they are asked to factor in that implementing his policy could lead to a deterioration of relations with the U.S., support drops to two in five. The new figures come from Tel Aviv University’s latest monthly survey of Israeli public opinion, the War…
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Sarah Palin Fires Health Director, Reportedly Over Abortion Bill
A proposal requiring parental consent for abortions for girls ages 17 and under was certified last week by the state of Alaska. Guess who thinks this is a good idea? Yes, Sarah Palin. She may be leaving office with tremendous debt accrued from combating a bevy of ethics complaints, as she told ABC news while…
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Rash of Drowning Deaths on Israeli Beaches
It’s a truly tragic side to Israeli life that hardly receives any attention — carelessness on the country’s beaches. The school vacation has only just gotten underway and three children have already drowned. Many Israelis swim where there are no lifeguards. Some swim where there are lifeguards and presume that this means they hardly need…
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Help Wanted: Black, Jewish and Female Formula One Racer
Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone’s been getting a lot of attention in the press for his recent comments praising Hitler for being an effective dictator who “got things done.” Besides being criticized by Jewish groups, the latest fallout for Eccelstone is a German politician’s canceling a meeting because of Ecclestone’s politically unacceptable views. But this…
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The Flowers of Mount Hermon
A total settlement freeze in the West Bank still looks a long way off. But there is a scaling back of Israeli activity in another disputed area — the Golan Heights, where the Israel Defense Forces have halted operations on Mount Hermon. Is it a “confidence-building measure” requested by the U.S.? Or could it even…
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In Defense of Ruth Madoff
Ruth Madoff’s recent turn of fortunes fascinates me; it also makes me wonder if she deserves to lose nearly everything she has. With her husband Bernie, she enjoyed a privileged life, with estates in Montauk, Palm Beach, Fla., and a reportedly “modest” 3 bedroom place on the French Riviera, in addition to their penthouse on…
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Franklin ‘Smelled a Rat’ in Chalabi
In the Forward’s interview with Larry Franklin, the man once accused of being an “Israeli mole,” Franklin speaks candidly of his five-year ordeal since he was named as a key suspect in what became known as the AIPAC case. But Israel wasn’t the only issue on Franklin’s mind. In the interview he reveals that while…
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Offbeat Israel: Iran Makeovers, Cable Price Wars
Here’s an interesting take on the unrest in Iran. Chic clothing firm Daphna Levinson has placed an advertisement in several newspapers. It reads: “Iranians, good luck with your revolution to freedom.” The picture shows “before” and “after” pictures supposedly on this theme. The “before” picture features a woman covered up in a black burka-like robe;…
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News An Alabama millionaire offered Jews $50,000 to move to his town. 16 years later, what’s left?
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Culture Why is Israel’s attack on Iran called ‘Rising Lion’ — and what does the Bible have to do with it?
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News ‘Very misguided’: ADL regional board member resigns over organization’s approach to antisemitism and civil rights
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News As Israel attacks, what is life like for Jews in Iran?
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