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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Offbeat Israel: The Jewish State on Happy Pills?
Israelis may have a reputation for being grouchy; but, statistically speaking, Israelis — including Arab Israelis — are overwhelmingly in a good mood. Or so say pollsters from Tel Aviv University, who conduct monthly surveys to gauge public opinion. Among the Jewish respondents, 80% of people surveyed defined their personal mood as “very good” or…
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Galia Sabar: Champion of Israel’s Migrants
About eight months ago, Galia Sabar received an email that she thought was an Internet scam. Like one of those letters from Nigeria pleading for money. But this was from a foundation associated with the Dalai Lama, and it was real, and the message was that Sabar would be the first Israeli to receive the…
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Fat Is Still a Feminist Issue; Five Questions for Susie Orbach
Susie Orbach is known for being the first to say, loudly and in print, “stop hating your bodies and start listening to them.” The London-based psychotherapist’s 1978 book, “Fat is a Feminist Issue: The Anti-Diet Guide for Women” broke new ground with the message that women were subjected to tremendous cultural pressures about their bodies…
The Latest
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Harman Wiretap Stars Pepper Independence Day Reception
Some of the stars of the Harman wiretap affair showed up Wednesday for the Israeli embassy’s reception marking Israel’s Independence Day. On the stage, delivering a warm farewell to outgoing ambassador Salai Meridor was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who according to reports was supposed to lobbied in favor of appointing Jane Harman to chair the…
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A Flu by Any Other Name
Israel’s ultra-Orthodox top health official earlier this week said that, within the Jewish state, “swine flu” would be called “Mexican flu.” Perhaps he thought that all the talk of the potentially deadly flu associated with pigs would cause a run on pork chops, bacon and deli-style ham — even though the outbreaks have been having…
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Gail Hareven’s New Yorker Debut
Where the Forward goes, The New Yorker follows — in this instance, at least. In February, the Forward brought you an excerpt from Gail Hareven’s recently released novel “The Confessions of Noa Weber” (Melville House) — the author’s 11th book, but her first to be translated into English — and this candid Q&A. This week,…
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Treating Eating Disorders in Orthodox Women
Observant Jews seeking help for anorexia or bulimia have long had the added burden of finding treatment programs that will accommodate their religious practices, such as adherence to the laws of kashrut and Sabbath observance. But now a nationwide network of eating disorders treatment facilities has launched a track specifically for observant Jewish women. The…
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Bridal Diary: Embracing My Inner ‘Top Chef’ — or Not
I nearly had a panic attack at my bridal shower last week, and I blame Williams-Sonoma. In advance of my June wedding, my mother, aunt and cousin graciously hosted a festive brunch in my honor. There, an all-female crowd offered up thoughtful advice on enduring marriages, and toasted with Champagne my forthcoming nuptials. Then…
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Offbeat Israel: Swine Flu Renamed By Ultra-Orthodox Official
The rest of the world is in a panic about swine flu, but Israel isn’t. Here, it’s been renamed Mexican flu by the ultra-Orthodox deputy minister for health, because swine is not kosher. “We will call it Mexico flu. We won’t call it swine flu,” Yaakov Litzman, the deputy minister, told a news conference earlier…
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Rabbi Saperstein Arrested at Sudanese Embassy Protest
He may be America’s most influential rabbi — at least according to Newsweek — but that didn’t help Rabbi David Saperstein much with the Secret Service surrounding the Sudanese embassy in Washington. On Monday, he was arrested, with two other activists and five members of Congress, during a demonstration outside the embassy. The group protested…
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Watch King Abdullah’s ‘Meet the Press’ Moment
During an interview Sunday with David Gregory on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” King Abdullah of Jordan said that all of the problems in the Middle East stem from the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He told a seemingly incredulous Gregory: Unless we solve the core issue of the Israeli-Palestinian, Israeli-Arab challenges, then we will always be an…
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