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 Privilege And Peril Of Being A White Jew In Today’s America
Looking at my skin color, no one would say I wasn’t white. I once even got a sunburn in London, and I think I’m incapable of tanning. Whiteness in America is a lot more than the color of your skin though. Whiteness is a metaphor for full inclusion and acceptance in American culture. Yet as…
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Creating A Jewish Ritual For A Girl’s First Period
‘Any chance you can meet this afternoon? Molly got her first period, and we were thinking it would be nice to have a ritual,” Molly’s mother texts one fall Sunday. For months, Molly and I have been meeting weekly to prepare for her bat mitzvah. We meet in the Torah Hut, a small cabin in…
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The 5 Best Places To Buy A Tallit For Every Jewish Denomination
A tallit (or tallis, for some) is a deeply personal garment, and choosing the right one is not to be taken lightly.Today’s tallitot come in all sizes, colors, and styles just like the individuals making up the increasingly inclusive Jewish community. Whether you’re hunting for a rainbow tallit gadol (big tallit) that allows for joyful…
The Latest
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Meet The Superhero Who Power Washes Swastika Graffiti In His Spare Time
A power washer — the latest in sophisticated anti-hate technology? Corey Fleischer is the founder of “Erasing Hate,” a movement dedicated to removing graffitied hate speech from public spaces. He’s been servicing his Montreal community and many others for over eight years. And it all started when the power wash specialist was on his way…
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The Talmud Calls For Fasts To Repent For Sexual Impropriety. It’s Time To Bring Them Back.
The Jewish holidays can put our ethical fiber at risk, the preeminent Talmudic commentator Rashi writes. His comment appears in tractate Kiddushin (81a), where the rabbis of the Talmud quote a somewhat enigmatic Aramaic idiom: sakba de’sha’ata rigla. Rashi interprets it to mean that, ethically, holidays are particularly precarious periods of the year, since men…
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What Makes A Co-Working Space Jewish?
Open the door to this co-working space in Atlanta, and a long table with people working, typing and talking away confronts you. Exposed brick and lots of whiteboards make up the wall. A curving staircase leads to a rooftop overlooking the BeltLine, a popular multi-use trail that rings the city center. Look closer: You may…
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Rosé, Sex, & Bonfires: Inside The World Of Adult Jewish Summer Camp
‘There are four types of people who come to adult Jewish summer camp,” Carine Warsawsky, founder and CEO of Trybal Gatherings, said. “The FOMOs (people who never went to camp,) the Nostalgics (former campers,) the Do-Overs (former campers who had a rotten time,) and Tagalongs (people brought by their friends.)” I nodded, pretending to be…
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One Of Quebec’s Best-Known Political Commentators Is A Jewish Convert Fighting Anti-Semitism
Born into a French-Canadian family and educated by nuns, Lise Ravary makes an unlikely Jewish voice. But since converting to Judaism nearly two decades ago, Ravary’s widely read opinion columns have brought a singular perspective to Quebec’s complex politics. By pulling no punches — in a place where sensitivities around language and identity run deep…
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What Do Jewish Ethics Say About The Allegations Against Kavanaugh?
NEW YORK (JTA) — As Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh testifies in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, he will have to answer questions about sexual misconduct allegations leveled against him. In recent weeks, three women have said the judge engaged in inappropriate behavior or assault as a high school or college student….
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Move Over Artscroll: Here’s The New, Modern Orthodox Chumash
American Jews have long been unable to pray together. Anyone who opens a Jewish prayer book must confront theological issues ranging from gender roles to the nature of God. No siddur can cross the denominational divide. Yet, from 1936 to 1981, there was one book that united Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform synagogue goers: the Hertz…
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The Orthodox Jewish Mother, Arrested Ten Times, Who’s Protesting Kavanaugh
The day after the election, Sara Atkins’ then-ten year old daughter Freida came to her mother and said, “Mommy, [they’re] going to try to kill me. Please save me.” All five of Atkins’ children have health issues that impair them in everyday life. Freida has a dangerous rare autoimmune disorder that manifests itself in idiopathic…
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