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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How $500-A-Night Kosher Resorts Tell Untold Story Of Orthodox Wealth
Somewhere up the cobblestoned street of Capri’s Via Croce, past the teeming summer flocks of upper class Americans and Asians sporting identical resort wear, past the linen and perfume boutiques: You’ll find yourself at the steps of the Capri Tiberio Palace (starting at $350 Euro a night) — a charming hotel overlooking the azure waters…
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This Sukkot, Let’s Celebrate Our Material Blessings, Not Reject Them
Apparently, at the top of the financial ladder, some people are spending upwards of $10,000 to build a sukkah with opulent flower arrangements, lush centerpieces, to build a sukkah with opulent flower arrangements, lush centerpieces, and ornate chandeliers. It all seems like a bit much. The editor of this paper commented: But is Sukkot really…
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Why I Traveled To Las Vegas To Help After The Deadly Shooting
We just got into our car and drove. Going to Las Vegas after the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history felt like the right thing to do. As Americans and as Jews, we wanted to be a source of support and love in the face of terror. We wanted to stand with the victims…
The Latest
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Meet The Hasidic Israelis Who Choose To Serve In Military — Despite Taboo
Israel’s Keshet TV is releasing a new drama series, “Kipat Barzel”, about three ultra-Orthodox young men who have chosen to serve in the IDF — despite the communal taboos associated with it. The series title literally means ‘Iron Dome’, as in Israel’s anti-missile defense system, but which can also translate to ‘Iron Yarmulke’. Starring actors…
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The Time I 3-D Printed A Sukkah
For around 3,300 years, Jews everywhere have been building sukkahs. While the Romans no longer build aqueducts, the pyramid-builders have moved to Vegas, and even the druids no longer work in Stonehenge: We here are still building our holiday booths. It’s this time of the year that in hardware stores from Boston to Beit Shemesh,…
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We Prayed On Yom Kippur And Marched For Racial Justice The Next Day
When the March for Racial Justice announced its sister marches on the day following Yom Kippur, several Orthodox Jewish social justice activists decided it was time to speak up, too. Approximately 400 people showed up for the march on Sunday, with a large percentage visibly from Jewish groups including T’ruah, Hitoreri, Zioness Movement, and American…
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The Sukkah Goes From Deluxe To Ultra-Luxe: Flowers, Lattice, Cashmere — And $10,000 Price-Tag
Sukkot was once the holiday of canvas walls (through which you feel every hint of a breeze), construction-paper chains (pray it won’t rain), and thin bamboo mats for ceilings. But like all things these days, from scented candles to gym clothes, sukkahs are going luxe. From walls made entirely of boxwood, to suspended cage-bird lanterns,…
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Return of the Shtiebel: Why Old-School Synagogues Are Making A Comeback
Ridnik. Vorhand. Koshnitz. These names might sound like remote provinces in Ukraine, but they are also the names of Orthodox micro-congregations bustling here on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. They’re referred to as shtieblach (Yiddish for “little houses”), and although many have died out with their congregants, some are making a comeback on the Upper West…
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Jerusalem On Yom Kippur: When The Fairytales Of Two Nations Collide
The streets of Jerusalem were deserted. The only remnants of life were the echoes of Jewish prayers nearby, solemn echoes heard on this day in this place for millennia. Those chants in minor key reverberated to me like the mourning of memories past. Was it regret I heard? Sadness? Duty? The prayers followed me along…
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Where Is America’s Priciest Yom Kippur Service?
How much will a synagogue seat this High Holidays season run you? Quite a lot, in some cities. Curious about the exact numbers, we did a survey of some of the most expensive synagogue sanctuary seats in New York City, comparing price tags according to numbers posted online and those given by synagogue receptionists. The…
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