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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Why I Didn’t Fast On Tisha B’Av — And Why Now I (Kinda) Do
Until not too long ago, Tisha B’Av was an “eating day” for me. Every mouthful was a bid for God’s attention. “Look God! I’m drinking coffee! Over here — these blueberry waffles are delicious!” On Yom Kippur I fasted like a champ, but Tisha B’Av was my “un-fast.” “Look God, I’m eating!” It was an…
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A Jewish Mother Takes Trump To Task
Frankly, bubele, you should be ashamed. For this we sent you to Wharton? To put wrestling videos on the Twitter? We both know you can do better. Your sister the judge wrote opinions, none of this tweeted narishkeyt (foolishness). Honestly, sweetheart — you don’t look so good. What are you eating? You look a little…
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Eight (Jewish) Things You Didn’t Know About Eloise
Eloise, the irrepressible and obnoxious resident of New York’s famed Plaza Hotel, is currently the focus of an exhibit at the New-York Historical Society titled “Eloise at the Museum.” Many admirers of this privileged child dedicated to creative disruption are unaware that her creator, Kay Thompson, was born Catherine Louise (Kitty) Fink in St. Louis,…
The Latest
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Stephanie Burt, Harvard English Scholar, Discusses Her Transition. Read Her Letter Here.
Stephanie Burt (also known as Steph and Stephen), a Jewish professor of English at Harvard, is one of the first out transgender people to serve on the faculty of the prestigious university. She discussed her transition on Facebook in June, and we have adapted it here for a wider reading public. Hi everyone! As many…
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Roxane Gay, Or Why I’m Hungry For Change
In Roxane Gay’s new book “Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body,” she explains that she’s “super morbidly obese,” distinguishing herself from the merely fat. But it’s not necessary. You don’t need to be super morbidly obese to get dirty looks on airplanes. To have losers shout mean shit at you on the street. To get…
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‘Are You Or Have You Ever Been A Zionist?’ A Letter To Chicago Dyke March
To the Chicago Dyke March organizers: “Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?” The House Un-American Committee (HUAC) routinely asked that question. The history of McCarthy-era witch-hunts shows that political litmus tests and coerced loyalty oaths serve to clean house, to delegitimize and expel undesirables. Not surprisingly, HUAC…
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Simone Veil, French Feminist And Politician Who Survived The Holocaust, Dies
(JTA) — Simone Veil, a well-known French politician and Holocaust survivor, died at the age of 89. Veil, a scholar, former judge, feminist activist and former minister of health who in 2012 was awarded France’s highest honor, passed away this week in her home in Paris, her family told the media in France Friday. Veil,…
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Why Buying My Daughter A Tallit Wasn’t An Easy Decision
The day that I never thought would come, never imagined would be a milestone for me or my daughter, is here. I am buying my daughter her first tallit. I’m not sure why this feels so groundbreaking to me. She’s two – to her, the tallit is just a toy. Her 4-year-old brother found his…
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Tel Aviv Women Don Red Cloaks To Promote ‘Handmaid’s Tale’
TEL AVIV (JTA) — What are the female slaves of an American Christian theocracy doing in Tel Aviv? Attracting a lot of attention, apparently. Six women dressed as handmaids from Hulu’s hit “The Handmaid’s Tale” — based on the novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood — silently wandered the streets of the city Thursday to…
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Women Don’t Have To Change Seats On El Al, Rules Israeli Court
JERUSALEM (JTA) — El Al Airlines cannot ask women to move seats to accommodate a man who does not want to sit next to a person of the opposite gender, a Jerusalem court found in response to a lawsuit filed by a Holocaust survivor in her 80s. In a decision handed down on Wednesday, Jerusalem…
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How Being A Transgender Woman Hurts My Job Prospects
Even in Pride Month, it sometimes feels as though one needs to be a superhero to get a job after coming out as a transgender woman. As I was set to come out at work as transgender, I received some bad news. Shortly after coming home from work on that late Friday afternoon in September,…
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