The capture of Saddam Hussein and the rise of Howard Dean are making President Bush and the Republican Party a much easier sell in the Jewish community, Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman says. “My effort is made easier by Howard Dean, by Dean’s not having a strong record on the war on terror, by his comments…
My mother died a few months ago. Her husband of 15 years is talking about what a close family we are and how we will continue to celebrate holidays together; he is already making Passover plans. I was a grown woman when they married and never considered him my stepfather. I tolerated him for my…
Leaders of the country’s most prominent ultra-Orthodox yeshiva are scrambling to distance themselves from a book by one of their disciples, which argues that gentiles are “completely evil” and Jews constitute a separate, genetically superior species. Written by Rabbi Saadya Grama — an alumnus of Beth Medrash Govoha, the renowned yeshiva in Lakewood, N.J. —…
‘At my age this shouldn’t be happening,” acknowledged Felix Fibich, the 86-year-old Yiddish dance star. Fibich is still in disbelief over his own upcoming schedule: From December 23 to 29, he will give daily dance workshops for six days in a row as one of the master artists presented at KlezKamp, the 19th Annual Yiddish…
JERUSALEM — The Israeli government has decided to make the fight against organized crime a national priority, following the deaths last week of three bystanders during a failed assassination attempt against a reputed leading Tel Aviv crime boss. Following Sunday’s Cabinet meeting — devoted almost entirely to the issue of fighting crime — Internal Security…
FOR THE MUSIC LOVER Just in time for Chanukah, the first lady of American Jewish song has come out with a new CD that wraps the holiday spirit in the rocking beat that her legions of fans have come to love: “Light These Lights: Debbie Friedman Sings Chanukah Songs for the Whole Family” (Sounds Write…
A 65-year-old regular at Montague Street Bagels — a Brooklyn Heights temple to the traditional treat — stepped up to the counter one chilly December morning. “Three flagels,” said the customer. The long line of patrons behind him suddenly perked up. “What’s a flagel?” erupted a chorus of eager Brooklyn Heights residents. Not as doughy…
The undeserved prominence of Chanukah, due to coincidences of the calendar, has long served to obscure its revolutionary meanings. It has become a holiday of unintended ironies: that a group of religious anti-aesthetic zealots is now celebrated by consumerism; that those zealots, who were almost fundamentalist in their beliefs, are now heroes of religious freedom;…
At 79 years old, and a little over 5 feet tall, Myra Rosenbloom does not look like someone fighting the health-care establishment. But since her husband died 11 years ago, she has been on a divine mission to do just that. Jack Rosenbloom passed away in the critical care unit of a hospital where no…
Until now, most Brazilians probably wouldn’t have guessed that the sexy and popular MTV Brazil VJ Didi Wagner is Jewish. But there she is, eyeing passers-by through a Star of David. The words on the sign’s bottom leave little room for doubt: “Judaísmo Faz Bem” (“Judaism Feels Good”). Wagner is one of five well-known faces…
Minister Backs Down on Prize Education Minister Limor Livnat on Tuesday night retracted her decision to deny Daniel Barenboim the prestigious Wolf Prize after she heard the maestro tell Israel Radio that he apologizes to anyone who might have been offended by anything he had done. Livnat, who chairs the Wolf Foundation in her capacity…
