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Forward 50 2015
Shulem Deen
This year, one newcomer stood out on the increasingly crowded shelf of memoirs written by Jews who have left the ultra-Orthodox world. “All Who Go Do Not Return,” by Shulem Deen, distinguishes itself with its mesmerizing lyricism — which is all the more remarkable when you consider that Deen’s rigid upbringing in the insular Skverer…
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Forward 50 2015 Ruth Messinger
The hallmark of a good leader is not simply what she does while in office. It’s how she chooses to leave. The announcement in October that Ruth Messinger was stepping down after 17 years as president of American Jewish World Service wasn’t a complete surprise — despite her formidable stamina and almost youthful enthusiasm, she…
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Forward 50 2015 Jon Stewart
“Nothing ends, it’s just a continuation, it’s a pause in the conversation. Rather than saying goodbye or good night, I’m just going to say I’m gonna go get a drink and I’m sure I’ll see you guys before I leave.” And with those words, Jon Stewart exited “The Daily Show.” To honor Stewart in 2015…
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Forward 50 2015 Michael Dell
Like many other Jewish boys, Michael Dell was supposed to grow up to become a doctor, just like his father. But from early on he had other plans. At the age of 12 Dell already showed his knack for business, making a small fortune from trading stamps and selling newspaper subscriptions. So it was no…
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Forward 50 2015 Zalmen Mlotek
Zalmen Mlotek, 64, has been involved in Yiddish culture practically since before he was born. His mother, Chana Mlotek, who died in 2013, was a folk song researcher, anthologist and long-serving chief archivist at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. His father, Joseph Mlotek, was a writer, educator and cultural activist who served as the…
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Forward 50 2015 Leah Koenig
The best food writing isn’t only about food. It’s about considering the world — a community, a region, a country — at a moment in time, through its flavors, textures, ingredients, cooking methods and dining traditions. That’s exactly what Leah Koenig, 33, achieved this year with the publication of her second cookbook, “Modern Jewish Cooking:…
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Is Jersualem Mayor Nir Barkat the Right Man To Run a Divided Holy City?
In February, Jerusalem’s mayor, Nir Barkat, was on his way to City Hall when he spotted an 18-year-old Palestinian wielding a knife. The teenager had just stabbed an Orthodox Jew and appeared to be ready to strike again. One of Barkat’s security guards drew a gun. The teenager dropped his knife and Barkat and his…
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When Anti-Israel Activist Blasts Renoir, Media Sits Up and Takes Notice
Max Geller flew to Chicago in late October to help organize two rallies: one against Israel and one against a dead French impressionist. On October 25, Geller marched with a group of 250 people outside the Jewish National Fund’s national conference. The march featured a human-sized JNF-style blue tzedakah, or charity box bearing the anti-JNF…
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Transgender Advocates Kvell Over Reform Vote
Advocates for gender equality at the Union for Reform Judaism’s biennial convention hailed the denomination’s unanimous voice vote supporting transgender rights. The “Resolution on the rights of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People,” attracted three pro and no con speakers at the microphone at the gathering of thousands of Reform leaders. The groundbreaking measure covers congregations,…
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As Reform Jews Gather, Some Good News in the Numbers
(JTA) — While the 2013 Pew survey uncovered some disturbing evidence of lower levels of Jewish engagement among young people, the same survey contains several pieces of good news for Reform Jews — 5,000 of whom are gathering this week in Orlando, Florida, for the movement’s biennial conference organized by the Union for Reform Judaism. Since…
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Liberals Push Back Against Benjamin Netanyahu’s Fence-Mending Effort
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming speech at a liberal Washington think tank is provoking outrage from some progressives who say that the appearance gives a bipartisan sheen to his government’s right-wing policies. The Israeli leader’s scheduled November 10 appearance at the Center for American Progress, a Democratic left-leaning institution, is seen as an attempt…
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