Good News For The Jews: 5 Miraculous, Uplifting Moments This Jewish Week

(From left:) Julian Edelman, art by Dorian Alexander and Levi Hastings, Camilla Parker Bowles does a Hora Image by Forward Montage

By Jenny Singer January 25, 2019

Life isn’t all bad, so why should news be? Once a week, just before Shabbat, the Forward will highlight stories about Jewish joy, triumph, and pride from Jewish communities in America, Israel and all over the world.

If you have a tip for a Jewish news story that brought you joy, please send it to [email protected].

Art: “Gay. Jewish. World War II resistance fighter.” On Friday, The Nib, a digital comics site, published a breathtaking retelling of the true story of Gal Beck, a queer Jew who resisted Nazis in Berlin, once disguising himself as a Hitler Youth in order to free his boyfriend from Nazi captivity. In simple language and beautiful illustrations, Dorian Alexander and Levi Hastings have created an outstanding piece of Jewish art and a lasting educational tool.

Wrote another comic for @thenib with more glamorous art by @LeviHastingsArt ! Never forget the power of your history. #queerheros https://t.co/DrSj7VzKHq

— Dorian L. Alexander (@MutantRights21) January 25, 2019

Sports: The Patriots needed only one more win to make it back to the Super Bowl. Jewish wide receiver Julian Edelman began the game on Sunday with a couple of nervy plays. But Edelman made a dramatic recovery with several key catches that helped clinch the game, leading the New England team in both catches and receiving yards.

Politics: Jewish siblings Rabbi Yehiel Kalish and Dafna Michaelson Jenet are so mindful and modest you might not even notice that they’re making history — Kalish, a Democrat and Orthodox Jew, was appointed to the Illinois House of Representatives this week after Representative Lou Lang resigned. His older sister, Michaelson Jenet, is a Conservative Jew and a Democrat. She’s also a Representative for the state of Colorado. The siblings told the JTA they trade insights on lawmaking every day.

Aging: Camilla Parker Bowles cut a rug when she celebrated the 80th anniversary of an East London Jewish community center. After some gentle Jewish guilting, the Duchess of Cornwall grasped hands with a few dexterous patrons and participated in a Hora to Hava Nagilah, in footage captured by Daily Mail reporter Rebecca English.

You’ve got to hand it to the Duchess of Cornwall (and this is why we in the media like her so much) – she is a great sport! At Stepney Jewish Community Centre just now…. pic.twitter.com/Mk1Ooz4yTQ

— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) January 23, 2019

“This place saves my life, it is my lifeline,” 93-year-old Lilian, a frequent guest at the community center, said.

Sex and Love: “Magic Mike,” the cheerfully smutty movie franchise about male strippers, will be a Broadway musical, with a score from acclaimed Jewish composer Tom Kitt.

Torah: This week’s Torah portion, “Yitro,” is known for the giving of the 10 Commandments. But the chapter opens with the story of an unlikely source of joy: Moses’ father-in-law, Yitro tells Moses that his system of personally hearing out every Israelite’s dispute is ineffective.

“You will surely wear yourself out both, for the matter is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone,” he tells is son-in-law, advising him to delegate the leadership, creating the first Jewish justice system. The new system is a success, and Yitro leaves his daughter and son-in-law a more peaceful, more just community than they had before.

Gut Shabes, Shabbat Shalom, and take care.

Jenny Singer is the deputy lifestyle editor for the Forward. You can reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny

Jenny Singer is a freelance writer with pieces in Vox, the Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, Teen Vogue, and more. She was previously a staff writer at Glamour and the Forward, and she’s currently getting an MFA in nonfiction writing at the University of Iowa.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email [email protected].

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