Will There Be a Synagogue Emoji?

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Have you ever been texting and thought: “If only there was an emoji that appropriately captured the essence of a Jewish house of worship?” Well, the emoji gods have heard your prayers.
According to Buzzfeed, 37 new emojis characters are currently being considered by the Unicode Consortium (which creates your favorite pizza slices and praying hands), including a synagogue and a menorah with nine branches. Mosque and dhyani buddha emojis are also up for debate, as are the much-anticipated burrito, taco and hot dog (kosher?).
The company has also announced that it will be releasing an option for five different kinds of skin tones for emoji faces.
There’s no official release date for these new characters, but as Buzzfeed points out, Unicode 8.0, set for release in 2015, could potentially include these updates.
Just think: Next year, the warm glow of the menorah could be coming from your iPhone.
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
