754 Dreidels Spin to Record

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
A group of adults and children in Tel Aviv set a new world record for dreidel spinning.
Some 754 dreidels spun simultaneously for 10 seconds in a row on Sunday at the Sarona Market complex in Tel Aviv. Among those taking part in the record-breaking attempt, monitored by officials from Guinness World Records, was Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni. At least 800 dreidels made the attempt, but not all succeeded in spinning the full 10 seconds.
The previous record of 734 dreidels spinning simultaneously was set by United Synagogue Youth in Philadelphia on Dec. 28, 2011.
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.
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