Archives
What Seth Rogen’s new movie gets right and wrong about the history of pickling
The true history of American pickles is one of murder, moral outrage and scandal.
Q&Archives: Telling old stories in new ways with Chana Pollack
Forward archivist Chana Pollack talks about her work sifting through the history of the Forward and Jewish immigrant communities in New York.
From the archives, Influenza 1918: Till death do us part
George Abbot of Yonkers, NY, sick with influenza, wanted to marry his girl Sarah Cohn, of Waltham, Massachusetts, before breathing his last.
From the archive, 1959: Passover in Castro’s Cuba, yearning for freedom
When Castro took control of Cuba, he put curbs on religious practice, forcing Azriel Weitz to write to the Forverts, begging for Passover supplies.
From the archives, influenza 1918: “Eat healthy—and change your underwear!”
One of the most important ways of staving off the influenza epidemic is cleanliness. Everyone’s advised to change underwear more frequently.
From the archive, Influenza 1918: Reb Velvele’s shiva adjustments
Those who must sit shiva, may god protect them, may and must ease off in observing the laws of mourning
From the Forverts archives, Influenza 1918: Scenes from a Jewish drug store
A scene at a busy drugstore sees the druggists having a mean-hearted laugh at the expense of a sick woman
Influenza 1918, a look back: Deutsch Bros. Furniture gives flu prevention tips
During the 1918 Influenza, a Forverts advertiser gave out helpful and less-than-helpful health tips.
From the Forverts archives: Influenza 1918, everyone does the flu their own way
An unnamed Forverts reporter gamely walks the beat with your local druggist and then rides shotgun with a local doc as he makes house calls.
In 1918, a Jewish humorist defied the health department and sneezed — or did he?
Today, it’s don’t touch your face. Back then, it was don’t sneeze. How a Jewish humorist cleared a streetcar in 1918. Hey, at least he got a seat.