This is the Forward’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its affect on Jewish communities around the world.
COVID-19
The Latest
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Fast Forward Researchers investigate if ‘Jewish factor’ caused high COVID death rate
Researchers in the United Kingdom are investigating a possible “Jewish factor” that could explain why Jews there were disproportionately likely to die of coronavirus, the Jewish Chronicle reported. A study by Britain’s Office of National Statistics found that Jewish males were more than twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than Christian males. The heightened…
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Community After the storm has passed, looking forward to camp — Summer 2021
While we are not the first to compare the challenges of Jewish institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic to the story of Noah’s Ark, the analogy is too apt to be ignored. The world as we’ve known it has been “washed away,” and we navigate strange waters in hopes of finding dry land once more. We…
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Community How a Silicon Valley mindset helped us host an epic Zoom bar mitzvah
“We could play a YouTube version of ‘Adon Olam’ to a really catchy tune!” “We could play personal messages for him from family all over the world!” “We could have an Israeli rock star sing him a song!” These were the “What ifs” that drove the conversation between me and my wife after we decided…
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Fast Forward DOJ letter argues NYC mayor is being unfairly strict with Orthodox Jews
(JTA) – A top Justice Department official sent a letter to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio last week that claims the mayor has enforced uneven social distancing rules that “favor certain secular gatherings and disfavor religious gatherings.” The letter, which was shared Tuesday by Agudath Israel, an organization representing haredi Orthodox Jews, specifically…
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Fast Forward Museum of Jewish Heritage cuts 40% of staff, saying pandemic threatens its survival
New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage is laying off about 34 people — about 40% of its staff — and reducing hours across some remaining positions due to financial pressures posed by the coronavirus pandemic, museum CEO Jack Kliger announced Monday in a staff call. Kliger said that the coronavirus, which forced the museum to…
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Community I’m jealous of the pandemic bar mitzvah
Sweaty palms, fresh new shoes and a streak of Bubbie-red lipstick was smeared across my cheek. My bar mitzvah had arrived, the ultimate coming of age. Walking into the synagogue on Shabbat morning I recall a grab-bag of emotions, mostly felt in my stomach. The pews were the Who’s-Who of my life; family, close friends…
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Community Changing course in the middle of a pandemic
The sun rises in spite of everything and the far cities are beautiful and bright. I lie here in a riot of sunlight watching the day break and the clouds flying. Everything is going to be all right. — Derek Mahon Our world is drowning under the weight of pandemic as we fight toward the…
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Community With COVID, ‘it’s Groundhog day. Every day.’
My child wears the same shirt every day. Admit it. Yours does too. If it wasn’t during the COVID pandemic, I might admit to being lazy, to having ignored the fact that he took the shirt out of the hamper and wore it again. But that’s not the case. The shirt he wears every day…
Most Popular
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Opinion It’s time for the pro-Palestinian movement to make a radical change
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News Should synagogues remove the Israeli flag from bimahs now? How a New York shul made the decision
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Opinion JD Vance just made a critical error in Israel — and time to curb Hamas is running short
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Film & TV What the new season of ‘Nobody Wants This’ gets right — and very wrong — about Judaism
In Case You Missed It
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Fast Forward As 1000+ rabbis sign anti-Mamdani letter, others decry mounting ‘red lines’ in Jewish communities
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News Mamdani has created ‘great fear,’ and Jewish voters are ‘more motivated than I have ever seen,’ Cuomo says
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Fast Forward The World War II origins of the White House East Wing, now demolished
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Opinion Can an idyllic dream of Israel ever be reality? She says: ‘Coexistence, My Ass’
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