Welcome to the Forward’s insightful posts and articles covering all things Jewish, from culture and traditions to history, faith and contemporary Jewish life.
Jewish
The Latest
-
News Is There an Echo in Here?
Jeffrey Lubin writes to ask what a bat-kol is and why it isn’t a ben-kol. Since this question won’t mean much to most of you, I’d better explain. The roughly 2,000-year-old Hebrew word bat-kol is not found in the Bible, and first appears in early rabbinic literature. Translatable literally as “the daughter of a voice,”…
-
The Schmooze RoboCop’s Jewish!
When news leaked that actor Andrew Garfield had been chosen to take on the role of Spider-Man, Jewish media responded with headlines like “‘Spider-Man’ is Jewish!” But for some reason, Joel Kinnaman, AKA the new “RoboCop,” hasn’t enjoyed the same kind of exposure. Released last weekend, the reboot of the 1987 action classic made $25…
-
Fast Forward Merkel To Lobby on Behalf of Kerry Peace Efforts During Israel Visit
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will lobby on behalf of Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts led by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry when she visits Israel on Monday. Kerry, who held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Paris on Thursday, is trying to nudge both sides at least to agree on a framework…
-
News Anne Heyman’s Son Gets Poignant Welcome at Rwanda School
A groundbreaking Rwandan school for genocide orphans has welcomed the son of founder Anne Heyman with open arms — just three weeks after the Jewish philanthropist was killed in a tragic horse-riding accident in Florida. Jonathan Merrin, 19, arrived at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village this week as part of a month-long service trip with other…
-
News The Global LGBT Pushback
The theory that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction sadly applies to the sphere of human rights. As the march for marriage equality in the United States quickens — 17 states and the District of Columbia now allow same-sex couples to wed and 10 others states offer civil unions and partnerships…
-
Opinion Ukraine: Don’t Scapegoat Your Jews and Muslims
Back in May 2011, the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which I serve as president, co-sponsored an international conference in Kiev together with the Ukrainian Jewish Committee to fight against anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Ukraine and around the world. During the conference, I met many wonderful Jewish and Muslim Ukrainians — mainly from the Crimean Tatar…
-
News Romania Jewish Theater Struggles To Rebuild After Snowy Roof Collapse
(JTA) When secret police opened fire on protesters near her home, Maia Morgenstern headed for the Jewish State Theater. It was 1989 and Morgenstern, then 27, and a few of her friends took refuge in the theater as protesters outside clashed with forces loyal to Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Hundreds died in two weeks of…
-
News Jewish Immigration Advocates Push Eric Cantor To Support Broad Reforms
The organized Jewish community is known for its impressive bipartisan clout when advocating issues relating to Israel. But when it comes to domestic affairs, the community suffers from a lopsided lack of leverage on the Republican side. Some Jewish activists believe that they may have found a pathway to the GOP side of the aisle….
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
Sports An op-ed compared an NBA team to Israel as underdog success stories. Then the threats poured in.
- 2
News ‘It’s the Jews’: San Diego mosque shooters decried ‘the universal enemy’ in hate-filled manifesto
- 3
News Mamdani’s first Jewish Heritage event reveals a narrowed circle
- 4
Music For Bob Dylan’s 85th birthday, an 85-minute playlist
In Case You Missed It
-
Culture At the edge of America, six Jewish graves endure
-
Fast Forward Texas candidate’s antisemitic rhetoric sparks outrage ahead of Tuesday runoff. Did it fuel her rise?
-
Fast Forward Trump announces he has ‘largely negotiated’ Iran deal, Strait of Hormuz opening
-
Opinion In Trump’s assault on democracy, echoes of Nazi Germany but new glimmers of hope that America will be different