This is the Forward’s coverage of Jewish music, including klezmer and other traditions.
Music
The Latest
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News Ben Zion Shenker, a Master of Melodies, Made from Music a Life of Meaning
There are very few people who may honestly be referred to as “national treasures” — someone whose contributions are not to one or another group within our community, but to all of us together: old and young, wise and simple, religiously observant and less so. Rabbi Ben Zion Shenker, who died November 20 at the…
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Fast Forward Family of ‘The Pianist’ Wins Suit Against Book Alleging Jewish Musician Had Nazi Ties
The family of the late Polish-Jewish man whose story inspired the Academy Award-winning 2002 film “The Pianist” has won on appeal a defamation suit over claims that he was a Nazi collaborator. According to Agence France Press, the widow and son of Wladyslaw Szpilman said Monday they have won their suit against the author and…
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Community Singing is Just the Beginning
In the spring of 1947, a small group of Hazzanim joined together to lay the foundation for a cantorial association designed to address the immediate and anticipated future concerns of practicing cantors in North America. Their most pressing objective was to professionalize the Cantorate. In doing so, they had to establish the Cantor as a…
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Community A Road to God, Paved With Sick Beats
I was 16 when I first posted a video of myself beatboxing to Chris Brown and T-Pain’s “Kiss Kiss” on YouTube. Few things embarrass me more than watching the video or knowing that thousands of people have watched me attempt vocal percussion when I should have just moved on. And yet, 8 years, 171 videos,…
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The Schmooze WATCH: African American Hasidic Rapper in Star-Studded Music Video
Nissim Baruch Black’s religious path has been winding. He was raised a non-practicing Sunni Muslim, converted to Christianity at age 14, embraced Messianic Christianity as an adult — and ultimately converted to Orthodox Judaism between 2010 and 2012. Seattle-born, he immigrated to Israel last year. Black is also an accomplished rapper — and this week…
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The Schmooze How Kanye West’s ‘Famous’ Video Perpetuates Rape Culture
Lena Dunham was right to situate Kanye West’s latest video — which features Taylor Swift’s likeness laying naked on a bed — in rape culture. I, not you, control who sees you naked, West seems to be telling Swift in “Famous.” Dunham lashed out at West on Monday in an emotional post on her Facebook…
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Opinion If A-Wa Wants Real Mizrahi Revival, It’s Time To Get Political
A-Wa, the groundbreaking band made up of three Israeli Yemenite sisters who famously sing in Arabic, has just released its first album “Habib Galbi” in the U.S. The band was listed by Rolling Stone last week as one of the 10 New Artists You Need To Know. The group’s first music video, “Habib Galbi,” has…
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Fast Forward Israeli Embassy Steps in To Sponsor Noa Concert
In a surprising twist, the Embassy of Israel in Canada has stepped in to sponsor a Noa concert after the Jewish National Fund of Canada withdrew its sponsorship for the singer’s supposedly anti-Israel positions. The Israeli Independence Day concert, which will take place on May 11 at the Chan Centre, looked to be threatened by…
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