for Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Welcome, visitor! Here's a digest of what's been published in Jewish media over the last day. JL;DR members have access to summaries of everything plus our full archive. Donate & start reading »

Literature ›

0 Literature Jewish Law

J.D. Salinger asked publishers to remove references to his Jewish heritage, newly surfaced letters reveal

Jackie Hajdenberg in Forward

Newly uncovered letters from 1951 reveal that J.D. Salinger, known for his reclusiveness, requested the removal of references to his Jewish heritage from the jacket of his famous novel "The Catcher in the Rye."

Culture ›

0 Culture Communities

Veteran journalist Hilary Krieger to lead expansion of JTA and New York Jewish Week

70 Faces Media in JTA

Hilary Krieger, a seasoned journalist with extensive experience in major news organizations, is set to lead the expansion of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) and New York Jewish Week, two key branches of 70 Faces Media.

0 Culture Jewish Law

SPONSORED CONTENT: The Art and Science of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs

Chantelle Wolfe in Hadassah

Chantelle Wolfe, an experienced event planner, discusses her approach to creating meaningful Jewish milestone celebrations, particularly bar and bat mitzvahs, by seamlessly integrating both art and science.

0 Culture Gender/Identity

Jewish Identity Beyond the Surface

Jewdicious

Grazi Lee-Sultana explores the complexities of Jewish identity, emphasizing that identity cannot be confined to simplistic racial or cultural categories such as "white, privileged, and Jewish."

History ›

0 History Politics

The Ethnic Cleansing No One Mentions When Talking About Israel

Matt Field in Future of Jewish

The article by Matt Field challenges the pervasive narrative of Israel as a European settler state by highlighting the largely overlooked ethnic cleansing of Jews from Arab countries.

0 History Holocaust

They escaped the Nazi genocide, but these 'Wanderers' still went through hell

Debbie Nathan in Forward

Daniela Gerson's memoir "The Wanderers" delves into the often-overlooked narrative of Polish Jews during the Holocaust who found themselves in the Soviet Union instead of Nazi concentration camps.

Holocaust ›

0 Holocaust Literature

How Saul Rubinek’s best lie helped him get to the truth about his family’s Holocaust history

Olivia Haynie in Forward

Saul Rubinek's latest book, "All In The Telling: A Somewhat True Story," intertwines memoir, Holocaust history, and fiction, shedding light on his family's harrowing experiences during the Holocaust.

Communities ›

0 Communities Politics

A freed Israeli hostage spoke at UCLA without incident. Then the student government weighed in.

Andrew Lapin in JTA

Omer Shem Tov, a former Israeli hostage of Hamas, spoke at UCLA without disruption, despite later controversy from the student government.

0 Communities Ethics

The opposite of helplessness

eJewishPhilanthropy

In the aftermath of a terror attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, congregant Erika Bocknek emphasizes the community's response has been one of profound connection rather than helplessness.

0 Communities Antisemitism

Hope can’t be just a feeling. It must be a strategy.

eJewishPhilanthropy

In light of recent events such as the conflicts around Israel's independence celebrations and rising antisemitism, there's a growing need for hope as a strategic framework rather than just an emotion.

0 Communities Antisemitism

Concert to benefit Bondi Beach victims canceled after Greek choir refuses to sing with Jews

Philissa Cramer in JTA

A concert intended to support victims of the Bondi Beach massacre was canceled due to the Australian Hellenic Choir's decision not to perform alongside the Sydney Jewish Choral Society.

0 Communities Ethics

Matan Koch, disability advocate who urged Jewish communities to ‘let everyone in,’ dies at 44

Philissa Cramer in Forward

Matan Koch, a significant advocate for disability inclusion, passed away at 44 after battling stomach cancer.

0 Communities Ethics

Horror or Beauty?

Natan Slifkin in Rationalist Judaism

Natan Slifkin grapples with the dual nature of current Jewish life, highlighting both its horrors and its beauty.

Television/Film ›

0 Television/Film Culture

They told Willy Loman he was everything; 'twas a great American lie

Talya Zax in Forward

Talya Zax explores a new Broadway production of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman," drawing analogies between the tragic figures of Willy Loman and Shakespeare's King Lear.

Politics ›

0 Politics Communities

Azerbaijan’s Sephardic Jewish community slams Mamdani’s Armenian genocide comments

New York Jewish Week Staff in JTA

The Sephardic Jewish community in Baku, Azerbaijan has criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his comments linking Azerbaijan's recent actions in Nagorno-Karabakh to the Armenian genocide.

0 Politics Ethics

Ukraine threatens sanctions against Israel for buying ‘stolen’ grain from Russia

Grace Gilson in JTA

Tensions have escalated between Ukraine and Israel after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Israel of purchasing grain stolen by Russia from occupied Ukrainian territories.

0 Politics Culture

Trump administration officials are quoting (and misquoting) the Bible. Is it good for the Jews?

Stu Halpern in JTA

American political leaders, including officials from the Trump administration, have long referenced the Bible, albeit sometimes inaccurately, reinforcing a tradition interwoven with the nation's history.

0 Politics Communities

No Tourists, no income: The collapse of livelihoods in Jerusalem’s Old City

Rahma Ali in Forward

The article investigates the severe economic impact of the Israel-Iran conflict on traders and craftspeople in Jerusalem's Old City.

0 Politics Antisemitism

Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling guided by Holocaust survivor grandparents

Gabby Deutch in Jewish Insider

Keith Sonderling's recent elevation to Acting Labor Secretary is deeply personal for him, as his grandparents, Holocaust survivors, faced significant religious discrimination in the American workforce.

0 Politics Communities

A longshot effort to overturn Mamdani’s buffer zone veto is underway. First stop: Shabbat services.

JTA

In response to NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's veto of a schools buffer zone bill, a special election presents a critical opportunity for the bill's supporters.

0 Politics Antisemitism

Antisemitism is being disguised as moral clarity.

Nachum Kaplan in Future of Jewish

Nachum Kaplan critiques Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for his anti-Israel rhetoric, arguing it is a distraction from domestic scandals and lacks genuine moral foundation.

Sports ›

0 Sports Communities

5 Fun Facts About Israeli NBA All-Star Deni Avdija

Lior Zaltzman in Kveller

Deni Avdija, the Israeli NBA All-Star currently playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, has become a prominent figure in basketball, celebrated for his impressive skills and journey from Maccabi Tel Aviv to the NBA.

Antisemitism ›

0 Antisemitism Communities

A suspect is charged in one of Toronto’s Jewish shootings — but the bigger picture remains murky

Joseph Strauss in JTA

Toronto's Jewish community remains on edge after a series of shootings targeting synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses, with the recent arrest of Mohamed Mahdi offering limited insight.

0 Antisemitism Politics

The Money-Making Business of Attacking Jews

Vanessa Berg in Future of Jewish

Vanessa Berg explores the disturbing trend of antisemitism becoming incentivized within the modern Attention Economy.

0 Antisemitism Politics

Pro-Palestinian activists force Milan Jewish group out of parade marking end of WWII in Italy

Shira Bartov in Forward

During a parade in Milan marking Italy's Liberation Day, pro-Palestinian activists forced a Jewish group, commemorating the WWII-era Jewish Brigade, to leave after a contentious encounter.

0 Antisemitism Politics

NY state senator calls attention to posters railing against ‘Zionists,’ ‘globalists’ and ‘the Rothschilds’

New York Jewish Week Staff in JTA

State Senator Erik Bottcher has highlighted the distribution of antisemitic flyers in Manhattan, targeting Zionists, globalists, and the Rothschild family, a frequent subject of conspiracy theories.

0 Antisemitism History

Pro-Palestinian activists force Milan Jewish group out of parade marking end of WWII in Italy

Shira Li Bartov in JTA

Pro-Palestinian activists disrupted a parade commemorating Italy's Liberation Day in Milan, resulting in the removal of Jewish groups from the procession.

Gender/Identity ›

0 Gender/Identity Jewish Law

A day of reckoning and renewal at the Rabbinate

eJewishPhilanthropy

A monumental moment unfolded as a group of dedicated Jewish women took a stand for equality within Israel's Orthodox religious establishment by attempting to take the Chief Rabbinate's exams.

Food ›

0 Food Culture

Adeena Sussman’s new cookbook spotlights simple cooking for complicated times

Melissa Weiss in Jewish Insider

Adeena Sussman's new cookbook, "Zariz: 100 Easy, Breezy, Tel Aviv-y Recipes," highlights the simplicity and comfort of cooking during tumultuous times.

Art ›

0 Art Politics

Venice Biennale jury won’t consider countries whose leaders face ICC charges, putting Israel out of contention

Jackie Hajdenberg in JTA

The Venice Biennale has decided not to consider entries from countries whose leaders face charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC), implicitly excluding Israel and Russia from award contention.

JL;DR

for Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Literature ›

Culture ›

History ›

Holocaust ›

Communities ›

Television/Film ›

Politics ›

Sports ›

Antisemitism ›

Gender/Identity ›

Food ›

Art ›

Editors' Note

Top Topics in Jewish Media

April 29's Short Reads

Recent podcast episodes

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Literature ›

Culture ›

History ›

Holocaust ›

Communities ›

Television/Film ›

Politics ›

Sports ›

Antisemitism ›

Gender/Identity ›

Food ›

Art ›

Editors' Note

Top Topics in Jewish Media

April 29's Short Reads

Recent podcast episodes

for Wednesday, April 29, 2026