for Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Politics ›

The Elon Musk-Donald Trump love fest was short on facts — and long on attacks on Jews

Rob Eshman in Forward

Former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk engaged in a conversation where they made unsubstantiated claims about Jews, Israel, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

0 Politics Communities

Yazidis’ Long and Winding Road to Justice

Maggie Phillips in Tablet

The story revolves around Nawaf Haskan, a Yazidi poet and activist who witnessed the atrocities committed by ISIS against his community, including the tragic fate of his own family.

0 Politics Israel

Harris campaign taps Israeli-born former peace negotiator Ilan Goldenberg as liaison to Jewish community

Ron Kampeas in JTA

Kamala Harris's presidential campaign has appointed Ilan Goldenberg, a former Israeli peace negotiator, as its liaison to the Jewish community.

0 Politics History

Hamas Is Not Iran’s “Proxy”

Peter Beinart in The Beinart Notebook

The text discusses the misconception that Hamas is solely a proxy for Iran.

0 Politics Communities

Canada revokes charitable status from 2 Jewish nonprofits that work in Israel

Asaf Elia-Shalev in JTA

Canada has revoked the charitable status of two Jewish nonprofits, the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and the Neeman Foundation, for directing donations to Israel, citing inconsistency with Canadian charitable laws.

0 Politics Israel

Dear President Biden, you should follow your own advice.

Joshua Hoffman in Future of Jewish

The text discusses the challenges faced by Israel and the Jewish community under President Biden's administration, which has shown restraint in dealing with threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, inadvertently encouraging further aggression due to a perceived weakness.

0 Politics Leadership

The Energetic Executive - Ron DeSantis wants to make his blueprint for Florida—outlined in the rancorous memoir written for his failed presidential campaign—into a model for the rest of the country.

Samantha Schuyler in Jewish Currents

Ron DeSantis, the energetic executive, aims to replicate his Florida blueprint nationally, using his failed presidential campaign memoir as a model.

0 Politics Education

“Our North Is the South” - An experiment in radical education

Marina Magloire in Jewish Currents

The text recounts the author's experience with the Third World Feminist School in South Florida, highlighting their ongoing commitment to radical education, community building, and activism even after the school's funding ended.

0 Politics Communities

“No One Is Coming to Save Us” - Eight Florida activists on the experience of organizing under Governor Ron DeSantis’s far-right onslaught.

Zaina Alsous in Jewish Currents

Activists in Florida reflect on organizing efforts under Governor Ron DeSantis's right-wing administration, which has implemented a series of aggressive and oppressive measures, including attacking unions, restricting reproductive rights, banning diversity programs, and enacting discriminatory laws.

0 Politics Education

College Students Plan to Skip Class for Palestine

Francesca Block in The Free Press

The Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) are planning a national student strike to protest what they view as the Israeli-American genocide of Palestine.

0 Politics Israel

The Anti-Israel Sanctions Machine

Michael Doran in Tablet

President Biden has established an interagency team dedicated to imposing sanctions on Israel, a historic move not credited as such.

0 Politics Israel

The L.A. lawyer who has Harris’ ear on policy

Gabby Deutch in Jewish Insider

Brian Nelson, a skilled lawyer who has worked closely with Kamala Harris since her tenure as California's attorney general, played a crucial role in various legal negotiations and policy matters, including health care and environmental issues.

0 Politics Israel

The Fabulous Failure of Boycotting Israel

Pat Johnson in Future of Jewish

The article discusses the failure of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, noting that it has not harmed Israel economically but has disproportionately impacted Palestinians.

Education ›

0 Education Antisemitism

Columbia restricts access to campus following ‘reports of potential disruptions’

Luke Tress in JTA

Columbia University has restricted access to its campus due to concerns about potential disruptions, particularly related to anti-Israel student protests.

0 Education Communities

More Truth - To truly oppose the right’s attacks on education, Jewish communities must face Palestinian history.

Jewish Currents

The text discusses the impact of censorship on education, particularly in relation to Jewish communities and Palestinian history.

Israel ›

0 Israel Politics

The IDF’s Boot Is on Hamas’ Throat

Andrew Fox in Tablet

The IDF's military campaign in Gaza, known as Operation Swords of Iron, has faced skepticism from Western media, with claims that Israel is not winning against Hamas.

0 Israel History

Demanding Victory on This Jewish Day of Mourning

Stephen Schecter in Future of Jewish

The essay addresses the significance of Tisha B'Av, a day of mourning in Judaism, and reflects on the ongoing challenges faced by Israel despite being the reconstituted Jewish commonwealth.

0 Israel Leadership

As Israel’s leaders spar and an Iranian attack looms, Jews see echoes of Tisha B’Av everywhere

Ben Sales in JTA

Jews around the world are reflecting on the historical significance of Tisha B'Av, a fast day commemorating the destruction of the Jewish temples in Jerusalem, as tensions rise with the possibility of an Iranian attack on Israel coinciding with the observance.

0 Israel Sports

Israel Won a Record Number of Medals at the 2024 Olympics

Lior Zaltzman in Kveller

Israel made history at the 2024 Olympics in Paris by winning a record-breaking seven medals, including one gold, five silver, and one bronze.

0 Israel

Ghosts of the Groves - In Israel and Florida, violent parallel histories of citrus cultivation have set the stage for a budding agricultural alliance.

Gavriel Cutipa-Zorn in Jewish Currents

In a piece discussing the intertwined histories of citrus cultivation in Israel and Florida, it is highlighted how the decline of the Florida citrus industry due to factors like citrus greening disease has led to a shift towards multinational corporations dominating the market.

Communities ›

0 Communities Culture

‘Having Children Just Didn’t Make Sense to Me’

Abigail Pogrebin in Tablet

In a recent discussion, Jewish Americans who have chosen not to have children shared their experiences.

0 Communities History

Queenie Hallegua, second-to-last Jewish resident of historic Indian Jewish community, dies at 89

Andrew Silow-Carroll in JTA

Queenie Hallegua, the second-to-last Jewish resident of the historic Indian Jewish community in Kochi, passed away at the age of 89.

0 Communities Music

Prominent German cantor and opera singer is killed in what police say was a family dispute

Toby Axelrod in JTA

Nikola David, a renowned German cantor and opera singer, was tragically killed in a family dispute, with his adult son suspected of manslaughter.

0 Communities Politics

As a Black rabbi on Tisha B'Av, I'm mourning how Jews have lost Black allies since Oct. 7

Heather Miller in Forward

Rabbi Heather Miller, a Black Jewish leader, reflects on the loss of Black allies in the Jewish community since Oct. 7, emphasizing the need for nuanced grief and reflection on how reactions to trauma have strained internal and external relationships.

0 Communities Israel

An Erev Tisha B'Av Disgrace

Natan Slifkin in Rationalist Judaism

On Erev Tisha B'Av, a lecture was given by Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel at a charedi shul in Ramat Beit Shemesh focusing on Charedi army conscription and events in Israel.

0 Communities Politics

Bodies of Water - Shoog McDaniel’s photographs of queer life in rural Florida present a world where all bodies are sacred.

Sasha Wortzel in Jewish Currents

Shoog McDaniels' photographs of queer life in rural Florida highlight the sacredness of all bodies.

0 Communities Politics

Florida Is Everywhere - And we’re all out of time.

Arielle Angel in Jewish Currents

The article discusses how Governor Ron DeSantis has transformed Florida into a testing ground for right-wing policies, circumventing democratic processes to enforce his agenda.

0 Communities Israel

Searching for the Jewish Future in South Florida - Does Miami’s hardline Zionist consensus make it an outlier in American Jewish life—or a harbinger of things to come?

Max Freedman in Jewish Currents

Miami's Jewish community in South Florida is described as unique and vibrant, with a strong emphasis on Zionism and Jewish identity.

0 Communities Ethics

Paradis Lost - The life and death of a radical Miami bookstore

Audrey Wright, Brian Wright, and Bianca Sanon in Jewish Currents

Paradis Books & Bread, a radical Miami bookstore and cafe, experiences a clash when a group of patrons engage in offensive conversations, prompting the owner, Audrey, to ask them to leave.

0 Communities Culture

Buenezas of South Florida - How plant wisdom connects Indigenous communities and the diasporas that make their homes in the region

Monica Uszerowicz in Jewish Currents

The text discusses the intersection of plant wisdom, Indigenous communities, and diasporas in South Florida, emphasizing the cultural and healing connections tied to plants.

0 Communities History

Workers Circle Branch 692 in Miami Beach - An excerpt from a 1949 chapter history

Josh Parshall in Jewish Currents

Branch 692 of the left-wing Yiddish fraternal organization Workers Circle in Miami Beach, founded in 1926, faced internal conflicts during the Communist-Socialist split in the 1920s and took years to recover.

History ›

0 History Television/Film

5 films to watch with kids this Tisha B'Av

Samuel Eli Shepherd in Forward

On Tisha B'Av, a day of mourning for the destruction of the two temples in Jerusalem and other Jewish tragedies, families can watch kid-friendly films to introduce themes of grief and suffering.

0 History Television/Film

5 films to watch with kids this Tisha B'Av

Samuel Eli Shepherd in Forward

On Tisha B'Av, a day of mourning the destruction of the two temples in Jerusalem, families typically watch films related to Jewish persecution.

0 History Communities

That Date When

Jewdicious in Jewdicious

In Jewish history this week, significant events occurred such as the public debate of Nachmanides against a Jewish convert to Christianity in 1263, leading to his forced flight to Jerusalem where he built a historic synagogue.

0 History Israel

My son died on Oct. 7. This Tisha B’Av, I’m thinking about how our greatest threat comes from within.

Rabbi Doron Perez in JTA

As Tisha B'Av approaches, a reflection on internal divisions within Israel and the Jewish community is prompted by the tragic death of many, including Captain Daniel Perez, in an attack by Hamas.

0 History Literature

Remembering to cherish: From Station Eleven to Jerusalem

eJewishPhilanthropy

The article reflects on the significance of gratitude and cherishing the present through a discussion on the post-apocalyptic novel "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel and the historical destruction of Jerusalem.

0 History Politics

DEATH TO DICTATORS -

Ryan Alan Boyle in Jewish Currents

The text tells a story of rebellion against dictators, as a young girl and her friend engage in an act of throwing a rock at a dictator's house.

0 History Communities

The Jewish Revolutionaries of Key West - In the last years of the 19th century, Jews inspired by the fight for Cuban independence joined the fray, running weapons to their comrades on the other side of the Florida Straits.

Arlo Haskell in Jewish Currents

In the late 19th century, Jewish involvement in Cuban independence movements impacted Key West, where Jewish cigar manufacturers had ties with Spanish tobacco growers.

0 History Communities

Holding Fast

Stuart Halpern in Tablet

The article discusses the historical significance of national fasting in American history, drawing parallels to the Jewish fast day of Tisha B'Av.

Antisemitism ›

0 Antisemitism Politics

Are neo-Nazi terms really the only way to criticize U.S. support for Israel?

Mira Fox in Forward

The term "zog" stands for Zionist Occupied Government and has roots in a 1970s antisemitic conspiracy theory alleging Jewish control over government, banks, and media.

0 Antisemitism Education

Why Florida's charge to scrutinize university syllabi for 'antisemitism or anti-Israel bias' is a joke

Robert Zaretsky in Forward

The State University System of Florida has mandated all its campuses to review course syllabi for antisemitism or anti-Israel bias by using specific keywords related to Israel, Palestine, and Judaism, sparking concerns about academic freedom and freedom of expression.

0 Antisemitism Politics

The Book of Randy - How a Jewish, pro-Israel Florida state rep is building power within the “America First” right.

Alex Kane in Jewish Currents

Florida State Representative Randy Fine, a Jewish and pro-Israel figure, operates in a predominantly Christian area where Jews are a minority.

0 Antisemitism Communities

Man charged with hate crime in stabbing of Jewish man near Chabad’s Brooklyn headquarters

Luke Tress in JTA

A man has been charged with a hate crime for stabbing a Jewish man near Chabad's Brooklyn headquarters, shouting "Free Palestine" during the attack.

0 Antisemitism Education

Bill Barr: Moral Clarity in Massachusetts

William P. Barr in The Free Press

A federal judge in Massachusetts allowed a case against Harvard to proceed, accusing the university of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination, even though the university claims to have taken action against antisemitism.

Miscellaneous

0 Jewish Law

A proposal for a new Tisha B’Av, where we feast instead of fast

Moses Goren in Forward

The author proposes a new approach to Tisha B'Av, suggesting that instead of fasting, it should be a day of feasting to celebrate the decision of Jews in the diaspora to stop mourning the destruction of the temples.

Holocaust ›

0 Holocaust Culture

Did ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ inspire Raoul Wallenberg’s Holocaust heroism?

Beth Harpaz in Forward

The remade anti-Nazi propaganda film "Pimpernel Smith" is widely believed to have inspired famed Holocaust rescuer Raoul Wallenberg, with his half-sister confirming that after watching the film, he expressed a desire to undertake similar heroic actions.

0 Holocaust Philosophy

What It Means to Speak With the Dead - A session with a Florida medium in a time of genocide

Fargo Nissim Tbakhi in Jewish Currents

The text describes a personal experience with a medium named Lawrence, where the author connects with the spirit of their deceased friend Dan.

0 Holocaust Language

After Silence: On Lamentation

Cole S. Aronson in Jewish Review of Books

The text discusses the theme of silence and language in response to atrocities, focusing on the Jewish tradition's use of speech and silence in the face of horror, particularly exemplified by the book of Eicha and post-Holocaust reflections.

Sports ›

0 Sports History

For the third time ever, an MLB game featured a Jewish pitcher, catcher and batter at the same moment

Jacob Gurvis in JTA

During a recent MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks, pitcher Max Lazar recorded his first MLB strikeout against batter Joc Pederson, with catcher Garrett Stubbs behind the plate, marking only the third instance of a Jewish pitcher-catcher-batter combination in MLB history.

0 Sports Antisemitism

A Jewish baseball event so rare it has only ever happened three times before

Peter Dreier in Forward

Max Lazar, a Jewish pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, made a historic major league debut when he faced Joc Pederson, a Jewish hitter, and Jewish catcher Garrett Stubbs during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jewish Law ›

0 Jewish Law History

Psychological Religious Coercion

Emes Ve-Emunah

Religious belief, particularly in Judaism, can be a powerful motivator, as it emphasizes the importance of following one's beliefs even to the point of sacrificing one's life for them.

Culture ›

0 Culture Holidays

My Mother, My Braid and the Saddest Day of the Jewish Year

Nehama Stampfer Glogower in Kveller

The author reflects on a framed braid that belonged to her from childhood, symbolizing her transition from being the only daughter to having siblings and losing her hair.

0 Culture Music

No, Chappell Roan Is Not Jewish

Molly Kurtzer-Ellenbogen in Moment

Chappell Roan, originally Kayleigh Amstutz, is a rising music star often mistaken for Jewish despite having a conservative Christian upbringing.

Television/Film ›

0 Television/Film Art

‘Saturday Night’ Trailer Puts Jewish SNL Creator Lorne Michaels on Center Stage

Lior Zaltzman in Kveller

The article discusses the upcoming biopic "Saturday Night," focusing on the early days of NBC's Saturday Night Live under the leadership of Jewish creator Lorne Michaels.

Leadership ›

0 Leadership Communities

Welcome to the state of VUCA, aka our new normal

eJewishPhilanthropy

The article discusses the concept of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) as the new normal in today's world, emphasizing the rapid pace of change brought about by technologies.

Music ›

0 Music Gender/Identity

No, Chappell Roan Is Not Jewish

Molly Kurtzer-Ellenbogen in Moment

Chappell Roan, whose real name is Kayleigh Amstutz, has recently gained significant popularity as a singer but despite rumors and speculation, she is not Jewish, having been raised in a conservative Christian environment in Missouri.

JL;DR

for Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Politics ›

Education ›

Israel ›

Communities ›

History ›

Antisemitism ›

Miscellaneous

Holocaust ›

Sports ›

Jewish Law ›

Culture ›

Television/Film ›

Leadership ›

Music ›

Editors' Note

Top Topics in Jewish Media

August 13's Short Reads

Recent podcast episodes

navigate_before navigate_next for Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Politics ›

Education ›

Israel ›

Communities ›

History ›

Antisemitism ›

Miscellaneous

Holocaust ›

Sports ›

Jewish Law ›

Culture ›

Television/Film ›

Leadership ›

Music ›

Editors' Note

Top Topics in Jewish Media

August 13's Short Reads

Recent podcast episodes

for Tuesday, August 13, 2024