for Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Communities ›

What Cirque du Soleil taught me about donor stewardship

Drawing inspiration from a Cirque du Soleil show that catered to even those in the cheapest seats, Ben Vorspan argues for a reevaluation of donor engagement strategies.

0 Communities Culture

Southern Exposure

Cindy Scarr in Mishpacha

Moshe Klein, a globetrotting documenter of fading Jewish communities, recently visited Venezuela despite its high-risk travel warnings.

0 Communities Leadership

Top leaders resign from Friends of the IDF amid internal reckoning

Asaf Elia-Shalev in JTA

Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) is undergoing significant leadership changes following internal inquiries into allegations of financial mismanagement and a toxic work culture.

0 Communities Leadership

Pioneering Update: Israel’s President Lauds Hinenu’s ‘Extraordinary Initiative’

Gary Rosenblatt in Between The Lines

Roee Azizi, founder of Hinenu, has spearheaded a movement aimed at revitalizing communities in southern Israel devastated by Hamas attacks.

0 Communities Politics

Can we plan for an American Jewish future?

eJewishPhilanthropy

In an exploration of the American Jewish community's future, Jewish leaders and thinkers conducted "war games" to envision possible scenarios for the next 25 years.

Politics ›

0 Politics Israel

The Dream Palace of the Jews

Liel Leibovitz in Tablet

In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, Liel Leibovitz examines the consensus-driven policy failures of Israeli society.

0 Politics Communities

The largest Reconstructionist synagogue is set to cut ties with the denomination over Israel tensions

Asaf Elia-Shalev in JTA

Kehillat Israel, the largest synagogue in the Reconstructionist movement, plans to disaffiliate from its denominational body, Reconstructing Judaism, due to frustrations over the organization's handling of anti-Israel sentiments among affiliated rabbis and students.

0 Politics Ethics

'Anti-Zionism' is a serious moral failure.

Joshua Dabelstein in Future of Jewish

In his guest essay, Joshua Dabelstein argues that anti-Zionism represents a fundamental moral failing by opposing Israel's very right to exist.

0 Politics Ethics

Columbia suspends, expels and revokes diplomas of students involved in Butler Library takeover

Grace Gilson in Forward

Columbia University has imposed significant penalties, including suspensions, expulsions, and revocations of degrees, on students involved in recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

0 Politics Culture

The language of 'globalize the intifada' is terrible — for Palestinians

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib in Forward

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib argues against the use of the phrase "globalize the intifada" in political discourse, particularly as referenced by Zohran Mamdani, a prominent American Muslim politician.

0 Politics Philosophy

Head of embattled Gaza aid program tells Jewish group starvation is ‘real’ — but blames others for crisis

Arno Rosenfeld in Forward

Rev. Johnnie Moore, head of the U.S. and Israel-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), addressed the American Jewish Congress, stating that while starvation in Gaza is acute, Hamas and the United Nations are to blame for undermining aid efforts.

0 Politics History

There’s a Jewish judge at the center of Trump’s Harvard showdown. Her grandfather escaped pogroms.

Benyamin Cohen in Forward

Judge Allison D. Burroughs is presiding over a case involving the Trump administration's threat to cut off billions in research funding to Harvard as a measure against alleged antisemitism on campus.

0 Politics Jewish Law

Don’t the Rabbis Know?

Cindy Scarr in Mishpacha

In the midst of ongoing tensions in Israel, the chareidi community faces significant pressure as debates over military drafts intensify.

0 Politics Israel

Trust Syria at Your Own Risk

Cindy Scarr in Mishpacha

This piece critiques the Trump administration's decision to trust and lift sanctions on the new Syrian regime led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, a.k.a. Abu Mohammad al-Julani, highlighting the potential negative consequences for Israel and regional stability.

0 Politics Israel

‘Where are they now?’ Hunter Biden blasts protesters of his father’s pro-Israel polices, calls Netanyahu a ‘monster’

Jacob Kornbluh in Forward

In a candid, three-hour interview with YouTuber Andrew Callaghan, Hunter Biden fiercely defended his father's pro-Israel policies while launching scathing critiques on both the uncommitted Democratic voters and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

0 Politics Israel

Diminishing Returns

Emes Ve-Emunah

The article provides a defense of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions in response to the ongoing conflict with Hamas since October 2023, while expressing skepticism over the prolonged war in Gaza.

0 Politics Antisemitism

Netanyahu slams Mamdani on Nelk Boys podcast, which draws criticism for hosting the Israeli PM

Shira Li Bartov in JTA

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent appearance on the Nelk Boys' Full Send Podcast has sparked controversy both for his criticisms and the platform's choice to feature him.

0 Politics Antisemitism

The New York Times is lying to you about genocide.

Joshua Hoffman in Future of Jewish

Joshua Hoffman critiques The New York Times for publishing an op-ed by Omer Bartov, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

0 Politics Communities

Jewish funders must refocus on Ukraine before it’s too late

eJewishPhilanthropy

Karyn Grossman Gershon, CEO of Project Kesher, emphasizes the urgency for Jewish philanthropists to recommit support to Ukraine amidst its ongoing war with Russia.

0 Politics Israel

25 countries call for ‘immediate’ end to Gaza war, citing mounting death toll at aid distribution sites

Grace Gilson in JTA

The ongoing conflict in Gaza has intensified as recent events have led to the highest recorded death toll among aid-seekers.

0 Politics Israel

The biggest threat to Israel is Jewish defeatism.

Forest Rain in Future of Jewish

Forest Rain, an Israeli branding expert, argues that Jewish defeatism poses a significant threat to Israel, potentially more damaging than external anti-Israel sentiments.

0 Politics Education

Judge in Trump-Harvard case questions tie between antisemitism allegations and federal funding cuts

Asaf Elia-Shalev in JTA

A federal court case in Boston is evaluating the Trump administration's decision to freeze over $2 billion in federal research funding to Harvard University, based on allegations that the institution inadequately addressed antisemitism on its campus.

0 Politics Israel

AOC faces backlash, vandalism after voting against cutting US aid from Israel’s Iron Dome

Grace Gilson in JTA

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faced criticism from her political base following her vote against a proposed amendment that aimed to cut $500 million in funding to Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.

Culture ›

0 Culture Politics

The Melania Trump Opera House won't change hearts and minds — not even the president's

Talya Zax in Forward

The article explores the political implications of renaming the Kennedy Center Opera House after Melania Trump, against the backdrop of cultural control and propaganda.

0 Culture Education

The Scenic Route

Cindy Scarr in Mishpacha

Cindy Scarr shares a nostalgic recount of a formative summer backpacking trip in the 90s with her friend Joel Pomerantz at the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area.

0 Culture History

(My) Star of David

Jewdicious

Michael Golden reflects on wearing the Star of David as a symbol of Jewish identity, pride, and resistance, particularly following moments of increased antisemitism and violence.

0 Culture Television/Film

‘Shari Lewis & Lamb Chop’ Is a Profound Documentary About a Jewish Legend

Lior Zaltzman in Kveller

"Shari Lewis & Lamb Chop" is an evocative documentary that highlights the legacy of the iconic Jewish entertainer Shari Lewis, whose creations, especially the beloved Lamb Chop, captivated audiences with their charm and educational value.

0 Culture Gender/Identity

When Did Men Become Drama Queens?

Liel Leibovitz in Tablet

Liel Leibovitz critiques the transformation of modern masculinity in public discourse, where men, historically valuing rationality and stoicism, now engage in theatrical emotional displays online.

Gender/Identity ›

0 Gender/Identity History

To Feel or Not to Feel

Cindy Scarr in Mishpacha

Cindy Scarr's exploration of the complexities surrounding epidural use during childbirth highlights both the historical transformations and ongoing debates over pain relief in labor.

Music ›

0 Music Communities

Yitzchok Ungar’s Tunes Shook the Heavens

Cindy Scarr in Mishpacha

Rabbi Yitzchok Ungar, a revered Vizhnitzer chassid and composer, left a profound impact on chassidic music before his recent passing.

Holocaust ›

0 Holocaust Ethics

I Want to Live

Cindy Scarr in Mishpacha

Yeedle Baum's story is one of survival and profound faith during the Holocaust.

Food ›

0 Food Culture

Where Do Jewish Cookbooks Belong?

Leah Koenig in Jewish Table

Leah Koenig explores the categorization of Jewish cookbooks in bookstores, particularly focusing on the unexpected placement of her own book, "Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen," in both Jewish and Italian sections.

Literature ›

0 Literature Ethics

In a time of xenophobia, displacement and distraction, we need Homer's 'Odyssey' more than ever

Robert Zaretsky in Forward

In an era marked by xenophobia and distraction, re-engaging with Homer's 'Odyssey' through contemporary translations can offer fresh perspectives on timeless themes of nostalgia and hospitality.

0 Literature History

11 fascinating facts about Emma Lazarus, the Jewish writer who gave voice to the Statue of Liberty

Lisa Keys in JTA

Emma Lazarus, born in 1849, is best known for her poem "The New Colossus," which redefined the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of hope for immigrants arriving in America.

Jewish Law ›

0 Jewish Law Education

Rabbi Neil Danzig, scholar who unlocked mysteries of the Talmud, dies at 74

Andrew Silow-Carroll in JTA

Rabbi Neil Danzig, a respected scholar of medieval rabbinic literature and an authority on the Geonim, passed away at age 74.

JL;DR

for Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Communities ›

Politics ›

Culture ›

Gender/Identity ›

Music ›

Holocaust ›

Food ›

Literature ›

Jewish Law ›

Editors' Note

Top Topics in Jewish Media

July 23's Short Reads

Recent podcast episodes

navigate_before navigate_next for Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Communities ›

Politics ›

Culture ›

Gender/Identity ›

Music ›

Holocaust ›

Food ›

Literature ›

Jewish Law ›

Editors' Note

Top Topics in Jewish Media

July 23's Short Reads

Recent podcast episodes

for Wednesday, July 23, 2025