JL;DR

Daily Podcasts Video Research

for Thursday, February 5, 2026

Culture ›

0 Culture Communities

Two Amish Women Walked into a Casino (Because I Drove Them There)

Rivka Neriya-Ben-Shahar in Lehrhaus

Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar shares her experience taking her Amish friends to the ocean for the first time at Atlantic City, reflecting on their shared conservative values despite different religious cultures.

0 Culture Education

Did Elizabeth Banks Just Quote the Talmud?

Lior Zaltzman in Kveller

Elizabeth Banks has been inspired by the wisdom of bar and bat mitzvah celebrations, sharing insights gained from these events with her followers.

0 Culture History

Yiddish theater is revived in Tbilisi, Georgia after 100 years

Kyle Desrosiers-Levine in Forward

Lasha Shakulashvili, a Georgian Orthodox Christian raised with the Yiddish language, has successfully revived Yiddish theater in Tbilisi, Georgia, after discovering rare archival materials from a century ago.

Politics ›

0 Politics Antisemitism

Mamdani taps leader of progressive Zionist group to helm Office to Combat Antisemitism

Joseph Strauss in JTA

New York City Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani has appointed Phylisa Wisdom, leader of the progressive Jewish group New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA), as the executive director of the Mayor's Office to Combat Antisemitism.

0 Politics Antisemitism

Palestine Action activists acquitted in Israeli defense firm break-in, drawing criticism from British Jewish leaders

Grace Gilson in JTA

Six activists from Palestine Action were acquitted by a British jury for allegedly breaking into the premises of Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense company.

0 Politics Israel

The ‘Zionism’ gap: What data really shows about Jews, Israel and Zionism today

Mimi Kravetz in JTA

Amid growing concerns about American Jews, particularly younger ones, distancing themselves from Israel, data reveals that a deep emotional connection to Israel remains intact across all ages.

0 Politics Israel

Conspiracy Theories, Israel Style

Natan Slifkin in Rationalist Judaism

In Israel, a conspiracy theory known as the 'Leftist Kaplanist Conspiracy' is gaining traction, accusing extreme anti-judicial reform protesters of orchestrating political maneuvers against the government.

0 Politics History

A death knell for the American Jewish dream of a melting pot — in the 1920s, and today

Emily Tamkin in Forward

Emily Tamkin reflects on the American Jewish experience with immigration, drawing parallels between the 1920s and today.

0 Politics Communities

Mamdani appoints Phylisa Wisdom, progressive Jewish leader, to run Office to Combat Antisemitism

Jacob Kornbluh in Forward

Phylisa Wisdom, executive director of the New York Jewish Agenda, has been appointed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to lead the city's Office to Combat Antisemitism.

0 Politics Antisemitism

‘Don’t be a wimp’: Josh Shapiro, Philly DA Larry Krasner spar over ICE-Nazi comparisons

Andrew Lapin in Forward

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, both Democrats with a history of rivalry, engaged in a public dispute after Krasner compared ICE agents to Nazis.

0 Politics Antisemitism

The Antizionism Exception

Matthew Segal in Tablet

Matthew Segal critiques the emerging legal principle whereby anti-Zionist rhetoric is automatically deemed non-discriminatory, which he argues unfairly singles out Jews and Israelis.

0 Politics Antisemitism

The Australian Left has an antisemitism problem.

David Free in Future of Jewish

David Free denounces the pervasive antisemitism prevalent within the Australian Left and the wider intellectual elite, following the Bondi Beach massacre, a targeted attack on Jews celebrating Hanukkah.

Antisemitism ›

0 Antisemitism Politics

Antisemitism group keeps board member who emailed Epstein on the legality of transporting minors for sex

Hannah Feuer in Forward

Mitchell Webber, a board member of the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that he had been involved in legal work for Jeffrey Epstein regarding sex trafficking allegations.

0 Antisemitism Politics

The Fall of Europe

Marc Weitzmann in Tablet

Marc Weitzmann explores the disturbing shifts in European attitudes and the rise of antisemitism following events since October 7, 2023, particularly focusing on reactions to the New York mayoral election of Zohran Mamdani.

0 Antisemitism Television/Film

Robert Kraft’s new Super Bowl ad about antisemitism already feels dated

PJ Grisar in Forward

Robert Kraft's latest Super Bowl ad, produced by his Blue Square Alliance Against Antisemitism, presents an outdated depiction of antisemitism in schools.

Television/Film ›

0 Television/Film Food

Jewish Cook Nigella Lawson Is Joining ‘The Great British Baking Show’

Lior Zaltzman in Kveller

Nigella Lawson, a renowned British Jewish cookbook author and television personality, is set to join The Great British Baking Show as a judge, becoming the first Jewish judge in the show's history.

0 Television/Film Culture

Finding Escape and Hope in Jewish Films

Amy Stone in Lilith

In the face of profound societal challenges, the New York Jewish Film Festival offers a haven of cultural reflection and exploration, diving into the Jewish experience through a diverse film selection.

Education ›

0 Education Antisemitism

The Palestinian Schools That Teach Children Hate and Death

Leo Pearlman in Future of Jewish

Leo Pearlman's essay sharply critiques the Palestinian education system for indoctrinating children with antisemitic and violent ideologies.

Communities ›

0 Communities Education

The ‘good problem’ highlighting a critical area for investment

eJewishPhilanthropy

Ramah Day Camp Greater DC, under Rabbi Jill Levy's leadership, faces a registration waitlist challenge that underscores a deeper issue of Jewish continuity.