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The 20th century was very good for these Jewish icons. Is the Golden Age really over?

JL;DR SUMMARY David Denby's book "Eminent Jews" chronicles the lives and contributions of four prominent Jewish cultural icons: Mel Brooks, Betty Friedan, Norman Mailer, and Leonard Bernstein, who rose to prominence in the mid-20th century. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CultureLeonard BernsteinAmerican JewsMel BrooksJewish InfluenceBetty FriedanNorman Mailer20th CenturyDavid Denby

Places mentioned

Massachusetts, United States
"Leonard Bernstein conducting a rehearsal in one of the barns at Tanglewood Music Center in Western Massachusetts."
Vienna, Austria
"or Bernstein sternly lecturing the Vienna Philharmonic for not appreciating Austrias native son, the Jewish-born composer Gustav Mahler"
New York, United States
"The Center for Jewish History in New York will host a day-long symposium."
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
"Observers have lamented a dip in Jewish enrollment at the Ivies. In 1967, shortly after the abolition of antisemitic quotas, JTA reported that the student bodies at Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania were 40% Jewish."
New Jersey, United States
" while those at Dartmouth, Princeton and Brown hovered between 13 and 20%. In 2023, Hillel reported that Jewish enrollment at Columbia was 22.5% and at Penn 16.5%. That same year, Princetons student body was 9.3% Jewish and Dartmouths was 8.8% (Brown even rose a bit to 23.9%)"
New Hampshire, United States
" while those at Dartmouth, Princeton and Brown hovered between 13 and 20%. In 2023, Hillel reported that Jewish enrollment at Columbia was 22.5% and at Penn 16.5%. That same year, Princetons student body was 9.3% Jewish and Dartmouths was 8.8% (Brown even rose a bit to 23.9%)"
Rhode Island, United States
" while those at Dartmouth, Princeton and Brown hovered between 13 and 20%. In 2023, Hillel reported that Jewish enrollment at Columbia was 22.5% and at Penn 16.5%. That same year, Princetons student body was 9.3% Jewish and Dartmouths was 8.8% (Brown even rose a bit to 23.9%)"

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