Pondering the state of American Jewry
Gal Gadot has done Israel proud with her rocket-like climb to the top of Hollywood stardom. It’s not just that she’s a great actress, but that she is a warm and likeably human being. She makes Israel—and the Jews in general—look good. That’s important at a time of rising antisemitism and the overwhelming demonization of …
New York Congressman Lee Zeldin, a Republican from Long Island, NY, on Thursday announced his intention to run for governor of New York in 2022. Zeldin, speaking of current governor, Democrat Andrew Cuomo, who has served in the position for the past decade, said, it’s time for Cuomo to “immediately exit stage left.” Cuomo has …
Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski, who came from a long line of multiple Hasidic dynasties, has died, aged 90, of COVID-19. The famed Pittsburgh psychiatrist was considered a leading authority on addiction, and authored more than 60 books. Twerski, who never lost his strong Milwaukee accent, though he lived in Pittsburgh for many years, was …
Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Rosh Hashanah of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. While traditional Jews do not blow the shofar when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, Reform Rabbi Matt Soffer of Durham, North Carolina, blew the shofar minus one blast, to signify that the Supreme Court was now minus one justice. Actor Mandy Patinkin, …
Seth Rogen, an actor and comedian hailing from Vancouver, is well known for his penchant for smoking lots and lots of marijuana. Maybe that’s why he proved he has no filter when it comes to speaking about what it means to be Jewish and how he feels about Israel. But he certainly made a lot …
A dining establishment and prepared food takeout place in Canada, Foodbenders, was already in the news after an Instagram post with the hashtag #zionistsnotwelcome. Now the owner of the restaurant, Kimberly Hawkins, is being sued by prominent designer Shai DeLuca, the subject of two defamatory Instagram posts by the Toronto eatery accusing DeLuca of being …
Yuri Foreman, a boxing champ and rabbi, has begun teaching Jews how to defend themselves, in the wake of an uptick of antisemitic attacks. The classes are being held in Brooklyn, the site of many of the attacks, at the famous Gleason’s Gym, where Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson both trained. The Belarussian-born Foreman made …
For years, presidents promised to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, but it took Donald Trump to follow through. Now Joe Sestak, who is one of the many Democrats hoping to win the nomination for president in 2020, says he wants a redo. “We need to move the embassy back out of Jerusalem, …
Joe Biden has a long history of anti-Israel actions, as covered in this JNS piece by Jackson Richman. And still, Alan Dershowitz has gone on record with Dan Abrams of Fox News as an enthusiastic supporter of Biden: “I’m a strong supporter of Joe Biden,” Dershowitz responded. “I like Joe Biden. I’ve liked him for …
Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez is complaining that no one complains when antisemites on the right are acting out. The cause of her complaint? An article in Politico that showed Bernie Sanders next to a money tree. The article’s purpose is apparently to ponder how a poor Democratic socialist ended up with a net worth of at least …