What to Watch | Harlan Coben’s “The Woods”
The next stop on our diaspora tour of lockdown streaming TV series brings us to Poland, although the route to this locale is a circuitous...
Beshert |“A Fiddler on the Roof. Sounds Crazy, No?”
Twenty years ago, I fell in love with The Fiddler. You know who I mean, right? That ubiquitous guy on the roof?
The memory of our...
Saul and Ruby’s Holocaust Survivor Band
To assume this is just another depressing Holocaust survivor film would be a huge mistake. Far from it. This outstanding documentary, about survival and the joys of living, is suffused with humor and boundless energy.
Twitter Explained | To Meme or Not to Meme? Analyzing Reactions to the Washington Football Team
To better understand how something becomes the subject of viral memes, simply analyze the recent Twitter reaction to the new Washington football team name, The Washington Football Team.
When Rabbis Bless Congress with C-SPAN’s Howard Mortman
Since the Civil War, over 400 rabbis have offered prayers during the opening sessions of Congress. C-SPAN Communications Director Howard Mortman shares fascinating stories about some of these rabbis, the mixing of politics into prayers and how words of Torah are tied to the issues of the day.
What’s in a Date? On the Meaning of Tisha B’Av
This year some Jews will use Tisha B’Av as a day to reflect upon the trauma of the ongoing pandemic. When cities across the world shut down this spring, the reality of social distancing and quarantine, accompanied by images of abandoned roads, empty subways and desolate public spaces, evoked the opening lines of the book of Lamentations, traditionally chanted on Tisha B’Av in many communities.
Jerusalem: A City Divided by Sound
It's just before 8 a.m. on a Shabbat morning in Jerusalem. At this early hour, the dry summer heat hasn't settled down on the city...
Is Singling Out Jewish Campaign Donors Anti-Semitic?
There’s a foolproof way of knowing election season is here—just wait for someone to make a Jewish money reference. The tighter the race, the more likely you are to hear something along the lines of “outside donors” or “Wall Street money,” or just the casual listing of top donors, all of whom happen to be Jewish.
Palm Springs: Build Your Own Palace in Time
Repetition mixed with monotony is not usually high up on Hollywood’s list of project themes, which is why Hulu’s Palm Springs was such a delightful surprise. The film stars Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Cristin Milioti (How I Met Your Mother) as two apathetic California wedding guests who get stuck in a Groundhog Day-like time loop, forcing them to relive the couple’s special day over and over again. For a film that was shot in pre-coronavirus times, Palm Springs is surprisingly relevant.
Beshert | My Grandmother, My Hero
My grandmother, Hannah Stochel, was the happiest, strongest and most generous woman I’ve ever known. She was a powerhouse of a lady that connected me...
A Conversation with Founding Editor of Ms. Magazine Letty Cottin Pogrebin
Moment columnist since 1991, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, is a powerful voice for feminism in the Jewish world and beyond. Pogrebin, in conversation with Moment opinion and books editor, Amy Schwartz, discusses the state of feminism today and her dismay at how the miniseries Mrs. America portrayed her friend Gloria Steinem and represented the world of second wave feminism.
Twitter Explained | What’s Your #JewishPrivilege?
On July 12, #JewishPrivilege began trending. A ploy by far-right (and some far-left) Twitter users and bots, the hashtag was used to spread anti-Semitic propaganda, all too common conspiracy theories about Jewish control of the media and Holocaust denial, among other hateful lies.