Staff Picks: Medieval Jews in England, National Lampoon and Poland’s B-Day
What we’re reading—and watching—this week
Israel, Syria, Iran and the War to Come
On Saturday an Iranian drone entered Israeli airspace and was shot down by an Israeli helicopter a minute and a half later.
How BDS at the University of Michigan Sparked a Free Speech Debate
While the November meeting marked the first time any motion to divest from Israel passed in Michigan’s student government, it also marked the first time a professor—or a speaker of any kind—was barred from addressing the student government.
Staff Picks: Weimar Berlin, Jewish Jazz and Ben Gurion’s Rice
What we’re reading—and watching—this week.
Why Pluralistic Judaism Matters in Israel
Ten years ago, only around 6 percent of Israeli Jews self-identified as Reform or Conservative. Today, that number has grown to 11 percent.
Julius Rosenwald: Building Schools in the Jim Crow South
When Rosenwald decided to give away hundreds of thousands of dollars to mark his fiftieth birthday, Booker T. Washington encouraged him to donate a portion of the money to build schools for African American children in the segregated south.
Staff Picks: Lebanon’s First Oscar Nod, Mobula Rays and Gaby Hoffman
What we’re reading—and watching—this week.
What Israeli School Children Learn About American Jewish Life
The year 2017 was another rocky one in the relationship between Israel and many American Jews, punctuated by conflict over matters once considered common ground. Some controversies—including a backlash over comments about American Jews’ military service by Israeli deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely—suggest a level of misunderstanding that could end up harming both sides.
Spice Box | Yelp Reviews for G-d Construction
Impressive work, but a little territorial. (DO NOT TELL THEM if you get a second opinion!!!!)
American Jewish Literature: Dead or Alive?
With
Gal Beckerman / Nicholas Delbanco / Nathan Englander / Rebecca Goldstein / Allegra Goodman / Mohsin Hamid / Dara Horn / Aaron Lansky / Ruby Namdar / Alicia Ostriker...
The Lioness Roars Again: Golda Meir at 120
Although she was a trailblazer, second-wave feminists in the 1960s disliked her, and she returned their ire, describing them as “crazy women who burn their bras and…hate men.” Meir resented attempts to turn her into a feminist icon.
Jewish Word | When a Knish Is More Than a Knish
During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump proclaimed at a rally that Hillary Clinton “got schlonged” in the 2008 primaries. Schlong, when used as a noun, is a Yiddish word for penis—and a pretty vulgar one at that. But when used as a verb, is it even a word?