14 Feb
Antisemitism Zoominars, Latest, Zoominars

The “Normalization” of Antisemitism with Gavriel D. Rosenfeld and Amy E. Schwartz

With so many reports of antisemitism on a daily basis, are people becoming desensitized and are these acts of hatred becoming normalized? Join Gavriel D. Rosenfeld, president of the Center for Jewish History, and professor of History at Fairfield University, and Moment Book & Opinion editor Amy E. Schwartz, for a conversation about this normalization and what we can do about it.

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05 Oct
Arts & Culture, Culture

Helen Schulman on This Beautiful Life

by Beth Kissileff Helen Schulman is the author of novel This Beautiful Life, her fifth novel, which takes on the contemporary issue of privacy and the Internet. The plot is ripped from the headlines of The New York Times: A teenage girl sends an older boy a graphic video of herself in extremely sexualized positions. The boy, unsure how to respond, forwards the video to his closest friend for advice. It goes viral and he is soon called into the office of his New York prep school’s headmaster. The aftermath of the boy’s suspension from school creates extreme tension for his parents and younger sister, fraying their thinning family ties. While there are not explicitly Jewish themes in the book, the mother and children are Jewish characters; certainly Jews need to be aware of a tale...

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29 Jun
Uncategorized

On the Cyber Frontiers of the Anti-Israel Movement

by Theodore Samets The Internet has changed the world. Less than a decade ago, the late Israel critic Edward Said published an essay in the London Review of Books that asked “Is Israel more secure now?” Those who wanted to respond to Said’s piece had to wait and hope that the LRB would publish their letters to the editor in future issues or sound off in other publications. At the beginning of this month, Allison Benedikt penned her own anti-Israel essay, “Life After Zionist Summer Camp.” To say that Benedikt touched a nerve within the pro-Israel community doesn’t do her agitating essay justice. The Said essay serves as a reference point for two reasons: First, Benedikt’s ironic tone, which many have criticized, bears the markings of Said’s work here and elsewhere. Second, the change in reaction times has changed...

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05 Nov
Culture, Latest, Religion

E-Judaism and the Online Shtetl

By Merav Levkowitz Those of us who have a Facebook roster full of Jewish friends are used to it: “Shabbat shalom” status updates, photos of apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, and viral articles or videos that are reposted ad infinitum (this week’s was Judd Apatow’s clip for the American Jewish World Service’s twenty-fifth anniversary). For many of us, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs are our main channels of news, particularly with regards to the Jewish world. Thanks to the Internet, the international Jewish community has become closer than ever. First, the Internet opens the doors of Judaism to the world. Throughout history, Jews have been encouraged to actively engage with the texts. With the Internet, discussion and the exchange of history and customs has moved beyond physical tables to online forums and chat rooms that transcend borders imposed...

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12 Nov
Latest

Netanyahu Kidnapped Obama's Web Designer

By Benjamin Schuman-Stoler Not really. But check out the above screenshots of Obama and Netanyahu's respective websites. See?!! Ynet caught it as well, and asked some Netanyahu people about it: "We view the comparison as a compliment," Levi said. "The guideline of the Likud's online campaign is openness and maximal transparency to the public, with maximal public participation in the election process."

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