Ye sings into a microphone. Blue light is shining on him and he is wearing a watch and a sweatshirt

What You Need to Know About Kanye West’s Recent Comments About Jewish People

This article has been updated to reflect ongoing developments.  Ye, formerly Kanye West, has placed himself amid yet another cycle of conspiracy theories — this time against Jewish people.  This month, Ye—a well-known rapper, business owner, and cultural icon— made several antisemitic comments in television clips and on social media regarding Jewish “control” of media and finance. The comments have caused backlash from celebrities and Twitter users, both Jewish and not. A pioneer of “introspective, melodic rap music,” according to Complex, a pop culture media outlet, Ye, who is also an artist, entrepreneur and ex of Kim Kardashian, has a large and loyal following and a net worth of approximately $1.8 billion.  Ye’s platform is large. He has 18.2 million followers on Instagram and 31.5 million on Twitter. In 2015, he topped TIME Magazine’s List of 100 Most Influential...

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Half of Republicans

Twitter Explained | A Day in the Life of ‘Half of Republicans’

On the morning of April 5, Reuters/Ipsos released a poll that found that half of Republicans believe that the January 6, 2021 attack and invasion of the U.S. Capitol was either peaceful or staged by the left. By the time I logged on to Twitter that day at around noon EST, the phrase “half of Republicans” was trending.  On Twitter, a “trend” begins when users start to include a word, phrase, hashtag or topic at a higher rate than others. Twitter then features these topics in a “Trending” sidebar, tailored to each user based on their interests, geographic location or other account characteristics.  Twitter’s enigmatic algorithm picks trends based on sudden upticks in conversation topics. A gradual increase in the use of a phrase or hashtag won’t cause a trend, but a quick spike will. This explains...

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Twitter Explained | Can You Be Anti-Miller Without Being Anti-Semitic?

On Tuesday, October 6, senior White House aide Stephen Miller confirmed his positive COVID status. Miller is one of a dozen staffers close to President Trump to have tested positive, but he’s the only one to have generated a lively Twitter conversation on the dos and don’ts of anti-Semitic tropes. 

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#ChallahConnected : The Sisterhood of Instagram’s Challah Bakers

Challah is in its moment, having unseated sourdough as the baking task of the pandemic. Challah’s “moment” has lasted centuries, but now it also helps us place ourselves in time, reminding us that it is Friday, as one unreal day flows into the next. We feel a sense of community, a reassuring rhythm as Shabbat approaches, knowing that in Jewish homes all around the world flour is being measured. 

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