Irene Katz Connelly is a staff writer at the Forward. You can contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @katz_conn.
Irene Katz Connelly
By Irene Katz Connelly
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Culture Gary Shteyngart on working in bed, writing from life and funding his pistachio addiction
It’s hard to know exactly how to feel while reading “Our Country Friends,” Gary Shteyngart’s latest novel. On one hand, it’s an indisputably funny book. (If you read it on the subway, prepare to freak out your neighbors by laughing loudly and often.) Set in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, the novel follows…
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Culture In new memoir, Jamie Raskin recalls chaos and confusion of Jan. 6 insurrection
Congressman Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, lost his son to suicide in the last days of 2020. Just a few days later, he lived through the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol — and became a central figure in the Democratic Party’s response. As the lead House of Representatives impeachment manager charged with prosecuting President…
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Culture The best Jewish (and Jew-ish) films of 2021
The cinematic year of 2021 felt like a time warp. Let’s put it this way. In March, the Grammys, a show known for its belated schedule, awarded Billie Eilish Best Song Written for Visual Media for the title track of the James Bond flick “No Time to Die,” a film that wouldn’t even be released…
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Culture What a hare with amber eyes can tell us about an art collection lost to Nazi looting
The newest installation at the Jewish Museum tells the story of a vanished world. But a series of entirely contemporary photographs are among the most striking objects on display. Captured by the Dutch architectural photographer Iwan Baan, the photos show a series of opulent rooms filled with prosaic everyday objects. A hand sanitizer dispenser stands…
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Culture From Gary Shteyngart to Emily Ratajkowski: The Jewish books you need to know this month
Welcome to Forward Reads, your monthly tour of the Jewish literary landscape. I’m a culture writer at the Forward, and I spend a lot of time combing through new releases so you can read the best books out there. This article originally ran in newsletter form. To sign up for Forward Reads and get book…
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Culture The best Hanukkah gifts for literally everyone you know
It’s a cursed calendar configuration: First Thanksgiving and then, just three days later, Hanukkah. Who can get their gifts lined up while plotting the perfect apple pie? Personally, I think it should be illegal. But the lunar calendar pays no heed to minor American feast days or my needs. Hanukkah approacheth, whether or not you’re…
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Culture I went 26 years without watching ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’ My first viewing was underwhelming — until it wasn’t
Editor’s Note: Fifty years ago, on Nov. 3, 1971, the movie adaptation of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ premiered. In honor of that anniversary, this week we are publishing a series of article about the impact of ‘Fiddler’ and its legacy. You can read more of the stories here When the Forward’s culture desk met earlier…
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Culture The Jewish books you need to read this month, from Paul Auster to Louise Glück
Welcome to Forward Reads, your monthly tour of the Jewish literary landscape. I’m a culture writer at the Forward, and I spend a lot of time combing through new releases so you can read the best books out there. This article originally ran in newsletter form. To sign up for Forward Reads and get book…
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