Rebecca Salzhauer is a writer and theatermaker based in New York.
Rebecca Salzhauer
By Rebecca Salzhauer
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News Five shiva traditions, explained
Like any Jewish tradition, shiva comes with a history of customs and rituals that date back centuries. While some basic customs, such as staying home and having guests over, happen at most shivas, many other traditions can look different – depending on a family’s cultural background and religious observance. Whether you’ve never been to a…
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News On the bus to the rally against antisemitism, passengers share fears and prayers
Shoshana Baum was on the fence about coming to Washington to rally against antisemitism, given the 10 hour round-trip from Manhattan. When she mentioned the event at a friend’s housewarming party Saturday and was met with an off-color joke that turned into an argument about criticizing Israel, she decided to attend the event, which drew…
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Fast Forward Multiple lawsuits claim discrimination against Orthodox Jews in NJ town
Six years ago, the township of Toms River in Ocean County, N.J. planned to acquire a former egg farm owned by the Guttman family to preserve as open space. But ongoing legal disputes, including allegations that the township’s land-use will infringe on the religious rights of Orthodox Jews, have blocked the sale. Now, the township’s…
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News Looking to follow Team Israel at the Olympics? This duo has you covered.
David Wiseman and Shari Wright-Pilo were at the 2019 Tel Aviv Grand Prix when Israeli judoka Or Sasson won the gold medal. As the press section swarmed him with cameras and rapid-fire questions in Hebrew, Wright-Pilo was recording on her phone and decided to try something. She asked the judoka, “Ori, can we have a…
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News How to talk to children about shiva
For parents of young children, the death of a loved one might mean bringing a child to their first shiva visit. Regardless of whether children have talked to their parents about death, hearing about a death can spark a broad range of questions and emotional responses. As parents go through their own processes of grieving,…
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News For some American Jewish athletes, Team Israel is a ticket to the Olympics
For some Jewish American athletes, competing for Israel made their Olympic dreams possible. But in addition to the opportunity to be an Olympian, many of these American competitors report a particular and powerful pride in representing the nation. Their journey to the Olympics, they say, has connected them more closely to their heritage. “Your good,…
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Fast Forward Yale College Council adopts statement of condemnation against Israel
The Yale College Council, the university’s undergraduate student government, voted on Sunday to adopt a statement of condemnation against Israel. Originally authored by a student group called Yalies 4 Palestine, the statement denounces the “injustice, genocide, and ethnic cleansing occuring in Palestine.” “As students at one of the most privileged academic institutions in the world,…
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Fast Forward Israeli contortionist’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ appearance goes viral
Israeli contortionist Roman Kricheli is going viral after squeezing himself into a ten-inch cube on “America’s Got Talent.” A YouTube video of his audition has garnered more than 350,000 views. Kricheli, who has been performing his “yoga show” for over 35 years, was costumed in silky white pants and a cropped red vest and accompanied…
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