Some of the people who helped bring Israel into existence are famous today: Theodore Herzl, Golda Meir, David Ben-Gurion. Others, like Hemda Ben-Yehuda and Manya Shochat, not so much. Here’s an illustrated guide to the founders you know — and the ones you should know. See the drawings ➤ Opinion | I’ve been to Israel many times. These last 10 days were different: Jodi Lox Mansbach wasn’t sure she wanted to visit Israel during this fraught time of political unrest. She felt she “had forfeited the right to have a strong opinion” about Israeli politics because she did not live there. But during the trip with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, she witnessed the anger and the sadness of the anti-government protests, and says she will now “wave the flag of Israel alongside the American flag in the hopes that both democracies have the resilience these times need more than ever.” Read her essay ➤
Meet the Jewish student leading the union at Ben & Jerry’s flagship store: Free Cone Day at the iconic shop in Burlington, Vermont, means a treat for customers — and no tips for scoopers. Fed up, the scoopers, led by 22 year-old Rebeka Mendelsohn, signed union-authorization cards. Mendelsohn spoke with our intern Tani Levitt about how she sees the newly-formed ‘Scoopers United’ as an extension of Jewish values — both hers, and Ben & Jerry’s. Read the story ➤ |
Is ‘The Mandalorian’ the most Jewish sci-fi series ever? It stars a guy who never takes off his helmet, follows a stringent code called “The Way” and belongs to a diasporic people longing for their homeworld. A recent YouTube panel, Mandalorthodox, went deep on the many ways the Star Wars universe invited in Jewish history. Our PJ Grisar was watching, noting the mentions of Bar Kokhba and space mikvehs and how Baby Yoda may well be the far away galaxy’s Messiah. Read the story ➤ Opinion | Must your employer accommodate your Shabbat observance? The Supreme Court case involving a U.S. Postal worker who refused to work on Sundays will “likely to have a significant impact on American Jews,” writes Michael A. Helfand, an expert on religious law and liberty. “Nearly the entire alphabet soup of Jewish organizational life — from the ADL and AJC to the OU and the NCYI to ZOA and COLPA” — all wrote briefs supporting the plaintiff. Read his explainer ➤ Plus: - Jonathan Rosen, a former editor at the Forward, writes in a new book about his lifelong friendship with Michael Laudor, who suffered a psychotic breakdown, was convinced he was being chased by aliens, and murdered his pregnant fiancee. Read our review.
- Our 93-year-old lox columnist, Len Berk, has become something of a celebrity at the Zabar’s counter. One of his customers made a cabaret show about people who refuse to retire, and spotlighted Len as part of the performance.
- There’s a Jewish character in Netflix’s Beef. It has no lines.
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This program is presented with the generous support of David Berg Foundation. The symposium, which is organized in partnership with the National Library of Israel, is the first installment in a larger series of public symposia sponsored by the Center for Jewish History’s brand new Jewish Public History Forum. |
WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY |
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday in Jerusalem that criticizing Israel is engaging in antisemitism. (Getty) |
?? Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a presumptive 2024 Republican presidential candidate, said in Jerusalem this morning that the United States shouldn’t “butt in” to the debate over Israel’s judicial overhaul. (Haaretz) ?? In a resolution passed this week, House Republicans endorsed peace between Israel and its neighboring countries, but did not extend those well wishes to the Palestinians, breaking from Washington’s usual rhetoric supporting a two-state solution. (JTA) ? A group of Jewish high school students were on a field trip in D.C. when they bumped into Justin Jones, the Tennessee Democrat ousted from the Republican-controlled state legislature earlier this month for trying to speak in support of gun control. Jones, who has since been reinstated, was on his way to the White House to meet with President Joe Biden when the students recognized him. They ended up talking about tikkun olam. (JTA) ? A Florida firefighter posed as Hitler and gave a Nazi salute, according to a complaint filed by a fellow firefighter. “I can’t say I’m shocked,” said Linda Maurice of the Jewish Council of North Central Florida. “I wish I could because that would actually make this easier if this was a random, out-of-the-norm incident, but unfortunately, these types of incidents have become normalized.” (Fox 35 Orlando) ? A man suspected of projecting an antisemitic message onto the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam in February was arrested this week in Poland. (AFP) ? Antisemitism is “a threat to democracy,” Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt said in an interview on MSNBC Wednesday. “Now is a time to take this very seriously.” (YouTube) ?? A 102-year-old former Nazi guard, who was found guilty in June on 3,500 counts of accessory to murder, has died in Germany. He had remained free since his conviction, pending an appeal. (AP)
What else we’re reading ➤ With visit to Israel, Ron DeSantis highlights appeal to religious voters: Jewish and evangelical … SatanCon, poking at religion and government, opens this weekend in Boston … This Jewish Succession and Maisel actor once played a singing carrot with Gilda Radner. |
On this day in history (1987): The United States barred Austrian President Kurt Waldheim from entering the country, accusing him of aiding in the killing of thousands of Jews when he served as a German army officer during World War II.
May 10 at 6 p.m. ET: Join Chana Pollack, the Forward’s archivist, and Rachel Fishman Feddersen, our CEO and publisher, for a private tour of “Pressed,” an exhibit at the University of Pittsburgh featuring historical photos from our newspaper. Register here ➤ |
From our culture reporter PJ Grisar: James Corden’s final episode of The Late Late Show airs tonight, and while the host will be remembered for his carpool karaoke sessions and crosswalk musicals, he is also responsible for a moment of glorious Jewishness. A few Hanukkahs back, Corden gathered Jewish actors and singers Josh Peck, Charlie Puth, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Zach Braff to form the one-off boy band Boyz II Menorah. The music video above features dreidels, disappointing gifts (socks) and some killer bars. My favorite line? “When the world gets sad, our hearts will free us/Just like Judas Maccabeus.” — Thanks to PJ Grisar, Sarah Nachimson, Jake Wasserman and Talya Zax for contributing to today’s newsletter. You can reach the “Forwarding” team at editorial@forward.com. |
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