Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its affect on Jewish communities around the world.
COVID-19
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Fast Forward I got married during the pandemic — and my wedding was perfect
NEW YORK (JTA) — On March 16, the man I was dating asked me to become his wife. At the time, social distancing was a relatively new phenomenon and Lysol wipes were still available for purchase at my local drugstore. However, the fear and uncertainty had begun to spread, and only about 15 people attended…
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News Criticizing Cuomo, de Blasio, judge loosens COVID restrictions on religious gatherings
A federal judge in Syracuse issued a preliminary injunction Friday preventing New York officials from enforcing different coronavirus restrictions for houses of worship than for secular nonessential businesses. Senior U.S. District Judge Gary L. Sharpe wrote that Governor Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Letitia James and Mayor Bill de Blasio had made decisions that led to…
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Community How I hired Jackie Hoffman to be my pandemic celebrity Cyrano
What’s your pandemic guilty pleasure? My wife is cooking up a storm, my son is binging all 222 episodes of “Phineas and Ferb” and my daughter is posting dances to TikTok. Me? I’ve hired actress and comedian Jackie Hoffman ($20) as my personal avatar. You know how it is: My cousin graduates and we can’t…
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Life Is this the right time to move or change jobs? Our columnists weigh in
From its start in 1906, A Bintel Brief was a pillar of the Forward, helping generations of Jewish immigrants learn how to be American. Now our columnists are helping people navigate the complexities of being Jewish in 2020. Send questions to [email protected]. Do you need to move? I’m looking for a new home or apartment…
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Fast Forward Researchers investigate if ‘Jewish factor’ caused high COVID death rate
Researchers in the United Kingdom are investigating a possible “Jewish factor” that could explain why Jews there were disproportionately likely to die of coronavirus, the Jewish Chronicle reported. A study by Britain’s Office of National Statistics found that Jewish males were more than twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than Christian males. The heightened…
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Community After the storm has passed, looking forward to camp — Summer 2021
While we are not the first to compare the challenges of Jewish institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic to the story of Noah’s Ark, the analogy is too apt to be ignored. The world as we’ve known it has been “washed away,” and we navigate strange waters in hopes of finding dry land once more. We…
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Community How a Silicon Valley mindset helped us host an epic Zoom bar mitzvah
“We could play a YouTube version of ‘Adon Olam’ to a really catchy tune!” “We could play personal messages for him from family all over the world!” “We could have an Israeli rock star sing him a song!” These were the “What ifs” that drove the conversation between me and my wife after we decided…
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Fast Forward DOJ letter argues NYC mayor is being unfairly strict with Orthodox Jews
(JTA) – A top Justice Department official sent a letter to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio last week that claims the mayor has enforced uneven social distancing rules that “favor certain secular gatherings and disfavor religious gatherings.” The letter, which was shared Tuesday by Agudath Israel, an organization representing haredi Orthodox Jews, specifically…
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News What a Secretary of State Marco Rubio would mean for American Jews and Israel
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Fast Forward Trump AG nominee Matt Gaetz has left a trail of antisemitic comments
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Opinion Trump’s first picks are die-hard Israel supporters, mocking the pro-Palestinian protest vote
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News Your complete guide to Trump’s Jewish advisers and pro-Israel cabinet
In Case You Missed It
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Opinion Trump wants prayer in schools. The Bible tells us how dangerous that is
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Opinion Will Trump’s efforts to fight antisemitism help degrade democracy?
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Culture A Jewish snowman movie would have made a lot more sense than Netflix’s ‘Hot Frosty’
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Fast Forward Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Jewish Democrat, launches bid for New Jersey governor
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