Jewish History
Leadership Beyond Despair
Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, is remarkable for the extreme realism with which it portrays human character. Its heroes are not superhuman. Its non-heroes are not archetypal villains. The best have failings; the worst often have saving virtues. I know of no other religious literature quite like it. This makes it very difficult to use biblical narrative to teach a simple, black-and-white approach to...
December 28, 2012 4:47 pm
PA Leader Rajoub: “The Greatest Palestinian in History Since Jesus is Yasser Arafat” (VIDEO)
Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reports that the Palestinian leadership’s falsification...
December 27, 2012 3:34 am
Walking on Heroes’ Ground in Poland
WARSAW—“Zegota,” the official unit of the Polish Underground Army tasked with helping...
December 19, 2012 8:50 pm
Babe Ruth and the Holocaust
Babe Ruth is remembered for his home runs on the field and his hot dog binges and other...
December 17, 2012 6:12 pm
The 2012 Jewish Year in Review
We’re in the middle of 5773, but turning the corner on 2012 and saying goodbye to a year...
December 13, 2012 5:32 pm
The Yiddish Language’s Literal and Figurative Rescuer
AMHERST, MA—Aaron Lansky’s decades-long mission is typified by an “emergency” call...
December 12, 2012 5:12 pm
Rare Silver Spice Tower Sells for Record $337,900 (PHOTOS)
Kestenbaum & Company’s auction of rare Judaica broke a record December 6th. “An...
December 11, 2012 9:48 pm
Defiance, Then Destruction: Chanukah in the Warsaw Ghetto
“Never before in Jewish Warsaw were there as many Hanukkah celebrations as in this year...
December 11, 2012 2:31 pm
Famed Archeologist Claims Possible Proof That Noah’s Ark Flood Actually Happened
The famed archaeologist responsible for discovering the titanic wreck says that he thinks...
December 9, 2012 10:12 am
Chanukah: The Untold Story
During the eight days of Hanukkah, traditional Jews add the following to their daily prayers:...
December 7, 2012 2:23 pm
Real Chanukah Heroes and the Nechemya Weberman Case
What is Chanukah? Thus the Talmud asks, in its only reference to the story of Chanukah. And...
December 4, 2012 2:39 pm
Israel’s State Archive Releases Golda Meir’s Chicken Soup Recipe
Jewish mothers and chicken soup with matzo balls are nearly synonymous with one another. So...
November 30, 2012 8:30 am
Historic Synagogue in Jerusalem’s Old City to be Restored
The Jerusalem Municipality has announced plans to restore the historic Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue,...
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Arts and Culture Blogs
Film Review: Fill the Void (VIDEO)
Rama Burshtein’s Fill the Void (Lemale et ha’halal) is the second film in as many years to emerge from Israel with not only a strong international presence, but a unique perspective on religious Judaism. Just as Footnote before it, this was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards after a run of significant festival appearances (including winning Best Actress at the 2012 Venice Film Festival). The film represents the crowning jewel of an emerging religious women’s cinema [...]
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Arts and Culture Blogs
EXCLUSIVE: Gal Gadot on Jewish Identity, American Films and Representing Israel in Hollywood (INTERVIEW)
Gal Gadot is arguably Israel’s second hottest export at the moment. The former Miss Israel 2004 and Miss Universe contestant has a starring role in the most recent film from the Fast and the Furious Franchise and is one of the faces of Israel’s largest clothing brands, Castro. Now she’s teaming up with Vine Vera skin care products,which incorporates the breakthrough ingredient Resveratrol, which she tells The Algemeiner is “a new innovative discovery which helps slow down the aging process [...]
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Arts and Culture Blogs
Jonathan Ames, ‘Herring Wonder’ and HBO Series Creator, Does Israel
Writer Jonathan Ames, creator of the HBO television series “Bored to Death,” is known for his fearless and exhibitionistic persona. One can find YouTube videos of him eating herring and boxing at the same time, having knives thrown at him by a person called “Throwdini,” and ranting drunkenly at an awards ceremony. And when it comes to writing, Ames’s essays tend to cover racy topics. Given these exploits, it’s a bit surprising to learn that Ames’s recent trip to Israel [...]
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Arts and Culture Beliefs and concepts
Jewish Presence in Contemporary Art
The Jewish presence and identity in the contemporary world of art is one truly worth noting. At the 3rd annual conference of “Jewish Arts & Identity in the contemporary world” in Baruch College’s Jewish Studies Center, at a panel entitled “Jewish Ways of Seeing: The Visual Arts and the Jewish Tradition”, the Jewish impact on the creative world is exemplified through the discussion of artist Audrey Flack and her various works. Flack was born in 1931 to a fairly Orthodox [...]
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Blogs Features
Black Jazz Musician Encounters Mixed Reactions to Subway Renditions of Hatikvah, Hava Hagila
At first you may be skeptical of Isaiah Richardson Jr. He doesn’t look like somebody who would be playing Hava Nagila for passengers waiting for their train in the subway. Firstly, he seems too young, and secondly, he’s a black kid from the Bronx, dressed sharply, derby hat and all. But when upon meeting Isaiah, the 32-year-old ticked off “Hevenu Shalom Aleichem,” “Bashana Haba’ah,” and “Zum Gali Gali” as some of his favorite songs to play passing crowds, I knew [...]
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Blogs Music
Mother’s Day Performer Blends Israeli Independence and the Jewish Side of Verdi
This Mother’s Day, the music of opera singer Sharon Azrieli Perez will integrate the varied threads that have made up the fabric of her life. Perez, in a Mother’s Day concert May 12 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, will weave a musical experience that brings together intimations of Israeli independence, Giuseppe Verdi’s use of Jewish melodies, medieval Ladino music, and modern Jewish show music. These musical elements are particularly personal for Perez, whose Juilliard education has [...]
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Blogs Jewish 100 Social
Harvey Weinstein to Elie Wiesel: Without You There Would be no ‘Schindler’s List’ (VIDEO)
Famed film producer Harvey Weinstein presented Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel with the Algemeiner newspaper’s ‘Warrior for Truth’ award at its recent star studded 40th anniversary ‘JEWISH 100’ Gala. “My mother, the Miriam of Miramax […] was so thrilled when she heard that I was presenting to Professor Wiesel,” Weinstein said as he called on the professor to accept the award. “I am happy to be here on the Algemeiner’s 40th anniversary and to celebrate their top 100,” Weinstein added. Commenting [...]
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Israel Sports
Israeli Soccer Star Victim of Anti-Semitic Abuse on Twitter
Israeli soccer star Yossi Benayoun, who currently plays for FC Chelsea in the English Premier League, was recently the victim of anti-Semitic abuse on Twitter. After thanking his Twitter followers for sending him birthday wishes, Benayoun, who many consider to be the greatest Israeli soccer player ever, was sent the following message: “f***in Jew a**hole.” Benayoun posted a response, saying, “Some nice people in the world.” His team has called on the police to investigate the matter, according to the Britain’s [...]
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