Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · news · Rabbi Haskel Lookstein

Great article.

A great article on convert Ivanka Trump in New York Magazine, “Why Won’t Ivanka Just Let Herself Be a Trump?”, never mentions her much talked about conversion. Thank G-d. It seems when people in the Orthodox community talk about Ivanka, all they can talk about is her conversion. And mostly, the stuff I hear is… Continue reading Great article.

death · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · news

Do Jews believe in an afterlife?

In another hilarious episode of Jew in the City, Allison Josephs answers: Do Jews believe in the afterlife? And do check out her article in The Jewish Press, “Extreme Makeover: Orthodox Edition” that explains why she’s on a public relations mission to revamp the imagine Jews and non-Jews alike have of Orthodox Jews.

Barack Obama · books and reading · New York · news

Barack Obama and Peace in America

From New York Magazine: Son says to father: “Where are you getting this racist nonsense?” Father says to son: “On the Internet.” And that is the premise of this piece in The Huffington Post, “The “Post-Racial” Mainstream Media and the New American Racism”, which claims the racism we’re not reading about in our newspapers is… Continue reading Barack Obama and Peace in America

Barack Obama · books and reading · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · news

Obama Loses the Olympics and Scores the Nobel Peace Prize. Not a Bad Day at the Office?

While I was watching Battlestar Galattica with the lovely ladies above, I heard President Barack Obama, who I voted for, had been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. The first thing I said was, “For what?” or maybe I said “What the frack?” (See, I can curse Battlestar Galattica style!) I was just totally freaking shocked.… Continue reading Obama Loses the Olympics and Scores the Nobel Peace Prize. Not a Bad Day at the Office?

celebrities · hair · news

Thanks for asking, my hair is fine!

Pictured: Zahara Jolie Pitt (daughter of Brad Pitt and Anjelina Jolie and Johan and Heny Samuel (Seal’s sons with Heidi Klum) Yesterday’s hair post, “My Hair is Not a Wild Animal” comes on the heels of many, many comments that have recently been made about my hair. It seems like the longer I go without… Continue reading Thanks for asking, my hair is fine!

Hispanics/Latinos · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · Los Angeles · news · race/racism · religion

Conversion in the News Roundup: From Crypto-Jews to Black Jews to Angry Jews

“The New Assimilated Jews” (Ynetnews.com) There are so many things wrong with this article, I don’t even know where to begin. Yael Mishali writes: “In my view, an assimilated Jew is anyone whose Judaism has no significance in his own eyes. He was born Jewish, and now just leave him alone. In my view, an… Continue reading Conversion in the News Roundup: From Crypto-Jews to Black Jews to Angry Jews

Hispanics/Latinos · Israel · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · news

Cancel that vacation in Honduras

Two news pieces, “Anti-Jewish statements raise concern on Honduras” (Google News) and “Iran-Style Anti-Semitism Spreading in Latin America: First Venezuela, now Honduras” (Tablet Magazine) express a growing alarm over conspiracy theories claiming Jews and Israel aided the ouster of the Honduran president. Still wondering if there are actually any Jews in Honduras…. On more chipper… Continue reading Cancel that vacation in Honduras

Israel · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · news

News on the Growing Disconnect Between Jews

“The tropes of ‘Jewish antisemitism’” (Guardian.co.uk) According to Antony Lerman, “The concept of the ‘self-hating Jew’ has been dignified with a pseudo-psychopathology by those keen to suppress dissent.” “Will the ultra-Orthodox hold Israel back?” (LA Times) According to Stanley Gold, “Government subsidies, lower education expectations and political policies biased in favor of a religious minority… Continue reading News on the Growing Disconnect Between Jews

books and reading · Hispanics/Latinos · news · television · women/feminism

What kind of name is that???

Maria de la Soledad Teresa…O’Brien? CNN’s Soledad O’Brien talks about being “Latino in America”: When you have a name like María de la Soledad Teresa O’Brien, you have a lot of explaining to do. My mother is black and also Latina, more specifically Cuban. She is a devout Catholic who credits the Virgin Mary with… Continue reading What kind of name is that???

Holocaust · Israel · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · news · Sukkot

A self-hating Jew?

If you haven’t heard of it already, then you’ve probably been living under a rock (or a sukkah?). The news media is ablaze with a (possibly) tall tale that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might be a Jew. Apparently, his parents changed their surname to Ahmadinejad after converting to Islam. The name before? Sabourjian…a Iranian Jewish… Continue reading A self-hating Jew?