Growing Up an American Jew – 2 Poems

By Sophie Katzman April 18, 2014

2 Poems  by Sophie Katzman:   Descendant’s Blessing Zadie. Zionist. Yellow stars. Young and old yearning for years passed. Yahrzeit. Yiddush: lyb, sholem. War. Woody Allen. Leaving notes on the Western Wall. The V’ahavta. U-blessed by the Orthodox Union. Torah. Tzedakah. Tikkun Olam, we repair the world. Shabbat. Sternberg Sewing. Samuel’s Metal Shop. Schlep. Shylock….

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Is My Birthright a Sexual Playground?

By Jonathan Katz March 4, 2014

Let me be direct: the men in Birthright ads are hot. As in, “let’s do something not tzanua together” hot. This queer man, despite his dovish tendencies, distaste for right-wing “anti-assimilation” efforts, and critiques of Israel, is not completely displeased when a Birthright ad featuring smiling, shirtless, muscular Jewish men surfaces on Facebook. The Jewish…

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Philip Roth Decides To Stop

By H. B. Rubin November 13, 2012

My older brother got to read Portnoy’s Complaint his Senior year of high school, and it was a big deal. I imagine that it was only allowed on the curriculum because his English teacher was one of those slick haired PHD types who didn’t really give a fuck– he just wanted to teach. It was…

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The Reading List: College Costs a Lot

By Ben Sales May 18, 2011

Ouch! [Inflation Data] Schechter put $240,000 toward a new logo and slogan, among other initiatives. [JW] Birthright is raking in the cash. [JW] A self-hating Jew named Israel. [Tablet] This person hates Philip Roth. [The Guardian]

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