Orthodoxy, Isolation, and the Internet [Religion]

By pkessler May 17, 2012

I’m sorry, but the Internet is here to stay. Source of endless amusement, endless frustration, and endless things you may or may not have ever wanted to know about (what up, Wikipedia), it’s an ever-important presence in the modern world. And I’m sorry Haredim, but you can’t just elect to ignore it. Yes, the Internet can…

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Facebook co-founder renounces U.S. Citizenship; Ultra-Orthodox go offline; the future of the peace process, and more [Required Reading]

By pkessler May 17, 2012

Facebook Co-Founder renounces U.S. Citizenship [Washington Post] Eduardo Saverin, the savvy entrepreuner who was one of the co-founders of Facebook, has renounced his United States citizenship to become a resident of Singapore. The move is drawing criticism from those who claim that Saverin’s move was motivated by tax purposes. Facebook is poised to go public, an…

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#NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement [Discourse]

By pkessler May 16, 2012

Jewish tradition dictates the necessity of paying attention to language. More specifically, it admonishes those who use Lashon Hora, the evil language, in attacking their fellow man.  This may include libel, slander, and myriad other offenses that fall under the category of malicious falsehood. I understand that politicians toe this line more often than most;…

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‘The Dictator’ speaks; Romney & the facts; Brooklyn College is Kosher; and more [Required Reading]

By pkessler May 16, 2012

‘The Dictator’ talks Obama, Arab Spring, and more [Forward] Sacha Baron Cohen’s alter egos are famous for making a splash. And his latest project, a satire loosely based on the of the rule of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, is no exception. Forward Editor Dan Friedman has The Dictator’s take on everything from the Arab Spring to…

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Y-Love comes out [Music]

By John Propper May 15, 2012

Today’s Required Reading is done, but this story was too great not to share. Y-Love, Orthodox rapper, has come out of the closet. While these kinds of stories can get old really fast due to their gossip-ready flair, this one is particularly touching because of the artist’s own thoughts on why it was time to…

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Gay rabbis, Mormons and Conservative Jews; greening Tel Aviv; and more. [Required Reading]

By John Propper May 15, 2012

Does Bugs Bunny have a thing against Arabs? [Tablet] In this piece from Tablet Magazine, Marc Tracy takes a look at some of the Arabic stereotypes in Bugs’ cartoons, in light of accusations that the work fuels hatred and mistrust of Arabs in general. “Thing is, she has a point! 1957′s ‘Ali Baba Bunny‘ is a little…

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Full Jewish Student Journalism Conference schedule — space and subsidies still available!

By David A.M. Wilensky May 14, 2012

Space is still available for the 41st annual National Jewish Student Journalism Conference at the NYU Bronfman Center, May 20-22. Check it out on Facebook or register here. If you’re a Masa Israel alum, you’re eligible for a limited number of subsidies for the conference. (And the whole thing only costs $40 anyway!) Apply here…

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Alpha Epsilon Pi and the real meaning of ‘Greek life’ [Fraternity]

By Gabe Weinstein May 14, 2012

I feel bad for the caretaker of Charles C. Moskowitz’s grave. The founding father of Alpha Epsilon Pi has probably made a racket rolling around the past month, as his progeny at Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania have smeared the reputation of his fraternity. These hazing episodes give critics prime material to decry…

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Jews See Far-Right Rise in Hungary, Again

By Gabriel T. Erbs May 14, 2012

The decimated, post-Holocaust Jewish population of Eastern Europe is the main concern for a number of Jewish activists in the region, but for András (the S is pronounced like “sh”) Ligeti a representative of Hungarian Union of Jewish Students, it isn’t the number of Jews in Hungary that’s the issue. The more pressing concern, Ligeti…

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Sci-Fi & the Jews; Mother’s Day; the Internet; and more. [Required Reading]

By John Propper May 14, 2012

Haredim and the Internet… part whatever [Haaretz] Hmm… so it’s tough to know what to make of it, but whatever you think, it’s an intriguing report. Maya Epstein writes: “To put things into proportion, both the Arab and Haredi communities are relatively impoverished, and their proportion of households with Internet is lower. But among those who…

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Feminist theologian ordained; Israel and marriage equality; and more. [Required Reading]

By John Propper May 11, 2012

Is ‘TED’ all it’s cracked up to be? [Tablet] In this piece from Tablet Magazine, Liel Leibovitz explores the popularity of the TED series of educational videos, and claims that the TED-Ed program (new from the series) leaves some things to be desired: “Which is not to say that there’s no room for video, audio, and…

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Obama’s Support of Gay Marriage; and more [Required Reading]

By pkessler May 10, 2012

Obama Supports Gay Marriage [ABC News] The president came out in favor of same sex marriage yesterday, declaring in an interview with ABC News that he believes same-sex couples should be able to be married. Obama’s announcement, after years of equivocation, comes on the heels of the passage of a constitutional amendment in North Carolina…

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New Matisyahu? Yup yup. [Musik]

By John Propper May 9, 2012

With the announcement that Jewish reggae/rapper/pop artist Matisyahu would be releasing a new album on July 17th (Spark Seeker, be there or be… not there) came the news that the artist would also offer a free download of its lead single. Above is the video. Click through for more info on how to get an…

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School warns of ‘crafty’ Jews; counter-protests; the Rabbinical Assembly; and more. [Required Reading]

By John Propper May 9, 2012

Anat Hoffman, Women of the Wall, featured on CNN [Umm, CNN?] This is a little late in coming, but this great piece about Anat Hoffman, women’s rights in Israel, etc., is currently on the CNN “Amanpour” blog. Written by Samuel Burke, this is one of the widest recent exposures of the Israeli organization. “Hoffman is the…

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Maurice Sendak, Remembered [Z”L]

By pkessler May 8, 2012

As John so eloquently posted yesterday, the death of a celebrity always leads to an outpouring of grief, real or feigned. Maurice Sendak’s profound influence on children over the past fifty years stands on its own. And if I may hypothesize, someone who spent so much of his life breaking barriers wouldn’t want to be…

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