Tag: culture

Israeli-American filmmaker Nim Shapira was in his hometown of Tel Aviv celebrating Simchat Torah and his mother’s birthday on Oct. 7, 2023. That morning, he woke up to rockets, and watched the news in horror as the number of casualties and hostages rose. It was a harrowing, life-changing experience. But it was how the ensuing […]

Yes, Hanukkah is “late” this year — in 2024, the holiday begins the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 25, and the last candle on the hanukkiah will be lit on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 1.  But for all the impatient party people among us, we have good news: This year’s festivities start long before Hanukkah […]

New York City’s Other Israel Film Festival, which spotlights marginalized voices in Israel, opens this week with a slate of movies by Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers. It’s a notable return for the festival, which was indefinitely postponed in 2023 in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.  This year, it aims to “highlight […]

It is, perhaps, no great surprise that the son of a talented cantor would grow up chanting prayers during Shabbat and holiday services. Or that Yair Keydar, 11, might perform Hebrew and Yiddish songs during concerts at various Jewish venues. What could not have been anticipated, however, is that Keydar — known for his stirring […]

The Jewish people have long taken pride in their moniker, People of the Book. But Jews are also people who dance — and not just at weddings and bar or bat mitzvahs, or on holidays like Simchat Torah. Like many other communities, Jews dance to foster and build community, and to come together for spiritual, […]

In 1971, legendary British actress Judi Dench played Portia in a production of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.” In her book about the playwright published this spring, Dench is candid and straight to the point about the play, which centers on a Jewish moneylender: “I think it’s a horrible play.”  Dench, who would usually joyfully […]

In 1971, legendary British actress Judi Dench played Portia in a production of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.” In her book about the playwright published this spring, Dench is candid and straight to the point about the play, which centers on a Jewish moneylender: “I think it’s a horrible play.”  Dench, who would usually joyfully […]

For Brooklyn-based Jewish musician Rafael Cohen, life has been a series of journeys: across continents, across musical genres and across the spiritual divide. The 48-year-old was born and raised in Mexico City before moving to Washington, D.C. with his parents at age 10. There, he played in a series of local punk bands before moving […]

When Zack Weiner ran for New York City Council in 2021, he was a 26-year-old Jewish actor and screenwriter with no political experience, hardly any funding and, crucially, a complete lack of publicity.  That was until a few days before the Democratic primary, when a video leaked showing Weiner, mostly nude, being whipped, clamped and […]

October is well underway, which means that it’s nearly time for Open House New York Weekend, a yearly event that gives New Yorkers access to hundreds of notable, little-known or usually inaccessible locations throughout the five boroughs. This year, during the 22nd annual Open House New York Weekend, more than 270 spots across the city […]