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| Sponsored by The Covenant Foundation JEWISH. INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT. Give a tax-deductible donation Dave Chappelle's antisemitic joke, why Christians in Guatemala are speaking Yiddish, competition fierce to lead Jewish Agency, HBO's new Holocaust boxing film and more. 5 FROM THE FORWARD Opinion | Stop comparing everything you hate to the Holocaust: A candidate in Virginia compared being a teacher with conservative views to declaring “I’m Jewish” in Nazi Germany. A mayor in Alaska defended anti-mask activists who were wearing a yellow Star of David. “In our diverse democracy,” writes Rabbi Jack Moline, “using Holocaust imagery or antisemitic tropes — in a campaign speech, a tweet, a flyer or in a public meeting — reduces the bigotry from which these dark forces emerged to a cheap political weapon.” Read the OpEd >
The 12 greatest Jewish feats in baseball playoff history:Of course, when we think of Jewish baseball heroics in October, we immediately (and understandably) think of Sandy Koufax. But while the “Left Arm of God” certainly ranks high on any list of incredible World Series performances, Koufax is hardly the only member of the tribe to make a memorable mark in the postseason. After all, Ken Holtzman (not Koufax) is the winningest Jewish pitcher of all time. But he wasn’t the first Jewish pitcher to appear in a World Series. That was … well, you’ll have to read the story > to find out.
Who’s next to run the Jewish Agency? The competition is fierce: At least nine people are vying to head the Jewish Agency for Israel, a job once held by former Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky. At least three are visiting the United States this week to meet with the selection committee, which is slated to pick by Oct. 26. Our senior political reporter, Jacob Kornbluh, breaks down what’s at stake and handicaps the field. Read the story >
Fidelity criticized for donations to group funding Israeli settlements: Two progressive Jewish groups, IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace, are highlighting $25 million that the financial giant gave to the Central Fund of Israel to support settlements in the occupied West Bank. It is part of a broader “Unmasking Fidelity” campaign that targets the company for directing clients’ donations to 23 organizations designated as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Read the story >
A message from our sponsor: The Covenant Foundation Nominate a Jewish Educator for a 2022 Covenant Award! The Covenant Foundation recognizes the diversity of strengths within the field of Jewish education in North America, across all denominations and settings. By honoring outstanding Jewish educators and supporting creative approaches to programming, the Foundation works to strengthen educational endeavors that perpetuate the identity, continuity and heritage of the Jewish people NOMINATE AN EDUCATOR
WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY Tucker Carlson's new special will focus on a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor. (Getty Images) 🎥 HBO acquired the rights to a Holocaust film about Harry Haft, a boxer who was forced to perform with fellow prisoners for the amusement of Nazis. The movie, directed by Oscar winner Barry Levinson, is based on the book “Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano.” The USC Shoah Foundation consulted on the film and provided access to video testimony of Haft. (Deadline)
📺 Fox News’ Tucker Carlson announced he has an hourlong special coming in December on how Jewish billionaire George Soros is “harming civilizations around the world.” The Hungarian-born Soros, a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor, has long been a Carlson target: “If you’re wondering why so many people are being robbed, raped and killed in American cities right now,” he remarked on an episode last year, “George Soros is part of the reason for that.” (Twitter)
⚖️ A Denver teenager who was expelled for posting an antisemitic comment on social media is appealing, claiming the school district is violating his First Amendment rights. A Supreme Court ruling this summer in the case of a cheerleader who complained about her coach on Snapchat could help him, as it determined that schools are limited in what they are able to regulate off campus. (Sentinel Colorado)
😯 Antisemitic graffiti was found at the Auschwitz concentration camp complex, the museum said on Tuesday, denouncing the incident as “an outrageous attack” on the memorial site. (JTA)
💰 A group of 6,500 Holocaust survivors will receive a pension from Germany for the first time. In total, Germany has set aside an additional $767 million for reparations for Holocaust victims. (NYT)
🚀 Comedian Dave Chappelle has a new Netflix special, and one particular joke is making headlines. It’s about a film idea centered on an ancient civilization that discovered space travel, left Earth and then came back to claim it as their own. His punch line is the title for the film: Space Jews. (NPR)
🇬🇹 A group of former Christians and descendants from the Central American Maya people have converted to Judaism – and are speaking Yiddish. Jewish activists from Brooklyn discovered the community, known as Ohr Chadash and affiliated with the Hasidic Satmar sect, on the outskirts of Guatemala City while on a mission to save members of the radical Lev Tahor sect who were hiding out in that country. (Mishpacha)
Shiva call > Alan Kalter, the announcer who introduced David Letterman for 20 years on “The Late Show,” has died at 78. Kalter also appeared in hilarious comic skits on the show, was the announcer on “To Tell the Truth” and “The $25,000 Pyramid,” and did voiceovers for hundreds of commercials. Perhaps most importantly, he was a past president of Temple Beth El in Stamford. (Hollywood Reporter)
What we’re watching > PBS’ new American Masters documentary about Emmy-Grammy-Oscar-Tony winner Rita Moreno. The actress had an uncanny connection to Judaism, writes our Seth Rogovoy in the latest installment of our secret Jewish history series.
FROM OUR YIDDISH SECTION Yiddish word of the day: It’s fall, and Thanksgiving and Chanukah will be here next month. Which means there will be lots (and lots, and lots) of food. So we asked Rukhl Schaechter, our Yiddish editor, to explain the different phrases for eating (“she eats like a little bird”) and, ahem, overeating (“when it comes to the Jewish laws of eating, he’s quite the scholar”). Watch the video >
Want to learn more Yiddish? A new intensive beginners’ Yiddish class starts in November.
ON THE CALENDAR On this day in history: “The Jazz Singer,” the first prominent “talkie” movie, premiered on Oct. 6, 1927. The film depicts the fictional story of Jakie Rabinowitz, a young man who defies the traditions of his devout family (his dad is a cantor) to become an entertainer. Underscoring the film’s tug of war between the secular and the divine, the premiere took place at Warner Bros.’ flagship theater in New York City on the evening of Yom Kippur.
Speaking of Yom Kippur: In 1973, it was on Oct. 6 that Egypt and Syria launched coordinated attacks against Israel to start what became known as the Yom Kippur War.
And speaking of cantors: We’re partnering with the Boston Synagogue for the launch of the Boston Festival of New Jewish Music, a free monthly concert series. Tonight at 7 p.m. ET, join a virtual release party for a new album by Zach Mayer, who channels his lineage of the four generations of cantors before him. Register here >
PHOTO OF THE DAY A 2,700-year-old toilet from the days of the First Temple in Jerusalem has been discovered by Israel’s Antiquities Authority. Built as a private stall at a time when few could afford such a luxury, the toilet was unveiled to the public this week at an archaeology conference, though for viewing only. Read the story >
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