Jewish culture
Jewish American delis: A story of culture, community and survival
Food is, of course, an important part of culture. A new exhibit at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois, is exploring the role delis have played in Jewish culture and history. In America, many delis were founded by Holocaust survivors.
How centuries-old Sabbath laws impact the modern world
Over the weekend, seven children were killed in a house fire in Brooklyn, New York. It was devastating tragedy for the large Orthodox Jewish family and community. The fire was sparked supposedly by a hot plate left on for the family’s Sabbath meal. Cooking is forbidden during the Sabbath, as it is considered work. Which leads to widespread use of hot plates.
A family that’s made matzo on the Lower East Side for nearly a century prepares to leave the neighborhood
For nearly 100 years, the Streit’s factory has been making matzo on the Lower East Side. But now Streit’s is shuttering its flagship matzo factory in what was once the center of Jewish immigrant life in New York.
Claire Barry brought Yiddish pop to mainstream America
Claire Barry was one-half of the Barry Sisters, a pop duo that blended Yiddish tunes with swing music. She and her sister, Merna, shot to stardom in the 1930s, but their music reached an audience far beyond the Yiddish-speaking communities of New York.
A reporter remembers Odessa as a place of humor, not violence
For many, it’s hard to imagine the violence playing out now in Odessa — the charming port city on the Black Sea is known for its literature, arts, and perhaps above all else, humor. It’s especially hard for The World’s reporter Jason Margolis.For many, it’s hard to imagine the violence playing out now in Odessa — the charming port city on the Black Sea is known for its literature, arts, and perhaps above all else, humor. It’s especially hard for The World’s reporter Jason Margolis.