Gabe Friedman

April 10, 2021, 5:46 am

Before Helen Mirren plays Golda Meir: 7 stars who played Israeli prime ministers

Anthony Hopkins, Ingrid Bergman, Lior Ashkenazi among those to have portrayed PMs in films since the 1970s

By Gabe Friedman

US President Donald Trump, right, greets Rep. Lee Zeldin, center, and his wife Diana Zeldin, left, after arriving at Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, New York, Aug. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

April 9, 2021, 7:52 am

Jewish pro-Trump Republican Lee Zeldin announces run for New York governor

Congressman makes move amid nursing home deaths scandal and allegations of sexual harassment against current Governor Andrew Cuomo

By Gabe Friedman

Former Boston Celtic Paul Pierce attends the NBA basketball game between the Celtics and the Houston Rockets in Boston, February 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, file)

April 7, 2021, 3:45 pm

NBA great Pierce lauds Shabbat in racy video that preceded firing

‘Can somebody invite me to Shabbat? I would love to have a sit-down meal like that,’ says retired basketballer in clip that reportedly caused ESPN to ax him

By Gabe Friedman

Actress Helen Mirren talks to media during a news conference during the 70th International Film Festival Berlin, Berlinale in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

April 7, 2021, 3:57 am

Helen Mirren to play Golda Meir in upcoming movie ‘Golda’

Academy Award winner to portray Israel’s only female prime minister in biopic set during Yom Kippur War; Shira Haas to play Meir in separate series

By Gabe Friedman

A Jewish family is temporarily kicked off a Spirit Airlines flight. (Screenshot/Twitter)

April 7, 2021, 2:11 am

Spirit Airlines temporarily kicks Jewish family off plane over toddler’s mask

Budget airline says it was following federal rules when family was asked to leave over 2-year-old seen without face covering

By Gabe Friedman

Rabbi Robert Marx in video for the 50th anniversary of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs on June 16, 2014. (Screen capture:
JCUA Chicago/ Youtube)

April 5, 2021, 12:58 am

Rabbi Robert Marx, pioneering Chicago civil rights activist, dies at 93

Leading Reform rabbi, community organizer fought racism and discriminatory policies, starting with early marches with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Gabe Friedman

Zebulon Simantov reads a prayer book before celebrating Rosh Hashanah in Kabul, Afghanistan, September 18, 2009. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images/File via JTA)

April 4, 2021, 10:33 pm

Afghanistan’s last known Jew is leaving for Israel

Zabulon Simantov, who tends to country’s lone synagogue, fears US military’s promise to pull out will leave vacuum, likely to be filled by the Taliban

By Gabe Friedman

Duolingo is giving users who order in Yiddish a free bagel on the course launch date. (Duolingo)

April 4, 2021, 6:43 am

How a secular scholar and some NY Hasidic Jews set up Duolingo’s Yiddish course

Popular language-learning app has a bissel obstacles to overcome before hitting screens — with a side of bagels and schmear — on April 6

By Gabe Friedman

Illustrative: Cases of Sabra hummus seen in 2015. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images via JTA)

April 1, 2021, 7:38 pm

Sabra hummus said to recall 2,100 containers in US over salmonella fears

FDA says no consumers have filed complaints about 10-ounce ‘Classic Hummus’ items which have a best before date of April 26

By Gabe Friedman

The Christian Passover seder with challah braided in the shape of a cross. (Screenshot/@clapifyoulikeme via JTA)

March 30, 2021, 10:11 pm

Christian Passover Seder with cross-shaped challah sparks online rage

Twitter user finds an extreme version of the ‘non-Jews putting an unkosher twist on the Jewish holiday meal’ stereotype

By Gabe Friedman

Illustrative: Workers prepare matzah for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover at the "Yehuda Matzos" plant in Jerusalem on March 16, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

March 27, 2021, 6:29 am

Virtual celebrity Passover event to auction off matzah-themed NFT artwork

Clubhouse app to host holiday event with Mayim Bialik, Jeff Garlin, Michael Rappaport that will sell digital piece of art for charity

By Gabe Friedman

A group photo at the Jewish Community of Taiwan's 2021 Purim party. No masks required. (Archi Chang/ via JTA)

March 27, 2021, 3:05 am

Taiwan’s small Jewish community gears up for big Passover party — sans masks

As the small island off China remains blessedly untouched by COVID, its diverse group of Jews prepare to welcome this holiday like all others

By Gabe Friedman

Stephen Durchslag has amassed over 4,500 unique Haggadahs from around the world. (Fred Eckhouse/Courtesy of Stephen Durchslag via JTA)

March 26, 2021, 11:18 pm

A peak into the world’s largest private collection of antique Haggadahs

Stephen Durchslag has gifted 4,500 versions of the book that leads Jews through the Passover seder to the University of Chicago

By Gabe Friedman

Seth Rogen arrives at the premiere of "Good Boys" on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019, at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

March 26, 2021, 6:42 am

Spielberg casts Seth Rogen to play his ‘favorite uncle’ in semi-biopic

Recently announced film, slated for 2022 release, will be based on director’s childhood in Arizona

By Gabe Friedman

March 24, 2021, 9:27 pm

US newspaper fires photographer over ‘total JAP’ caption of Jewish nurse

Asbury Park Press lays off Gustavo Martínez Contreras, apologizes to ‘women, the Lakewood Jewish community, the Asian American community, and all our readers’

By Gabe Friedman