Lior Zaltzman

File: Then-US Vice President Joe Biden, with his wife Jill Biden holding the Biden Family Bible, takes the official oath of office from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, surrounded by family, during an official ceremony at the Naval Observatory, January 20, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

November 20, 2020, 1:56 am

Meet Joe Biden’s whole big Jewish mishpocha

All three of the president-elect’s kids married into Jewish families — which means he’s the grandfather of some pretty adorable Jewish kids

By Lior Zaltzman

Sasha Baron Cohen, right, as Abbie Hoffman in "The Trial of the Chicago 7." (Niko Tavernise/Netflix via JTA)

September 17, 2020, 6:04 am

Sacha Baron Cohen’s next Netflix role is super Jewish and super relevant

Portrayal of anti-war activist Abbie Hoffman in ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ feels timely and familiar — even if depicts events from more than 50 years ago

By Lior Zaltzman

Seth Rogen as Ben and Herschel Greenbaum in 'An American Pickle' (HBO Max via JTA)

August 8, 2020, 6:54 am

The real history behind Seth Rogen’s ‘An American Pickle’

Separating the fact from the fiction on shtetls, New York Jewry, pickle factories and more in the new funny yet heartfelt film

By Lior Zaltzman

Niv Sultan appears in the trailer for "Tehran." (Screenshot/ YouTube)

June 17, 2020, 5:54 am

‘Fauda’ writer’s new show ‘Tehran’ gets picked up by Apple TV

Also, US adaptation of Israeli show ‘On The Spectrum,’ about three young people on the autism spectrum who share an apartment, picked up by Amazon

By Lior Zaltzman

The cast of 'Hashoter Hatov.' (Netflix/ via JTA)

May 25, 2020, 2:26 am

Locked down? Open up to… satirical Israeli police series ‘Hashoter Hatov’

Now streaming on Netflix, the show — whose title is Hebrew for ‘The Good Cop’ — turns the toxic masculinity associated with law enforcement on its head

By Lior Zaltzman

Charles Lindbergh poses alongside the Spirit of St. Louis, the plane in which he completed the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic. (Bettmann/Getty Images, via JTA)

March 21, 2020, 3:37 pm

The true history behind HBO’s ‘The Plot Against America’

Yes, Charles Lindbergh really did give that anti-Semitic speech. No, he didn’t really run for US president… but the idea is not simply a product of Philip Roth’s imagination

By Lior Zaltzman

A still from 'Hunters,' a new series by Amazon. (Courtesy Amazon Studios)

February 21, 2020, 9:06 pm

The real stories behind ‘Hunters,’ Al Pacino’s new Nazi-hunting Amazon series

The show boasts an aesthetic that’s more comic book than history book, but its stories and plotlines are based on many true events

By Lior Zaltzman

Kveller collage. (Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images/via JTA)

November 1, 2019, 6:42 am

New kind of matchmaking site looks to mitigate the hell of flying with kids

AirPair is the brainchild of Alana Rubin, a New York mother who needed to get to Israel alone with her brood; her service pairs any haggard parent up with an in-flight helper

By Lior Zaltzman

October 28, 2019, 4:37 am

Even prior to ‘Jojo Rabbit,’ Jews have long played Nazis onscreen

Jewish-Polynesian director Taika Waititi’s latest film has stirred controversy for its humorous portrayal of Hitler, but lampooning the 20th century’s greatest villain is tradition

By Lior Zaltzman

Rishik Gandshari spelled 'Yiddishkeit' and 'keriah' on the way to the co-championship of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, June 2019. (Scripps National Spelling Bee Facebook)

June 6, 2019, 9:21 am

Yiddish word kicks off Scripps National Spelling Bee finals

US contestant nails the spelling of ‘Yiddishkeit’ before also getting a Hebrew word and tying for first in contest

By Lior Zaltzman

'Dead to Me' is a new Netflix show Jewish women need to watch. (Netflix/via JTA)

May 25, 2019, 9:03 am

‘Dead To Me’ is the new Netflix show Jewish women need to watch

Subverting expectations without relying on shock value, this compassionate, thrilling new ‘traumedy’ by creator Liz Feldman is a must for Yiddishe mamas — and TV lovers in general

By Lior Zaltzman

March 8, 2019, 5:11 am

12 Israeli shows to binge-watch now that you’re done with ‘Shtisel’

From Netflix to Amazon, it seems the world is onto the fact that Israel makes some truly incredible TV

By Lior Zaltzman

March 1, 2019, 4:42 pm

Anne Frank comparison sums up problems with Oscar winner ‘Green Book’

Using a white protagonist in a story about racism is like focusing on Holocaust victim’s saviors instead of herself, commentator says

By Lior Zaltzman

Collage of the best sukkot on Instagram. (JTA)

September 28, 2018, 10:13 am

These are the best sukkahs on Instagram

Jews celebrate week-long festival in festival huts reflecting ‘different realities’ — including some made from Lego, magnetic tiles

By Lior Zaltzman

Actor Burt Reynolds talks about his new movie "The Crew" and his character Joey "The Bats" Pistella from his hotel suite at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Aug. 20, 2000, in Miami Beach, Florida (AP Photo/Amy E. Conn)

September 8, 2018, 4:09 pm

‘The dictionary definition of a golden man’ — Jewish stars recall Burt Reynolds

Handsome film and TV star known for his performances in ‘Deliverance,’ ‘Boogie Nights,’ and ‘Smokey and the Bandit,’ died Thursday at 82

By Lior Zaltzman