Category Archives: Jews

No Joke: Making Jewish Humor

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Luke Ford

Ruth Wisse writes in her 2014 book: * The young man was most disagreeably surprised when the proposed bride was introduced to him, and drew aside the shadkhen — the marriage broker — to whisper his objections: “Why have you … Continue reading →

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Dan Senor’s State of World Jewry Address

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Luke Ford

I’ve just started listening to this talk and as he recites Jewish woes, I’m wondering if he asks — compared to whom? Spoiler alert — no he doesn’t. Over the past 800 years, Jews have consistently enjoyed more prosperous lives … Continue reading →

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A Zagats-Style Guide To LA Shuls & Schools

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Luke Ford

Grok says: Los Angeles Jewish Scene “A vibrant mosaic of faith and learning, LA’s Jewish institutions span from historic grandeur to modern intimacy, reflecting a community that’s grown from humble 19th-century roots into a global powerhouse.” History: Jews first trickled … Continue reading →

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Jews, Judaism & Humor

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Luke Ford

I heard that Jews weren’t known for being funny until they became secular starting in the 18th Century. I don’t find much support for the value of humor in traditional Jewish text. Is the pursuit of the comedic a secular … Continue reading →

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Jews in the American Academy, 1900-1940: The Dynamics of Intellectual Assimilation (1991)

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Luke Ford

Susanne Klingenstein wrote: Being a transnational philologist was for [Leo] Wiener‘s mind what being a farmer was for his body: it eased tension. And it rooted the self — in the soil and in humanity… He did not belong [at … Continue reading →

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