A New York Minute

The Persistence Of ‘The Protocols’

11/15/2011 | Steve Lipman | Staff Writer | A New York Minute

“The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” are perhaps the best proof that the Nazis’ “Big Lie” theory — tell something long enough and loud enough, and some people are sure to believe it is true.
A fabrication of the Russian Secret Police between 1897 and 1903, the documents described a putative Jewish plot to take over the world. Their speciousness repeatedly proven over the years, they continue to fuel anti-Semitism: in Nazi Germany, in communist Russia, in anti-Semitic Arab countries, in the writings of Western racists and so on.

At 115, Jewish Veterans Group Soldiers On

11/08/2011 | Steve Lipman | Staff Writer | A New York Minute

Friday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. Anyone who served in uniform for the United States probably doesn’t need a reminder of the date, which began as Armistice Day after World War I, marking the official end of hostilities in “the war to end all wars” — Nov. 11, 1918, at 11 a.m. Non-vets probably need a reminder.

Shaking Up Jewish Music With Online Radio

11/01/2011 | Julie Wiener | Associate Editor | A New York Minute

Marking its first birthday this month, Jewish Rock Radio has a lot to celebrate. The 24-7 online radio station — which plays big names like Matisyahu, Israeli groups like Hadag Nachash, classics like Debbie Friedman and numerous emerging artists — is the youngest of the 50 groups highlighted in this year’s Slingshot Resource Guide for Innovation.

A Strike For Retired Major Leaguers

10/18/2011 | Steve Lipman | Staff Writer | A New York Minute

A Queens native and lifelong baseball fan, journalist Doug Gladstone is interested in more than the sports’ pinnacle, the World Series, which began this week. He’s also interested in the welfare of the players — particularly some of the retired athletes, who played briefly in recent decades before they were able to qualify for baseball’s current pension plan.

The Gratitude Emissary

10/04/2011 | Steve Lipman | Staff Writer | A New York Minute

For Walter Green, a retired entrepreneur who resettled in California from the New York City area, the concept of giving thanks is not limited to one day a year. Many Jews, in their daily prayers or meditations, make a point of showing gratitude.

No-Strings-Attached Honor For Young ‘Genius’ Cellist

09/27/2011 | Eric Herschthal | A New York Minute

Last week the 29-year-old cellist Alisa Weilerstein, of New York, was named a MacArthur fellow, one of the country’s most prestigious honors in the arts and sciences. Each of the 22 recipients of the honor, also known as the “genius” awards, receives a $500,000 grant, spread out over five years, with no stipulations attached. The Jewish Week caught up with Weilerstein, the youngest honoree this year, the day after the fellows were announced.