Short Takes

‘MoSex’ And The Jews

09/27/2002 | by Julia Goldman | Staff Writer

The careers of stage-and-screen star Mae West, moral crusader Anthony Comstock and birth-control pioneer Margaret Sanger are intimately bound up in the history of sexuality in America. So, too, are those of burlesque queen Ida Mencken, publisher Samuel Roth and condom-maker Julius Schmidt. Their enterprising exploits will be on display when the Museum of Sex opens this week.

Tutoring Teens On Israel

09/27/2002 | by Julie Wiener | Special To The Jewish Week

Over the past two years, the Jewish community has slowly begun to address that Jewish university students largely lack the knowledge to argue Israel’s case on campus.

Now the community is preparing an even younger group: day school students.

Book Award Is A Commentary

09/27/2002 | by Sandee Brawarsky

Nobody remembers whether the Torah has ever won a book award before.
But this year’s National Jewish Book Award for non-fiction goes to “Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary,” edited by David Lieber and Jules Harlow (Jewish Publication Society). It’s the Conservative movement’s new volume of the Torah text and commentary, the first new edition published in 70 years.

Blood Libels, Then And Now

09/27/2002 | by Daniel Schifrin | Special To The Jewish Week

Publishers Weekly, in its review of the fascinating new book “The Butcher’s Tale: Murder and Anti-Semitism in a German Town” (Norton), notes somewhat offhandedly that “although classed by the publisher as history/Judaica, this powerful volume will also appeal to true-crime readers…”

‘MoSex’ And The Jews

09/27/2002 | by Julia Goldman

Preparing For Sukkot

09/20/2002 | by Steve Lipman | Staff Writer

Yom Kippur doesn't mark the end of the fall holiday season. It's the start of sukkah-building time. The harvest festival begins Friday night this year.
Traditionally, Jewish families start erecting the temporary huts as soon as they break the fast: though some people get a head start in Elul, and some wait till the last moment.