Jared Polis: Governor of Colorado with Two “Firsts” to His Credit
At the beginning of this year, Jared Polis became the 43rd governor of the State of Colorado…
Andy Sweet: Photographer of the ‘Shtetl in the Sun’
Photographer Andy Sweet (Nov. 9, 1953 — Oct. 17, 1982), who was born and raised in Miami Beach, became fascinated by the Jewish community there in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was a community largely made up of retirees who had migrated to sunny South Florida in their later years. Sweet documented the…
Ron Chernow: Speaker at the 2019 White House Correspondents’ Dinner
When historian, journalist, and biographer Ron Chernow was invited to be the featured speaker at the 2019 White House Correspondents’ Dinner toward the end of April, it was a marked departure from the usual selection of a stand-up comedian. The 70-year-old Chernow would follow 2018 dinner speaker Michelle Wolf, whose edgy — many thought tasteless…
In Honor of Israel’s 71st Anniversary: ‘Hatikvah — A New Interpretation’
…an especially beautiful and significant rendition of the Jewish nation’s national anthem.
Israel Celebrates Its 71st Anniversary with Pride and Pageantry
The 71st annual Israel Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut) — which took place from sundown…
Terry Gross of NPR’s ‘Fresh Air’: Master Interviewer for 42 Years
Terry Gross, 68, has been the host of the long-running, highly popular NPR interview program “Fresh Air with Terry Gross” for the past 42 years. Given her keen mind, boundless curiosity, affable and nonthreatening personality, diminutive stature, conversational style, and smooth voice, it’s no wonder Gross elicits from her interviewees information they might not reveal…
Non-Binary Mitzvahs: Making the Life-Passage Ceremony More Inclusive
Bar Mitzvahs are for boys and bat mitzvahs are for girls — but what about Jewish youths who identify themselves as “non-binary” or “gender fluid”? A recent article in The New York Times, by Alyson Krueger, explores the new and growing phenomenon of non-gender-specific b’nai mitzvahs, sometime referred to as “b mitzvahs.” Quote: “It…
UPDATE: Julian Edelman Graduates College a Decade After Turning Pro
We featured New England Patriots Wide Receiver Julian Edelman in this spot back in February, when he was named Superbowl LIII Game MVP. Recently, Edelman has been in the headlines for a very different reason. Thirteen years after he enrolled in Kent State University and a decade after he left school to turn professional, Edelman…
David Copperfield: The World’s Most Famous and Successful Illusionist
David Copperfield has been a superstar entertainer on the Las Vegas Strip for many years. According to Forbes, the 62-year-old illusionist is “the most commercially successful magician in history.” Over his decades-long career, Copperfield has won 21 Emmy Awards for his many television specials. In addition, he holds 11 Guinness World Records and has a…
William Rosenberg: The Man Who Put the Dunkin’ in Donuts
Dunkin’ Donuts made news of late when the chain decided to shorten its name to Dunkin’ — no doubt because it has expanded its menu to include sandwiches and other non-doughnut fare. You may not know that the company — which boasts 10,000 outlets in 32 countries — was started in 1950 by entrepreneur William…
To learn about these and many more AmazingJews, watch a compilation put together by JewOfTheWeek.net in 2015 and posted on YouTube.