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A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

Jewish Pop Culture

Ethan Leinwand performing at the Scott Joplin House

How this Jewish pianist is keeping St. Louis ‘a piano town’

Bill Motchan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished July 11, 2023
An upcoming concert at Mirowitz Center, “Boogie-Woogie & All That Jazz!” will feature Ethan Leinwand, one of St. Louis’ top pianists. Leinwand, 40, who is Jewish, regularly plays to large audiences at musical festivals around the country.
Ruth Handler holds a Barbie that was created for the doll's 40th anniversary party in New York City, Feb. 7, 1999. (Jeff Christensen/Getty Images)

Is Barbie Jewish? The complex Jewish history of the doll, explained.

Shira Li Bartov, JTAPublished July 9, 2023
Long before the craze over the upcoming “Barbie” movie, most people could conjure an image of the doll: She was the beauty standard.
Superman Logo. Public Domain

Jewish actor to play Superman for first time

NATE BLOOM, Special to the Jewish LightPublished July 7, 2023

It was announced last week that DAVID CORENSWET, 29, will portray Superman in the next Superman film. Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) will play Lois Lane. David’s late father, JOHN CORENSWET, was Jewish and grew up in New Orleans....

Benyamin Cohen, author of the 2023 book "The Einstein Effect: How the World’s Favorite Genius Got into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms and Our Minds." Photo by Shoshi Benstein.

This author has Einstein’s brain on the brain

Alan Zeitlin, Jewish News SyndicatePublished July 7, 2023

(JNS) -- For the past six years, the journalist Benyamin Cohen has managed social media for the Albert Einstein estate. “The world’s favorite genius,” Cohen, news director at the Forward, writes on LinkedIn. “He has more than 20 million followers...

Margot Josefsohn and Ed Asner in "Tiger Within." Asner died in 2021 (Courtesy of Menemsha Films)

No St. Louis theaters showing Ed Asner’s last movie tonight, but here’s how you can see it

Jordan Palmer and Jackie Hajdenberg - JTAPublished July 7, 2023

(JTA) — The prolific Jewish actor Ed Asner died nearly two years ago, but his final film will hit select theaters on Friday, July 7. But sadly, none are in St. Louis. But, you still have many opportunities to see this film that was a fan favorite at...

Design by Avital Dayanim; Photo of Wehrner von Braun by Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images; Photo of Mads Mikkelsen courtesy of Disney

The Real NASA Nazis that inspired the new ‘Indiana Jones’ villain

Paige Shoshannah, Hey AlmaPublished July 6, 2023

The latest Indiana Jones film, “The Dial of Destiny,” starring Harrison Ford and the fifth installation of the series, is set to release this summer. The Indiana Jones movies are known for their combination of history, mythology, and science fiction...

Helen Mirren as Golda Meir

Tickets now on sale for special early release of ‘Golda’ biopic

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished July 6, 2023
St. Louis filmgoers now have a chance to see the long-awaited biopic about former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, “Golda,” starring Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren.
Harrison Ford still has that Indiana Jones charm at 80. Courtesy of Disney

Indiana Jones is still fighting the same old Nazis — it almost got a lot more interesting

Mira Fox, The ForwardPublished July 5, 2023

Indiana Jones first came onto the scene fighting Nazis, and he’ll go out the same way. In 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, the graverobbing archeologist kept Nazis from getting the magical Ark of the Covenant. In The Last Crusade, it’s Nazis and...

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian cries over Kanye West’s antisemitism

Jackie Hajdenberg, JTAPublished June 30, 2023

(JTA) — In next week’s episode of Hulu’s reality series “The Kardashians,” Kim Kardashian cries about the antisemitic behavior of her ex-husband Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, last year. | RELATED: Kanye’s Jewish ex-business partner...

Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Richie in "The Bear." (FX/Hulu)

Hulu’s ‘The Bear’ brings up ‘Jewish lightning’: What does it mean, and is it antisemitic?

Published June 30, 2023

(JTA) — “The Bear,” FX and Hulu’s drama series about the behind-the-scenes workings of a Chicago restaurant, has been one of TV’s most acclaimed series since debuting last year. The first episode of its second season, which debuted June 22,...

Alan Arkin, 2011.

Oscar winner Alan Arkin dies at 89

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished June 30, 2023

Academy Award winner Alan Arkin, who appeared in more than 90 films and headlined the 2011 St. Louis Jewish Book Festival, died on Thursday. He was the son of Ukrainian and German Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn, where he was born in 1934. But over the...

The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas.

A day at Las Vegas’s punk Rock museum with its Jewish founder, Fat Mike

Published June 29, 2023

(JNS) One of the many Jews who have been a pillar of the punk rock music scene is Mike Burkett, aka Fat Mike, the singer and bassist of the band NOFX and owner of the record label Fat Wreck Chords. In April of this year, he opened The Punk Rock Museum...

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