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
All content by PJ Grisar
Adam Sandler, Sarah Sherman and Dan Bulla with director Sammi Cohen on the set of You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah on Netflix.

‘You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’ director wants to normalize Jewish experiences

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published August 23, 2023
Author William Peter Blatty, left, and director William Friedkin pose on the "Exorcist" steps, the outdoor staircase in Washington's Georgetown enclave made famous by the movie.

How William Friedkin, a Jewish kid from Chicago, made us fear the Catholic devil

PJ Grisar
Published August 7, 2023
Philip Roth and Midge Maisel, a match made in… the Sherman-Palladinos’ minds. Photo by Wikimedia/Phillippe Antonello/Amazon Studios

Investigation: How Midge Maisel and Philip Roth’s wedding ended before the altar

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published May 7, 2023
Scene from "Succession"

Why ‘Succession’ gave us a Holocaust meme

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published May 1, 2023
Director Norman Jewison and actor Chaim Topol (Tevye) share a laugh on the set of the 1971 film “Fiddler on the Roof.” Courtesy of Zeitgeist Films.

Was Topol a spy for Mossad?

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published April 17, 2023
Alicia Silverstone, reprising the role of Cher Horowitz in an ad for Rakuten. by Youtube screenshot

Do Paul Rudd and Alicia Silverstone’s Super Bowl ads hold the key to eternal youth?

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published February 7, 2023
As Time’s Person of the Year, Zelenskyy joins a short list of Jews, and a longer list of antisemites

As Time’s Person of the Year, Zelenskyy joins a short list of Jews, and a longer list of antisemites

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published December 8, 2022
Critics accuse Pope Pius XII of having turned a blind eye to Jewish suffering during World War II. ( Wikimedia Commons) 

A new book explains Pope Pius XII’s silence during the Shoah — but does not excuse it

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published June 8, 2022

Jennifer Grey knows you care about her nose

PJ Grisar, THE FORWARD
Published May 4, 2022
2022’s Oscar nominees are full of Jewish connections

2022’s Oscar nominees are full of Jewish connections

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published March 26, 2022
Synagogue bomb plotter fights for religious right to wield Thor’s hammer, compares it to Star of David

Synagogue bomb plotter fights for religious right to wield Thor’s hammer, compares it to Star of David

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published March 23, 2022
‘The Automat’ remembers when a nickel could buy the American dream

‘The Automat’ remembers when a nickel could buy the American dream

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published February 27, 2022
Bob Saget, the Jewish dad who didn’t play one on TV

Bob Saget, the Jewish dad who didn’t play one on TV

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published January 10, 2022
22 absolutely on-the-mark pop culture predictions for 2022

22 absolutely on-the-mark pop culture predictions for 2022

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published December 30, 2021
Why do Jews eat Chinese food on Christmas?

Why do Jews eat Chinese food on Christmas?

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published December 22, 2021
Why we thank ‘Columbo’ for Steven Spielberg

Why we thank ‘Columbo’ for Steven Spielberg

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published December 13, 2021
Mel Brooks on "Mel Brooks Unwrapped": “It is kind of a walk through my life, a memoir. Some of it is funny and some of it is moving and touching." (HBO) 

Mel Brooks’ 500 pages on himself

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published November 30, 2021
How a notorious Nazi almost got a Hollywood biopic — and why Kubrick refused to direct

How a notorious Nazi almost got a Hollywood biopic — and why Kubrick refused to direct

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published October 27, 2021
No, David Zucker, you couldn’t make ‘Airplane!’ today — but why would you want to?

No, David Zucker, you couldn’t make ‘Airplane!’ today — but why would you want to?

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published October 18, 2021
Sally Rooney clarifies: She’s boycotting Israel, not the Hebrew language.

Sally Rooney clarifies: She’s boycotting Israel, not the Hebrew language.

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published October 12, 2021

Sarah Silverman, let’s not use the word ‘Jewface’

PJ Grisar
Published October 5, 2021
Jon Stewart’s new show is not very funny — it is a mitzvah

Jon Stewart’s new show is not very funny — it is a mitzvah

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published September 30, 2021
For your eyes only: A casting memo for Jewish James Bonds

For your eyes only: A casting memo for Jewish James Bonds

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published September 28, 2021
William Shatner may be going to space (please alert space)

William Shatner may be going to space (please alert space)

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published September 26, 2021
Does ‘Hallelujah’ explain Leonard Cohen? A new movie thinks so.

Does ‘Hallelujah’ explain Leonard Cohen? A new movie thinks so.

PJ Grisar, Foward
Published September 12, 2021
Will Spike Lee’s 9/11 series feature a conspiracy theorist who welcomes antisemitic canards?

Will Spike Lee’s 9/11 series feature a conspiracy theorist who welcomes antisemitic canards?

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published August 25, 2021
THE CHAIR (L to R) JAY DUPLASS as BILL in episode 103 of THE CHAIR Cr. ELIZA MORSE/NETFLIX © 2021

In Netflix’s latest, a Nazi salute sets off the season’s best comedy

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published August 22, 2021

Scarlett Johansson’s new baby is named Cosmo… like Kramer

PJ Grisar, Forward
Published August 19, 2021

Why does everyone want Jerusalem? CNN investigates in a new docuseries

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published July 14, 2021
In “Holy Lands,” James Caan plays a secular American Jew who moves to Israel to escape the drama of his family — and to raise pigs. (Cinedigm) 

Couldn’t make Cannes? The (James) Caan Film Festival awaits.

PJ Grisar, The Forward
Published July 11, 2021
Mel Brooks on "Mel Brooks Unwrapped": “It is kind of a walk through my life, a memoir. Some of it is funny and some of it is moving and touching." (HBO) 

For Mel Brooks’ 95th birthday, 4 ways he changed the world

PJ GRISAR, THE FORWARD
Published June 28, 2021
The gay, Jewish scientist the Nazis left alone

The gay, Jewish scientist the Nazis left alone

PJ GRISAR, THE FORWARD
Published June 24, 2021
Ferris Bueller turns 35 — and I still hate him

Ferris Bueller turns 35 — and I still hate him

PJ GRISAR, THE FORWARD
Published June 15, 2021
Disney / Marvel

‘Loki’ is Kafkaesque in a way we don’t usually see

PJ GRISAR, THE FORWARD
Published June 11, 2021
Look closely. Simone Biles’ GOAT leotard has a biblical precedent

Look closely. Simone Biles’ GOAT leotard has a biblical precedent

PJ GRISAR, THE FORWARD
Published June 8, 2021

Marjorie Taylor Greene says “Jewish lives matter,” and then posts a Soros conspiracy theory

PJ GRISAR, THE FOWARD
Published May 19, 2021

Will Seth Rogen’s very Jewish book upset Jews?

PJ GRISAR, THE FORWARD
Published May 11, 2021

Joseph Feingold, 97, a survivor who famously brought a violin from Germany to the Bronx

PJ Grisar
Published April 20, 2020
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