My editor told me Willie Mays had had a Jewish best friend. I looked him up and gave his son a call. Gary Shemano, now 79, told me all about Mays, who he thought of as a family member. “It feels like a part of me has died,” he said. forward.com/news/sports/62…

In addition to Mays’ many contributions to sport, we have him to thank for the late Paul Auster’s literary career. As Auster often said, it was an instance of meeting Mays and no one having a pen or pencil for an autograph that got him carrying a pencil and made him a writer

Good work as always here by Mira Fox. How Gaza became an online clapback to anything (and I mean anything) you disagree with forward.com/culture/627882…

It’s JD. More here ⬇️

‘Never in my life voted for a Republican’: Who is Shabbos Kestenbaum and why will he address the GOP convention? Kestenbaum is suing Harvard, his alma mater, over the antisemitism he said he faced there forward.com/news/633231/sh…

Can we move on to “To Serve Man” yet or what?

After weeks of research and work, my long form feature on practicing Catholics doing surrogacy to form their families despite all the Vatican condemnations is finally out on NCR. It’s been an unforgettable journey. 1/ ncronline.org/news/catholic-…

jta.org/2024/07/31/glo… Jewish journalist Evan Gershkovich reportedly being freed as part of mass prisoner swap with Russia

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza, the Russian-Jewish dissident released with Evan Gershkovich? forward.com/fast-forward/6…

Today thankfully brought news of the release of Evan Gershkovich and Vladimir Kara-Murza. Yet there's a third Jewish prisoner whose captivity reached 500 days as the others returned home. Don't forget about Elizabeth Tsurkov: forward.com/news/640158/el…

Embargo lifted.. My running mate, ladies and gentlemen, to help bring this country back on track, is… (📸 courtesy)

I want that brisket recipe

Monstrous to make a nonagenarian WWII veteran endure this youtu.be/kQse2ml5UXY?fe… via YouTube

I’ve heard of Tam and Rashi… but T-Swift? Uh, was Taylor Swift wearing tefillin at the VMAs? Talya Zax forward.com/culture/653484…

With less than three weeks before the election, a new national poll, conducted for the Forward by CHIP50 with support from the Knight Election Hub, sheds light on what’s on Jewish voters’ minds. 🧵 forward.com/news/664087/ha…

Thoughtful tweet on the anniversary of the Tree of Life shooting — clearly this country loves Jews!