Hebrew Standard News Today

AJN

From the blog of Shai Ben-Ari at The Times of Israel

<p>The tendency of many Conservative Jewish leaders to eschew partisan politics isn't a reaction to recent polarization, it's the result of a century old effort by influential donors to the Jewish Theological Seminary to marginalize radical immigrants from American Jewish life. </p>

Like many others, American Jews were influenced by their new home country's penchant for consumerism - but being a niche market has also helped preserve their cultural identity

Hanukkah cant get any more commercialized, so onto Passover.

The Passover Parade, a Lower East Side tradition in the early 20th century, was a chance for immigrants to flaunt their finery.