Aron Bell, who had been a teenage member of a daring brigade of Jewish partisans that during WWII attacked German troops in Belorussia and rescued some 1,200 Jews from near-certain death, died on Sept. 22 at his home in Palm Beach, FL. He was 98. The Bielski partisans, run by three of Mr. Bell’s older brothers, formed after the arrest and murder of the siblings’ parents in December 1941. On its website, the U.S. Holocaust [...]
Susan Stamberg, an original National Public Radio (NPR) staffer who went on to become the first U.S. woman to anchor a nightly national news program, died Oct. 16. She was 87. Colleagues considered her a mentor, a matchmaker, a founding mother — always tough, and always true to herself. Stamberg’s stories and segments over the decades spanned the human experience, from examining matters of state to illuminating pointillist details of artistic achievement. She was recognized [...]
Daniel Naroditsky, a chess grandmast4r and a popular chess commentator and livestreamer, died recently (date and place unknown). His death at age 29 was announced by the Charlotte (NC) Chess Center, where he was the head coach. In his short career, Mr. Naroditsky, known as Danya, became one of the game’s most accomplished players and highly respected teacher and insightful commentator. Mr. Naroditsky was ranked No. 1 for his age group in the United States [...]
Milton Esterow, a New York Times art journalist who, in 1972 bought and reinvigorated ARTnews magazine and, at both media outlets, helped bring an investigative edge to culture reporting, especially regarding artwork looted by the Nazis. Mr. Esterow died Oct. 3 at his home in Manhattan He was 97. A draft of his final article for The Times, focused on the restitution of art stolen during the Holocaust — written, as always, on Mr. Esterow’s [...]
Our own Judith K. Weiner heads the “Jews In The News” column this month with a burst of exhibits of her artwork, two in New York galleries and one on tour in Europe. Pictured, the artist at 57 Stanton, a new Lower East Side gallery collaboration with artist Shalom Neuman’s IF Museum and the Ilon Art Gallery, located uptown in Harlem. More of the artist’s work is on view at the Harlem art house, [...]
Paramount has announced that it is acquiring The Free Press, a provocative news site known for criticizing mainstream media and left-leaning “woke” culture, and installing the publication’s co-founder, Bari Weiss, as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News. “As of today [Oct. 6, 2025], I am editor-in-chief of CBS News, working with new colleagues on the programs that have impacted American culture for generations — shows like ‘60 Minutes’ and ‘Sunday Morning’ — and shaping how [...]
An attacker rammed a car into people outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, a synagogue in Manchester, England, then went on a stabbing spree on Thursday, Oct. 2, killing two people and wounding three others in what the police called an act of terrorism on Yom Kippur, the holiest Day of the Jewish calendar. Police said officers responded in minutes and shot and killed the attacker whom they identified as Jihad al-Shamie, 35, a British [...]
So, Woody Allen has written a novel. So what. It’s true, more recently, his personal life has overshadowed his brilliance as a scriptwriter and filmmaker, but let’s remember his brilliance as a scriptwriter and filmmaker. So, now that he has written a novel, maybe we should see what he has to say in that novel. This item is not intended for you to rush out and purchase it. But because it’s Woody, and because he [...]
The Book Circle has chosen to read an account of a shocking true story as its November selection. The group will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 3:30 p.m., on CTI’s Zoom to talk about Allegra Goodman’s story, Isola. In this thriller, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and privilege. Suddenly orphaned, her guardian spends her inheritance, then takes her on a trip where she is accused of betrayal, punished and abandoned [...]
New Vender Joins Gift Shop Artisans Just In Time For The Holiday As the chief buyer for the Gift Shop (actually the single display case in the lobby), I’m always on the lookout for something special to offer our members. With Hanukkah coming, these notecards caught my eye. Hand-drawn and painted by David Tamarkin, an artist I recently discovered at Peconic Landing, I learned that his drawings, with their simple lines and sweet subject matter [...]
Get Social