Monday, March 13, 2023

Good morning, New York. Time change + late-night Oscars broadcast + cruddy weather = lots of grumpy, overtired folks out there. We recommend keeping your earbuds in today!

With his New York restaurant Shmoné, Israeli chef Eyal Shani earns his first Michelin nod

Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani became a New York sensation when he opened the casual Miznon eatery in 2018 at Chelsea Market. Since then, he’s expanded to eight restaurants across the city — among 40 worldwide — and his most recent establishment, Shmoné, on West 8th Street, landed the chef in the Michelin guide for the first time. We spoke to Shani about what this means for him and for Israeli cuisine.

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Bank failure: In an effort to stem the spreading banking crisis, U.S. regulators shut down Signature Bank on Sunday, just days after the crypto-focused institution reported it was struggling. The New York-based institution was founded in 2000 by Bank Hapoalim, though the Israeli bank sold its stake in the business in 2005.

Clowning around: The Forward interviews Alexandra Tatarsky about her current show, “Sad Boys in Harpy Land,” now at the Abrons Arts Center. It’s described as “equal parts sad clown, demented cabaret and extended crisis of meaning” that’s “sort of about antisemitism” and “sort of about Jewish self-hatred.” 

Phenomenal woman: The New York Times reports on the New York State Capitol’s “Million Dollar Staircase,” which, it says, “memorialized the faces of dozens of distinguished figures in delicate carvings but not one was a woman.” In 1898 some women were “hastily” added — and now, the first addition in 125 years will also be a woman: Brooklyn-born Jewish Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Photo of the day

Volunteers at Temple Emanu-El assembled hundreds of care packages Sunday as part of the congregation’s first Spring Mitzvah Day. Among the items and beneficiaries include Passover foods for Holocaust survivors and essential items for vulnerable populations in New York City, to be donated to the organizations Selfhelp, Part of the Solution, The Bowery Mission and The Urban Outreach Center. (Courtesy)

Other news of note

‘Fabelmans’ flops at the Oscars, but Hollywood’s Jewish history gets a nod (JTA)

Producer of original ‘All Quiet’ saved hundreds of Jews from the Nazis (Washington Post)

Far-right Israeli minister urges loyalty as his US visit draws protests, boycotts and arrests (JTA)

Eurovision: Jewish singer Mae Muller picked to represent UK (The London Jewish Chronicle)

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—  Lisa Keys, Managing Editor, New York Jewish Week

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JTA / My Jewish Learning / Kveller / The Nosher / Hey Alma / The New York Jewish Week