Found art. The Janes. The clitoris. Ye canceled. Kyrie Irving next? Superman. The Rubells. Yo-Yo Ma. Amy Schumer.

Newsletter #124 Nov. 1, 2022

ART

*Artemisia Gentileschi’s “bloody rendering of Judith beheading Holofernes [is] seen by some as a creative form of revenge for her rape at the age of 17,” writes Jori Finkel about the great 17th century Italian painter known for her portrayals of strong female characters in bible & myth. Jodi reports on the artist’s long-lost, just-found work.

* After visiting the Rubell family’s new D.C. museum, Robin Pogrebin writes, “Spending time with the Rubells is like sitting through a raucous Passover Seder with your relatives.” Love her description of a room with “works by four powerful female artists in dialogue with one another: Mickalene Thomas, Cecily Brown, Marlene Dumas and Lisa Yuskavage.”

MUSIC

*At Notre Dame de Paris, cellist Yo-Yo Ma plays a heart-wrenching“Ave Maria” for “the cultural workers.”

ANTISEMITISM & RACISM

*Adidas finally cut ties with Kanye (AKA Ye) after he wore a white supremacist slogan to a Fashion Week show & tweeted “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.” Given Adidas’ Nazi history, I’m surprised they took so long to act. Twitter (pre-Musk) & Instagram suspended Ye’s accounts. MRC shelved its documentary on him. Gap removed his products from their stores. Vogue stopped partnering with him. Stephen Colbert banned him from his show (and Times Square). Zero tolerance is the route to justice. [Above, Superman got it right in 1949]

*Hate-spewing Brooklyn Nets’ Kyrie Irving makes Jewish fans squirm then doubles down. Owners please fine him big bucks before the poison spreads.

* Cringeworthy 2021 video captures ex-Prez’s bigoted remarks. Dana Milbank: writes: “…Trump compared Jews unfavorably to ‘our wonderful Evangelicals’ and warned Jews to ‘get their act together… before it is too late.’” Too late for what? More Jan 6th hoodlums brandishing swastikas, more home invasions & hammer attacks? No wonder some American Jews are starting to ask if it’s time to leave.

WOMEN

* Women have the only organ whose sole function is to produce pleasure. “Half the World Has a Clitoris: Why Don’t Doctors Study It?” asks Rachel Gross. Her new book, Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage covers the rest of the territory. Cute film shorts: “Mon nom est clitoris.” And, Le Clitoris.

*”Is birth control right for you?” Amy Schumer nails it (Dr. Oz said abortion should be between "a woman, her doctor & local political leaders?" He forgot the boy scout.)

*Register for the Women’s Media Foundation’s “Courage in Journalism Awards, 11/9 @5:30 PM. Photojournalist Lynsey Addario (above) is one of this year’s winners.

* Manohla Dargis reviews “Call Jane,” about the pre-Roe underground collective that connected women to providers of safe illegal abortions. Read about my friend Heather Booth and other amazing “Janes” in Smithsonian magazine.

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

* Ron Kronish, author of Profiles in Peace, will interview two of the peacebuilders: Rabbi Michael Melchior & Bishop Munib Younan. Sun, Nov 6, 11:30 AM ET.

POLITICS

* Cartoonist Mort Gerberg reminds us where we need to be on Nov 8. Vote as if your freedom depends on it. Because it does!

SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION

*Forever grateful to APN for honoring me at its gala. See video tributes from my family, friends, and colleagues.

*Conversation with my daughter Abigail on Moment magazine’s webinar.

*Chutzpod! interview with Josh Malina & Rabbi Shira Stutman (11:30 on timeline)