Billie Eilish promotes her new album to Israelis, and draws social media ire

August 06, 2021

By GABE FRIEDMAN

(JTA) — Pop star Billie Eilish provoked a wave of angry criticism on social media after posting a short video online promoting her new album to Israeli fans.

“Hi Israel, this is Billie Eilish, and I’m so...

Rush rocker Geddy Lee’s Jewish mom, a Holocaust survivor, was his biggest fan

July 23, 2021

By JACQUELINE RODERICK

(Kveller via JTA) – Our deepest condolences go out to Rush lead singer and legendary bassist Geddy Lee, whose Jewish mom, Mary Weinrib, passed away on July 2, 2021. Weinrib, who was set to turn 96 on...

Elvis Presley was Jewish? A grave marker locked away for 4 decades confirms it.

June 24, 2021

By DAN FELLNER

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (JTA) – The large crate sat unopened in a 20,000-square-foot warehouse here for more than four decades, concealing a little-known fact about one of America’s cultural icons.

Inside was the headstone of Elvis Presley’s mother,...

Patti Smith and Julian Casablancas among over 600 musicians to call for boycott of Israel

May 28, 2021

(JTA) — Patti Smith and Julian Casablancas of The Strokes are among the more than 600 musicians who have signed a letter calling for artists to avoid playing concerts in Israel.

“We call on you to join us with your...

Dua Lipa responds to full-page NY Times ad that blasts her Israel criticism

May 24, 2021

(JTA) — Prominent Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s World Values Network took out a full-page New York Times ad on Saturday denouncing the British pop star Dua Lipa’s criticism of Israel on social media, and the singer responded, saying the ad was...

James Levine, cantor’s grandson who led the Metropolitan Opera for 40 years, is dead at 77

March 17, 2021

By ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL

(JTA) — James Levine, the grandson of a cantor who led New York’s Metropolitan Opera as artistic director for more than 40 years, has died.

The cause of death was not announced, although Levine had been in...

The Jewish highlights of the 2021 Grammys: Breakout performance but no win for Jewish sister act Haim

March 15, 2021

By EMILY BURACK

(JTA) — When the Jewish sister act Haim took the stage at the 2021 Grammy Awards on Sunday night, Americans began googling “hime.”

That’s how host Trevor Noah pronounced the group’s name, which is the last name...

Phil Spector, convicted murderer, rock legend, dies at 81

January 17, 2021

(JTA) — Phil Spector, the massively influential rock composer and producer who murdered a woman and spent his declining years in jail, died at 81.

Spector died Saturday at a hospital in French Camp, California of COVID 19 complications, the...

Sylvain Sylvain, Jewish guitarist for the influential band New York Dolls, has died at 69

January 17, 2021

(JTA) — Sylvain Sylvain, a guitarist best known for anchoring the influential 1970s band the New York Dolls after his Jewish family left Egypt because of rising anti-Semitism, has died at 69.

His Facebook page announced the news Thursday night....

Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighters singer, is pumping out covers of songs by Jewish artists for Chanukah

December 17, 2020

By GABE FRIEDMAN

(JTA) — Dave Grohl, who is best known as the leader of the 12-time Grammy winning band Foo Fighters, isn’t Jewish. But he’s having a lot of musical fun this Chanukah.

Grohl teamed up with the Grammy-winning...