Cover Stories
Becoming American
Ellis Island’s Peopling of America Center to honor diverse history
The dramatic stories of immigration through Ellis Island have become part of the American legend — but only one part. This vast country boasts a colorful history, stretching from the arrival of the first nomadic tribes to the more recent influx of families from Asia, Central America, and the Caribbean. The Peopling of America Center, a museum scheduled to open on Ellis Island in 2011, will tell the stories of both ancient and modern immigration through interactive exhibits designed to engage visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
What’s Jewish about Jewish food?
Walk into any New Jersey diner these days and among the fettuccine, burgers, and fried fish on the menu you will likely also find matzoh balls, blintzes, and maybe even a pastrami sandwich.
These foods, which used to be solely the domain of Lower East Side Jewish delis, have gained popularity in non-kosher restaurants and turned Jewish cuisine into its own subset of American dining culture. Jewish food is everywhere now, but if a blintz is listed on the same menu as a shrimp cocktail, is it still Jewish?
Jewish perspectives on sex education
Responding to a secular world and its values
Pregnant teenagers Bristol Palin and Jamie Lynn Spears and the popular movie “Juno” have brought the issue of teen sexuality and pregnancy to the forefront. But it’s not just celebrity children who are sexually active and get pregnant. According to a recent report by the federal Centers for Disease Control, teen pregnancy rates in the United States are the second highest in the developed world, behind only Russia. (The CDC reports the teen pregnancy rate in Israel as less than one-third the U.S. rate.) These statistics support the conclusion that many American teenagers are sexually active, and many engage in unprotected sex.
