Louis Keene
@louiskeene.bsky.social
Covering the Jewish world for @forward.com | sometimes write about sports | Talk to me: keene at forward dot com
good story here from Hannah Feuer
forward.com/news/787324/...
forward.com/news/787324/...
Why IDF soldiers’ official headshots only show their backs
The official headshots of soldiers’ backs have gone viral on social media, acting as a visible symbol of Israel’s increasing isolation.
forward.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:53 PM
good story here from Hannah Feuer
forward.com/news/787324/...
forward.com/news/787324/...
Scoop:
OneTable, the Jewish nonprofit that funds and helps organizes thousands of Shabbat dinners every year, laid off a quarter of its staff today, citing fundraising headwinds.
forward.com/news/787039/...
OneTable, the Jewish nonprofit that funds and helps organizes thousands of Shabbat dinners every year, laid off a quarter of its staff today, citing fundraising headwinds.
forward.com/news/787039/...
Shabbat dinners for young adults were the new thing. Now OneTable is laying off staff.
OneTable, known for Shabbat dinners for young adults, laid off about a quarter of its staff on Tuesday, citing changes after Oct. 7.
forward.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Scoop:
OneTable, the Jewish nonprofit that funds and helps organizes thousands of Shabbat dinners every year, laid off a quarter of its staff today, citing fundraising headwinds.
forward.com/news/787039/...
OneTable, the Jewish nonprofit that funds and helps organizes thousands of Shabbat dinners every year, laid off a quarter of its staff today, citing fundraising headwinds.
forward.com/news/787039/...
The ADL, New York's Jewish Federation and its Board of Rabbis declined to congratulate Zohran Mamdani in their statements acknowledging his victory.
You know who did though? Bill Ackman!
forward.com/news/781402/...
You know who did though? Bill Ackman!
forward.com/news/781402/...
Mamdani’s victory divides Jews one more way: Whether to say congratulations
Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the NYC mayor’s race was received coldly by the ADL's Jonathan Greenblatt and other Jewish institutions.
forward.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:41 AM
The ADL, New York's Jewish Federation and its Board of Rabbis declined to congratulate Zohran Mamdani in their statements acknowledging his victory.
You know who did though? Bill Ackman!
forward.com/news/781402/...
You know who did though? Bill Ackman!
forward.com/news/781402/...
blogged about sandy koufax, clayton kershaw and a full-circle moment all of us deserved to see:
forward.com/news/sports/...
forward.com/news/sports/...
It’s so cool that Sandy Koufax was there for that
The legendary Dodger pitcher witnessed Clayton Kershaw's redemption and all 18 innings of a World Series game for the ages.
forward.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:36 PM
blogged about sandy koufax, clayton kershaw and a full-circle moment all of us deserved to see:
forward.com/news/sports/...
forward.com/news/sports/...
Reposted by Louis Keene
I hate to be such an old crank but there was literally a time where there was zero gambling content on sports television and now it is like 40% of the programming and anywhere from 5-30% of the actual screen space
October 23, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I hate to be such an old crank but there was literally a time where there was zero gambling content on sports television and now it is like 40% of the programming and anywhere from 5-30% of the actual screen space
with "nobody wants this" returning to netflix today for season 2, i blogged about one giveaway of its hallmark-channel sensibility:
forward.com/culture/7777...
forward.com/culture/7777...
Nobody wants all those menorahs in 'Nobody Wants This,' do they?
There's just no reason 'Nobody Wants This,' which returns Thursday for Season 2, needs to have a menorah on display in every Jewish space.
forward.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:12 AM
with "nobody wants this" returning to netflix today for season 2, i blogged about one giveaway of its hallmark-channel sensibility:
forward.com/culture/7777...
forward.com/culture/7777...
I'm pleased to learn that the Clippers, tired of fending off allegations related to previous jersey sponsor Aspiration, have partnered with a new, totally uncontroversial entity going forward.
www.forbes.com/sites/shaney...
www.forbes.com/sites/shaney...
Visit Rwanda Expands To U.S. Sports With Clippers And Rams Sponsorships
Visit Rwanda becomes the first African tourism brand to sponsor NBA and NFL teams, joining the LA Clippers and Rams in a landmark partnership.
www.forbes.com
September 29, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I'm pleased to learn that the Clippers, tired of fending off allegations related to previous jersey sponsor Aspiration, have partnered with a new, totally uncontroversial entity going forward.
www.forbes.com/sites/shaney...
www.forbes.com/sites/shaney...
Is there a prefix that includes all kinds of "-washing"s (pinkwashing, greenwashing, sportswashing etc)? The best I can come up with is culturewashing but it's not exactly right.
September 25, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Is there a prefix that includes all kinds of "-washing"s (pinkwashing, greenwashing, sportswashing etc)? The best I can come up with is culturewashing but it's not exactly right.
I tried to explain why some in the Orthodox Jewish community have been treating Charlie Kirk like mashiach.
forward.com/news/770722/...
forward.com/news/770722/...
In Charlie Kirk, Orthodox Jews found a champion — and a wedge
Jewish conservatives — especially Orthodox Jews — saw Kirk as a good kind of crusader, even if Jews on the left were collateral damage.
forward.com
September 21, 2025 at 10:56 PM
I tried to explain why some in the Orthodox Jewish community have been treating Charlie Kirk like mashiach.
forward.com/news/770722/...
forward.com/news/770722/...
Reposted by Louis Keene
Sometimes you write a story hoping it will change the world. Sometimes you just want to coin a term in the headline.
forward.com/fast-forward...
forward.com/fast-forward...
Is this hotel Elul-washing? A rabbi blows the whistle on Qatari High Holiday hosts
Rabbi Pini Dunner is petitioning a colleague to relocate High Holiday prayer services from a Beverly Hills hotel owned by Qatari sheikhs.
forward.com
September 16, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Sometimes you write a story hoping it will change the world. Sometimes you just want to coin a term in the headline.
forward.com/fast-forward...
forward.com/fast-forward...
Sometimes you write a story hoping it will change the world. Sometimes you just want to coin a term in the headline.
forward.com/fast-forward...
forward.com/fast-forward...
Is this hotel Elul-washing? A rabbi blows the whistle on Qatari High Holiday hosts
Rabbi Pini Dunner is petitioning a colleague to relocate High Holiday prayer services from a Beverly Hills hotel owned by Qatari sheikhs.
forward.com
September 16, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Sometimes you write a story hoping it will change the world. Sometimes you just want to coin a term in the headline.
forward.com/fast-forward...
forward.com/fast-forward...
I'm proud of @forward.com's coverage of the Charlie Kirk assassination and will thread a few of the follow-ups we have published so far on the national news story.
From @benyamincohen.bsky.social on perceptions of Kirk as a "martyr" and that debate's Jewish implications:
forward.com/news/769333/...
From @benyamincohen.bsky.social on perceptions of Kirk as a "martyr" and that debate's Jewish implications:
forward.com/news/769333/...
Was Charlie Kirk a martyr? Here’s why Christians are divided and Jews should care
Evangelical leaders are casting Charlie Kirk as a Christian martyr, while other pastors reject that framing, warning it deepens America’s divisions.
forward.com
September 15, 2025 at 7:22 PM
I'm proud of @forward.com's coverage of the Charlie Kirk assassination and will thread a few of the follow-ups we have published so far on the national news story.
From @benyamincohen.bsky.social on perceptions of Kirk as a "martyr" and that debate's Jewish implications:
forward.com/news/769333/...
From @benyamincohen.bsky.social on perceptions of Kirk as a "martyr" and that debate's Jewish implications:
forward.com/news/769333/...
This morning's palate cleanser is from @forward.com's Olivia Haynie, on the Jewishness of 'The Golden Girls': forward.com/culture/film...
Forty years later, we need 'The Golden Girls' now more than ever
'The Golden Girls' Jewish soul gave humor and heart to issues other shows refused to touch; its take on bigotry still rings true.
forward.com
September 15, 2025 at 5:11 PM
This morning's palate cleanser is from @forward.com's Olivia Haynie, on the Jewishness of 'The Golden Girls': forward.com/culture/film...
There are now Charlie Kirk memorial yarmulkes being advertised on Instagram, underscoring the beatification of the right-wing activist in a large segment of the Jewish community.
September 12, 2025 at 5:07 AM
There are now Charlie Kirk memorial yarmulkes being advertised on Instagram, underscoring the beatification of the right-wing activist in a large segment of the Jewish community.
Reposted by Louis Keene
“It feels important for people to show what their politics are, especially as Jews, when the narrative is that Judaism is Zionism, Zionism is Judaism & Jews have loyalty to the state of Israel. I fully get why people want to say, like, No, not me, though.”
Via @louiskeene.bsky.social @forward.com
Via @louiskeene.bsky.social @forward.com
A new kaffiyeh policy is designed to help divided Jews pray together. Is this the Jewish future?
The traditional-egalitarian independent minyan movement is thriving in Brooklyn. But the war in Israel has put their values to the test.
forward.com
September 9, 2025 at 3:11 PM
“It feels important for people to show what their politics are, especially as Jews, when the narrative is that Judaism is Zionism, Zionism is Judaism & Jews have loyalty to the state of Israel. I fully get why people want to say, like, No, not me, though.”
Via @louiskeene.bsky.social @forward.com
Via @louiskeene.bsky.social @forward.com
Reposted by Louis Keene
very clear that these ai enhance tools are a scourge
The replies on X to the FBI's call for help IDing the Charlie Kirk shooting suspect is made up mainly of people either blaming trans people or doing shitty internet detective work. Also lots of terrible attempts to use LLMs to enhance the images.
September 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
very clear that these ai enhance tools are a scourge
I wrote about the growth, and growing pains, of traditional-egalitarian Judaism:
forward.com/news/767221/...
forward.com/news/767221/...
A new kaffiyeh policy is designed to help divided Jews pray together. Is this the Jewish future?
The traditional-egalitarian independent minyan movement is thriving in Brooklyn. But the war in Israel has put their values to the test.
forward.com
September 10, 2025 at 4:37 AM
I wrote about the growth, and growing pains, of traditional-egalitarian Judaism:
forward.com/news/767221/...
forward.com/news/767221/...
Reposted by Louis Keene
On Thursday, the Holocaust Museum LA posted “'Never again' can’t only mean never again for Jews” on instagram. It’s notable because they would be recognizing the genocide in Gaza.
Anyway, they pulled it down today saying, “we promise to do better.”
Anyway, they pulled it down today saying, “we promise to do better.”
September 6, 2025 at 10:32 PM
On Thursday, the Holocaust Museum LA posted “'Never again' can’t only mean never again for Jews” on instagram. It’s notable because they would be recognizing the genocide in Gaza.
Anyway, they pulled it down today saying, “we promise to do better.”
Anyway, they pulled it down today saying, “we promise to do better.”
I blogged about Joe Sanberg, the prison-bound social justice entrepreneur at the center of the scandal embroiling the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard.
This marks (I think) a professional first for me – the reasonable inclusion of a Getty photo I appear in. Click to see it!
forward.com/fast-forward...
This marks (I think) a professional first for me – the reasonable inclusion of a Getty photo I appear in. Click to see it!
forward.com/fast-forward...
The fraudster at the center of an NBA scandal once proclaimed 'tzedek tzedek tirdof'
Revelations about corrupt investor Joe Sanberg could mean trouble for the Los Angeles Clippers and its owner, Steve Ballmer
forward.com
September 3, 2025 at 11:45 PM
I blogged about Joe Sanberg, the prison-bound social justice entrepreneur at the center of the scandal embroiling the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard.
This marks (I think) a professional first for me – the reasonable inclusion of a Getty photo I appear in. Click to see it!
forward.com/fast-forward...
This marks (I think) a professional first for me – the reasonable inclusion of a Getty photo I appear in. Click to see it!
forward.com/fast-forward...
leave chris martin alone
forward.com/fast-forward...
forward.com/fast-forward...
Coldplay welcomed Israeli fans onstage ‘as equal humans.’ Why are some Jewish people mad?
Coldplay singer Chris Martin welcomed Israeli fans onstage then was criticized for also welcoming Palestinians.
forward.com
September 2, 2025 at 8:58 PM
leave chris martin alone
forward.com/fast-forward...
forward.com/fast-forward...
when you're searching getty images and see the one
September 2, 2025 at 8:07 PM
when you're searching getty images and see the one
I blogged about the Adam Friedland/Ritchie Torres interview — a sensational, longform encounter between an American Jewish critic of the war and one of its staunchest proponents.
forward.com/fast-forward...
forward.com/fast-forward...
‘Be a human being about this’: Ritchie Torres, Adam Friedland and a sensational confrontation over the Israel-Hamas War
Adam Friedland’s Ritchie Torres interview delivered a sensational exchange between an avowed Zionist and a Jewish critic of the war in Gaza.
forward.com
August 29, 2025 at 1:26 AM
I blogged about the Adam Friedland/Ritchie Torres interview — a sensational, longform encounter between an American Jewish critic of the war and one of its staunchest proponents.
forward.com/fast-forward...
forward.com/fast-forward...
Not mentioned in this story: A pair of Joshes currently run the Burnley midfield.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
It's the golden age of 'Josh'
In politics, sports and culture, Joshes are hot. It’s a sign of generational change.
www.nbcnews.com
August 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Not mentioned in this story: A pair of Joshes currently run the Burnley midfield.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...