''Jewish Currents'' is a progressive,

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...

Jewish quarterly magazine and news site whose content reflects the politics of the Jewish left. It features independent journalism, breaking news, political commentary, analysis, and a "countercultural" approach to Jewish arts and literature.

Publication history

The magazine was first published in 1946 by the Morning Freiheit Association under the name ''Jewish Life'' and was associated with the

Communist Party USA The Communist Party USA, officially the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA), is a communist party in the United States which was established in 1919 after a split in the Socialist Party of America following the Russian Revo ...

. In 1956 it broke with the Party and took its current name. From 1946 to 2000, it was edited by Morris U. Schappes. Following Schappes' retirement in 2000, Editor Emeritus

Lawrence Bush Lawrence Bush (born 1951) is the author of several books of Jewish fiction and non-fiction, including ''Waiting for God: The Spiritual Explorations of a Reluctant Atheist'' and ''Bessie: A Novel of Love and Revolution''. He was born in New York C ...

grew and sustained the magazine for almost two decades, writing columns such as "Religion and Skepticism," contending playfully with many manifestations of the "spirituality" of contemporary American culture. Other regular columns under Bush's tenure included "Jewish Women Now," "It Happened in Israel," "Inside the Jewish Community," "Our Secular Jewish Heritage," "Around the World," and "Mameloshn: Yiddish Poetry." From March–April 2005 until the March-April 2009 issue, ''Jewish Currents'' was distributed to all members of the

Workmen's Circle The Workers Circle or Der Arbeter Ring ( yi, דער אַרבעטער־רינג), formerly The Workmen's Circle, is an American Jewish nonprofit organization that promotes social and economic justice, Jewish community and education, including Yiddi ...

as a benefit of membership. In 2018, the magazine gained a new editorial team composed entirely of millennial Jews. Concentrating on breaking news, analysis, culture, art and more, the magazine is aimed at progressive Jews, and to be the voice of that community in the broader American left. ''Jewish Currents'' relaunch in 2018 resulted in the rapid growth of the magazine and its community across the US and internationally.

Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007 ...

wrote an essay for the revamped magazine on his relationship with Judaism. Alongside a book review by

Judith Butler Judith Pamela Butler (born February 24, 1956) is an American philosopher and gender theorist whose work has influenced political philosophy, ethics, and the fields of third-wave feminism, queer theory, and literary theory. In 1993, Butler ...

, the magazine drew attention with pieces by these high-profile individuals.

Footnotes

External links

* {{Official website, http://www.jewishcurrents.org/ 1946 establishments in New York (state) Political magazines published in the United States Quarterly magazines published in the United States Communist Party USA publications Jewish anti-Zionism in the United States Jewish magazines published in the United States Jewish socialism Magazines established in 1946 Magazines published in New York (state) Secular Jewish culture in the United States

Publication history

See also

Footnotes

External links