Trenton's Jews

   OUR FAVORITE JEWISH BOOKS OF 2023      "My Last Innocent Year," Daisy Alpert Florin:  I’m a sucker for any campus novel, so when you throw in some Jewish characters and a nuanced look at messy questions of consent and power dynamics, I’m pretty much sold from the get-go. I listened to Florin’s debut novel on audio and found myself staying up way past my bedtime (9 p.m.) to percolate in this ‘90s-era, propulsive drama.  —  Molly Tolsky, Kveller editor   "Emmett," LC Rosen:  This YA book is actually the best thing I read this year. Imagine if “Clueless” was both overtly Jewish and queer, but equally as delightful, and you get “Emmett.” As a longtime fan of both authentic Jewish representation and Jane Austen retellings (yes, both “Clueless” and “Emmett” are based on “Emma”), this book was a much needed dose of pure comfort — I inhaled it in one night. — Lior Zaltzman, Kveller deputy managing editor  

  From Rick Rubin to Doja Cat, Jews have helped shape the first 50 years of hip-hop BY  ANDREW ESENSTEN  AUGUST 11, 2023 9:00 AM Clockwise from top left: The Beastie Boys, Doja Cat and Rick Rubin, shown with Russell Simmons, are a few of the prominent Jewish figures from the first 50 years of hip-hop. (Getty Images; Design by Mollie Suss)   ( JTA ) — Like many parents, Mickey and Linda Rubin indulged their only child Ricky’s various hobbies — magic, photography, music — while he was growing up in the 1970s on Long Island. Ultimately, they hoped he would set his artistic interests aside and choose the sensible career of an attorney. Ricky famously stuck with music. In 1983, when he was a junior at New York University, he borrowed $5,000 from his parents to record a song by a local rapper, T La Rock, and release it on his new label, Def Jam. The song,  “It’s Yours,”  was a hit and caught the attention of a businessman, Russell Simmons. The two would join forces and turn Def