The hottest Jewish trends for 2023 (and the 2022 fads we won’t miss) By Irene Katz Connelly and Mira Fox
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This week, we're reviewing the best (and worst) that 2022 had to offer. Today: The trends we’ll welcome in 2023 — we hope — and those we’ll happily leave in the old year. |
2022 is drawing to a close, which means we’re wondering — what happened this year? Or, more importantly, what trended this year? Entering the bleak midwinter as we are, it’s difficult to remember those happy days before Beanie Feldstein left Funny Girl and Kanye went “death con 3.” But we looked back on a year’s worth of cultural crazes so we can tell you what fads went out of style — in other words, got tired — and which trends are going to dominate 2023. (That is, they’re wired.) We created this comprehensive list of what’s in and what’s out based solely on vibes and our own little opinions. Grab your pickle jar, enjoy your deli raves and turn on a Nora Ephron flick. You never know what 2023 will bring. The top eight are below. Read the full list here. |
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It’s now a truth universally acknowledged that hot girls have gut issues, and that their unspeakable symptoms can only be staved off by ingesting large quantities of fermented substances. But in our humble opinion, kombucha, the official drink of professional hipsters, is officially passé. Care for your gut the way our ancestors did — by piling pickled vegetables on literally every meal. Purchasing pickles at the supermarket is acceptable, but the real ones make their own. |
| You might think pastrami on rye, smothered in Russian dressing, seems like a symbol of a bygone era, your zayde’s favorite order that’s passé in a gluten-free vegan era. But you’d be wrong — the deli is so hot right now. Not just the food, also the aesthetic. Fashion designer Batsheva Hay had her New York Fashion Week show at Ben’s Kosher Deli, and Katz’s hosted a rave headlined by the hugely famous DJ Diplo. I hear a bowl of 4 a.m. matzo ball soup is a great hangover preventative. |
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| When Ukraine went to war with Russia, people got outraged, but also, well … thirsty. Now we’re nearing a year of war and it’s clear that turning Volodymyr Zelenskyy into a sex symbol is not helping. Rather than drool over the president in his camo, put resources behind your obsession and send some dollars to efforts to aid Ukraine. |
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Quiet quitting — in which the worker does not actually quit, but does stop trying to work very hard — dominated headlines in 2022. It was an epidemic that threatened our economy, our society, the very foundations of American capitalism! It was also not a real trend. For 2023, workers are taking back the narrative with a pastime long beloved by our Yiddish socialist forebears: union organizing. This month alone has seen strikes at The New York Times, HarperCollins, The New School and across UC schools. Alabama coal miners have been striking for over a year. Workers’ rights: so hot right now. |
| The Jewish Museum’s targeted advertisements have filled us with a hitherto unknown desire to own folk art-inspired terracotta menorahs. Alas, these bespoke treasures cost the GDP of a small country. Seeking to spend a stupid but not life-derailing amount of money on Hanukkah accoutrements, we turned instead to these taper candles from The Six Bells. Clocking in at $30 for a single taper, they will not fit in a standard menorah or help you celebrate Hanukkah in any way. But as long as you only buy one or two they’re a more affordable way to bring hand-painted charm to next year’s festival of lights. |
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Why did Jews get assigned gnomes as a Holiday mascot? We don’t think it was meant to be antisemitic, but it still feels, ya know, a bit antisemitic. Thankfully, there’s another Hanukkah animal coming in hot: the lion. Is it random? Absolutely. But Target is really leaning into the lion theme, and we’re here for it. |
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