MLK, Miss America, "tiger mothers," and Barbie - Link Roundup

Oy, what a week.  Here's what we missed:

• The Jewish Week has an article about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, offering some important insights into the often oversimplified narrative about Jews and the Civil Rights Movement. This is exactly what Living the Legacy, JWA's new curriculum about Jews in the Civil Rights Movement, does. And you don't need to be an educator to appreciate and enjoy it. To learn more check out My Jewish Learning's recent article about Living the Legacy.

• The Jewish community is getting excited about the Miss America pageant this weekend. Why? Miss Massachusetts is a member of the tribe! Will Loren Galler Rabinowitz -- a Harvard grad and member of the U.S. ice skating team -- become the second Jewish woman (after Bess Myserson in 1945) to take the crown? Read more at the Boston Globe, Yo Yenta, and Tablet. In case you missed it, you might want to check out Dina Lamdany's post about how Loren Galler Rabinowitz has made her think more deeply about feminism and beauty pageants.

• In the Wall Street Journal, Amy Chua argues that Chinese mothers are superior. Any Jew who has read The Joy Luck Club could tell you that there are parallels to be made between Jewish and Chinese culture, particularly regarding parenting styles and an affinity for mahjong. Jewlicious asks, "Are Jewish mothers losing to the Chinese?" and Heeb declares Chinese mothers the "new Jewish moms." Some thoughtful perspective on the article, however, can be found at Jezebel: "'Tiger mothers' aren't the whole story."

• Heeb mourns Stephanie Green, a longtime contributor who recently died of breast cancer. Heeb writes: "To the end, Stephanie battled her breast cancer with the tenacity of Golda Meir on ‘roids." The piece is a fitting tribute to a true "Jewess with attitude" and includes a delightfully irreverant article by Stephanie Green herself called "Benzos and Breast Cancer."

• The Jewish Week reports: "The most liberal Orthodox rabbinic group in the U.S. has voted down its first proposal to accept women members."  Rabba Sara Hurwitz, the most likely candidate for membership, is reported to be "disappointed," but moving on.

• On Monday, David Levy wrote about Debbie Friedman's identity as a "semi-closeted" lesbian, calling it a loss for the Jewish GLBT community. The post triggered an angry response from Debra Nussbaum Cohen at the Sisterhood. Tablet and JTA's The Telegraph provide reflective responses to both Levy and Nussbaum Cohen.

• Daena Title's "Drown the Dolls" project has got everyone talking about Barbie, who was of course created by a Jewish woman, Ruth Mosko Handler. Joan Rivers reflected on what she learned from Barbie. In her new book, "American Plastic: Boob Jobs, Credit Cards, and Our Quest for Perfection," Laurie Essig traces "Barbie mania" back to Jewish vaudeville star Fanny Brice and her nose job.

• Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish birthday for trees, is coming up next week. Hazon is launching a resource website for the holiday and there is a new video from G-dCast to watch. More on this next week!