Jen Rubin

One former New Yorker’s search for a great bagel in the Midwest Madison storyteller Jen Rubin is on a mission to find the best bagel in the Midwest and connect with her Jewish cultural identity along the way.

I was invited to talk about my bagel quest on WPR's Wisconsin Today show. I got to compare my bagel definition to Justice Potter Stewart's pornography definition, traditional bagel making techniques, and some WI bagel history dating back to the 1920s

The Black Death wiped out 40% of the population of Europe, but it also led to significantly higher wages within a generation. Could Trump's megabill have the same effect here in America?

A couple of months into the Great Midwest Bagel Quest I came across the original "bagel and lox Jew" reference from 1946, and think it has something to teach about this moment when Jewish institutions are trying to define who is and who isn't adequately Jewish.
rubinjen.substack.com/p/a-bagel-an...

We know what we have to do to save our city from Andrew Cuomo.

We're cross endorsing 🤝

@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social

St Louis Bagels - the results are in Several followers of the bagel quest suggested I add St. Louis to the list. So I did. And they were right — St Louis has a great bagel scene!

St. Louis has no long-standing bagel shops, so I had my reservations for this quest stop. But from the delicious Tzitzelnickel bagel at one shop to the rapid ocean-to-deli-counter trajectory for lox at another shop, St Louis bagels did not disappoint. #bagels #comfortfood

tinyurl.com/33wpyx4x

The Impact of Trump’s Tariffs The tariffs proposed by Donald Trump, which are far larger than any on the books today, would significantly raise the prices faced by American consumers across the income scale.

BREAKING: New tariff numbers from @itep.org.
Barely affects the rich (who get other much bigger tax cuts).
Hurts the middle a lot.
Hurts the poor most.

Jen Rubin | Substack Teller of stories. Writer. Obsessive maker of mixed tapes. You can find me on the Great Midwest Bagel Quest @midwestbagelquest. Click to read Jen Rubin, a Substack publication. Launched 5 hours ago.

Surprise twist on my Great Midwest Bagel Quest. I am gathering evidence and stories to tell the untold story of the Midwestern bagel.

I was glad to have the opportunity to talk with @alimuldrow.bsky.social about the defunding of state humanities work and in particular the storytelling work I do around the state and in state prisons. @apublicaffair.bsky.social

This one is on point for me with my humanities job being doge’d this week #handsoff

"We are the guardrails now" – the Raging Grannies (including my mom!) - at Hands Off protest in Madison

My favorite sighting at the #handsoff protest today in Madison.

I don't take a back seat to anyone on the subject of anti-semitism. Jews are being used here as a fig leaf to advance a broader attack on universities and higher learning. Trump wants to bring Universities to heel and obedience. Jews are just a convenient cudgel here and just as disposable.

What kind of organizing and rhetoric is opposing the right-wing cooptation of antisemitism into a tool for repression and the violation of rights? And how can Jews disavow and denounce this stuff they pretend they're doing for us?

Exactly. Who is this person that thinks challah is a Chanukah food and never heard of pumpernickel