The Jewish internet, like any other corner of the internet, has its fair share of issues and controversies. However, we’re choosing to celebrate it in all its glory: Jewish memes, Twitter moments where everyone comes together to dunk on someone (seriously, WTF were those “St. Louis style” bagels?!), viral articles about love, and of course, dogs.
JUMP AHEAD: The BEST OF THE BEST / VIRAL MOMENTS / BEST VIDEOS / DOGGOS
The Best of the Best
The Best Jewish Meme Account
@jewishgirlprobs. Aly Silverberg started @jewishgirlprobs as “a bit of a fluke,” but it has turned into the best Jewish meme account on Instagram. Up to 25,000 followers and counting, @jewishgirlprobs delivers consistently funny Jewish humor about sleepaway camp, bat mitzvahs, Jewish moms, Jewish food, and so much more. We can’t remember a time before they didn’t exist on Instagram, and we’re so grateful they do. (Read our interview with Aly, @jewishgirlprobs’ founder, here.)
The Best Jewish Tweeter
Blair Braverman. Blair Braverman is a dogsled racer who competed (and finished) in her first Iditarod race this year! She was the second Jewish woman to complete the historic race (read about the first, Susan Cantor, here), and we couldn’t be more proud of her. Braverman isn’t just an impressive athlete, though — she’s a writer and prolific tweeter.
She’s created a community of followers affectionately called Ugly Dogs (read why) who are deeply supportive of Braverman and her husband, Quince Mountain. In an interview with Alma last year, she explained, “I want to risk honesty about it. And every risk I’ve taken has been met with warmth. At this point, it really feels like we’ve built up a network of friends. A group of people who all come together around the dogs we all love.”
The best thing about her Twitter? Besides her kindness, warmth, and community: Braverman’s stories make Twitter an app you actually want to be on. They are about her dogs, the day-to-day realities of dogsledding, competing, and more. She’s a powerful storyteller, and once she begins a thread, your eyes are peeled to your screen.
Bonus? All her dogs are Jewish except one, Colbert, who is Catholic. Obviously.
The Best Twitter Rabbi
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg. Besides Blair Braverman, the other great thing about Twitter? Rabbis. Yes, Twitter Rabbis are a thing, and they will change the way you think about rabbis. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, @TheRaDR, takes the Alma for best Twitter rabbi. Why? As we wrote in earlier this year: She runs a feminist, activist platform that’s informative, outspoken, and entertaining. She essentially gives you the Talmudic response to the news, writing threads on Judaism and abortion, gender-bending Torah, the history of the Magen David, trans-friendly Jewish legal rulings, and so much more. Whenever she tweets “THREAD,” you know it’s going to be good. (One of her threads even inspired an Alma article.)
The Best Tikkun Olam Use of Internet
Ilana Glazer’s Instagram. As Taylor Speyer wrote in Alma, Ilana’s Instagram (@ilana) is a master class in social justice. As Speyer writes, “In Judaism, we all have the obligation to make the world we live in a better place. Tikkun olam, healing the world, doesn’t only refer to big, heroic actions, but the small steps that seem relatively minute in the grand scheme of things, like recycling a plastic container or taking a shorter shower. Ilana Glazer exemplifies tikkun olam. She uses her voice to encourage people to care and her influence to encourage people to act. As she leads by way of example, Glazer is demonstrating that change is possible, and that the most ordinary person has the opportunity to make a difference.”
The Best Jewish Celebrity Social Media Account
Trace Ellis Ross’s Instagram. Just watch this video:
She’s just so good at Instagram.
Viral Moments
The Best Viral Article By a Jewish Person
“So the President F*cking Hates My Girlfriend” by Sue Bird. Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe are the greatest power couple. Rapinoe, a star soccer player, and Bird, a star Israeli-American basketball player, went viral this year during the World Cup.
After Trump tweeted about Megan Rapinoe’s comments (that she wasn’t going to the White House), Sue Bird penned an essay about what it was like watching the president attack her girlfriend. It was beautiful and funny and romantic and is the new bar for love letters. It obviously went viral, and is obviously winning this award.
The Funniest Jewish Twitter Moment
The funniest moments that inspired hella tweets, ranked (each linked to a tweet round-up, just for you!):
1. Israel’s failed moon landing
2. The terrible new bagel emoji was a shanda
3. Adam Levine’s Super Bowl halftime performance
4. Natasha Lyonne saying “cockroach” in Russian Doll
6. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s broken ribs
The Best Bagel Controversy
“St. Louis Style” bagels. Remember this?
The Best Dayenu Meme
Sarah Kay, Beyoncé dayenu. Okay, dayenu memes have become a Thing in 5779, but this one by Sarah Kay, @kaysarahsera, undeniably wins:
The structure of Dayenu! Beyoncé! Homecoming! ALL OF IT!
Best Videos
Best Jewish Youtuber
Josh Peck (yes, of Drake & Josh fame) has become a truly beloved YouTuber. He posts new videos every Wednesday, taking his subscribers through his life. His videos are funny, surprisingly down-to-earth, and super watchable. And sometimes John Stamos makes appearances! Along with his old Drake & Josh costars! He also just had a son, Max, in December 2018 with wife Paige and they are an extremely adorable family. Go, Josh!!
Best Instagram Stories
Nick Kroll on brisket. Watching Nick Kroll talk about brisket in a flamingo apron while fake feuding with Natasha Lyonne is literally our textbook definition of a great Instagram story.
The Best Bagel Making Video
Jennifer Garner. It’s adorable.
The Best Celebrity Interruption of a Jewish Wedding
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard. Kristen and Dax’s daughter lost the head to her Frozen doll in the midst of a Jewish wedding, and they waited until the ceremony was over to rescue the doll. Read the whole story, it’s amazing. Bonus? Through Jewish geography, we then found the couple on our Instagram. The smallest world!
Doggos
What is the internet without dogs?! The last section of The Almas Internet is obviously dedicated to some very good doggos.
The Best Jewish Dogsled Team
Obviously, Blair Braverman’s dogs
The Best Tribute to a Dog
Natalie Portman’s Dog. Can’t stop thinking about this illustration of Natalie Portman’s dog on top of a bagel? Us either.
Weirdest Photo of Barbra Streisand’s Cloned Dogs
Barbra Streisand’s cloned dogs at a grave. Also can’t stop thinking about this haunting photo!
Best Dog Photographed on Alma Beach
Man and Coca, photographed by The Dogist. The super-popular Instagram account @thedogist, run by Jewish photographer Elias Weiss Friedman, went to Israel this summer, and photographed dogs on ALMA BEACH!