The magazine was founded by Jennifer Bleyer, a graduate of Columbia University,[2][3] and backed financially by Steven Spielberg and Charles Bronfman.

[8] It frequently criticizes mainstream American Jewish culture, most famously in an article entitled "Joe Lieberman is a Dickhead.

The spread included a half naked Virgin Mary (with pierced nipples) and a Jesus with his genitals wrapped in a tallit.

"[19] A March 28, 2007, feature in The New York Times Business Section spotlighted how Heeb did creative work for advertisers seeking to reach a young Jewish demographic.

[20] Robert Crumb and wife Aline Kominsky-Crumb illustrated the cover of the magazine's "Love Issue" in the Spring of 2007.

[28] In 2009 and 2010, Heeb published its countdown list of "The 100 Greatest Jewish Movie Moments," which awarded its top spot to The Big Lebowski.

[33][39] The Administrative Trademark judge, Karen Kuhlke stated in the official comments that although the applicant submitted sufficient information, it was still not foreseeable to justify the term Heeb as something non-derogative.

[39] In 2009, Heeb produced its controversial Germany Issue in which Roseanne Barr posed as Adolf Hitler in drag holding a tray of "burned Jew cookies."

[40] According to Heeb's publisher at the time, Joshua Neuman,[41] it was intended as means to see if joking about Nazis and the Holocaust still evoked the same reactions as in past years.

[44][45][46][47] Barr posted on social media, defending her position, but it was not taken lightly by viewers and through her comments to do so she made offensive remarks which resulted in ABC cancelling the show.

[43][46][48][49] Notable contributors have included Shmarya Rosenberg,[50] Daniel Sieradski,[51] Andy Shernoff,[52] Eli Valley,[53] Myq Kaplan,[54] Moshe Kasher,[55] Noam Gonick,[56] Dara Horn,[57] Julian Tepper,[58] Ann Nocenti,[59] and Marisa Scheinfeld.