Renee Ghert-Zand
By Renee Ghert-Zand
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The Schmooze Islamic Sex Guide ‘Fights Jews’ With Polygamy
Despite claims by its distributor that it is selling “like hot fried bananas,” an Islamic sex guide with anti-Semitic overtones has been banned by Malaysian authorities. The 115-page “Islamic Sex: Fighting Jews to Return Islamic Sex to the World,” was published in October by the Obedient Wives Club, a pro-polygamy group believed to be an…
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The Schmooze Bernstein’s First Speech as Obama’s Jewish Liaison
Jarrod Bernstein made his first public speech as President Obama’s liaison to the Jewish community Monday, at the second annual Agudath Israel legislative breakfast, in New York . As might be expected, he did his best to remind the members of the pro-Israel Haredi organization of what the administration is doing both for Israel and…
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The Schmooze Natalie Portman Sheds Baby Weight With Ballet
It’s back to the ballet barre for Natalie Portman, star of Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan.” Portman, who won the Academy Award for best actress for her role in the ballet-themed psychological thriller, has reportedly been dancing as part of her exercise regimen since giving birth to little Aleph in June. In addition to the ballet,…
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Food Food Fight: Food Policy and the 2012 Election
With the next Presidential election a year away and the new Farm Bill scheduled to move through Congress in 2012, it is time to take stock of President Obama’s record on food policy, and to see what the Republican presidential candidates have said and done so far on the subject. We are well passed those…
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The Schmooze Jerusalem Judge to Jews: Don’t Spit On Christians
Some Christian clergymen in the Old City of Jerusalem have taken matters into their own hands after being spat at by Haredi Jews, and they are finding sympathy among Israeli judges. Last week the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court threw out an indictment against an Armenian seminarian who punched an ultra-Orthodox man who spit on him. Siding…
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The Schmooze Video: Hebrew Prayer in Papua New Guinea
At this point, the Shmooze is used to seeing videos posted on social networking sites of cute little Hebrew school or Jewish day school children reciting the Sh’ma. But this Sh’ma video spotted and published by Israel National News the other day is quite unusual. You will not see little ones dressed in blue and…
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Film & TV Female Haredi Filmmakers Struggle To Make Movies
Secular Israeli documentary filmmaker Efrat Shalom Danon made “The Dreamers” as a way to better understand her sister and a close friend — both of whom are artists who became Haredi. She wanted to better grasp the conflicts these women live with in trying to express themselves creatively while operating within the strict confines of…
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Culture Tougher Task for Israel Fundraisers
The late Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek looms large in the mind of just about every fundraiser for an Israeli organization. This is especially so for Neal Levy, who worked for Kollek two decades ago at the Jerusalem Foundation, the nonprofit founded by the mayor to improve the quality of life for residents of his city….
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