Howie Mandel Image by Getty Images

(JTA) — Don’t confuse them with the “Hottest Rabbis” of 2013, for which the Jewrotica website is currently soliciting nominations.

No, these are the “Nice Jewish Guys” of 2014: the stars of a glossy wall calendar produced in partnership with JDate, just in time for Thanksgivukkah.

This year’s gentlemen include Roe (shown caressing a braided challah), Jason (enjoying a hot dog) and Alex, who happens to be actor Howie Mandel’s son.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The Mandel connection no doubt helped the calendar, which has been published annually since 2011, snag a mention on last night’s “Tonight Show.” Jay Leno interviewed the more famous Mandel and chided the calendar-makers for basing it on the Gregorian, rather than Jewish, year.

Neither the selection criteria nor target audience is entirely clear. Are all the guys ISO female and/or Jewish partners? Just how “nice” are they? Is the whole thing meant ironically? And are they aware that few singles under the age of 50 actually look up from their Google Calendar and Outlook-equipped smartphones long enough to consult a wall calendar nowadays?

In any event, each month features several shots of a fully clothed gent, identified by his first name and a brief, minimally proofread, description. January’s Daniel, for example is a “buffed out hockey stud” who “likes to cook, take care of his dog and going to concerts.” March’s John is a “meatloaf-loving martial artist” who is “not a good whistler.” And Kristopher (no explanation for his goyish name) is a student who “claims his nose is his sexiest attribute.”

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount