The Schmooze lies at the intersection of high and low culture. Here, the latest developments and trends in Jewish art, books, dance, film, music, media, television and theater are all assimilated into one handy pop culture blog.
The Schmooze
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Israeli Arab Drama “Junction 48” Wins Top TriBeCa Honors
“Junction 48,” Israeli director Udi Aloni’s exploration of the tumultuous lives of Israeli Arabs, has taken top honors in the TriBeCa Film Festival’s 2016 International Narrative Competition. Aloni is the son of Shulamit Aloni, a famous Israeli politician and advocate for Palestinian human rights; he’s echoed his mother’s activism through much of his career, and…
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Bizarre Russian ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Video Features Nazi Dancing to Sinatra
A recent episode of Russia’s “Dancing With the Stars” features a Foxtrotting Nazi dancing to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.” During the dance, actor Alexander Petrov plays a World War II German soldier chancing upon an abandoned piano as dancer Anastasia Antelava, playing a Russian woman, hides in fear. Within moments, Antelava disarms…
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7 Divas Who Could Be the Jewish Beyonce
Who puts the Oy in Beyonce? Do the Chosen People have a twenty-time Grammy award winning, multi-platinum, superstar getting in Formation on the bimah? In the annals of history, has there ever been a celebrity that compares to Mrs. Carter but goes by something more like Mrs. Greenberg? A few contenders come to mind. 1)…
The Latest
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WATCH: 19 Reasons Why Barbra Streisand’s Birthday Should be a Jewish Holiday
On a scale of 1-10, how set is the Jewish holiday calendar? We’re asking because we’d like to propose a new chag. April 24 is Barbra Streisand’s 74th birthday and in honor of the original Queen B’s special day, we made a list of what it is, exactly, that makes our Babs so special. 1)…
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‘Hamilton’ Haggadah Puts Broadway in Your Seder
The idea for a Haggadah based on the music of Broadway hit “Hamilton” was planted when Emily Cohen gushed to fellow rabbinical student Jake Adler about the show’s soundtrack during their daily commute to campus. When Adler later stumbled upon a Passover-themed version of one of the songs from the hit show, written by a…
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Child Auschwitz Survivor Recalls Heroic Mom At Museum Of Jewish Heritage Luncheon
“My mother was a blonde — not from the bottle — she looked like a German gentile woman” is how petite, elegant 80-year old Holocaust survivor Hanna Wechsler recalled her heroic mother and savior at the 24th Annual Museum of Jewish Heritage/A Living Memorial To The Holocaust March 31 Spring Women’s Luncheon held at The…
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If You Eat Bagels, You’re ‘Jewish Enough’ for Toronto Film Festival
(JTA) — If you enjoy bagels or sport a big, fuzzy beard, you’re Jewish enough to enjoy the Toronto Jewish Film Festival. That at least is the message of the upcoming festival’s new ad campaign. The series of 15-second ads and posters are a conscious attempt to broaden the festival’s appeal, according to the man…
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WATCH: Ultra-Orthodox Rabbis Bless Kosher-for-Passover Marijuana
Pot is kosher for Passover when used for medicinal purposes, a leading Israeli ultra-Orthodox rabbi ruled as he pronounced a blessing over the plant’s leaves. Although cannabis belongs to the category of kitniyot, legumes and pulses that Ashkenazi Jews traditionally avoid on Passover, marijuana is allowed due to its medical benefits, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky declared….
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Writing about Movies, Earthquakes and Oppression, Three Jewish Women Win Pulitzers
Three Jewish women writers won Pulitzer prizes today for their work in The New York Times and The New Yorker. Emily Nussbaum, the television critic for The New Yorker, took home the prize in Criticism over colleagues Hilton Als and Manohla Dargis of The New York Times for the “affection” and “shrewdness” of her writing….
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Get Pumped for Passover With These Song Parodies
With Passover right around the corner, a few clever Jews have come up with some song parodies to get everyone into the holiday spirit. We’ve collected a few of our favorite parodies from the past few years that are a little heavy on the cheese factor, but still hit the nail on the head when…
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11 Quirky Haggadot for Everyone at Your Seder Table
Worried about your guests being bored on the first night of Passover? We’ve found the perfect Haggadot to make sure everyone at the Seder table — even the pothead, romance addict and Buddhism-loving Jew — stays engaged and awake until the Afikomen has been found. For the pothead: How has cannabis shaped the Jewish experience?…
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