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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When High Fashion Meets Hasidic Tunes
Last week, audiences at Tel Aviv’s Fashion Week were surprised when Tovale+, a label run by mother and daughter team Tovale and Namma Chasin, “Maaminim.” Ben David, an American Hasidic Jewish singer popular in the Orthodox community, was an unlikely choice for the high-fashion event. The festive tune was a change of pace for the…
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‘Farmer Jon’ Stewart Will Open Animal Sanctuary in New Jersey
It’s official: From here on out, just call him him Farmer Jon. Jon Stewart and his wife Tracey said over the weekend that they are opening a sanctuary for abused animals at their 12-acre farm in Middletown, New Jersey, where the former host of the “Daily Show” has jokingly been spending his days as “the…
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Why the AIDS Reporting of Jeffrey Schmalz Must Be Remembered
When it came to increasing public awareness of the AIDS crisis in America when it needed it most, few journalists did as much as The New York Times’ Jeffrey Schmalz in such a short period of time. From his return to the newsroom a year after he suffered a brain seizure in December 1990, to…
The Latest
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What Happens When You Type ‘Death to Jews’ in Google Maps?
Imagine the call Sergey Brin got when it was discovered this weekend that typing “Death to Jews” in Google Maps in Jerusalem. The Jewish Google co-founder could not have been happy. They may have fixed it in Hebrew, but in English, “Death to Jews” still leads you to the Temple Mount on @googlemaps pic.twitter.com/SUitIEPDuq —…
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WATCH Jimmy Kimmel Plays ‘Hipster or Hasidic’
Can you tell a hipster from a Hasid based on just a shot of their lips? That’s what Jimmy Kimmel tried to find out on Thursday night while shooting his show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in Brooklyn. “Between the hipster community and the Hasidic community here in Brooklyn, Brooklyn is by far the most bearded spot…
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Why Furniture Exec Mitchell Gold is Challenging Religious Hatred
One needs to look no further than July’s gay pride parade in Jerusalem for evidence the danger religious bigots pose to LGBT youth. An ultra-Orthodox Jew, Yishai Schlissel, was charged with murder after a knife-wielding rampage that left 16-year-old Shira Banki dead and five others with stab wounds. Schlissel had served 10 years in jail…
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Andy Kaufman Lives! (Through His Hologram)
(JTA) — A cult of hardcore fans believes that Jewish comedian Andy Kaufman is still alive. The eccentric prankster died of lung cancer in 1984 at the age of 35. But some say he faked his death as a practical joke and is hiding out, waiting for the perfect moment to jump back into the…
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Comedian Nathan Fielder Creates Outerwear Company to Promote Holocaust Awareness
Do you know who Nathan Fielder is? If you don’t, you will now. The comedian behind Comedy Central’s hit, appeared on the Conan O’Brien show and left the host in stitches. Conan questioned Fielder on his choice to wear a windbreaker on the show, only to find out that after a decade of wearing a…
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Luxury Hotel Built By Mufti (Yes, That One) Named Best in Middle East
This week we learned that the grand mufti of Jerusalem gave Hitler the idea for the Final Solution — or at least that Israel’s prime minister believes that. But it turns out that Palestinian nationalist Haj Amin al-Husseini was not merely a notorious anti-Zionist and anti-Semite: He was also a talented hotel builder responsible in…
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J.K. Rowling Just Signed a Letter Against BDS
J.K. Rowling wants to Expelliarmus your cultural boycott! The “Harry Potter” author signed a letter in the Guardian today in support of cultural relations with Israel. She and her cosigners also announced the launch of “Culture for Coexistence – an independent UK network representing a cross-section from the cultural world.” The letter comes in response…
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Gloria Steinem Has the Perfect Comeback When He Calls You the ‘B-Word’
Gloria Steinem wants you to thank people who call you a b**ch. In an , the feminist pioneer — whose memoirs, “My Life on the Road,” come out October 27 — explained that the best way to shut down those types of insults is with simple acknowledgment. “I mean, it totally disarms them,” she said. “They…
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News At Harvard, reports on antisemitism and anti-Palestinian bias reflect campus conflict over Israel
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