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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Doing the Nazis’ Dirty Work
Hungarian director Laszlo Nemes has created a stir at the Cannes film festival with his wrenching “Son of Saul,” portraying the work of the Jewish “sonderkommando” laborers who were forced to do some of the Nazis’ dirty work in death camps. In a movie at times almost too intense to watch, Nemes and his cast…
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Sheldon Adelson Is Now The Proud Owner of A George W. Bush Original
Jewish casino magnate and political mega-donor Sheldon Adelson is now the proud owner of a painting by a reclusive artist whose works are rarely seen in public – and happens to be a former U.S. president. that George W. Bush, who began painting amateur portraits in 2012, gave Adelson one of his original paintings at…
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This Israeli Professor Went Viral for All Right Reasons
We talk a lot about men being allies to women, but this professor from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (HUJI), wins today’s prize for most hands-on ally. Sydney Engelberg who is 67 and originally from South Africa, has been working at HUJI for the past 45 years. Since he teaches graduate classes with older students,…
The Latest
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First RBG, Now Jackie O — Natalie Portman is On a Roll
Oscar Award-winning actress Natalie Portman will portray Jackie Kennedy in a movie about the first four days in the life of the former first lady after the assassination of her husband President John F. Kennedy. Variety reported on the new role for Portman, who is Jewish and a native of Israel, on Wednesday. The film…
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This Is Not Excellent: Mr. Burns’ Voice Is Leaving ‘The Simpsons’
The Simpsons has introduced us to some pretty unique voices over the years. Who hasn’t tried to imitate the raspy and evil Mr. Burns? But as of this coming season, that iconic voice will no longer part of the show. Harry Shearer is leaving ‘The Simpsons’ after rejecting a $14 million offer. Season 27th and…
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Drake Names Toronto Club After Jewish Grandparents
Jewish artist Drake already has a reputation for being hip hop’s most sensitive rapper. But that hasn’t stopped him from scoring some more points in the books of bubbes and zaydes across the country. The Canadian-born Grammy winner announced on Instagram last week that his new nightclub – located in the Air Canada Centre, where…
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Shalo-Um Chan Brings Peace to the Middle East
Israel’s Japanese Embassy knows where it’s at. Cute. Fluffy. Mascots. Were you not in the loop on this? Neither was John Oliver, who, upon finding out about this trend, ran a hilarious piece about Japan’s ‘yuru’ mascot culture. Let’s face it, cheesy design aside, Shalo-um Chan is pretty darn adorable. posted to Israel’s Japanese embassy’s…
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Helen Mirren To Be Honored By World Jewish Congress
All hail the Queen! The Weinstein Company has announced that will be honored by the World Jewish Congress for her role in “Woman in Gold.” In the film, Mirren plays Maria Altmann, an Austrian-American fighting to reclaim her family’s Gustav Klimt paintings – including the famous Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I – stolen by the…
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There’s a Jewish Cemetery Hidden Inside a GM Plant
General Motors, home to the Corvette, the Camaro, the Cadillac — and a Jewish cemetery? According to , nearly 1,100 souls can claim a resting place in a 2.2 acre plot of land, surrounded on all sides by General Motors Co.’s Detroit Hamtramck Plant. Beth Olem Cemetery has been around for roughly 155 years, and was…
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Is LeBron James Coaching David Blatt — or Vice Versa?
The Eastern Semifinals Game 5 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls is a pivotal game for both teams – but it might be the biggest for Cleveland’s Jewish coach David Blatt. Blatt, the American-Israeli former coach of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv team, is taking heat for the way he handled the end of…
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Albanian President Honors Rabbi Arthur Schneier
Not quite two weeks after being knighted by Pope Francis and made a member of the Papal Order of St. Sylvester, Park East Synagogue’s Senior Rabbi Arthur Schneier received Albania’s Presidential Medal for Special Civilian Merits at a ceremony on May 8th held at New York’s Russian Tea Room. Addressing a roomful of international consuls…
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In Case You Missed It
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Yiddish מחשבֿות פֿון אַן אַהיים־געקומענעם (אַ מלחמה־טאָגגבוך)Reflections of a soldier after returning home (a wartime diary)
דער מחבר איז אַ סטודענט אינעם ירושלימער העברעיִשן אוניווערסיטעט, אינעם צווייטן יאָר ייִדיש־לימוד
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Fast Forward Why the Antisemitism Awareness Act now has a religious liberty clause to protect ‘Jews killed Jesus’ statements
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News At Harvard, reports on antisemitism and anti-Palestinian bias reflect campus conflict over Israel
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Opinion Is JB Pritzker’s very Jewish toughness the key to fighting Trump?
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