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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Cantor by Day, Moroccan Pop Star by Night
Samy Elmaghribi was a hugely popular Moroccan-music star. Salomon Amzallag was a beloved Sephardic cantor in Montreal. That the pop star and the liturgical giant were the same person has inspired a new exhibition that opened in Montreal February 25. “Sacre Profane: Samy Elmaghribi” explores the “seemingly opposite” notions of sacred and secular in Elmaghribi’s…
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My Memories of Leonard Nimoy, Yiddish-Speaking Vulcan
I first met Leonard Nimoy — a.k.a. Spock from the hit TV series “Star Trek,” who died today at 83 on February 27, 2015 — when as a celebrity at the 1973 American Booksellers Convention in Anaheim, California. He stopped by my publishing company’s exhibit booth. A distant Litvak cousin of my mother’s from Grodno…
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Celebs Sit Virtual Shiva for Leonard Nimoy on Twitter
Getty Images Leonard Nimoy, best known for playing Mr. Spock on the original “Star Trek,” passed away on Friday at the age of 83. While Trekkies everywhere are holding up their hands in four-fingered salutes, celebrities have chosen Twitter as their mourning medium of choice. William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk alongside Nimoy’s Spock, wrote:…
The Latest
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#TheDress — How About #TheYarmulke?
Yesterday, #thedress toor over social media. You know the one. It went so viral that it even managed to create a rift in the KimYe home: What color is that dress? I see white & gold. Kanye sees black & blue, who is color blind? — Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 27, 2015 But what…
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‘Live Long and Prosper’: The Jewish History of Mr. Spock
Getty Images EDITOR’S NOTE: Leonard Nimoy, most famous for playing Mr. Spock on ‘Star Trek,’ has passed away at the age of 83. Here’s how he came up with the hand gesture that made him famous. Who could forget Mr. Spock’s trademark hand sign on “Star Trek”? It turns out that the distinctive salute was…
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POEM: ‘Emuna’
Again and again we’ve risen and run Our rain wept lips against the same whisper, Against another haggard weather in The high hush of praise we’ve given over And over and held out, our every hand A still refrain, a hand woven in two; And our windy hearts vaults broken into Answers and hope beckoning…
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Watch Michael Oren Try to Imitate ‘House of Cards’
Just when you thought Israeli campaign videos couldn’t get any more lame (* cough * Bibi) you get Michael Oren trying to get in on the “House of Cards” craze. In a new election video released online by Kulanu, Moshe Kahlon’s new political party in which Oren holds the third spot, the former Israeli ambassador…
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Legalize It With Meretz
Getty Images Is it possible that the Israeli left finally has something in common with Moshe Feiglin? Earlier last month, Meretz put out an elections ad showing them as the lamest party ever — but today it seems like they’re finally ready to be one of the cool kids — by lighting up a joint….
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Does Purim Boil Down to a Really Bad Date?
Does the story of Purim just boil down to a really bad date? Our latest #OyDate tackles the story of Esther and Achashverosh as you’ve never heard it before. Do you have your own horrific or hilarious stories about Jewish online (or offline dating)? Tweet us a story with #OYDATE to @jdforward. Or e-mail your…
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Jerry Seinfeld, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Ricky Gervais Talk About Hitler
Put a couple of Jewish comedians in a room together and it’s only a matter of time before one of them mentions Hitler. This “Single Shot” montage from “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” just proves the point. Watch Jerry Seinfeld make fun of the ultimate Big Bad with Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Barry Marder, Ricky Gervais…
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Katy Perry Visits Auschwitz
Katy Perry took a break from the European leg of her “Prismatic World Tour” to visit Auschwitz on Wednesday. The pop star posted shared a picture of the concentration camp with her 15 million Instagram followers with the following caption: “My heart was heavy today. For ever let this place be a cry of despair…
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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 אונ׳, 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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