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 Culture Explosion Snuffed Out by Real Blasts
Maybe Next Year: Contact Point, which in previous years attracted 5,000 attendees, has been postponed. Photo Credit: Barak Aharon JERUSALEM – Usually, there is an explosion of culture in Jerusalem in the summer. But with Hamas striking Israel with hundreds of rockets and missiles daily, popular arts events in the country’s capital have had to…
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Robert Downey Jr. and Wife Expecting Second Child
Mazel tov to Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey! Iron Man and his real life Pepper Pots are expecting a baby girl. The 49-year-old actor announced the news on Facebook on July 9. Post by Robert Downey Jr. And sent out a tweet, just to be sure: Yo. Susan. Me. Baby. Girl. November. Scorpio? —…
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Mystery Mosaic Discovered in Ancient Galilee Synagogue
Photo Credit: Jim Haberman Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Brigham Young University, Trinity University (Texas), University of Toronto, and University of Wyoming believe that they have uncovered the first ancient synagogue mosaic to feature a non-biblical narrative. In 2012, the team, led by Jodi Magness, Kenan distinguished professor for teaching…
The Latest
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Introducing Seinfeld Emojis
The people behind the Seinfeld Current Day Twitter account are back with their biggest cultural contribution yet: Seinfeld emoji. Until now, the Seinfeld Current Day account has specialized in placing Seinfeld characters in modern situations — what if Kramer drank Four Loko or Elaine dated hot convict guy? Elanes hot new BF finaly explane why…
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3.2 Gazillion ‘Nazi’ Jokes on Twitter for World Cup
As Germany hammered Brazil during the World Cup match yesterday 7-1, Twitter exploded in reaction tweets. With a record 36.6 million tweets were sent out during the match, the Germany-Brazil match became the most discussed sports event in Twitter history. Unsurprisingly a large fraction of those tweets were, well, Nazi jokes. Germany, relax! They’re not…
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British NYPhil Conductor Apologizes for 1776
Explaining his British accent, Bramwell Tovey, conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, welcomed the Avery Fisher Hall audience at its July 4th Summertime Classic Star-Spangled Celebration with: “I am here to apologize for 1776…bad decision by the King. Happy Birthday America!” As he raised his baton, someone sneezed! Without missing a beat, Tovey brushed…
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A Survivor Remembers Her Japanese Savior
September 1 will mark 75 years since World War II began. Most likely you don’t know the story of one brave man who saved 6,000 lives. When Polish Jews fled persecution, many arrived in independent Lithuania. But as the German army pushed across Europe in the summer of 1940, foreign embassies were ordered to close….
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Dishing on Jewish ‘Bachelorette’ Andi Dorfman
Reporter (and sometimes comedian) extraordinare Brian Williams, has a few opinions about Jewish Bachelorette Andi Dorfman and her somewhat lackluster remaining choice of men. Williams appeared on Late Night Seth Meyers with his own fatherly advice for Andi, a former district attorney in her native of Atlanta. “Opportunities as a homemaker in Iowa? Hello, Red…
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Coldplay Slammed for ‘Freedom For Palestine’ Facebook Post
Coldplay fans are not happy. (Wait, Coldplay has fans?) The band fronted by Chris Martin has come under fire after posting a link to a “Freedom for Palestine” video by the band OneWorld on their Facebook page. The song, which contains the controversial lyrics: “No matter your faith or your community/ this is a crime…
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Mideast Minefield Keeps ‘Tyrant’ Producer Nimble
(Reuters) — It’s hard to keep up with the social and political hurly-burly of the Middle East, but U.S. TV producer Howard Gordon got a hit out of it with “Homeland” and hopes to do the same with new series “Tyrant,” even if it requires last-minute tweaks. While fellow Americans celebrated over the July 4…
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Zach Braff’s Jewiest Movie Yet
Lawrence Sher, Double Feature Films Any doubts that Zach Braff’s new movie, “Wish I Was Here,” centers on his Jewish identity evaporate into thin air the second the film’s dog barks. “Kugel!” The dog’s name is only one of the many Jewish elements in the movie, which tells the story of Aidan Bloom (Braff), a…
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