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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President Obama’s Fake Mustache Fantasy
On Thursday night, President Obama told Israel’s Channel Two that he often fantasizes about going around in disguise while on official trips —with say, a fake mustache — and just blending in. As expected, the Internet exploded. Top 10 fake mustaches for President Obama’s fantasy esquire.com/blogs/mens-fas… twitter.com/mikenizza/stat… ampmdash; Mike Nizza (@mikenizza) March 14, 2013 “Sometimes…
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Polish Synagogue Rededicated as Museum
A former synagogue in the Polish city of Plock was rededicated as a museum of Jewish culture and heritage. The Museum of Masovian Jews, set to open March 15, explores the 700-year heritage of Jews in Plock and the surrounding region. It contains multimedia displays and exhibits relating to Jewish religious ceremonies, customs, cuisine and…
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Bible Experience Coming to New York
The History Channel’s highly-rated “The Bible” mini-series is coming to New York. Or at least, a part of it is. Rare biblical artifacts including fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls (portions of the books of Daniel, Jonah and Jeremiah), a 14th-century Torah scroll and a 12th-century prayer book from Egypt in the Karaite Jewish tradition…
The Latest
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Chelsea Clinton and Hubby Buy $10.5M Condo
Hey NoMad, you have new neighbors! Chelsea Clinton and hubby Marc Mezvinsky have signed a contract for a $10.5 million condo across the street from Madison Square Park, the New York Post reported Thursday. The couple will be moving into 5000-square-feet on the fourth floor of 21 East 26th Street, including four bedrooms, six and…
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Books Rabbi Gafni’s Revenge
Earlier this week, Yuval Elizur examined religious political power in Israel and January’s elections and Lawrence Malkin discussed the tension between tradition and modernity in contemporary Judaism and its consequences. Today, Yuval Elizur reveals Rabbi Moshe Gafni’s powerful hand. Elizur and Malkin are the co-authors of the recently published “The War Within: Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Threat…
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Phil Spector Brings Legends Together
“Phil Spector, Al Pacino and Keith Richards…” sounds like the beginning of a really good joke — or at least, a pretty booze-filled one. The HBO premiere of Pacino and David Mamet’s biopic “Phil Spector” proved that the controversial but legendary producer can still bring legends together. Richards — who, as The New York Post…
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Books Should Jews Own Guns?
“Jews have been on the wrong end of the gun, the crossbow, and the sword forever,” a man tells Dan Baum over breakfast in Baum’s new book “Gun Guys: A Road Trip.” That man — Aaron Zelman, founder of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, “an organization widely revered by gun-rights activists as so…
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Lesbian Fan Asks Mila Kunis To Her College Dance
What is it with Mila Kunis and loving propositions from fans? Apparently Mila wasn’t the only one charmed by BBC Radio 1 reporter, Chris Stark, whose debut interview garnered over 10.5 million views on Youtube after the clip went viral. Kirsten Ariel Bledsoe, a senior at Hollins University in Virginia, was so inspired by Stark’s…
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Celebrities Tweet In On Pope
As white smoke poured into the sky above the Sistine Chapel yesterday, the world anxiously waited to hear who the new Pope would be. As always, Twitter provided running commentary. The new Pope is off to a bad start. Wearing white before Memorial Day…Oy. ampmdash; Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers) March 14, 2013 There’s also white smoke…
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Books A Novel About Early Childhood
Earlier this week, Sami Rohr Prize winner Austin Ratner discussed the land of the living versus the land of “The Princess Bride.” His blog posts are featured on The Arty Semite courtesy of the Jewish Book Council and My Jewish Learning’s Author Blog Series. For more information on the series, please visit: Some academics have…
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Hitler Reacts to Google Reader Shutdown
Users of Google’s RSS application, Google Reader, responded with a mixture of fury and indifference this morning when the company announced that it will end the service on July 1. Naturally, the occasion couldn’t pass without a “Downfall” parody, with Hitler responding to the unsettling news. Needless to say, the Fuhrer was less than pleased.
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