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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Tila Tequila Converts to Judaism
Crossposted from TMZ Tila Tequila is converting to Judaism … seriously … and for once, she swears she’s not just after some cheap publicity. TMZ has learned Tequila has been taking classes at a NY temple to begin the conversion process … and even skipped Christmas this year to focus on change. We spoke with…
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Kosher Prison Food Not Only for Jews
Eating kosher, even in prison, is a constitutional right — not only for Jews, but also for Christians. On January 11, a three-justice panel of the California 3rd District Court of Appeals issued a ruling that overturned a lower court one that had denied Margarito Jesus Garcia kosher meals from the state’s Department of Corrections…
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Books Top Israeli Literary Award Goes to Underdog
At a gala ceremony in Tel Aviv January 16, author Haggai Linik joined a select group of literary luminaries when his third novel, “Darush Lahshan” (“Prompter Needed”) was awarded Israel’s Sapir Prize for Literature. Inaugurated in 2000, the Sapir Prize is Israel’s most prestigious literary prize. Awarded by Mifal HaPayis — the National Lottery —…
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Beware of Viagra-Spiked Coffee
Watch out, Israeli customers: That coffee you bought may be a lot stronger than you think! Israel’s Health Ministry is warning people that products like “Magic Power Coffee” contain counterfeit Viagra. This powdered instant coffee drink, as well as others, are touted by marketers as natural alternatives to the erectile dysfunction drug. However, lab tests…
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The Lions of Zion, Chapter 26
The Lions of Zion, Chapter 26 What would have happened had there been a Jewish team in the Major Leagues? In an original novel serialized on The Arty Semite, Ross Ufberg imagines the trials and triumphs of The Lions of Zion, an all-Jewish team competing in the National League in 1933. Read the first 25…
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Jewish Singer to Represent Turkey at Eurovision
Turkey’s emissary to this year’s Eurovision Song Contest — the annual multinational music competition showcasing 43 countries and wide-ranging talent levels — is a 24-year-old pop singer from the western metropolis of Izmir named Can Bonomo. Fan site EuroVisionary describes the singer-songwriter’s style as “Istanbulian music that works with tunes from Alaturca to international indie…
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Monday Music: Deeper Than Nostalgia
Jamie Saft is far from the only musician who questions and complicates notions of cultural, musical and ethnic identity. That’s bread and butter for many of the artists featured on the Tzadik label, which has now put out six of Saft’s albums, including his latest, “Borscht Belt Studies.” Neither, on this release, does Saft clash,…
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Israel Classical Radio Fears for Future
Crossposted from Haaretz Editors at Israel Radio’s Voice of Music have accused the Israel Broadcasting Authority of killing off the classical music station by appointing a person to head the station who has no musical background. The editors posted statements on bulletin boards at its broadcast studios in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Thursday saying that…
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Date Set for 2nd Jerusalem Marathon
As Jerusalem continues to shake off its, er, parochial reputation, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism this week announced the second annual Jerusalem International Marathon will run its course on March 16 around some of the Holy City’s most iconic sites. The race, whose 2011 debut drew more than 10,000 runners from more than 40 countries, will…
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Books Kafka: A Man as Puzzling as His Stories
John Kessel and James Patrick Kelly are the editors of “Kafkaesque: Stories Inspired by Franz Kafka.” Today, James Patrick Kelly writes about a man as puzzling as his stories. Their blog posts are being featured this week on The Arty Semite courtesy of the Jewish Book Council and My Jewish Learning’s Author Blog Series. For…
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Ben Stein Sues for Religious Discrimination
The Shmooze had no idea that not believing that climate change is caused by humans constitutes a religion. It’s not at all clear that it really does, but that’s what actor, writer and commentator Ben Stein would have us believe. In response to Kyocera Corp’s backing out of an agreement to hire him to star…
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Yiddish ווידעאָ: אַ ל״ג-בעומר באַגריסונג פֿונעם ליובאַוויטשער רבין אין 1984VIDEO: A Lag BaOmer greeting from the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1984
אין יענעם יאָר איז זײַן דרשה געווען געצילעוועט אויף די קינדער און זייערע משפּחות.
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Fast Forward Cuomo has a commanding lead over Mamdani in NYC mayoral race, but his Jewish support is lagging
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Fast Forward Israeli woman en route to deliver her baby is killed in terror attack
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Fast Forward Police raid homes of mohels in Antwerp, in investigation into possible illegal circumcisions
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