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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Anti-Feminist Remarks From Israeli Activist
She is one of the most successful religious women in the media, but Shulamit Melamed wants everyone to know that she’s no feminist. The director of the pro-settler news network Arutz Sheva, Melamed runs the organization’s news site and oversees the newspaper Basheva, which is distributed weekly in an enormous number of synagogues and community…
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Books What’s Up With Waterstone’s?
Jews in the U.K. have been wondering what’s up with Waterstone’s, the country’s largest bookstore chain. While some of the company’s actions have aroused suspicions of anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, other Jewish customers are simply questioning Waterstone’s business sense. In May 2011, Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut acquired Waterstone’s from HMV for £53 million. Last month, the…
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Out and About
To the delight of James Joyce scholars everywhere, the work of the great Irish author is no longer under copyright. The New Yorker excerpts the letters of Joseph Roth. It’s Judaican’t, “showcasing unfortunate Judaica and Jewish gifts.” J.J. Gould appreciates Czechoslovakian dissident Josef Skvorecky, who explained why totalitarians hate jazz. Elke Reva Sudin brings her…
The Latest
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Nazis, Art Theft and Clooney’s Next Film
A gritty tale of stolen Nazi artwork is about to get the big-budget treatment from Hollywood. “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History,” by author Robert M. Edsel, has been optioned by actor/filmmaker George Clooney, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Clooney and producing partner Grant Heslov will adapt…
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From Reagan to Gibson: A Star’s Life and Loves
Admirers of the 79-year-old filmstar Piper Laurie, especially her three Oscar-nominated performances in “The Hustler” (1961), “Carrie” (1976) and “Children of a Lesser God” (1986), may not know about the abiding importance of Yiddishkeit to her achievements. Laurie, born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit in 1932, makes this aspect of her life and art evident in…
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Update: Pols Weigh In on Swastika Earrings
A quick addendum to Renee’s earlier post on the swastika earrings for sale at a Brooklyn jewelry store. The earrings have drawn condemnation from Jewish elected officials in New York, including Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, and New York City Councilman Steve Levin. And though the earrings aren’t exactly…
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Brooklyn Store Sells Swastika Earrings
Looking for some earrings? No problem: You can just pop into the Bejeweled store on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint, Brooklyn to choose a pair from a variety of designs. There are little hearts, peace signs, initials… and swastikas. Yes, they sell swastika earrings — though whoever made them appears not to have been able to…
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Work Destroyed by Israeli Customs: Artist
Crossposted from Haaretz Careless customs officials apparently destroyed works by a prominent Israeli artist that had been sent back to Israel after being shown at the Venice Biennale. Sigalit Landau discovered last week that her works, which had returned to Israel packed in a shipping container, had been dismantled with what she called “brutality and…
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A Politician’s Wardrobe For Yair Lapid
It seems Israelis are reacting in very different ways to the very recent news that charismatic Yair Lapid is leaving journalism to enter politics. Unfortunately, one Israeli, someone apparently named Itzik Chen, wrote a death threat on Lapid’s Facebook wall. “Believe me, if I see you I’ll want to kill you. You are an anti-Semitic…
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Books The Sisterhood of Bat Mitzvah
On Monday, Shulamit Reinharz and Barbara Vinick wrote about the history of the bat mitzvah. Today, Barbara Vinick writes about her own experiences. 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 more information on the series, please…
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Hardcore Klezmer: Talking With Ramzailech
Crossposted from Midnight East. Photos by Gangi. Thirty seconds into the music bodies are moving on the dance floor, my pulse is synched to the beat, and electric guitar and drums are crashing through my bloodstream. Then the wail of the clarinet takes over my brain and I’m singing along with the band — in…
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