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
-
No Bears Are Back in Town
Crossposted from Haaretz Up until around two years ago, Lo Dubim (which translates to “No Bears”) was one of the most active and well-liked bands in the Tel Aviv and festival indie scene, from InDNegev to the Menashe Forest Festival and back in time to the Hutzmizeh Festival. But then, suddenly there was no trace…
-
‘Hannukah Pricing’ Vodka Ads Are Dumped
A New York vodka billboard featuring the slogan “Christmas Quality, Hannukah Pricing,” was quickly removed after the Anti-Defamation League criticized it as anti-Semitic, news reports said. One billboard for Wodka vodka was taken down from a prominent spot overlooking the West Side Highway in Manhattan, the New York Times reported. The ad, part of a…
-
Leonard Cohen’s Altneu Song
“Old Ideas,” Leonard Cohen’s first album of new material since 2004’s “Dear Heather,” is set for a January 31 release. Cohen, now 77, is planning another tour to support the record. Given the subpar quality of “Dear Heather” (as explicated in this review by John Jeremiah Sullivan), and the dodgy quality of Cohen’s later studio…
The Latest
-
Getting Into Magic Camp
Film still courtesy of Flatbush Pictures It’s not easy convincing a legendary magic shop to let you to make a documentary film at its annual camp for aspiring young magicians. But Judd Ehrlich, director and producer of “Run for Your Life,” the acclaimed biopic about Fred Lebow and the New York City Marathon, knew what…
-
Holocaust Survivors: Beware Identity Theft
Elderly Holocaust survivors, many of whom require financial assistance for daily living expenses, now have another worry to contend with: identity theft. It seems that a worker in charge of protecting survivors’ interests was willing to steal their personal information in order to make a quick buck. Crystal Thorne, 23, a coordinator at the Jewish…
-
The Lions of Zion, Chapter 18
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 17 chapters here. The Miracle of Mayonnaise…
-
Get Your Neoprene Joe Fresh Dress in NYC
Have you been on the lookout for an orange neoprene dress to wear to one of those upcoming holiday parties? How about a matching coat to go with it? Look no further! That ensemble, along with many of Joe Fresh’s other “signature pieces in the contemporary, sportswear, intimates and beauty categories,” has arrived in New…
-
Books Jews in America’s West
Yesterday, Anna Solomon wrote about a grandmother’s secrets. Her novel, The Little Bride, is now available. Her 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 visit: I still don’t know how the subject…
-
Joined by Oud
Crossposted from Haaretz The closing performance of the Jerusalem Oud Festival, starring the singer Aynur Dogan, exemplified the festival’s beauty and necessity. Even in times when the word “flotilla” brought to mind pleasant connotations, Israeli music lovers did not have many opportunities to enjoy a leading Turkish singer. In recent times, marked by Israeli-Turkish hostility,…
-
Meet ‘James Deen,’ Jewish Porn Star
Apparently “nerdy Jewish dudes” are a hot genre in porn — or they’re becoming one, thanks to an up-and- (er, never mind) performer who’s had a bar mitzvah. The star in question — whose nom de porn is James Deen — is billed as “What Women Want” in the winter issue of Good magazine, which…
-
Hadassah, a Settler and a Suicide Bomber
Israel arguably has two indigenous peoples, and as Shakespeare wrote, “aye, there’s the rub.” This is the dilemma another bard, Stephanie Liss, explores in “On Holy Ground,” two one act plays that premiered November 18 at the The Met Theatre in Los Angeles. The first, “Daughter of My People,” stars Salome Jens as Henrietta Szold,…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
Fast Forward Ye debuts ‘Heil Hitler’ music video that includes a sample of a Hitler speech
- 2
Opinion It looks like Israel totally underestimated Trump
- 3
Culture Is Pope Leo Jewish? Ask his distant cousins — like me
- 4
Fast Forward Student suspended for ‘F— the Jews’ video defends himself on antisemitic podcast
In Case You Missed It
-
Fast Forward For the first time since Henry VIII created the role, a Jew will helm Hebrew studies at Cambridge
-
Fast Forward Argentine Supreme Court discovers over 80 boxes of forgotten Nazi documents
-
News In Edan Alexander’s hometown in New Jersey, months of fear and anguish give way to joy and relief
-
Fast Forward What’s next for suspended student who posted ‘F— the Jews’ video? An alt-right media tour
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
