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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Books
Gabrielle Giffords Memoir Out November 15
The previously announced memoir by Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, will be out November 15 according to its publisher, Scribner. The memoir will be titled “Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope.” The book is said to focus on Giffords and Kelly’s relationship, from their courtship until after the January 8 shooting…
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Disgraced Designer John Galliano Mocked on T-Shirt
It’s been a big week for John Galliano: first he got a shout-out from Madonna, and now he’s featured on a new t-shirt. The satirical shirt, on sale in Italy, features the Hitler-loving former fashion designer as an Orthodox Jew, replete with sidecurls and a hat. Intended in jest, the item has reportedly offended some…
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Books Feed Me Bubbe’s Journey to New York City
Yesterday, Avrom Honig shared a behind the scenes look at the photoshoot for “Feed Me Bubbe.” His 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: If you want to know more about…
The Latest
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A Walker in Brooklyn
Crossposted From Under the Fig Tree In the American Jewish imagination, the curiously named neighborhood known as East New York, Brooklyn, along with that of adjacent Brownsville, are most often associated with the nefarious activities of Murder, Inc. From its headquarters in a candy store at the intersection of Livonia and Saratoga Streets, this Brooklyn…
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Belgian Guitar Hero to Take on Tel Aviv, For One Show Only
Crossposted from Haaretz Before the Zappa nightclubs were turned into an empire, they had one spot in Tel Aviv called Camelot. The Camelot’s basement was the perfect place to hear live jazz, and one of the best performances came from the Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine. It was about 10 years ago. Those who were not…
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September 7 Declared ‘Gilad Shalit Day’ in NYC
San Francisco’s Mayor Edwin Lee declared this past August 28 “Gilad Shalit Day” in that city. That was the date of Shalit’s 25th birthday, his sixth in captivity. Now, just a week and a half later, September 7 will be “Gilad Shalit Day” in New York City. Noam Shalit, Gilad’s father, will be in town…
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Israel Philharmonic’s Japanese Percussionist Reacts to London Protests
It used to be that being boycotted wasn’t any fun. Having protesters wave placards outside your shop was a mark of shame that could be quite effective in forcing a change in policy. But Palestinian Solidarity activists’ interruption of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s September 1 performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall seems to have seriously…
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Jewish Scrabble Fan Was Once Fidel Castro’s Bodyguard
Life is getting better for Cuba’s Jews — and for the country’s Scrabble players. Just ask a guy named Fidel. That’s the gist of an entertaining feature in yesterday’s L.A. Times, which tells the story of Fidel Babani, a member of Cuba’s tiny Jewish community and the president of the Cuban Scrabble Association. Dubbed “Señor…
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Liza Minelli to Headline White Rose Charity Ball
Liza Minelli is squeezing into her busy concert schedule this fall a special one-off performance at the White Rose Charity Ball in London on September 25. The event will be a fundraiser for the Holocaust Centre. The Holocaust Centre, established in 1995, is Britain’s first dedicated Holocaust memorial and education center. It is located on…
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West Bank Banksy Paintings Reappear in the Hamptons
You know those images the street artist known as Banksy painted on walls in the West Bank in 2007, and displayed in his recent film “Exit Through the Gift Shop”? Well, they’re not there anymore. Instead, they are on display at an art gallery in the Hamptons, and on sale for very high prices. The…
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Is Madonna’s New Film Soft on Nazis?
Madonna brought Kabbalah to the masses, but New York magazine still wonders whether her new movie might have a “Jewish problem.” Last week, the singer attended the Venice Film Festival premiere of “W.E.,” her second effort as a director. Early reviews were mostly abysmal, but the film’s quality is only part of the story. Co-written…
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