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
30 Days, 30 Texts: The Talmud
In celebration of Jewish Book Month, The Arty Semite is partnering with the Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA) and the Jewish Book Council to present “30 Days, 30 Texts,” a series of reflections by community leaders on the books that influenced their Jewish journeys. Today, Adam Stein writes about the Talmud. Is it…
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Monday Music: ‘The Mystery and the Hum’
If you’re a singer-songwriter, it’s difficult to imagine having a father-in-law more intimidating than Bob Dylan. But Peter Himmelman hasn’t let his marriage to Dylan’s daughter stop him from making music. Over three decades as a journeyman, Himmelman has recorded 18 albums, including five for kids, and scored soundtracks for film and television shows such…
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A Nightingale Rises in Jerusalem
Crossposted from Haaretz A few moments before the show, when the Jerusalem Theater auditorium was nearly full, a young man called out to an older woman: “Grandma, I’m here!” In another row, a young woman helped her grandmother to her seat. They weren’t the only ones. The homage to singer Nazem al-Ghazali drew at least…
The Latest
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Out and About: The Canadian ‘Herzog’; Weimar Cinema at MoMA
Meet Morris Schutt, the Mennonite “Herzog.” David Samuels interviews Noam Chomsky. The Arc Project for Palestine, a plan for a future Palestinian State, was named “Future Project of the Year” at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona. “Weimar Cinema, 1919-1933: Daydreams and Nightmares” opens this week at the Museum of Modern Art. Hershey Felder plays…
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This Week in Forward Arts and Culture
Talia Bloch sings the praises of poet and Bollingen Prize-winner Allen Grossman. Philologos wonders when ‘Palestine’ became such a controversial word. Jenna Weissman Joselit pores over Chief Rabbi of Cincinnati Eliezer Silver’s ledger book. Benjamin Ivry appreciates the Jewish artists at the Villa la Fleur museum outside of Warsaw. Joshua Furst questions the theatrical pieties…
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Canadian ‘Jersey Shore’ Knockoff Under Fire Over Anti-Semitic Comments
It didn’t seem possible to make MTV’s inexplicable smash “Jersey Shore” look like “Masterpiece Theatre.” But a Canadian knockoff called “Lake Shore” — set to start production next spring — has done just that with a slur-laden “sizzle reel” aimed at building early-stage buzz, according to Canada’s National Post. The eight-minute promo includes gems like…
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Friday Film: Sex and Subversion in Communist Poland
In the aftermath of Israel’s victory over Egypt and Syria — key Soviet allies — in the 1967 Six Day War, the Soviet Politburo, which had already barred Jews from positions in the Communist Party, seized on the war as a way to weaken Poland’s opposition movement and purge what they labeled the Jewish “fifth…
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Friday Film: ‘Rafting to Bombay’
When Israeli filmmaker Erez Laufer set off for Mumbai in November of 2008, he had a comparatively simple plan: make a documentary about his father’s return to his childhood home in India, where his family found refuge after escaping from Nazi-occupied Poland. Their flight, the basis for “Rafting to Bombay,” was a remarkable story of…
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Books Remembering How to Be a Jew
Earlier this week, Lavie Tidhar wrote about Jewish vampires and Hebrew punks and searching for Osama. His new novel, “An Occupation of Angels,” is now available. His 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…
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Books 30 Days, 30 Texts: Gerard Manley Hopkins
In celebration of Jewish Book Month, The Arty Semite is partnering with the Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA) and the Jewish Book Council to present “30 Days, 30 Texts,” a series of reflections by community leaders on the books that influenced their Jewish journeys. Today, Dan Friedman writes about the poetry of Gerard…
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Boycotting the Boycotters of the Ariel Cultural Center
The Ariel Cultural Center — a 530-seat auditorium for settlers in the heart of the West Bank — opened this week. Much has been written about anger among left-leaning actors, writers and directors, some of whom plan to boycott the venue. Now, we have a boycott of the boycotters. A large stage props firm, Hayik…
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