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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Tibetan Magic at the Met
In 1982, musician, composer and writer Raphael Mostel was walking down Lexington Avenue, when a sweater in the window of a Himalayan gift shop caught his eye. Going inside for a closer look, Mostel heard a sound, unlike anything he’d heard before, that quickly chased all thoughts of the sweater from his mind. It was…
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Israel, Country of Refuge?
Crossposted from Haaretz “The issue of refugees is not foreign to us; not to Jews, and not to the State of Israel,” says award-winning filmmaker Shai Carmeli-Polak. Shai’s documentary, “Ha’plitim,” (The refugees) seeks to expose the moral and legal questions underlying refugee status in Israel. The film follows African asylum-seekers as they cross the Egypt-Israel…
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Like Marmalade? So Did Hitler
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but if you enjoyed a breakfast of bread, marmalade and coffee this morning you have something in common with Adolf Hitler. A set of previously classified documents released by the British National Archives last week reveal some rather dull details about the Nazi dictator’s life. We already…
The Latest
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Does the German Government Like Some Jews Better Than Others?
With all of the painful history involved, the relationship between the German government and the country’s 12,000 Jews is never simple. Right now, the German Jewish community is up in arms over the government’s apparent discrimination against Orthodox Jews. Germany currently subsidizes the training of Liberal rabbis — the European incarnation of Reform Judaism —…
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Pamela Anderson Turns Political in Israel
Not only is Pamela Anderson on her way to Israel, the former “Baywatch” star is getting involved in local politics. Citing nothing less than “Jewish principles,” the former Playboy cover girl wrote this week to Yakov Margi, Israel’s minister of religious services, asking him to advance a bill that would ban fur in Israel. A…
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Craigslist Helps Synagogue Locate Lost Torah
Craigslist can help you find that perfect cement mixer or even lead you to the mysterious cigarette-smoking beauty you sometimes see at your bus stop. But as a Phoenix synagogue found out last week, the sprawling advertisement site is also good for something else: recovering stolen Torah scrolls. Sam Saks, a Young Israel of Phoenix…
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30 Days, 30 Texts: ‘Fighting to Become Americans’
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, Tobin Belzer writes about “Fighting to Become Americans:…
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McDonald’s Supplier Will Stop Producing Kosher Meat
If there’s a run on kosher meat in the UK this month, blame McDonald’s. No, the global fast-food chain isn’t hoarding beef for rabbinically certified Big Macs. But it has ordered Slaney Foods — one of its largest suppliers, and a giant UK meat producer — to stop providing kosher meat as cruelty concerns grow…
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Just Plain Xylopholks
Crossposted from Frontier Psychiatrist While many new indie bands are busy recycling the sounds of the 1980s, the Xylopholks look deeper into the past. With a blend of earnestness and irony, their zany music draws from ragtime and jazz from the Roaring ’20s and features the xylophone, an instrument now more prevalent in elementary school…
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Israeli Nominated for European MTV Award
Ivri Lider has been chosen to represent Israel at the European MTV Awards, taking place in Madrid on November 7. He beat out HaDag Nachash, Sarit Hadad and Infected Mushroom in an online vote for best European act, Ynet reported, which begs the question: Has Israel produced any relevant musical talent in the last decade?…
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Jewcy’s Return
Jewcy, the online magazine appealing to young Jews, relaunched today with a nice-looking website and some fresh content. The nonprofit cousin of JDub records maintains its robust music and books coverage, but has added sections for news, food, social justice and family and features an events calendar, which is certainly needed in the Jewish webiverse….
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Fast Forward Why the Antisemitism Awareness Act now has a religious liberty clause to protect ‘Jews killed Jesus’ statements
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News At Harvard, reports on antisemitism and anti-Palestinian bias reflect campus conflict over Israel
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