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| Kosher
Doesn’t Fly:
If kosher’s your bag then you better be sure to pack
a hefty snack the next time you fly US Airways. The airline
has recently slashed all special meals including halal, vegetarian,
diabetic, vegan and kosher in an effort to save costs. However,
flying Us Air and keeping kosher is not necessarily out of
the question. The purchase of a first class ticket allows
those lucky passengers with extra leg room to indulge in a
treasure trove of special meals.
|
| Boppin’
to Jewish Beats: Klezmer is breaking into the Russian
club scene with the ever popular festival, Klezfest. Both
Jews and non Jews alike are flocking to St. Petersburg to
check out the rowdy music of traditional Yiddish folk tunes
whipped into a modern groove. |
| America’s
Comic: Bob Hope, America’s beloved comic, passed
away on July 27th. While Hope himself was not Jewish, he often
used Jewish writers to whip his audiences into a frenzy of
laughter. He also once headlined a 1944 benefit to raise money
for Israel. |
| Israel
Down Under:A
former yeshiva student turned filmmaker has won acclaim at
Slamdance, a film festival for avant-garde films. His 90 minute
movie “The Holyland,” tells the tale of a frustrated
yeshiva student and his relationship with a Russian call girl. |
| Undercover
Sister: A Maryland woman, born in Iraq and educated in
Israel, recently published her personal account of infiltrating
American Islamic fundamentalist organizations that disguise
themselves as charities. Dressed as an observant Muslim woman
when the situation called for it, this Maryland resident took
her mission straight to the White House. |
Jews
Got Game
Who knew that Jews played a key role in getting the basketball
rolling in American basketball during the first half of
the 20th Century? In 1946, most of the Knicks starters were
Jewish. Read about this amazing new documentary, “The
First Basket,” that takes a closer look at the Jewish
roots of basketball in America. |
The
Settler Debate: A political campaign spearheaded by such
celebrities as Ed Asner and Art Spiegelman seeks to pay Jewish
settlers to pack their bags and move within Israel’s
Green Line (pre-1967 borders). Money talks so the Jewish Alliance
for Justice and Peace hopes that a cash incentive will aid
both Palestinians and Israelis in their quest for a peaceful
solution.
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Iraq’s
Jews: With only an estimated 35 Jews left in Iraq, the
country is not exactly bustling with Jewish activity, but
that doesn’t mean that Jewish life is absent, either.
Check out this unusual report of Jewish life in Iraq.
|
Solidarity
in Suffering for Jews and Arabs: Suffering has the power
to bring people together, even those who are often at odds.
On a recent trip to Auschwitz, a special delegation of Jews
and Arabs commemorated together the atrocities committed against
Europe’s Jews.
|
Tango,
Jewish Style: Tango is sensual, spicy…and Jewish!
For over 100 years, many Argentinean Jews have been deeply
involved with this passionate dance. Recently, the formation
of an all Jewish tango group, insparacion, honors Jewish ties
to tango in Argentina.
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Comical
Ali: Iraq's Spin Doctor
Iraq’s
former Information Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, is
known the world over for his fantastical denials of an American
presence in Baghdad, even as American soldiers stormed through
the Iraqi city. President Bush calls Comical Ali, as Sahhaf
is known, “my man” and books deals, movies and
pop songs about the former Iraqi official are already in production.
Sahhaf is now a rising star in the global theater. Check out
how Sahhaf is making the headlines now that stage one of the
war is officially over. |
| MTV
Goes to the Middle East: MTV news anchor, Gideon Yago,
threw aside his trendy attire and donned camoflauge and a
flak jacket in order to cover the war in Iraq for his hip-hugging,
flip-flopping viewers. Check out his perspective as a young
Jewish reporter. |
| Shalom,
Welcome to Brazil: With Hebrew, hot weather and falafel
everywhere, where else could you be but…Brazil?! The
South American city, Arraial D’Ajuda, is the preferred
hot spot of travel bound Israelis. |
| Strange
Bedfellows: German Evangelical Christians shout “Hallelujah”
when it comes to their staunch support of Israel. Increasingly,
right wing Christian and Jewish groups have found a common
ground with a shared cause. |
| How
do you say Charoset in Korean? While Passover is long
gone and our stomachs are now used to the delicious taste
of hametz once more, Passover stories are never outdated.
Check out this spectacular account of a military seder in
Korea. |
| It’s
All in the Douglas Family: Hollywood honchos Kirk Douglas
and his son, Michael, join forces in the new flick “It
Runs in the Family.” Who says that a dysfunctional family
is no laughing matter? |
| Hitler
on Primetime: While a CBS miniseries that highlights the
life of Hitler initially raised concern to many in the Jewish
community, the show, which aired May 18-20th, did not glorify
the leader of the Third Reich. In fact, many people within
the Jewish community now approve of the miniseries. |
| A
Yarmulke for the Prince: Prince Charles went to shul recently
in order to inaugurate a new synagogue in Manchester, England.
Multiculturalism is important to the heir who is popular among
Britain’s Jews. |
Sephardic
Saddam: “If Saddam Hussein was a nice Jewish boy,
what would he look like? Read what Jerry Haleva, a real life
Saddam double for Hollywood, has to say about this uncanny
resemblance.
|
Rockin’
Out Shul Style: Who doesn’t like a good jam session
or a smashing dance party? Jewish students at Montreal’s
McGill University have found a festive way to combine the
spirituality of Friday night services and the excitement of
a great bash.
|
Coca
Cola’s Competition: Ahh, the sweet saccharine taste
of Mecca Cola?! A Tunisian born French entrepreneur has founded
a company that seeks to break into Coca Cola’s soft
drink market in the Middle East and provide an alternate drink
that tastes just as sweet to the politically conscious.
|
Love
is in the… Boat: Don’t miss the boat on this
tell-all expose about a J-Date singles love cruise. We’ve
got the scoop for you about what happens when the moon’s
shining bright on the ship deck.
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|  *
The Three W's and an H
to Ensure Hanukkah Gift-Giving Success: Still wondering
what to get that special someone this Hanukkah? Check out
Jake Laksin's list to get your brain on track. What's
the best present you've ever received for Hanukkah?
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 *
Spock Shocker: Leonard
Nimoy isn't afraid to be controversial. His latest work, Shekhina,
is raising plenty of eyebrows.
Is
Spock over the top with his new art?
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