Blog Archives: November 2009


Darshan mixes hip hop with Hebrew

November 30, 2009 | by emily savage

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Hebrew chant mixed with hip hop and folk rock — it's just not a musical combination one often finds, and seems particularly difficult to pull of. Brooklyn-based duo Darshan, however, live up to the musical challenge and will release their debut…


Abe Pollin: Saying goodbye to a mensch

November 25, 2009 | by rachel leibold

When I was a kid, it was an indisputable fact about my hometown of Washington, D.C., that the Gallery Place/Chinatown stop on the Metro was a place to switch between the Green, Yellow and Red Lines - not actually get off.

Abe Pollin changed that. In 1997, he moved his…


What’s east of Siberia? The Jewish Autonomous Region, of course!

November 24, 2009 | by stacey palevsky

I had no idea Jews ever lived east of Siberia (okay, actually, I had no idea anyone lived east of Siberia given that the term has an end-of-the-earth-like connotation). I began reading about the history of this part of the world, known as the Jewish Autonomous Region, in a


Fresh pictures of the Grateful Dead Shabbat!

November 18, 2009 | by emily savage

As you may already know (having read Andy Altman-Ohr's excellent column this week) Congregation Etz Chayim's Grateful Dead service was a success!

And now they've gratefully (ha!) gifted us a random assortment of photos from the musical service. Enjoy, dear readers:

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Jdub signs The Macaroons!

November 17, 2009 | by emily savage

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Well if this doesn't warm your frozen heart, I don't know what will. Jdub records has signed its very first kids band — called the Macaroons!

They sing about everything from a magic tallis ride to the rock & roll yarmulke.…


Mark E. Deutsch brings the psychedelic power-pop

November 12, 2009 | by emily savage

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I think it's about time to revisit our old friend Mark E. Deutsch. You may remember the musician/composer/Jewish song-leader from a blog entry earlier this year, or perhaps you've seen him plucking away in an Oakland cafe.

No matter.…


Fashionable and good for the planet!

November 11, 2009 | by stacey palevsky

This weekend I strut my stuff on the catwalk. I've got to bask in the glow of such an endeavor -- considering I'm barely 5'2", it's unlikely that I'll be a runway model on a different occasion.

The fashion show was organized by American Jewish World Service, Progressive…


Twittelah

November 11, 2009 | by stacey palevsky

The audio love child of Kenny G and Weezer

November 11, 2009 | by emily savage

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Kenny G (AKA the world's sexiest Jewish saxophonist) is back and collaborating with the oddest of compatriots - Weezer.

Kenny, born Kenneth Bruce Gorelick to a Seattle-based nice Jewish family, has been performing live love songs for the past 30 years, but this…


Is Manischewitz anti-vegetarian?

November 6, 2009 | by rachel leibold

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Manischewitz recently announced their fourth annual "Man-O-Manischewitz Cook-Off," and it's a doozy. Finalists get to go to New York and compete for a state-of-the-art GE stainless steel kitchen appliance set, and the contest is being judged by none other than Jacques Pepin.

As…


The Frisco Kid rides again

November 6, 2009 | by emily savage

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Tommy (Harrison Ford): What do you call this part of the horse?
Avram (Gene Wilder): The tuches!
Tommy: Well, you just keep your eyes on this took-iss, and don't take them off 'till we get to San Francisco!

Not to…


Kosha Dillz, crunchy hip hop

November 4, 2009 | by emily savage

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Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz seems to be everywhere right now. He's currently on tour with that wacky reggae singer Matisyahu, his solo album Beverly Dillz (Shemspeed) drops Nov.10, and he's recently taken on Portland indie rockers YACHT with an eight-song remix…


Hallelujah! Leonard Cohen visits

November 3, 2009 | by emily savage

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The legendary Leonard Cohen will perform in the Bay Area at 8 p.m. Nov. 13 at the HP Pavillion, San Jose. Tickets are available here.

The 75-year-old Canadian-Jewish singer, poet and author also recently performed in Israel during his…