Comedy
Louis C.K. jokes in Israel: I’d rather be in Auschwitz than New York City
Comedian Louis C.K., performing in Israel, talked about accusations of sexual misconduct against him, his life since he confessed — and Auschwitz. “I’d…
TV
S.F. State scholar sinks her teeth into vampires and horror on Israeli TV
As Israeli TV series grow in popularity in the United States, Hulu has added to the offerings with “Juda,” a show about an Israeli vampire. On Dec. 2,…
Books
Marin man’s memoir recounts love for his late wife and their adventures
The books section is supported by a generous donation from Anne Germanacos Barry Hoffner wasn’t trying to write a book. He had just dropped off his…
Art
This artist retreat emphasizes that it’s a rich time for Jewish art in the Bay Area
On a misty fall morning, deep in the redwood forests of Mill Valley, more than two dozen Bay Area artists gather to play. A mix of writers, musicians,…
Jew in the Pew
Getting drunk on Jewish texts and arts
My dad sat to my left. Next to him was the charismatic, theatrical Bruce Bierman, whom I last encountered when he was leading a deliciously off-the-wall…
Celebrity Jews
Annette Bening plays Dianne Feinstein; etc.
A Mister Rogers anecdote “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” which opened Nov. 22 and is still in theaters, is about Fred Rogers, the late children’s…
Film
This once poor Portuguese Jewish community made a $1 million movie, now on Amazon
A decade ago, the tiny Jewish community of Porto didn’t have enough money to hire a rabbi or even fix the roof of its synagogue. Today, this Orthodox…
Culture
Sacha Baron Cohen: social media is the ‘greatest propaganda machine in history’
Sacha Baron Cohen has made a career out of playing absurd comedic characters, from the dopey Brit Ali G to the Kazakh journalist Borat to the Israeli…
Music
Leonard Cohen album to be released posthumously
Leonard Cohen’s son is releasing a new album of his late father’s music. Adam Cohen asked some of his father’s longtime collaborators to flesh out the raw…