Welcoming Shabbat With Adon Olam (to the Main Theme from Star Wars) by Cantor Marcus Feldman

The songs we sing in the synagogue on Shabbat can be set to many different tunes and there have been many adaptations of Adon Olam, Lecha Dodi, and Ein Keiloheinu that reflect popular songs from Broadway, Hollywood, and the Great American Songbook.

On May 4 (May the fourth be with you) Cantor Marcus Feldman of Temple Sinai in Los Angeles sang Adon Olam to the main theme from Star Wars, in an arrangement by Benjamin Fingerhut. This is the 95th version Adon Olam that we have posted. To see the other 94 versions, scroll down to Keywords in the left column on this page.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Throwback Thursday Interview Special: Frank Oz, the Voice of Cookie Monster, Miss Piggy, Bert, Grover, and Yoda

Frank Oz (born Frank Richard Oznowicz on May 25, 1944) is an English-born American puppeteer, filmmaker and actor.

His career began as a puppeteer, where he performed the Muppet characters of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle in The Muppet Show, and Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover in Sesame Street. He is also known for being the puppeteer and voice of Yoda in the Star Wars films.

Today we're going back 42 years to 1976, when Oz was interviewed by CBC, the Canadian broadcast channel. Oz showed up at the studio with Cookie Monster and talked about the advantages of being an unrecognized celebrity puppeteer. Today Oz is 73 and lives in New York City.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

The Star Wars Hanukkah Song

OK, we know that Chanukah is over, and we said we wouldn't post any more Chanukah music videos and parodies this year.

But then STAR WARS: The Force Awakens opened worldwide to great acclaim, and you can't open a website or newspaper today without being flooded with Star Wars reviews, reports, and references.
 
So when we came across a 2011 video parody of Adam Sandler's The Chanukah Song that was built around Jewish references in the first six Star Wars films, we just couldn't resist sharing it with you.

Here's The Star Wars Hanukkah Song, by Luke Sienkowski, a composer of many parody songs under the name The Great Luke Ski. You'll find the lyrics just below the video.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)  




The Star Wars Hanukkah Song
A parody of "The Hanukkah Song" by Adam Sandler, about the Jewish actors of the Star Wars films (also, an addendum to the earlier version done in the first "It's A Fanboy Christmas", 2000).
Parody lyrics by the great Luke Ski
© 2011 Luke Sienkowski

Lyrics:

Star Wars is a serial of thrills.
Instead of one sci-fi classic, we get six crazy films (and an animated series).
Some actors of the Jewish faith are in these tales of Jedi,
And if Adam Sandler can amend his song, then why the Hell can't I?

Natalie Portman, sure isn't a shiksa.
She was elected Queen of Naboo just before her Bot Mitzfah.
Gave birth to a Jewish Princess, she was Carrie Fisher's Momma.
Mark Hamill's not a jew,
but he was the voice of the Hanukkah Zombie on "Futurama".
Some people thought Watto was, with his raspy voice and schnozzes.
Well he's not, and neither is Yoda, but it turns out that Frank Oz is!
Yoda: Jew or Jew not, there is no try! Hoo hoo hoo hoo!
Mel Brooks gave us "Spaceballs", made us laugh until we burst.
Harrison Ford is a quarter Jewish, and he shot Greedo first! (SFX: blaster fire)

Get on your Taun-Taun-nukkah.
It's Star Wars Hanukkah.
You can hang out with Qui-Gon-nukkah.
On the Millenium Falcon-nukkah.
With a Wookie named Chewba-nukkah.
Everybody: Please help me Obi-Wan-nukkah.
So go see Episode One-nukkah.
And have a happy Han Solo!
[Han: Laugh it up, fuzzball!]
Just kidding! Happy Star Wars Hanukkah!

May the force be with you, everybody!

The Force Awakens Yoda in a New Sukkot-Themed Star Wars Teaser from France

David el Shatran and his creative JewSalsa team in France have once again come up with a unique parody of pop culture and somehow connected it to Sukkot and to the upcoming new Star Wars episode that's scheduled for release in December.
  It's another in a series of his videos, which included a mixing of Matzah and Salsa into a Flashmob and a Mission Hanukkah adventure, both in the streets of Paris.
  

Star Wars fans know that Master Yoda died in Episode VI, but if you can believe this teaser, the reality was that he was still alive, with the Hassidim of JewSalsa awakening the Force in him thanks to the joy of a nigun, some schnapps, and a sukkah.

May the Force be with all of us. Enjoy! 

(For the benefit of our non-French speaking readers, the little Jedi holding the etrog and lulav at the end of the video is saying Bonne fête, which translates to Chag sameach!) 

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)