Animated Battle Of The Cliches: Texas Businessman Meets Orthodox Rabbi

One of the hottest new tools in online video technology is text-to-speech with animation.  The technique is being promoted by a company called xtranormal.  Their funny videos have gone viral on the internet.  On Decmber 1 we posted a dvar Torah with Sarah Palin and Larry King, using a YouTube video created with xtranormal.

Here's another one we found yesterday.  It depicts an encounter between a foul-mouthed Texas businessman and a kvetchy rabbi.  Both spout cliches common to their respective cultures.  Most of the fun comes from listening to the odd pronunciations of the Yiddish and Hebrew words that are most likely not in the dictionary, with the text-to-movie software having to guess how to pronounce words (usually incorrectly) like chutzpah, shlemiel, shmendrik, verklempt, mazel tov, schlub, and tuches.  Enjoy!

Only In Israel: Bloopers, Misspellings, And Funny Pictures

A groom taking a cell phone call under the chuppah.

A parked camel in a row of parked cars.

A graphic sign for a boy's urinal.

A sign in Hebrew:  Piece of cake or Piss off kike?

A tallit bag embroidered with initials spelling Schmuck.

A street sign for Hardon Lane.

A yahrtzeit candle vending machine.

Six children in Santa Claus costumes in Mea Shearim.

Spiderman and Shtreimel-wearing Chassidim at the Western Wall.

Apple flavored Durex condoms with honey for Rosh Hashana.

What do these funny images have in common?  They were posted on YouTube yesterday as scenes making up a fast-moving two minute video showing some of the unexpected and hilarious signs and sights you'll encounter if you keep your eyes open for them when you travel in Israel.

These funny pictures and mistakes in English and Hebrew signs were taken by Mirjam Weiss and collected from Facebook by Zvi Levran.

Don't blink while watching this video or you'll miss some of the funniest moments.  This is one that you'll want to view a few times to catch all of the details.  Enjoy!

Enough With The Latkes! It's Cupcakes For The Last Day Of Hanukkah

Have you had your fill of latkes this Chanukah?  We have, and we accept some of the blame for overloading you with this potato delight, with recipes from The Bubbe and from Jamie Geller, the "kosher Rachael Ray."  So as we're getting ready to light the eighth and last candle tonight, we found an alternative delicacy to ring out the festival.

What is it?  Sufganiyot (donuts)?  No, it's cupcakes.  And if you live in Los Angeles, as many of our readers do, you're right in the middle of a battle for who makes the best kosher cupcakes.

Two new cupcake bakeries, Sweet E's and Magnolia, have opened in Pico-Robertson, one of the most populated Jewish neighborhoods in Los Angeles.  And each one is claiming to have the best cupcakes.  But they're not alone.  A third chain, Famous Cupcakes, has locations in North Hollywood and Beverly Hills.  All three have kosher certification.

As Orit Arfa posted in The Jewish Journal's blog,

Erica Tucker is no stranger to sugary battles. The baker has proven herself to be a valiant fighter on the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.” With the expansion of her delivery and catering baking operation into the Sweet E’s Mini-Bake Shop off the corner of Pico/Robertson—LA’s own Jewish quarter—her war has become a religious one.

The native-Texan has definitely made kosher way more hip and glamorous with her red carpet style opening on November 18. Pictures of her Tinsletown clients were served up as marketing frosting near the neat displays of the “mini-cakes” and other goodies.

But the LA branch of Magnolia Bakery has proven a stalwart kosher cupcake warrior.  Founded in 1996 in the Jewish hood of all hoods—Manhattan—the New York favorite was bought by Steve Abrams in 2007. The good Jewish boy opened three new branches in New York and made them all kosher. The LA branch opened this past July on the corner of Third Street and Orlando, not far from the other Jewish quarter—Third/Fairfax—bringing back some kosher bakery glory to a hood overshadowed by the rise of Pico/Robertson.

Arfa reported on the competition by personally sampling some of the offerings in this video.  Then take a look at the Hanukkah greeting from Famous Cupcakes as we bid farewell to Chanukah 2010.  Enjoy!

Chanukah Around The World: Fireworks And Vodka At Street Festival In Mariupol, Ukraine

On Chanukah, we like to visit faraway cities to take part in celebrations just the same, and yet different from what we experience in our own neighborhoods.

Last year, we took you to Beijing to observe a Hanukkah celebration in China's capital city.  Today we're sharing a street festival that took place a few days ago in Mariupol, the second largest city in Ukraine.

 

In Mariupol, as everywhere in the world, Chanukah is Chanukah, or maybe it's Hanukkah, but the candle lighting, blessings, singing, dancing are slightly different, reflecting the local atmosphere.  

If you look carefully, you'll recognize some of the songs, but not all of them.  You'll taste the vodka and Coca-Cola, and what looks like donut holes.  You'll watch the dancing, to celebrate and to battle the cold weather.  And you'll watch the fireworks, yes, fireworks illuminating the sky above the giant menorah.  Enjoy!

At 85, Standup Comedian Jerry Lench Is Still Going Strong

Jerry Lench, an 85 year old retired California advertising and public relations executive, always had a passion for standup comedy, telling jokes in English and in Yiddish.

Now, he has started to collect his jokes and upload them to YouTube.

As Michelle Sathe writes in the Santa Clarita Valley Signal,

“Some jokes are a bit naughty,” Lench said with a sly smile. “Some are Jewish-oriented, and some are told in Yiddish.”

The Valencia senior got the idea from his daughter, Katherine Meyering, who lives just a few minutes away and visits with her father at least three times a week.

“There’s one joke he tells that I particularly like. As we were filming it, I laughed so hard, you couldn’t hear him,” Meyering said. “My dad is so good; he doesn’t rehearse. He gets it in one take.”

Meyering tapes Lench on her iPhone, uploads the video to her computer, then to YouTube and voila.

Her goal is for Lench to get enough views in order to attract advertisers. Family and friends are getting into the act, sending e-mails to friends and relatives, in order to hit the mark.

“Jerry Lench is going viral,” Meyering said with a laugh. “It preserves these jokes for my kids. How many times do you say, ‘I wish I could hear it in the way he says it?’ Well, now you can.”

Lench is happy to oblige.

“I can remember jokes I heard 60 years ago. I just can’t remember why I opened the damn refrigerator,” he said.

Lench has already uploaded 44 joke-telling episodes.  Some are single jokes, and some are multiples.   Here are a few typical jokes.  If you want more, they're available at Jerry's YouTube channel.  Enjoy!

Toronto Chassidim In Chanukah Street Duel With Hip Hopping Rappers

Last Thursday at dusk an unusual piece of street theater took place in the streets of downtown Toronto, at the corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets.  A group of Lubavitcher Chassidim, lighting the second Chanukah candle, encountered a group of hip-hop dancers, sent by Magen Boys Entertainment, a major provider of event entertainment in Canada, to engage the Chassidim in a hip-hop rap, singing, and dancing duel as shoppers and passers-by watched.  

With the Hard Rock Cafe and giant reindeer in the background, the two teams of dancers alternately sang and danced to Moshiach and I Wave My Hands Back And Forth.  The winners?  It's hard to tell because in the end both groups joined hands in a united dance of celebration.

The event was staged as a promotion for today's Hip Hop Chanukah Celebration at 1:30 pm at Chabad of Flamingo, in Thornhill, Ontario, a Toronto suburb.  If you can't get to Toronto today, then take a look at what you'll be missing in the video below.  Enjoy!

Mendy Pellin's Chanukah Adventure: The Mitzvah Mobile Does An Unexpected Mitzvah

There are Chabad Mitzvah Mobiles, and there are Chabad Mitzvah Mobiles.  You've probably seen them, sometimes called Mitzvah Tanks, cruising the streets of cities everywhere, stopping to find a Jew and helping him to put on tefilin, or to have a bite in a portable sukkah, or to light Chanukah candles.

Last March we introduced you to Mendy Pellin, Chabad's chief comedian, humor commentator, and host of Chabad News Online.  Two years ago, Pellin got a big surprise when a Mitzvah Mobile mission took him on an adventure in an unexpected direction.  

Planning to drive from Los Angeles to the northern tip of California and back, giving out menorahs along the way, he found a mysterious note attached to the windshield of his van.  In this video, Mendy tells the story of how the note led him to modify his route and perform an unexpected mitzvah that made Chanukah an even more joyous festival for the writer of the note and for all who rode the van to its surprise destination.  

Be sure to watch for cameo appearances by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jay Leno, and Jon Voight.  Enjoy!

"I Light It" - Another Great Pop Three-Song Parody For Chanukah ("Baby", "Heartless", And "I Like It")

This Chanukah seems to be the season for Jewish parodies of pop music.  NCSY, the Orthodox Union's teen organization, partnered with the a cappella group Six13 to create a street video combining elements of three very popular songs with new lyrics appropriate for Hanukkah.  It's called I Light It and it's based on Baby by Justin Bieber, Heartless, by Kanye West, and I Like It, by Enrique Iglesias.

How did this atypical combination of cultures find its way to YouTube?  According to the OU website, which describes the making of the video,

Chanukah lends itself to fun, and NCSY Jewish Youth Leadership is taking full advantage of the holiday with the release of its YouTube video starring the band Six13 (as in 613 mitzvot), with lyrics about Chanukah and NCSY programs, and featuring New Yorkers from all walks of life modeling t-shirts and dancing in subway stations, on the street, and wherever the camera wandered. According to NCSY International Director Rabbi Steven Burg, the aim of the video “is to introduce or reinforce the concept of Chanukah to all Jews, affiliated or otherwise, in a fun and non-threatening way.”

Here's the video for your enjoyment throughout Chanukah.

Just in case you're not one of the 399 million (no, it's not a misprint) who viewed Baby, the 44 million who viewed Heartless, or the 56 million who viewed I Like It on YouTube, here are the three original songs that I Light It is based on.

 

Hanukkah With Sarah Palin And Larry King

Tonight we light the first Chanukah candle!  

We'll be celebrating the eight days of Hanukkah by sharing a mix of funny posts, music old and new, and whatever comes up in the news that gives us some real Yidddishe nachas.  (It wouldn't be Jewish Humor Central if the daily posts were predictable.)  We hope you'll stay with us through the holiday and share the posts you enjoy with family and friends.

We start with a Hanukkah d'var Torah from Sarah Palin and Larry King.  Well, not the real Sarah Palin and Larry King, but their animated avatars as produced by a fun-loving Montreal rabbi with the assistance of a new text-to-movie animation technology called xtranormal. 

Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, the spiritual leader of Congregation Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem in Montreal, calls himself the Happiness Warrior.  He has been writing a blog since 2003, in which he encourages readers to spread joy throughout the world.

With xtranormal, Rabbi Steinmetz found a fun way do deliver divrei Torah, or talks on topics relating to a portion of the Torah, or Jewish holidays.  Who better to carry on a discussion of the meaning of Chanukah than the graphical representations of two of the biggest talkers of the year.  

This animation technology is getting very popular, and we expect to see it being used often.  We're even looking at using it for some original funny posts in the near future, so watch for them.

Here's "Sarah" and "Larry" and Rabbi Chaim to help you usher in the Festival of Lights.  Enjoy!

Indian Jewish Comedian Uses Logic To Prove There Are No Jews In This World

Samson Koletkar, son of a Jewish father and a converted Hindu mother, has developed a stand-up comedy routine to prove that there are no Jews in the world.  Using comedic logic, which isn't taught in college but probably should be, he turns the questions he usually gets about his ethnicity into a funny explanation of how he is more Jewish than Abraham's son Isaac.

Koletkar is the world's only Indian Jewish Stand-up Comedian.  Born and raised in Mumbai, and now living in San Francisco, his comedy is a unique perspective on life as an Indian Jew in the West. 

Listening to Koletkar, we were reminded of pilpul, the art of textual analysis used by yeshiva students to prove a point by citing sources, some obvious and some far-fetched.  We have used comedic pilpul, for example, using citations from the Torah and Talmud to "prove" that talking in shul during services is not only not prohibited, but actively encouraged.  How?  Let's save that story for another day.  In the meantime, we hope you enjoy Koletkar's humor.

Two Rabbis And A Beauty Queen Climb Into A Hot Air Balloon...

OK, OK, so it sounds like the start of a bad joke. But it's not.

Israel has been suffering from a lack of rainfall, and Israelis, both secular and religious, are pulling out all of the stops to bring about a reversal of fortune.  The rain, which usually falls this time of year, has not come, and forecasters predict no change in the weather through part of December.

The situation has caused an unusual unity in the country.  Rabbis and a beauty queen in a hot air balloon.  Jews, Muslims, and Christians in an interfaith prayer service.  It would take something like a severe drought to bring these diverse groups together.

Last week, Jews, Muslims, and Christians gathered in Al-Walajah, a Palestinian village between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the West Bank, part of Israel's Jerusalem municipality, for an interfaith prayer service asking for rain to start falling.

As Ilana Curiel reported in ynetnews.com on Friday, 

Before dawn on Thursday, Rabbis Menashe Malka and Reuven Deri  boarded a hot air balloon and ascended 1,000 feet in the air in order to pray for timely rain.

The two were joined by Eshkol Regional Council Head Haim Yalin and Sdot Negev Regional Head Council Meir Yifrach, as well as beauty queen Shavit Wiesel and other worshippers.

The group, which took off from an open field near Kibbutz Ruhama in the Negev, was equipped with a prayer for rain drafted by late Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.

With no precipitation in sight, farmers in northern Israel estimate crop damages would reach up to NIS 50 million (about $13 million.) 

Hot air balloon operator Moran Itzkovitz said that "a joint prayer, while looking down at the amazing scenary of the dry Negev fields, may open the gates of heavens and strengthen farmers across the country."

Also on Thursday, worshippers gathered in the northern town of Hatzor HaGlilit, at the tomb of Honi HaM'agel, who became famous for his ability to successfully pray for rain during a year of drought.
The prayer was attended by chief Rabbis Yona Metzger and Shlomo Amar, council heads, rabbis and yeshiva students from the surrounding areas. The worshippers blew the shofar and recited a special prayer authored by Rabbi Metzger.

On Wednesday, dozens of Rabbis and guests gathered for a mass prayer for rain on board the Ein Gev tourist vessel at the Sea of Galilee. 

We like to include a video clip in each of our blog posts, but we couldn't find a clip of the balloon launch. The best we can do is share a short clip of Shavit Wiesel introducing herself as Miss Israel 2010.  We hope you'll accept that in lieu of a balloon video.  May her merit and that of her rabbi co-passengers on the balloon persuade the Almighty to open the skies and bless Israel with much needed rainfall.

Photos by Hadar Bendet/Over Israel

New Chanukah Parody Song By Yeshiva University's Maccabeats

Song parodies are especially popular around Chanukah time.  A Cappella singing has also increased in popularity over the years, especially on college campuses.  Yeshiva University's singing group, the Maccabeats, has brought these two phenomena together by releasing a new music video this week, called Candlelight.  It's a takeoff on a pop music video called Dynamite by singer, songwriter, and music producer Taio Cruz.

The Maccabeats have been singing a cappella at YU since 2007.  As they developed a repertoire, their music began to spread beyond the school and they have performed an eclectic array of Jewish, American, and Israeli songs for thousands all around the country. Their breakthrough piece, Lecha Dodi, combines some of the most beloved words of Jewish liturgy with Leonard Cohen's meaningful and melodic Hallelujah.  In 2010, the Maccabeats released their first album entitled Voices from the Heights.

We enjoyed listening to Candlelight and think it's a worthy addition to the growing collection of new songs for Chanukah.  But it's going to take a lot of views for it to reach the 52 million YouTube views that Dynamite has accumulated since its release earlier this year.  Will it reach anywhere near that number?  You be the judge.  Here's the video, followed by the original that it's based on.  We should mention that Candlelight shows a lot less skin than Dynamite.  Enjoy!

"Kosher Rachael Ray" Makes Eight Latke Recipes For Eight Nights of Hanukkah

Now that Thanksgiving is just a happy memory, it's time to get ready for Chanukah.  As Wayne Steele sang in yesterday's post, I Can't Believe It's Chanukah Again.

We're talking serious latke making time.  And who better to guide you through preparing real authentic crispy delicious latkes but Jamie Geller, "the bride who knew nothing," whose latest book Quick and Kosher: Meals in Minutes was just published on November 1.  (We highlighted the book in Tuesday's list of recommended books for Chanukah reading or giving.)

Geller, often called the kosher Rachael Ray, has just released a video showing the step-by-step preparation of Samosa latkes, one of eight recipes that she created for the eight nights of Chanukah.  Eight recipes!  Yikes!  Watch one in the video below and then we'll show you the others.

 

So what are the eight types of latkes?  Here they are from Geller's blog, blog.kosher.com, with links to the pages containing the recipes.  Start cooking up a storm and enjoy!

Night #1 – Cheddar and Potato Latkes – Mashing the potatoes first gives these savory latkes an amazing fluffy texture. The addition of cheddar cheese goes beautifully with the spiced applesauce for a latke that will surely be one of your new favorites.

Night #2 – Potato and Parsnip Latkes – Traditional potato latkes get an extra hint of earthiness with the addition of parsnips and thyme. If you have a food processor, try using the shredding attachment to cut down on prep time.

Night #3 – Zucchini Latkes – This healthier latke doesn’t use any potato at all but instead uses tasty vegetables and a great mix of Cajun spices.

Night #4 – Carrot and Apple Latkes – Carrots, apples and ginger are combined in this unique take on a latke for a slightly sweet twist.

Night #5 – South of the Border Latkes with Black Bean Topping – Spicy, hearty, and cheesy, these latkes are absolutely delicious packed with protein, carbs and veggies – it’s like a meal in one.

Night #6 – Steakhouse Latkes – Don’t worry this recipe is pareve but the name is inspired by the spinach and potato style sides commonly offered in steakhouses alongside, well, a steak!

Night #7 – Samosa Latkes – This recipe is from my new cookbook: Quick & Kosher: Meals in Minutes, From the Bride Who Knew Nothing. Use russet potatoes, they are the best for baking! The addition of curry powder, peas and the chutney is what gives this latke an Indian flavor (see video above.)

Night #8 – Baked Sweet Potato Latkes with Gingered Sour Cream – To satisfy any sweet tooth, these delicious latkes are baked, not fried, so they’re a lot healthier. Paired with easy to make gingered sour cream, and they are a delicious treat! (you can always just fry them up if you must!)


And, for the people in your life who are purists, Geller offers a couple of traditional potato latke recipes, including her Zaydie’s tried and true classic best ever potato latke recipes: Latkes, Crispy Potato Latkes, and Mashed Potato Pancakes.

I Can't Believe It's Chanukah Again: A New Soon-To-Be Classic Song

We wish all of our readers a Happy Thanksgiving, whether you're sitting down to a dinner of turkey, turducken, or tofurky.  

If Thanksgiving is here today, can Chanukah be far behind?  Actually, this year, it's only six days away!

Each year we look forward to celebrating Chanukah, but we've about had our fill of listening to I Have a Little Dreidel and Chanukah, Oh Chanukah, and yes, even Adam Sandler's The Hanukkah Song.  We've been yearning for some new, meaningful, modern music and lyrics to sustain us through the eight day festival.

While searching the internet, we stumbled upon a song that we think has the potential to rise to classic status and to be replayed each year at this time.  It's called I Can't Believe It's Chanukah Again, by Wayne Steele.

Wayne has been singing since the age of four, entertaining at community engagements and at family gatherings. By the time he was in high school he was singing in several theatrical performances, most of which were musicals. 

In college Wayne was lead singer of the band "Sonics".  Soon Wayne and his band began booking gigs all over New York State and eventually Long Island hot spots. Wayne and the members of Sonics went their own way and Wayne formed the group AZIZ. Again, Wayne found himself rocking college towns around New York State. Their first album sold thousands on MP3.com in the late 90's and was named the "Best in Unsigned Rock-n-Roll" by WBAB. AZIZ got their music played on the radio and positive feedback was given by "The Voice" and "Island Ear." 

In 2005, Wayne put out a solo project called It's All About Chanukah.  The 4 track CD has the self titled song that tells the story of Chanukah in a catchy, fun, hooky style that is sure to get you to sing along.  The vocal performances are strong and the riffs will keep your head bobbing and toes tapping.  And now he's back with I Can't Believe It's Chanukah Again -- a song that's even more catchy and likely to stay in your head for awhile.  Give it a listen...and you will be hooked.  Enjoy!

More Humorous, Cooking, And Other Books For Chanukah And Jewish Book Month

Well, it's still November and that means it's still Jewish Book Month. We had such a good response to our November 5th survey of 15 new books for Chanukah reading and giving that we're adding to the list of books you might want to consider this year.

A Short History of A Tall Jew by Dennis Danziger
Philip Lachman, a 39-year-old Los Angeles public high school teacher, is searching for a second wife to be a stepmom to his custody-battle scarred kids. As we follow him in his search, we meet a hilarious cast of characters who are part of Philip's life. He sets out on a quest to find any kind, caring, competent woman by next Valentine's Day who won't be terrified by his teenage son who is into Communism and designer shoes nor turned off by his teenage daughter who dreams of becoming the queen of an oil-rich country.


The problem is, Philip has no leads, no numbers. But minor details like these are not going to get in his way. Any kind, caring, competent woman will do. So long as she's not an actress. But this is glittery, glamorous, how-much-money-are-you-worth L.A. So Philip, who barely ekes out a living as a public high school teacher, and has to suffer the indignity of teaching students who come to school each day in cars far more luxurious than his, is in for the ride of his life.

Have a Good Laugh: Jewish Jokes for the Soul by Ron Isaacs
Throughout the centuries Jews have used humor to cope with their history of trauma and stress. In fact, they have been sharpening their wits for over two thousand years and have always used jokes and humorous characterizations as teaching aids and as a means to illustrate, enlighten and improve. Have a Good Laugh: Jewish Jokes for the Soul presents a vast array of Jewish jokes that will surely bring a smile to your face and tickle your fancy.


If you are a professional or even an amateur speaker, you can use the jokes (which are categorized by topic for easy access) to beguile your audiences at lectures, parties and presentations. And the good news is that there are no crude or offensive jokes in this book. Just good, clean fun. So enjoy this collection of Jewish humor, and hope you do have a good laugh.


Here's one example: The Unexpected Delivery
Moshe, the owner of a small Kosher New York deli, was being questioned by an IRS agent about his tax return. He had reported a net profit of $80,000 for the year. Why don t people leave me alone? the deli owner said. I work like a dog, everyone in my family helps out, the place is only closed for Jewish Holidays and Shabbat. And you want to know how I made $80,000? It s not your income that bothers us, the agent said. It s these travel deductions. You listed ten trips to Israel for you and your wife. Oh, that? the owner said smiling. Well... We also deliver.

Kosher Nation: Why More and More of America's Food Answers to a Higher Authority by Sue Fishkoff
Kosher? That means the rabbi blessed it, right? Not exactly. In this captivating account of a Bible-based practice that has grown into a multibillions-dollar industry, journalist Sue Fishkoff travels throughout America and to Shanghai, China, to find out who eats kosher food, who produces it, who is responsible for its certification, and how this fascinating world continues to evolve. She explains why 86 percent of the 11.2 million Americans who regularly buy kosher food are not observant Jews—they are Muslims, Seventh-day Adventists, vegetarians, people with food allergies, and consumers who pay top dollar for food they believe “answers to a higher authority.”


Fishkoff interviews food manufacturers, rabbinic supervisors, and ritual slaughterers; meets with eco-kosher adherents who go beyond traditional requirements to produce organic chicken and pasture-raised beef; sips boutique kosher wine in Napa Valley; talks to shoppers at an upscale kosher supermarket in Brooklyn; and marches with unemployed workers at the nation’s largest kosher meatpacking plant. She talks to Reform Jews who are rediscovering the spiritual benefits of kashrut, and to Conservative and Orthodox Jews who are demanding that kosher food production adhere to ethical and environmental values. And she chronicles the corruption, price-fixing, and strong arm tactics of early-twentieth-century kosher meat production, against which contemporary kashrut standards pale by comparison.

Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France by Joan Nathan
What is Jewish cooking in France? In a journey that was a labor of love, Joan Nathan traveled the country to discover the answer and, along the way, unearthed a treasure trove of recipes and the often moving stories behind them.
Nathan takes us into kitchens in Paris, Alsace, and the Loire Valley; she visits the bustling Belleville market in Little Tunis in Paris; she breaks bread with Jewish families around the observation of the Sabbath and the celebration of special holidays. All across France, she finds that Jewish cooking is more alive than ever: traditional dishes are honored, yet have acquired a certain French finesse. And completing the circle of influences: following Algerian independence, there has been a huge wave of Jewish immigrants from North Africa, whose stuffed brik and couscous, eggplant dishes and tagines—as well as their hot flavors and Sephardic elegance—have infiltrated contemporary French cooking.

Quick and Kosher: Meals in Minutes by Jamie Geller

The "bride who knew nothing" is back! Five years after her wedding, Jamie Geller is juggling a career and running a busy household - and she still has no time to cook.
As her family and career rapidly grew, Jamie set out to learn how to cook with children around, how to cook meals that kids would eat (while not boring adult family and guests) and how to do it all without losing her cool.
This innovative cookbook features over 215 new quick recipes, new fast takes on traditional holiday dishes, and expert interviews about wine and cheese. Best of all, the recipes in this book tell you how much total time to allow for "PCS" - that's to Prep, Cook & Serve - the full meal. You'll find out how much you can do in just 20, 40, or 60 minutes, and there's a special holiday chapter too! What's more, all the recipes are combined into full, balanced menus, so you'll know that you're serving your family and guests meals that are nourishing, as well as scrumptious and enticing.

Kosher by Design: Teens and 20-Somethings by Susie Fishbein
Susie Fishbein knows fun cooking; her best-selling Kosher by Design series has revolutionized kosher cuisine. Susie also listens; so when teens and young adults asked for a cookbook that fits their lifestyle - fun food that's delicious and quick to prepare - she responded. Kosher by Design: Teens and 20-Somethings is just for them - just for you.


Want to make amazing food at home instead of ordering another takeout meal? Thinking about surprising your mother with a superb full course dinner, but need help? Need creative ideas to plan a great party at home - even on short notice? Looking for simple-to-do recipes that don't require fancy kitchen gadgets? You're in luck! Here are 100 uncommonly delicious alternatives to common fast food!


Students, newlyweds, young people at home, in their own apartments, or in dorms - (and the older adults who often feed them) - will all welcome Kosher by Design: Teens and 20-Somethings, the newest and most anticipated member of the KBD family.

Jerry Stiller And Anne Meara Start A Funny New Web Series

After 57 years in comedy, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara are taking their skills to a new medium.  Thanks to their son, actor Ben Stiller, who directs them, the comedy couple who were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s have started a show called Stiller and Meara:  A Show About Everything -- a series of short conversations (10 so far) that are posted to the web.

The segments, running less than three minutes each, cover a wide range of topics including basketball, marijuana, Valentine's Day, Justin Bieber, Veterans Day, Lady Gaga, and Jersey Shore.

As Susan King wrote in yesterday's Los Angeles Times,

The comedy of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara was born out of loving differences.

Married in 1953, they became one of the most successful comedy teams around by joking about their respective ethnic groups (Jewish and Irish Catholic). They recorded comedy albums, played nightclubs and Las Vegas and were mainstays of variety hours on TV; in the 1960s they were on The Ed Sullivan Show three dozen times.

But with the demise of musical variety shows and Meara's reluctance to go on the road, they decided to split up the act. Stiller, 83, went on to even greater fame as a sitcom dad on Seinfeld and The King of Queens while appearing with his movie star son Ben in many films. Meara, 81, also worked with Ben in movies and became a playwright.

Taped in their living room, Stiller and Meara act like any couple married 57 years -- they interrupt and contradict each other constantly, but seem very happy doing it.  

Their style hasn't changed much over the years.  We found a clip of them appearing together on What's My Line? on CBS in 1968 and kvelled to see them as they were then and today, 42 years later.

We suggest that you watch the first one of their web segments below, and then scroll down to watch the 1968 clip.  If you're looking for more, you can find all ten episodes that they've recorded so far by following this link.  Enjoy!
 

 

Animated Neil Diamond Sings Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song

Last year we posted a video of Adam Sandler singing his Chanukah Song. (Put on your yarmulke, it's time to celebrate Hanukkah...)  The song has become a standard and has been recorded by many other singers. 

We found an animated version that we think you'll enjoy watching as we get ready to light the first Chanukah candle on December 1, only ten days from today. 

In this version, Neil Diamond (yes, the same Neil Diamond who sang Hava Nagila in The Jazz Singer and in Keeping Up With the Steins, and Kol Nidre in The Jazz Singer), performs a cover of Sandler's song,  while all of the Jews (and some non-Jews) identified in the song appear as cartoon characters.

Enjoy!