Arts and Culture

NEW YORK (Tablet) — Inna Grade, the widow of the Yiddish writer Chaim Grade and a feared enemy of many within in the Yiddish literary world, died May 2. Her age was a matter of some uncertainty, but the rabbi who officiated at her funeral believes that she was… Read more »

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, standing, with his future father-in-law, the sixth Lubavitcher rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. (TheRebbe.org)

SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) — Sixteen years after the death of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a flurry of new publications indicates not only how enduring the interest is in his life and legacy, but how potent the minefield is surrounding his mythology. Writing a biography of a larger-than-life figure is… Read more »

Beth Lapides

Stand-up comic Beth Lapides considers herself a New Age Jew — “Never forget to be here now” is her mantra. Lapides will perform in her new solo show, “100% Happy 88% of the Time,” on Saturday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. at a benefit for Temple Emanu-El. The performance… Read more »

BOSTON (JTA) — Once upon a time it was hard to find a wide selection of Jewish children’s books. Mostly there were books on Chanukah and Passover, plus retellings of Bible stories and folk tales.  The market was small and uncertain, and mainstream publishers could not count on large… Read more »

Even by the high standards set by Israeli films in the last few years, “Ajami” is a knockout. A crackling urban drama shot with unblinking realism and steeped in astringent Middle East irony, ”Ajami” sinks its hooks in the first minute and never lets up. Written, directed and edited… Read more »

By Toby Axelrod BERLIN (JTA) — Israeli filmmaker Tomer Heymann almost never stops shooting. He shoots his mother. He shoots his relatives. And, most of all, he shoots his German boyfriend. Heymann’s latest documentary, “I Shot My Love,” tells the sometimes painful story about how his love affair with… Read more »

 By Lisa Keys/Feb. 10, 2010  NEW YORK (Tablet) — Utopia Bagels in Queens is known for its bacon-flecked egg bagel. In Manhattan, the restaurant JoeDoe boasts a sandwich called the “Conflicted Jew” — a concoction made with bacon, challah and chopped liver. During Chanukah, the Web site YumSugar suggested… Read more »

PHILADELPHIA (Jewish Exponent/JTA) — Isaac Bashevis Singer didn’t care much for the 1983 Barbra Streisand-starring film adaptation of his short story “Yentel the Yeshiva Boy.” The late Nobel Prize-winning author couldn’t picture a serious Talmud student breaking into song.  Many Jewish moviegoers, however, loved the Singer-Streisand pairing, which is… Read more »

Vadim Gluzman

Israeli violinist Vadim Gluzman will perform with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra next month. Named NPR’s #1 New Classical Music Face of 2008 for his recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Gluzman will perform the concerto with the TSO and conductor George Hanson on Thursday and Friday, February 11 and 12… Read more »