By Lisa Alcalay Klug
When it comes to the Festival of Lights, there is no shortage of gift schmaltz. Since the Forward first published festive holiday picks under the headline “Give the Gift of Kitsch” in 2005, schlock options have grown exponentially. The phenomenon originally explored in these pages has expanded to include such winners as the new Latka Spatula — the kitchen implement that sounds like Yiddish.
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By Lisa Alcalay Klug
A ceremonial
yad, or Torah pointer, is a traditional gift for a bar or bat mitzvah. But a new technological innovation aimed at helping children learn their Torah and Haftarah portions represents a new kind of competition for this classic ritual item.
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By Lisa Alcalay Klug
The animated sitcom “Family Guy” isn’t exactly high art. The Sunday night, 30-minute program, which airs on the Fox television network, is filled with off-color jokes. Nonetheless, many fans were disappointed when the show’s creator, Seth MacFarlane, took things to a new extreme November 8 during a variety special titled “‘Family Guy’ Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show.”
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By Lisa Alcalay Klug
Reality star Jon Gosselin, who has been plagued by a storm of ugly tabloid rumors, has been seeking to avoid more media attention. So, his recent decision to participate in a public forum — or as many media outlets are referring to it, an “apology show” — with yet another personality known for cultivating the spotlight came as a surprise. Gosselin, 32, joined Rabbi Shmuley Boteach at the West Side Synagogue in Manhattan on November 1 for an event titled “Fame: Blessing or Curse?” Run by Boteach, the discussion was billed as a “raw and intimate dialogue on the ethical challenges and moral responsibility of celebrity.”
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By Lisa Alcalay Klug
California journalist and Forward contributor Lisa Alcalay Klug has authored the new book “Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe” (Andrews McMeel Publishing), a funny compendium of Jews in pop culture, holiday survival guides, fashion and style tips, crash courses in “Kabba Lah Lah” and more. Klug’s self-proclaimed “pride in Jewish culture, schmaltz and a reverent irreverence” shines through on every page. The Forward’s Josh Richman caught up with Klug on topics ranging from her own upbringing to her love of the Mani-Tini (a concoction involving vodka, fruit juice and Manischewitz Blackberry) and more.
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