Excuse my espanol.. but I did not go (No Va) to New Orleans, LA (NOLa) for the General Assembly this weekend. The only NoVa I know is the lox and the Chevy car (which, by the way, did not sell well in Mexico). I am missing out on all those lectures and bourbons. But that is cool, cuz I have these Jewish tidbits to expand my day, including:
But first, some sad news. Jerry Bock, 81, the composer for ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ passed away on Wednesday, just a few days after the death of Joseph Stein, the author of the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ which was based on the writings of Sholem Aleichem. Bock’s songs included “Tradition,” Sunrise, Sunset,” and “If I Were a Rich Man.” Bock’s earlier musical, ‘Fiorello!’, which ran a few years on Broadway starred the actor Tom Bosley, who passed away three weeks ago.
News from college campuses include concern on the New Jersey campus of Rutgers over a fundraising effort for a new Gaza flotilla. Organizers from BAKA: Students United for Middle Eastern Justice, say their fundraising dinner is meant to support the sending of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. Hoda Mitwally, said her organization was being maligned by groups opposed to the event and they insinuated that her group was somehow linked to terrorism. A few states away, In Waltham MA, some student at Brandeis University are preparing for 4 days of events during their Israeli Occupation Awareness Week. It is being co-sponsored by Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voices for Peace.
Hmmm… maybe I should have headed to NOLA, on second thought. In other news…
A Rabbi Grows in Deutschland
Speaking of stars, The Jewish Bulletin of the SF Bay area reports on one of the players who helped the SF Giants win the World Series. Yeshayah Goldfarb, 32, directs quantitative analysis for the team. Giants’ president Larry Baer said he is one of their “Moneyball” guys. The son of Yehudit and Reuven Goldfarb of Tsfat, his analyses help the team to build a team. There is no “i” in “team,” but there is a Goldfarb.
Stars who took a ribbing, gave a ribbing, and kept on ticking, were covered in the Hollywood tabloids. Comedian Zach Galifianakis, star of “Due Date” and other films, jokingly called “The Hangover” director, Todd Phillips, the “worst Jew in Hollywood.” Galifianakis objected to Phillips’ casting of Mel Gibson in the sequel to “The Hangover.” For some unknown reason, after that ribbing, that role has now been recast. Liam Neeson will take the role.
On the topic of stars with ribs, GQ magazine (I did not know it was still around) has two Jewish women on their cover dressed as high school teens. I thought it was a Heeb magazine parody, but I was wrong. Terry Richardson photographed, Dianna Agron and Lea Michele from the tv show, Glee, in poses that some would say are culturally seductive. Others would call it gross and sexist or Maxim mag-like.
Another star, not as seductive in the eyes of some, is Keith Olbermann of MSNBC. He was suspended hours before Shabbat began on Friday, after Politico.com wrote that he had donated money to three political candidates. I suppose he is looking for a temporary countdown. Perhaps he can help count down the days to Hanukkah.
Pacino seeks a half kilo of flesh
