This just in from Tribefest.

Yesterday opened with speeches and performances from “Hebrew Mamacita” Vanessa Hidary, TV actress Mayim Bialik, and Congresswoman slash breast cancer survivor Debbie Schultz. Author Aaron Cohen was Debbie Downer, reminding us of the violence going on in Israel. “We can’t have a celebration without a little sadness,” he said. “We are Jews.”

Yitz "Y-Love" Jordan, Jewish hip hop artistI attended a panel promoting a documentary-in-progress called “Punk Jews” by Evan Kleinman and Saul Sudin. The film describes a 21st century context for Jewish identity: Progressive east coast Jews are exploring their religion through punk, noise rock, comics, performance art, and the like. Panelists included the filmmakers as well as two such hipsters artists: Elke Sudin (Saul’s wife), whose painting series “Hipsters and Hassids” addresses the inevitable culture clash in Brooklyn; and Yitz Jordan (“Y-Love”), who strengthens his connection to Judaism through his badass hip hop music.

Yitz was full of soundbites. He called himself “the Amy Winehouse of Jewish music” and described the Torah as “God’s Wikipedia.” He and Evan stressed the need for Jewish self-exploration rather than total restriction to tradition. They complained about the commoditization of the Jewish label, to which Saul added, “Labels are for shirts.”

Check out the trailer for Punk Jews:

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6 Comments

  • To remind us of the violence going on in Israel? WTF? It’s quiet as hell over here (tell them, CK.) Does anyone watch the local news in any major American city? Should we remind people about the violence going on there? What the hell were that guy’s credentials anyway?

  • Jonathan is a sideshow freak. Pay him no mind. Yitz was a great addition to TribeFest – the most atypical Federation event I have ever attended. This is really what we should be talking about I think…

  • Fuck you jews! Take your asses back to Israel or whatever piece of dirt you call home. No one cares about you and we all wish you die! You are one of the biggest problems in the world today. You day will come when Christ returns fucking bastard scum!