Babka vs. Baklava Battle of the Bands

by Adam [➚] · Friday, June 1st, 2012

 THIS looks awesome.  Finally, an event that appeals to Jews who speak Ladino, Jews who speak Yiddish and Jews who speak neither.  Its inclusive of all, and even caters to, literally, the kosher set with delicious dainties from the kitchen of Leah Koenig.

Yes, whether you like baklava or babka, this 1st Non-Annual Festival of Pan-Judeo Music and Pastries has something for you.  It features the three major streams of Jewish culture and geography-  the Mediterranean Sephardi, the Eastern European Ashkenazi and the ubiquitous New York Indie.

The Sephardic rock of Delon and the power pop of Yiddish Princess will be paired with pastries from those respective traditions by acclaimed food writer Leah Koenig. In a city rich with festivals, this is the one you can’t afford to miss.

Tickets are only $8 so get yours early.

Noa-body puts Noa in a corner

by Adam [➚] · Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

In addition to her own distinguished career, Achinoam Nini (aka Noa) has a history of working on behalf of peace and reconciliation. Notably, she has partnered with Israeli-Arab singer Mira Awad, a Christian and resident of Haifa, on a concert tour and as the country’s entrants 2009 entrants into the Eurovision contest.  This  creative collaboration brought them wide attention around the world, mostly of the positive sort.

On Yom Hazikaron, the acclaimed international Israeli musical artist performed for a gathering of Combatants for Peace, an organization of former fighters and their families on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  This recent performance brought on attention of a much uglier, vile sort from extremist corners in Israeli and North American Jewish corners.

Calling her “Garbage” and “Rat” and far worse.  They’ve taken to facebook calling for a boycott of Noa’s performances, and Noa has responded.

More »

Over? Did you say over?

by Adam [➚] · Sunday, April 29th, 2012

It wasn’t over when the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor, but it is for the Gamma Chapter of AEPi at Penn.  The oft quoted words of Animal House’s Brutus hang in the air as, in the wake of serious hazing infractions, the chapter voted to return its charter to the National Headquarters and go Pseudo greek, whatever that means.  After being put on double secret probation, the fraternity chapter, which had a 98 year history on campus and was one of its consistenly highest achieving academically, the University had enough.

But this was no Dean Vernon Wormer and Penn is not Faber College, though it might have been the case with AEPi’s  Boston University chapter, which made headlines last week as it was shut down over hazing.

Nor, it should be pointed out, is Alpha Epsilon Pi, the International Jewish Fraternity, the Delta Tau Chi of that film (of the writers, Chris Miller was in  Alpha Delta Phi fraternity at Dartmouth College, Harold Ramis a Zeta Beta Tau at Washington University in St. Louis, and producer Ivan Reitman was a Delta Upsilon at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Yes, they are bastions of male objectification of the female, yes, a source of aggravation and lack of academic seriousness, yes they throw great parties (and sometimes bad ones) but they’re not all bad, and they’ve come a long way since the Animal house era and even the 1990′s.  That’s especially true for AEPi, which  is nationally, engaging in leadership training for college men (that phrasing does sound parochial I admit), partnering with Hillels and raising significant funds for important charities.  It shouldn’t be painted with the saime brush as those undergrands at Penn. In fact, the fraternity has posted very public statements on its website and its President Andy Borans was quoted as having exerted pressure to close the chapters.

I respect that. For the Gamma and Zeta Deuteron Chapters of AEPi, yes, it is indeed over. For now…
esponda