Judaism

Jewish L.A.: 5 People Who Helped Shape the City's History, From the Autry's New Exhibit

Jewish history in turn-of-the-century America usually conjures up images of deeply religious East Coast garment district workers or greased-back, penny-pinching Old Hollywood studio moguls. The Autry National Center attempts to break down this second stereotype with its latest exhibit, "Jews in the ... More >>

Now Open: Kosher Experience at Hancock Park Ralphs

With Passover less than a month away, it's appropriate to ponder the holiday's traditional four questions and to ask a fifth: Why is the Hancock Park Ralphs different from all other Ralphs? For starters, there's a mashgiach on site, something not offered in most grocery stores. A different kind of ... More >>

Sam Bacile, L.A. Producer Behind Innocence of Muslims, Pseudonym for Evangelical Zealots?

The Muslim outrage that led to the fatal attack on the California-native U.S. ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, might have very well begun right here in Hollywood. The filmmaker who calls himself Sam Bacile might have made the source of some Muslims' ire, Innocence of Muslims (video after the jum ... More >>

The Survivor Mitzvah Project

Passover Pizza: Matzah Pizza from Fresh Brothers

For people who have been observing Passover since Friday night, right about now you might be experiencing signs of pizza withdrawal. Fear not. Fresh Brothers Pizza has a fix for you --- a special matzah pizza, available until the holiday ends Saturday night. (We'll digress for a moment to note how m ... More >>

A Recipe From the Chef: Marcy Goldman's Incredible Passover Rolls

Why is this holiday different from all other holidays? For starters, you eat a lot of matzo. Passover, which begins tonight with the first seder or holiday feast, commemorates the exodus of the ancient Israelites from Egypt, after they were freed from slavery. According to tradition, they were forc ... More >>

Sinai Temple's World-Record Dreidel-Spinning Attempt: Behind the Scenes

Liz ReinhardtThere better be some chocolate gelt waiting for me if I spin this dreidel for ten whole seconds... ​ "Saben, watch my curveball!" Aaron says, throwing his dreidel out with extra oomph so that he can relish the crisp way it cuts across the table in an arc. "It's all about flicking ... More >>

The Best in Restaurant Signage: Thanks, "Jewish People"

J. LevyThe sign, Northampton​The world is full of restaurant signs warning customers not to do things. Wear a shirt or leave. Order correctly or be yelled at. If your food sucks, don't ask for a refund because you won't get one. With all the negativity, it's refreshing to see an example of ... More >>

The Kosher Corridor

A restaurant renaissance in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood

Is Brad Sherman A Scientologist? Wikipedia Says Yes

​Brad Sherman is engaged in a political battle to the death with fellow Congressman Howard Berman. But over the last month, he's also been waging an epic struggle against some anonymous guy on Wikipedia.On Sept. 15, Mr. Anonymous changed Sherman's religion from Jewish to Scientologist. The new ver ... More >>

Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. Goes Kosher

Guzzle & NoshAssort bagels from the Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co.​Just in time for Rosh Hashanah (Wednesday night, people), the Beverly Hills outpost of the Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. is going kosher. The restaurant, which closed over the weekend to make the conversion, will re-ope ... More >>

What's Up with Jews and Magic? Max Maven Lectures at the Skirball

Courtesy Skirball Cultural Center.​When we reported on the Skirball's double exhibits "Houdini" and "Masters of Illusion" a few weeks ago, there was one question that we didn't quite get to cover: how come so many magicians are Jewish? A few possible answers seem to present themselves right ... More >>

Cannes Dispatch: Dysfunction Junction

Halfway through, and it's clear: Cannes 2011 has issues

Possible Pipe-Bomb Explosion at Santa Monica Synagogue Prompts Mass Evacuation

Santa Monica Patch​Urgent update: The explosion WAS CAUSED BY GUN POWDER, police say. Details after the jump. Update, April 7, 11 a.m.: Santa Monica police and the FBI confirm that this was not a bomb, but some sort of mechanical issue within the building. The evacuation will soon be lifted. ... More >>

Weird Soda Review: Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray Tonic

This is the soda we imagine ourselves drinking at our Borscht Belt summer lodge, while we chuckle at Jackie Mason jokes and our gawky teenage daughter dances inappropriately with her sexy but ultimately honorable dance instructor. In case that subtext was too subtle, we're trying to point out that ... More >>

Q & A With Joan Nathan: Her New Book, Jewdar The Secret French Matzo Society

​Tonight's sundown is the sixth night of Chanukah. To celebrate this occasion, we check in with Joan Nathan, award-winning author of ten cookbooks about Jewish cuisine, the latest being Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France (Knopf). It's part cookbook, part inve ... More >>

Oy, Vey! Jewish Cooking Classes for Hanukkah A Latke Recipe

Flickr/slgckgcMost cooks still fry latkes in lots of grease, but not Hipcooks. ​ You love your grandma, but just not her leaden matzoh balls and grease-laden latkes. With the eight days of Hanukkah beginning on Dec. 1 (25 Kislev for those of you on the Hebrew calendar), it's time for an act o ... More >>

Magnolia Bakery Pops Up at Fred Segal

Magnolia Bakery​ If you're not busy dipping apples in honey for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), Friday, September 10th, you can stop by Fred Segal from 6 to 10 p.m. for Magnolia Bakery's first pop-up shop. Coinciding with Fashion's Night Out, Magnolia, which opened, closed, then opened ... More >>

ATONE AT HOME

Kosher Yogurt Shop Opens Three LA Locations: Yogo Self-Serve

Celia Soudry​ Located in the Melrose District, on the corner of Fuller and Melrose Avenue, Yogo self-serve frozen yogurt is the only Rabbinical Council of California (RCC) certified, Cholov Yisroel kosher yogurt shop in Los Angeles. And judging by the little kids wearing yarmulkes, jumping ar ... More >>

JEWISH SUMO WRESTLERS? WHO KNEW?

DO YOU LIKE DUDES A LOT?

DANCE OF THE WILD HORSES

Israeli Mob Crime On The Rise -- LAPD

Downing​Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Downing said this week that Israeli organized crime was on the rise in Los Angeles and he mentioned the Oct. 30 North Hollywood synagogue shooting as "a stern warning linked to a criminal organization." The LAPD's counter-terrorism ho ... More >>

A Serious Man: Seriously Bad for the Jews

Self-hating or just everyone-hating? The Coen Brothers aim their contempt at MOTs

Being Jewish in France: MOTs meet friend and foe in history-minded doc

Where to Eat: A Sephardic style Passover at Koutoubia in Westwood

Koutoubia on Westwood Blvd. does Passover Sephardic style, which often means more nuts, fruits and grains and fewer artery-clogging schmaltzy things. Saffron, preserved lemons, fennel and fresh tomatoes aren't ingredients you generally see much in a standard deli or Ashkenazi holiday spread. 2116 We ... More >>

GOOD CATCH!

Unconventional Smarts: When the Weekly Went Daily

Covering the Democrats in 2000

Queer Town: A Prop. 8 Town Hall Meeting at Young Israel

On Monday evening, three and a half hours after Variety reported that movie director Steven Speilberg had donated $100,000 to the "No on Prop. 8" campaign, Rabbi Elazar Muskin turned over his synagogue, Young Israel of Century City, to supporters of the anti-gay marriage ballot measure. Under Muskin ... More >>

The Cavalier Jew

Nagano: On the Road

Art thou not Kent?

Arpa International Film Festival

Thoroughly Postmodern Lily

On how to survive bar mitzvah season

Germany’s Trial Balloon

Anti-Semitism for political gain and profit

Identity Trap

The Believer's twisted "never again"

Six Blind Women and the Elephant

Who knows for sure what Islam has to say about women?

Three Guys and a Megaphone

The JDL’s shrinking role in Jewish extremism

Angst & Aquavit

Leonard Cohen in the afternoon

Perry Farrell's Mystical Musical Tour

The hedonist at 42

Hallelujah

In praise of Liz Lerman

Out of the Past

Arabs and Jews revive their blood hatreds

The Fate Family

Istvan Szabo’s 20th century

Fashion Victims

If you missed the Smithsonian's Sweatshop Exhibit at the Museum of Tolerance, or don't remember even hearing about it, you're not alone

Local Heroes

WeHo Snapped

Photos by Slobodan Dimitrov

With Blessings

Religion on the (picket) line

On Granada Hills

And the arsenals of the anomic

Yemenite Delight

Oy!

Yakin’s mishegoss, Linklater’s mild bunch