Passover

04/18/2022

Jews world-wide celebrated Passover this weekend. Many held family seders, some joined with friends, and others participated in larger events with their synagogues or other Jewish organizations. Some Jews are celebrating the holiday in more luxurious ways, such as at Magical Passover in Orlando, the Luxury Pesach at Paradisus Isla Mujeres in Cancun, and Amazing Pesach Spain Olam. At what Passover event was it once noted in the press that “It was estimated that the diamonds worn… were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars”?

Seder Plate by Mark D. Zimmerman

A. A community Passover seder held at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles in 1961 which was attended by, among others, Samuel Goldwyn, David Sarnoff, Adolph Zukor and Laurence Tisch.

B. A Passover seder hosted in 1953 by Dorothy Schiff at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Schiff, granddaughter of financier Jacob Schiff, was the owner and publisher of the New York Post. Guests included Caroline and Harry Frank Guggenheim, Marian and Jacob Javits, and actress Shelly Winters.

C. A community dinner held at Congregation Beth Sholom in Long Island’s Lawrence, New York in 1967. The Orthodox synagogue held the event a couple of weeks before Passover to raise money for Tomchei Shabbos of the Five Towns which provided free matzah and other Passover food for needy residents.

D. Comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish is half-Jewish through her father, an Eritrean Jew. In 2019 she celebrated her bat mitzvah prior to the release of her Netflix special, Black Mitzvah. Last week Haddish held a pre-Passover seder, including her Girls Trip co-stars Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, and Jada Pinkett Smith.

E. The news story was about the annual Lower East Side Passover Parade, in this case specifically referencing the 1904 event which some said outshone New York’s 5th Avenue Easter Parade.

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Madison Cawthorn

04/11/2022

Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina is in the news for his recent comments that he witnessed leaders in his party using cocaine, and that he had been invited to orgies by older prominent Republicans. Cawthorn has been a major supporter of President Donald Trump and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Cawthorn spoke at Trump’s January 6 rally before the insurrection and he later said to a Republican Party group that “if our election systems continue to be rigged and continue to be stolen, then it’s going to lead to one place—and it’s bloodshed.” Cawthorn recently attended the American Friends of Lubavitch event honoring the 120th anniversary of the birth of the Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson. At that event Cawthorn referenced Queen Esther and quoted from Proverbs, and also stated that “it is the duty of America to help provide assistance and protect the nation of Israel because I truly believe you are the chosen people of God.” Cawthorn previously tweeted about a place he visited, saying, it “has been on my bucket list for a while, did not disappoint.” What place was he referencing?

Madison Cawthorn by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

A. The Western Wall in Jerusalem.

B. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.

C. The North Carolina Museum of Art Judaic Art Gallery in Raleigh.

D. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland.

E. Eagle’s Nest, which was Adolf Hitler’s vacation residence.

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Will Smith

04/04/2022

Will Smith remains in the headlines following his smack of comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards. Smith announced that he has resigned from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences as he awaits the Academy’s review of his actions and possible disciplinary measures. Smith was the winner of the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s 2009 Humanitarian Award. He has been to Israel on a number of occasions, most recently in 2017 when he was filming scenes for the movie Aladdin. On a trip in 2016 Smith referenced Israeli actress Gal Gadot when he said of Israeli women, “Those are all over Tel Aviv... Wonder Women everywhere.” Whom did Will Smith meet with in Israel on another visit to the country?

TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 - Day 1 by TechCrunch is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A. He met with Menachem Begin’s son Benny, and visited the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem. After watching a film about Begin and Anwar Sadat, Smith said, “Now I know what and who I want to be...someone who can reach across the aisle to my enemies and offer my hand in peace.”

B. He met with David Ben-Gurion’s grandson Yariv Ben-Eliezer, and visited the Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv. After watching a film about Ben-Gurion and the founding of Israel, Smith said, “Now I know what and who I want to be...an inspiration to my people as he was to his people.”

C. He met with Yitchak Rabin’s daughter Dalia, and visited the Yitchak Rabin Center in Tel Aviv. After watching a film about Rabin’s life, Smith said, “Now I know what and who I want to be...a soldier for peace.”

D. He met with Moshe Dayan’s daughter Yael, and visited the Moshe Dayan exhibit at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. After watching a film about Dayan and the Six Day War, Smith said, “Now I know what and who I want to be...a hero for my people.”

E. He met with Benjamin Netanyahu, and visited the jail cell that many Israelis expect to see Netanyahu living in. After the meeting, Smith said, “Now I know what and who I want to be...a man who is the leader of his people for most of his adult life and then goes on trial for doing some terrible things, whether it’s fraud, breach of trust, bribery, or simply slapping someone.”

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The Academy Awards

03/28/2022

The Academy Awards ceremony took place this past weekend. Among the Jewish nominees were actor Andrew Garfield, film editors Myron Kerstein & Andrew Weisblum, documentary filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt, director Stephen Spielberg, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, who was nominated for her adapted screenplay, The Lost Daughter. Garfield played Jonathan Larson, the Jewish playwright, composer and lyricist, in the movie Tick Tick Boom, directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The film tells the story of Larson, best known for writing the musical Rent, which had its first off-Broadway preview on the day Larson tragically died as a result of an aortic dissection. A scene in Tick Tick Boom takes place in a diner where actors Howard McGillin (who starred in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway) and Chuck Cooper (a Tony winner in The Life) place a food order with Larson, who is working as a waiter. What is the dialogue of that scene?

Academy Award Winner by Davidlohr Bueso is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A. McGillin’s character asks Larson, “Do you have any of those wonderful Jewish crepes?”, to which Cooper’s character interjects, saying “It’s blintzes, dear. They call them blintzes.”

B. McGillin’s character asks Larson, “Do you have any of those wonderful rugeluhs?”, to which Cooper’s character interjects, saying “It’s rugelach, dear. They call it rugelach. With a CHHHHH.”

C. McGillin’s character asks Larson, “Do you have any of those wonderful Jewish rolls?”, to which Cooper’s character interjects, saying “It’s bagels, dear. They call them bagels.”

D. McGillin’s character asks Larson, “Do you have that any of that wonderful Jewish bread?”, to which Cooper’s character interjects, saying “It’s challah, dear. They call it challah bread.”

E. McGillin’s character asks Larson, “Do you have any of that wonderful Jewish bread?”, to which Cooper’s character interjects, saying “It’s holly, dear. They call it holly bread.”

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Roman Abramovich

03/14/2022

The United States and other countries have placed sanctions on a number of Russian oligarchs, who are seen as major financial and political supporters of Vladimir Putin. Among the oligarchs is Roman Abramovich, the multi-billionaire owner of the Chelsea Football Club, one of the United Kingdom’s top soccer teams. Abramovich is Jewish and also holds Israeli citizenship. Just weeks ago he made a $3 million donation to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Museum. On February 6, Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan, as well as Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and many other Israeli leaders, sent a letter to the United States Ambassador to Israel asking that Abramovich not be sanctioned because of “his contribution to the Jewish people.” But on March 10, Yad Vashem issued a statement saying, “In light of recent developments, Yad Vashem has decided to suspend the strategic partnership with Mr. Roman Abramovich.” Many of the oligarchs have put some of their money into superyachts, which in some cases have been seized as part of sanctions. Both of Abramovich’s superyachts are currently cruising with no clear destination, hoping to avoid seizure. What are the names of Abramovich’s two superyachts (each of which is worth at least $600 million)?