Pee-wee Herman is back with a tour, and possibly much more

February 06, 2020

By CURT SCHLEIER

(JTA) — Thirty-five years after his breakthrough film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” and 29 years after that notorious incident in a Florida adult movie theater, Paul Reubens is back.

The comedian known as Pee-wee Herman is embarking on 25-city,...

Harold Rome subject of Dansker lecture tonight at Touro

January 31, 2020

George Dansker will be holding his annual lecture tonight on a Jewish composer tonight following services at Touro Synagogue, 4238 St. Charles Avenue. This time, though,  the subject is not nearly as well known as those for whom he has...

Gladys Bourdain, who helped launch her chef son’s celebrated career, dies at 85

January 16, 2020

(JTA) — Gladys Bourdain, who convinced an editor to publish the first article written by her chef son Anthony, has died.

Bourdain died in hospice on Friday in the Bronx, New York. She was 85.

She worked for nearly 25...

Marc Maron hints at tragic Jewish family history in ‘Finding Your Roots’ preview clip

January 16, 2020

(JTA) — The next episode of the PBS show “Finding Your Roots” delves into the family histories of three prominent Jews: actor Jeff Goldblum, NPR host Terry Gross and comedian Marc Maron.

In this clip from the episode debuting on...

Oscars 2020 nominations: Scarlett Johansson enters elite company, Adam Sandler snubbed

January 13, 2020

By GABE FRIEDMAN

(JTA) — The 2020 Oscar nominations are out, and unsurprisingly, they’re already causing a firestorm on social media.

The list, announced early Monday morning, didn’t do much to quell longstanding concerns that the awards have issues with...

Buck Henry, screenwriter of ‘The Graduate’ and ‘Get Smart,’ dies at 89

January 13, 2020

(JTA) — Buck Henry, the screenwriter and director who earned an Oscar-nomination for his script for the 1967 film “The Graduate,” has died at 89.

Henry, born Henry Zuckerman in 1930, died Wednesday in Los Angeles, according to reports. “The...

Golden Globes 2020: Quentin Tarantino’s Hebrew and other Jewish moments

January 06, 2020

By GABE FRIEDMAN

(JTA) — As always, the Golden Globes was a coming together of some of Hollywood’s biggest Jewish talents.

There weren’t many Jewish award winners at the glitzy ceremony on Sunday night, but here are our favorite Jewish...

‘Prisoners of War,’ the Israeli show that became ‘Homeland,’ is the NY Times’ favorite international series of the decade

December 24, 2019

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Israeli television series that was remade in the United States as “Homeland” took the No. 1 spot on The New York Times list of the 30 best international television shows of the decade.

“Prisoners of War,”...

Chanukah photography exhibit offers a window into Hasidic Jewish life

December 24, 2019

By CURT SCHLEIER

When the Yiddish New York Festival kicked off on the first night of Chanukah, the coincidence of the weeklong celebration of Yiddish culture, food, music and dance with the Festival of Lights was unmissable.

Aside from the...

‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ renewed for 4th season

December 14, 2019

(JTA) — “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” the Emmy Award-winning series about a 1950s protofeminist Jewish stand-up comic, will return for a fourth season, its creators said just after the third season started streaming on Amazon.

“We were thrilled to hear...