David Gest, Liza Minnelli’s ex-husband, found dead in London

April 18, 2016

(JTA) — David Gest, a Jewish reality television star in Britain and the ex-husband of actress Liza Minnelli, was found dead in a five-star London hotel on April 14.

Police and paramedics were called to the luxury Four Seasons Hotel...

Larry David back on ‘SNL’ as Bernie Sanders — with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

April 17, 2016

(JTA) — Larry David was back on “Saturday Night Live” playing Bernie Sanders, this time answering an audience question from former “Seinfeld” co-star Julie Louis-Dreyfus in character as Elaine Benes.

The skit, which again featured Kate McKinnon portraying Hillary Clinton,...

‘Wedding Doll’ film premieres at JCC tonight

April 13, 2016

“Wedding Doll,” the winner of the 2015 Jerusalem Film Festival’s award for Best First Film, makes its first appearance in New Orleans tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Uptown Jewish Community Center as part of the continuing Bart Family Film...

Author Imre Kertesz, Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate, dies at 86

April 01, 2016

(JTA) — Imre Kertesz, a Holocaust survivor who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, has died.

Kertesz, who portrayed the horrors of Auschwitz in some of his writings, died Thursday at his Budapest home, said his publisher, the Magyeto Kiado...

Garry Shandling to have Buddhist funeral

April 01, 2016

(JTA) — Garry Shandling, the award-winning American Jewish comedian who died last week at 66, will have a Buddhist funeral.

The service, which Shandling had arranged secretly, will take place next month, TMZ reported. The cause of his March 24...

Sarah Silverman posts video in support of Bernie Sanders

March 30, 2016

(JTA) — Comedian Sarah Silverman has released a YouTube video in support of Bernie Sanders’ bid for the Democratic nomination for president.

“Bernie Sanders is the one for me,” a five-minute monologue backing the Vermont senator, was posted on Monday.

Why Gal Gadot is Israel’s real-life Wonder Woman

March 27, 2016

By BEN SALES

(JTA) — Israel’s famously partisan papers have finally found something to agree on: They all love Gal Gadot.

Israel Hayom, the Sheldon Adelson-funded right-wing daily, called her a “woman of valor.”

Walla, a popular news website, suggested that if Israelis...

Garry Shandling, comic star of ‘Larry Sanders Show,’ dies at 66

March 24, 2016

(JTA) —  Garry Shandling, a comedian, actor, writer and producer best known for starring in the Emmy-winning “The Larry Sanders Show,” has died at 66.

Shandling, who was Jewish, died at a Los Angeles hospital Thursday, TMZ reported. The cause...

‘Batman v. Superman’: Jesse Eisenberg on Lex Luthor’s embrace of Jewish culture

March 22, 2016

By CURT SCHLEIER

(JTA) — When the highly anticipated movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” opens nationally on Friday, several burning questions will finally be answered.

Among them: Which superhero is tougher? Does Wonder...

Matisyahu embarks on Hillels-sponsored college tour with Arab-American artist

March 22, 2016

(JTA) — Matisyahu has launched a U.S. college tour co-sponsored by Hillel chapters with a musician born to an Egyptian-Palestinian father and American-Jewish mother.

The formerly Hasidic reggae artist, who kicked off the tour with special guest Nadim Azzam on...