Steve Buscemi also just scored a part in the film, joining already committed Method Man and \u201cDownton Abbey\u201d star Dan Stevens. Tom McCarthy, the man behind indies such as \u201cThe Station Agent\u201d\u00a0and \u201cThe Visitor,\u201d\u00a0is set to direct. Mazel tov to Jerry <\/strong>and Jessica Seinfeld<\/strong> on the bat mitzvah this weekend of their daughter, Sascha. Of course, a congrats from the likes of us is sad and meaningless in comparison to well wishes from the king of mazel himself, Andy Cohen<\/a>, who looked absolutely giddy (and squinty) in a party pic<\/a> posted to Instagram by proud mom Jessica. The Bravo powerhouse was pictured alongside George Stephanopoulos, Jerry and the Seinfelds\u2019 son, Shepherd.<\/p>\n A couple of things we learned about the bat mitzvah from said Instagram account: What we really want to know, though, is who was invited up for the candle-lighting ceremony? What were the party favors? And did Julia Louis-Dreyfus show up and do the Elaine dance?<\/p>\n Simon Cowell\u2019s Jewish plans, Israel trip<\/strong><\/p>\n Music mogul\u00a0Simon Cowell is thinking of joining the tribe, the Mirror<\/a> reported on Thursday.<\/p>\n The \u201cX Factor\u201d judge, who has a Jewish father but was raised Roman Catholic, has been inspired by his Jewish soon-to-be baby mama Lauren Silverman<\/a>. She is expecting their first child in February.<\/p>\n Looks like Cowell is taking the whole thing quite seriously, having planned a \u201csecret\u201d trip to Israel because he wants to make a \u201cmore informed decision\u201d before he commits to the faith, a source told the British tabloid.<\/p>\n Cowell also recently made a $150,000 donation<\/a> to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills, and is possibly considering taking up traditional Israeli dance lessons<\/a> in preparation for his wedding.<\/p>\n Signing off now to work on our pitch about a reality show featuring Cowell\u2019s on-screen conversion, during which he is judged by a panel of bombastic rabbis.<\/p>\n Princess Bride\u2019 stage bound<\/strong><\/p>\n In what will hopefully be a blissful mawage, Disney has announced plans to work with William Goldman<\/strong> on a theatrical production based on his book \u201cThe Princess Bride\u201d and screenplay for Rob Reiner’s<\/strong> 1987 classic film \u201cPrincess Bride.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not the first time an attempt has been made to bring the story to the stage. Goldman teamed up with other theater people several years ago, but per The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>, although \u201cmuch of the score was completed, development was halted in 2007 over a financial dispute.\u201d<\/p>\n Somehow we have faith that Disney can make this thing finally happen. If not, we know a certain six-fingered man who might be able to give them a push. The film was listed among the eight on the academy\u2019s shortlist <\/a>from a field of 40.<\/p>\n Herz-Sommer\u2019s story is extraordinary and judging from this trailer, so is the film<\/a>.<\/p>\n She will have to wait until final nominations are announced in January to find out if the film is in running for an Oscar, but you can help bring her some more immediate gratification by joining in the filmmakers\u2019 campaign to garner 110,000 birthday wishes for her 110th birthday on Nov. 26. They\u2019ve made a website for participants.<\/p>\n Julio Iglesias says he\u2019s \u2018Jewish from the waist up\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Latin love machine Julio Iglesias<\/strong> recently dished to The Jerusalem Post<\/a> that he is Jewish \u201cfrom the waist up.\u201d The 70-year-old singer is not, in fact, some kind of Semitic centaur; he just skipped a certain traditional rite of passage. (Oh, you got that right away? Sorry, took us a minute to process. Actually, we\u2019re still processing.)<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve known my whole life about my family\u2019s Jewish past, there were lots of conversations in my house about the Inquisition and about Sephardim,\u201d said Iglesias, a Madrid native. \u201cMy mother\u2019s name — de la Cueva y Perignat — was a very Jewish name.\u201d<\/p>\n This might explain his frequent visits to Israel. Following his performances there in 2009 and 2011, he played Israel again over the summer and has a Tel Aviv concert booked for Nov. 24.<<\/p>\n \u201cThe world understands that Jews are a race that use their customs and character to make the world a better place,\u201d Iglesias said. \u201cAnd when I\u2019m in Israel, I see something completely unique taking place. I see a very strong Jewish country and I see Spanish Jews, Russians, Argentinians all with one motivation — to keep Israel safe. And that touches my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Homeland\u2019 writer\u2019s Jerusalem-based show picked up by USA<\/strong><\/p>\n Doesn\u2019t a series about an FBI agent who, while investigating a murder in Jerusalem, stumbles upon a conspiracy intertwined with the ancient city\u2019s history sound sort of awesome? Well, good news: American TV bigwigs think so, too.<\/p>\n \u201cDig,\u201d penned by Gideon Raff<\/strong>, the Israeli writer behind \u201cHomeland\u201d and its Israeli counterpart \u201cPrisoners of War,\u201d has been picked up by Universal Cable Productions for the USA Network. Even more impressive, \u201cDig\u201d won\u2019t be shot somewhere like Malta, a la \u201cWorld War Z.\u201d The series, co-written by \u201cHeroes\u201d writer Tim Kring<\/strong>, will be filmed on location in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n In a news release, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat\u00a0<\/strong>wrote, \u201cWhen we combine Hollywood\u2019s creative potential with Jerusalem\u2019s historic backdrop, it will result in the ability to connect hundreds of millions of viewers around the world to this unique and beautiful city.\u201d<\/p>\n Andy Cohen makes a deal with Bravo<\/strong><\/p>\n Nobody puts Andy Cohen<\/strong> in a corner! And by \u201ccorner,\u201d we mean the corporate offices of Bravo.<\/p>\n The \u201cWatch What Happens Live\u201d host had made a two-year deal with the network in which he will relinquish his position as executive vice president for talent and development, allowing him to spend more time focusing on his popular show<\/a>, The New York Times reports.<\/p>\n Cohen will stay on as an executive producer on the \u201cReal Housewives\u201d franchise, and via his new production company, Most Talkative, he will continue to create programming for Bravo. For the latest Jewish celebrity news, visit JTA’s 6 Degrees (No Bacon) blog<\/em>.<\/p>\n
\nDetails of the plot are being kept secret, but it sounds potentially Jewish, no?
\nMaybe it\u2019s some kind of Old World period piece? Well, Method Man probably wouldn\u2019t fit into that equation, but perhaps Sandler is a Bukharan Jew with a storefront in Williamsburg? That could work.
\n
\nSascha Seinfeld\u2019s bat mitzvah bash<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nShe has inherited at least some of her dad\u2019s sense of humor. A photo posted<\/a> last week shows Sascha guzzling a bottle of (virgin) apple cider. The caption: \u201cGettin\u2019 faded, pre-Bat Mitzvah.” Also, Sascha turned 13 a couple of weeks before the big event, as documented in this adorable, bespectacled shot<\/a> of her blowing out the candles on her cake. Can she rock nerd glasses or what?<\/p>\n
\n
\nHolocaust doc on oldest survivor in Oscar race<\/strong>
\nAt 109, Alice Herz-Sommeris<\/a>is the world\u2019s oldest Holocaust survivor, the world\u2019s oldest pianist and the second-oldest person living in England. She\u2019s also the subject of the documentary \u201cThe Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life,\u201d now up for a possible Academy Award nomination.<\/p>\n
\nPer the The Times of Israel<\/a>: \u201cIsraeli TV shows have, for several years, been finding success on small screens overseas, but the six-episode deal struck by \u201cDig\u201d creators marks the first time a U.S. network has committed to an entire series of an Israeli-produced show without buying a pilot first.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThis is sort of freeing Andy from the corporate shackles,\u201d Bravo President Frances Berwick said. In other words, we can all now rest assured that the man who brought us \u201cFashion Queens,\u201d \u201cShahs of Sunset<\/a>\u201d and, presumably, “Princesses: Long Island<\/a>,\u201dwill not be stuck in the board room when he could be generating more cultural contributions and then subsequently deconstructing the contributions on \u201cWWHL.\u201d Somebody deserves a Mazel of the Week, we think.<\/p>\n![\"Share](\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\")