Shoshana Lewin-Fischer

Calming those wedding-day jitters, virtually

Published on April 10, 2008

The situation couldn't be more stressful: convince your ex-boyfriend to sing at your sister's wedding after the band quits; keep the groom's sister from making it "her" day; assure the groom's mother that it is OK to have a store-bought wedding cake; make sure the bride's divorced parents don't kill each other; don't let the bride know the groom had a stripper at his bachelor party; and above all, keep the bride calm.

Enter Elijah, designated drinker

Published on April 3, 2008

Passover is a holiday near and dear to Marc Jaffe's heart. So when the "Seinfeld" and "Mad About You" writer went to a friend's house for a seder last year, he was let down when an Elijah's entrance gag bombed.

"They shook the table. I thought, 'You gotta be kidding me,'" he said. "You gotta have better effects than that."

New Pesach haggadah is off the page!

Published on March 27, 2008

Kids page.

Purim in the produce section

Published on February 28, 2008

Purim festival suggestions.

Election 101—who is your choice?

Published on January 24, 2008

This time of year, we know that you are seeing signs everywhere about the upcoming presidential election. So many people, so many numbers; we think you should know what it all means.

Let kids rule the land

Published on January 3, 2008

Kids can influence how their families handle the growing global warming issue, at least according to Laurie David and Cambria Gordon, co-authors of "The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming"

No matter how you say it

Published on December 27, 2007

How to get your favorite things without losing your mind

Published on December 13, 2007

At some point between "Will you marry me?" and "You may kiss the bride," a happy couple must devote some time to the gift registry, which will help fill the shelves and drawers of their new home.

But the first time a couple walks into a store to register for their wedding gifts can be overwhelming. Myriad appliances, gadgets, pots, dishes and sheets seem to loom large, and the choices are dizzying.

Top Chanukah tunes

Published on November 29, 2007

It's the same problem every year: There are a million songs about Xmas and three about Chanukah. OK, maybe not quite that, but you get the idea. In a world where "Chanukah O' Chanukah" and "I Had a Little Dreidel" just won't do, songwriter Adam Chester created a holiday miracle: a real Chanukah song that is being played on the radio that you and your parents can sing -- together: "Eight Days and Nights."

Producer Josephson’s vision for a new fairy-tale princess stars in Disney’s ‘Enchanted’

Published on November 22, 2007

One of Barry Josephson's first forays into the world of fairy tales was in an elementary school production of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Although the "Men in Black" producer doesn't remember which dwarf he played, that glimmer of the land between "once upon a time" and "happily ever after," started him on the path to creating Disney's latest film, "Enchanted," opening in theaters Nov. 21.

Golems, schlemiels, reporter for a day

Published on October 25, 2007

We're getting into the "spirit" of things this month. YeLAdim loves a good scary story, so we asked our friends at the Jewish Community Library of Los Angeles to suggest some of their favorites.

YeLAdim yaks with Disney’s Adam Bonnett

Published on September 27, 2007

How cool would it be to pick what everyone else gets to watch on television?

Kids slip into reading and cozy up with PJ Library

Published on September 13, 2007

The High Holy Days can be a confusing time for children. It's not easy for them to understand the sense behind the story of a father who almost sacrifices his son or how a chicken can help take away sins. Luckily, the answers to these mysteries and many more can be found in a book -- and thanks to the Harold Grinspoon Foundation's PJ Library (as in pajamas), parents around the country are getting those books for free.

Say L’Chayim to 5768!

Published on September 8, 2007

Happy New Year—shofar so good!

Published on August 30, 2007

Kid's page.

Jack Gindi, American Jewish University philanthropist, dies at 83

Published on August 5, 2007

Jack Gindi, real estate developer, lawyer, philanthropist and Jewish community benefactor, died Saturday, Aug. 4, at 83, following a prolonged illness.

You get when you give

Published on July 26, 2007

Kids

‘Hairspray’ style holds up

Published on July 19, 2007

There must be something in the water. How else can Hollywood explain the screen-to-stage-to-screen adaptations of "The Producers," the recently announced "Footloose" and, hitting theaters July 20, "Hairspray"?

Backlot parties put simchas in the spotlight

Published on July 12, 2007

More than 70 years after the beginning of Hollywood's Golden Age, when talkies became the rage and Jews routinely Anglicized their names, film factories are playing up the Jewish angle by hosting some of the largest and most unique b'nai mitzvah parties in town.

Curtain call—Stars and Stripes forever

Published on June 28, 2007

Kids and teens page.

Off the page, holidays not on the calendar, cool quiz

Published on May 24, 2007

Kids page.

The ‘Show’ behind the show

Published on May 24, 2007

The documentary, "ShowBusiness," captures the behind-the-curtain drama of the 2003-2004 Broadway season, illustrating the ups and downs the public isn't privy to - from blockbusters that shine to "turkeys" that crash and burn.

Hey, hey! We’re the SqueeGees!

Published on April 26, 2007

Kids page.

Create an emergency kit for The Big Day—just in case

Published on April 19, 2007

Bridal emergency kits are a great way to handle problems as they happen, especially at destination weddings where you can't exactly run out to the nearest drug store.

Curtain call; More holidays not on the calendar

Published on March 29, 2007

Kids page.

Skateboarder’s project links charity and sport

Published on March 8, 2007

Devin never thought he would get to bring his love for skateboarding into his rite of passage: "I thought it would be like my sister, and I'd work at a shelter, but this was a lot more fun."

Holidays not on the calendar

Published on February 22, 2007

“Wicked” producer Platt flies across another bridge

Published on February 15, 2007

Platt has crossed more than a few bridges himself. After he graduated from Penn, where he produced a small off-Broadway musical titled, "Francis," about St. Francis of Assisi, Platt studied entertainment law at NYU, while interning with agent Sam Cohn at International Creative Management, Inc. in New York.

Premarital counseling gets short shrift in Jewish L.A.

Published on February 8, 2007

Premarital counseling can be a time for honest reflection and sharing, but frequently the lines of communication can get buried under layers of tulle and wedding cake.

Holidays <B>not</b> on the calendar; Rockin' with Himmelman

Published on January 25, 2007

Kids

Give me a happy ending

Published on January 4, 2007

I'm so happy that my parents are happy. Each of them are very much in love -- just not with the other.

What’s Up for 2007?

Published on December 28, 2006

YeLAdim will be mixing it up next year with more movies, books, music and TV reviews than ever before.

A wish list of guilty pleasures and goofy gifts

Published on December 7, 2006

We've all been there.

You go to the store, turn on the TV or pick up a catalogue and see something incredibly silly that you never in a million years would buy for yourself (it's also called a "guilty pleasure"). But you can always say you are buying it for someone else. So in the grand tradition of the Pet Rock, the Moses action figure and the snow cone machine, The Journal presents the Chanukah gifts you really want but won't admit it.

Why we celebrate Chanukah—according to YOU!

Published on November 23, 2006

Why We Celebrate Chanukah ... According to ______________________ (YOUR NAME)

Television: Will Shabbat dinner drama hold ‘Nine’ viewers captive?

Published on November 16, 2006

A new series, "The Nine," created by siblings Hank ("Without a Trace") and K.J. Steinberg ("Judging Amy"), tells the story of nine strangers at a L.A. bank and a robbery that will "only take five minutes" -- until, in TV fashion, something goes horribly wrong. The flashbacks -- very small ones that lead every episode -- only hint to the whole story of what happened during the 52-hour standoff.

It happened one weekend ... at the Sisterhood

Published on November 16, 2006

"Something happens," I was told across the "first timers" table Nov. 2 at BJ's Restaurant in Woodland Hills. "When these women get together. I can't explain it, but something happens."

Noah is full of animal crackers

Published on October 26, 2006

Jewish Journal for kids. Animal Crackers and Halloween.

Brachas vs. bluegrass: moms make the switch

Published on October 5, 2006

The Season premiere of FOX's "Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy." The very intriguing but highly unlikely pairing of a Shomer Shabbos Jewish family from Brookline, Mass. (near Boston), and a coon-huntin' family from Olympia, Ky.

Exercise your right to read—without censorship

Published on September 28, 2006

The American Library Association got more than 400 requests to ban books last year. But most of those requests were unsuccessful, because of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other people who make sure books stay on shelves.

Keep Your Eyes Open

Published on August 24, 2006

Kein v' Lo: Snack Attack.

How YOU Can Help Israel; Electronic Devices

Published on July 27, 2006

Kids

My Superpower: Datedar

Published on July 27, 2006

Perky Obit Girl

Published on June 29, 2006

When I came to The Journal as a copy editor and had the opportunity to write and edit stories and interview celebrities (both real and pseudo), I couldn't have imagined a better job. Then came the curveball: In addition to writing and editing, I was asked to coordinate the obituaries. Ouch.

What Will Life Be Like in 2026?

Published on June 29, 2006

Kids

Spectator - The ABCs of LUV

Published on June 8, 2006

Now retired from the dating game, Teresa Strasser happily enjoys her new role as love coach. Journal readers have long been treated to her insights on being single in these pages. Strasser, an Emmy winner and news reporter for Adam Carolla's show on KLSX 97.1 FM, now takes on the role of co-dating adviser on the new ABC reality show, "How to Get the Guy."

Un-bee-lievable Spellings

Published on June 8, 2006

Of the viewers who watched ABC's broadcast of the 79th National Spelling Bee on June 1, how many would have spelled the word meaning "kosher approval" the way the judges did?

yeLAdim

Published on May 25, 2006

Singles - Walk Out the Door

Published on May 18, 2006

Before I found my incredible guy, I was engaged to someone whom I went out with for two and half years -- probably two years too long. Of course, after we broke up, everyone I knew said that he was just "OK" and that I deserved someone better.

yeLAdim

Published on April 27, 2006

This section of the page is a way for you as kids to sound off about an issue. This month's Kein v' Lo (yes and no) is about camps. Should Jewish kids go to Jewish camps or other kinds of camps?

Runaway Bride Redux

Published on April 20, 2006

The notion of giving advice to runaway brides came about as Rendahl tried to think about the "loose ends that would be out there if you had the courage to run, even if you didn't realize you should until the very last moment."

Ding Dong! Rabbi Calling

Published on April 13, 2006

His turn on is making single Jewish women laugh. His hometown is Jewtown, Calif. He puts his age at 99 (although he looks at least 50 years younger). His occupation is comedian/dancer/male model -- and rabbi. Yes, the tzitzit-wearing, black-bearded Rabbi Rabbs (a.k.a. Hershel Remer) is in a class by himself.

yeLAdim

Published on March 30, 2006

yeLAdim

Forget March—Try Midseason Madness

Published on March 16, 2006

yeLAdim

Published on February 23, 2006

yeLAdim

Hey Kids!

Published on December 29, 2005

This section of the page will be a way for you as kids to sound off on an issue. This month's kein v' lo (yes and no) is about New Year's. Should Jews care as much about the regular New Year as we do Rosh Hashanah? Here's some info for both sides of the argument.

A Funny Present Happened Here

Published on December 15, 2005

Lighten up your Chanukah without striking a match. Yes, we fought, we won, we ate -- but we can also laugh. While gift-buying is sometimes lumped in the same category as root canals and traffic on the 101, the humorous books, music and DVDs below will make the whole process a lot more fun.

A Jewish Spin On Gift-Giving

Published on December 15, 2005

Everyone has the same shopping countdown this year: Dec. 25th is also the first night of Chanukah. With holiday-season commercialism rising exponentially each year, the plethora of items for purchase can be blindingly confusing for even the savviest shopper.

An X-Mas Like No Other

Published on November 24, 2005

"The sun is shining, the grass is green, the orange and palm trees sway. There's never been such a day in Beverly Hills, L.A. But it's December the 24th, and I am longing to be up north."

While it isn't likely the above stanza sparks many memories, the next line should: "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas."

Bing Crosby's popular version of the song -- introduced in "Holiday Inn" (1942) and later sung in "White Christmas" (1954) -- cut out the satirical introduction.

Hey Kids!

Published on November 24, 2005

Here's where you get to sound off. This month's kein v' lo (yes and no) is about Thanksgiving. Should Jews celebrate the holiday? Is there anything Jewish about Thanksgiving?

Hey Kids!

Published on November 10, 2005

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," introduces a slew of new words and concepts. Quiz your parents, grandparents and older siblings and see if they know what is true and what is false. Are they as smart as Harry's gal pal Hermione Granger or as clueless as Harry's cousin, Dudley Dursley?

Anti-Semitism Trumps Sex

Published on November 10, 2005

A dig about Jews took center stage on "The Apprentice" -- again. And once again, it was a loser.

Hey Kids!

Published on October 27, 2005

Kids and Teens

Winners and Schmoozers

Published on October 20, 2005

When I heard that the Jewish Image Awards were going to be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, all I could think about was that scene in the movie "Troop Beverly Hills," when Shelley Long's character, Phyllis Nefler, took her Wilderness Girls to one of the bungalow suites after a storm drenched their campsite.

Channel Surf With the Tribe

Published on September 29, 2005

Welcome to fall: The time of High Holidays, contemplation, repentance and really, really long services.

And did I mention TV?

Local Family Thrills, Lower Vacation Bills

Published on June 30, 2005

Family vacations don't have to be grueling nine-hour treks that zap energy and wallets. As Southern California's tourist destinations proudly roll out their newest attractions for summer, competitive promotions can save local families the equivalent cost of parking at LAX for a week. Three of the attractions even have food covered, offering kosher options for observant families.

Dorothy Who?

Published on June 23, 2005

The Broadway blockbuster by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, which tells the story of what happened in Oz before Dorothy dropped in, has been selling out in ticket presales on its national tour. So you might have better luck finding a pair of ruby slippers than a seat at the Pantages, where it flies in from now through July 31, starring Stephanie J. Block, Kendra Kassebaum and Carol Kane.

But this tale, with its Grammy Award-winning music, based on the book by Gregory Maguire, isn't your grandmother's "Wizard of Oz." (Judy Garland never used words like "swankified" or "disgusticified.") This show is all about Elphaba (a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (a.k.a. the Good Witch of the North) -- who used to be best friends.

But who was really "wicked" and who was really "good?"

Get ‘Wicked’ in the Windy City

Published on June 2, 2005

More than 2.77 million Chicagoans work, live and play in nearly 100 distinctive neighborhoods, divided by ethnicity, class and geography.

Afikomen, Afikomen Wherefore Art Thou?

Published on April 14, 2005

The afikomen: dessert or simply a ploy to keep children -- and some adults -- awake through most of the seder? Most people probably favor the latter, and tend to choose one of two techniques to make finding the half-piece of matzah interesting:

How Funny Is Passover?

Published on April 14, 2005

"Many people have spoken or written, thanking us for portraying characters ... in a way where their Jewishness isn't always the main point, but just another aspect of their lives," LaBan said.

It’s a Kosher World After All

Published on February 10, 2005

Kosher. The word evokes pictures of kugel, kishka and caviar.

Heads Carolina, Tails California

Published on January 20, 2005

Are you part of an outgoing, talkative, loud Jewish family? And are you looking for a new place to live? And are you dying to have the whole experience air on national TV?

Then consider applying for the WB's upcoming "The Relocation Show." The new reality show (produced by RDF Media, the British production company that created "Wife Swap"), helps make the process of selecting a new place to live slightly less daunting and will move the family anywhere in the 50 states, including Hawaii.

Iceberg Sinks ‘Race’ Menches

Published on November 18, 2004

Eleven teams. Thirty days. One-million dollars. Zero bagels. That is what 32-year-olds Avi Scheier and Joe Rashbaum tried to face as one of the teams on the sixth season of the around-the-world reality show "The Amazing Race."

"Race" teams are given clues telling them where to go and what tasks they must perform. At the end of each episode, the last team to reach the "pit stop" is eliminated -- the first team to cross the finish line at the end wins $1 million.

Break Fast With Emmy

Published on September 16, 2004

Brace yourself. This Sunday night, some angels, a spy, a cynic and a meddling mother-in-law are coming over to break the Fast of Gedaliah. You don't have to feed them, however. They're all part of the 56th annual Emmy Awards on Sept. 19, hosted this year by comedian Garry Shandling.

Oy Mom! What to Say?

Published on May 6, 2004

You've bought the perfume. You've ordered the flowers. You've reserved the brunch. You forgot the card.

Picking out exactly the right thing to say to mom on her special day is not easy. The funny cards aren't very Jewish; the Jewish cards aren't very funny.

He Sang/She Sang

Published on April 22, 2004

Take one part Aimee Mann, one part Pete Yorn, stir in some Tori Amos and add a dash of Yiddishkayt and you've got two of the newest sounds in rock.

Giants of the Small Screen

Published on April 15, 2004

Andy and Opie. Archie and Meathead. The Professor and Mary Ann. Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia. We can all thank Sheldon Leonard, Norman Lear, Sherwood Schwartz and Susan Harris, respectively, for bringing these people into our living rooms and the pop culture landscape.

To some, they were the menches next door, but to the TV Land cable network they are "Moguls," the ones with the "golden touch," says Merv Griffin, host of the six-part series, which debuts Wednesday, April 21.

Megillah on the Mountain

Published on February 12, 2004

It's beginning to look a lot like Purim. The hamantaschen-filled holiday comes one month early this year, as Temple Beth Ami in Santa Clarita and Six Flags Magic Mountain co-host PurimFest: The World's Largest Purim Carnival this Sunday.

The early date was chosen "to allow everybody to come, so people won't miss the Purim parties at their own synagogues," said Rabbi Mark Blazer of Beth Ami, a congregation of 200 families.

Mix it Once, Mix it Twice

Published on January 22, 2004

Ask anyone who cooks chicken soup what makes it taste so delicious, and the answer will likely be: "A pinch of this, a dash of that." But no more.

Chanukah Hoop Dreams

Published on November 20, 2003

Picture the "Bad News Bears" in a basketball court, add kippot and a dash of Chanukah and you have the makings of the Disney Channel's latest original movie, "Full-Court Miracle." The film is based on the true story of Lamont Carr (Richard T. Jones), a down-and-out former University of Virginia basketball star, who is asked to coach the Hebrew Academy Lions by the team's captain Alex Schlotsky (14-year-old Alex D. Linz). Schlotsky, after learning about the Chanukah legend in school, is convinced that Carr is really Judah Maccabee. Meanwhile, Alex's mother, a doctor, wants him to give up basketball and follow in her footsteps.

Kosher Sex

Published on June 19, 2003

Talk about fiction: A show with four women who live in Manhattan and spend most of their time talking about men, eating and shopping -- and none of them are Jewish? That all could change this season on HBO's "Sex and the City," when one of the gals considers heading to temple.

Seder at Bubbie’s

Published on April 3, 2003

Mah Nishtanah Ha Lila HaZeh Mikol HaLeilot?

Why is this night different from all other nights?

On all other nights I'm required to act like a 25-year-old adult, but on this first night -- being the youngest person at my seder table -- I get to be a kid.

‘Big Brother’s'Jewish Castoff

Published on August 22, 2002

"Big Brother's" Josh Feinberg is no Ethan Zohn, the curly-haired Jewish winner of "Survivor: Africa" who flew so low under the radar viewers almost forgot he was there.

Coincidence? I Think Not

Published on August 1, 2002

When two friends who are torn apart by the Holocaust discover nearly 40 years later that they live in the same New York neighborhood, some would call it "coincidence."

The Hebrew Holiday of Love

Published on July 18, 2002

"It's a summer holiday, and Jews aren't around in the summer," Wolpe explains. "People are less familiar with it, because it is a minor holiday with no specific observances."

Beyond the Kitchen

Published on December 20, 2001

A roomful of women come together on a chilly December evening in Southern California. They eat, they laugh, they talk. One woman stands up and tells everyone that she learned how to say, "No." Her announcement is met with applause. Another stands up and says how happy she is that she has the support of her friends and family.

To Warm the Soul

Published on November 15, 2001

"Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit,"

by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins.

(Health Communications, Inc., $12.95).

What if someone told you they were making chicken soup, but it took eight years for you to get your bowl? Several years after the release of their first book, the creators of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, have prepared a warm bowl of "Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul," like bubbie used to make.