August 6, 2007 | 12:12 am

A tasty smooth-e

Posted by Dikla Kadosh

I met Eric Schwartz aka Smooth E at Jewlicious 3.0 in March and to be honest my expectations were not high for a singing Semitic satirist.

However, I was pleasantly surprised and amused at his sharp humor and genuine lyrical skill. The “suburban homeboy” is charming, funny, original and well…smooth. I was humming his Sanjaya diddly for weeks and I don’t even watch American Idol. Check out his latest satire slamming the sleeziest of celebs:

For more Schwartz parodies, tune in to BET’s “Take the Cake” on August 11 at 11 p.m.

To see him live, I recommend the King Davids of Comedy at the Improv in Hollywood on August 9 at 8 p.m. Some of the top Jewish comedians in the country will be entertaining and a portion of the proceeds go to benefit Magen David Adom.

August 3, 2007 | 3:34 pm

Discovering Deena Goodman

Posted by Danielle Berrin

It’s not hard to find talented people in this town, which makes it surprising when you discover someone jaw-dropping.

It began when I heard Dov Rosenblatt was in town with his band, Fools for April, a dynamic pairing of acoustic and electric guitar. Having just returned from a weekend at Camp Ramah with his other band, “Blue Fringe—the Jewish one,” as he refers to it, he joined family, friends and fans for a Tuesday night gig at the L.A. dive, The Mint.

I threw on some pearls and drove down to Pico-Robertson to catch Dov’s act. The dark, intimate club with tables hovering around the stage and horseshoe booths lining the walls evoked the atmosphere of something you’d find in a back alley of downtown Manhattan. I sat down and watched Dov, who was sporting workman’s pants and a camel-colored beret, tune his strings. He sang sweet songs with his honey voice, pure and delicate, while his bandmate “C” Lanzbom ripped out aching riffs on the electric. For a Tuesday night, I was content to listen and go home.

But then something happened—a young woman with stringy red hair and bangs covering her eyes walked upon the stage. She sang back-up during a few of Dov’s songs and although she respectfully refrained from overpowering him, her presence was captivating. She crooned softly, contorting her face with fervid expression: pouty lips, squinting eyelids and a jaw that seemed elastic. Her name, he said, is Deena Goodman and they grew up together in New Jersey. Intrigued by the interplay of this duo, I stayed.

During a short intermission between acts, a crowd poured in. Not a seat was spared nor a space uninhabited. The energy revved up like the blaring speakers. With a full band behind her (and Dov on guitar) Deena unleashed the full force of her vocal coloratura—and folks, this gal makes Aretha Franklin sound timid. Her voice is this explosive, sultry sensation and her Joplin-styled performance is the perfect complement.

After the show, I caught up with the two of them. Introducing myself from the Jewish Journal, Deena exclaimed, “I’m Jewish!”

But there’s more to her story than that.

I learned that she graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Did she study musical theater? “Yes, but I don’t like to talk about that.” Why not? “Because I’m a rock star now!”

She is indeed; but she also possesses a harrowing tale that almost derailed her dreams.

In a few minutes, I’ll meet with Dov (pronounced with a long “o”) and Deena to get the dish on being young Jewish “rocker” friends from New York and why they love Los Angeles. Stay tuned for more on this wickedly talented team…

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August 2, 2007 | 5:36 pm

Feelin’ good about Israelis

Posted by Danielle Berrin

Guest blogger Jay Firestone, the Journal’s editorial intern and in-house comedian, writes about a night out rockin’ with the Israeli music group “Feel About”:

As the Israeli indie rock group, “Feel About” continued their U.S. trip to perform in Long Beach at The Blue Café on Wednesday night, I was truly impressed to see such dedication to music. Traveling all the way from Israel, just to play music…this was beautiful. See, I too made quite an extreme journey for the show…all the way from Brentwood, a rather grueling voyage considering a portion of the 710 freeway was under construction.

Upon arriving, 30 minutes fashionably too late, I was thrilled to pay the $7 cover charge that most likely went to the band’s drinks for the evening…tzedakah, right?

But who cares. I was at an Israeli rock concert, ready to meet some fine Israeli girls, and they were most likely ready to meet me…wrong. Through no fault of the band, the attendance was sub-par…definitely “less than minyan status.” But who could have predicted that a Wednesday night rock concert in Long Beach would draw such a modest crowd (insert sarcasm here)?

Despite a limited ability to mingle, I was still excited to be there and engage in Israeli culture…I love Israelis.

Having unfortunately missed the blurb about the band in last week’s Jewish Journal, I naively expected the lyrics of this Israeli band to be solely in Hebrew. Much to my surprise, however, English was the only language projecting from the amps. As I tried to understand the idea of an English-singing Israeli band, I listened to lead singer Roni Weinstock’s stunning vocals while the rest of “Feel About” jammed along. She truly has talent.

Roni, a rising star, has even been nominated for Best Female Vocalist for the Los Angeles Music Awards taking place this fall.

Did I mention I love Israelis?

From what I can remember of my 20 minutes at the bar, “Feel About” was enthused, pumped, and totally excited to be in the U.S. It was just really nice to be able to watch such a talented group of Israelis pursuing their dream. I was so ecstatic, I almost broke out in prayer. But then I remembered, there weren’t enough of us for a minyan.

Photo courtesy of Yohay Elam.

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August 1, 2007 | 1:14 pm

Justice just another ball

Posted by Dikla Kadosh

- A big-name performer: The Violent Femmes, recognizable though clearly past their prime, headlined the evening. Their biggest hit is the rock classic and karaoke favorite “Blister in the Sun,” which still had everyone crouching and whispering…then jumping and screaming.

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July 30, 2007 | 3:16 pm

What’s doing ‘Damage?’

Posted by Danielle Berrin

Emma Forrest read her pretty prose to a small crowd surrounded by books; her cadence flushed with a crisp English accent, her voice so soft it alluded to the vulnerability of a woman with a secret.

As her book proves, she isn’t alone in her reservoir of hidden passions, and that is precisely the point. Many women save the contents of their interior selves for semi-strangers they know they can trust—the other women who, by nourishing their exterior, penetrate the core—as Emma says, “the intimate strangers who work with the surface and get to the depths.” These women are the aestheticians of a woman’s world: therapists, hairstylists, manicurists, facialists and most notably, bikini waxers. In her editorial debut “Damage Control,” a collection of essays, women reveal that the relationships cultivated during beauty maintenance are as important as beauty itself.

As a preface to her reading at Book Soup, Emma wrote on her website:
‘Damage Control’ is my first go as editor and also at publishing non-fiction. People magazine just called the book “provocative,” so I promise to wear either red shoes or red lipstick.

She wore red lipstick, and a purple sun-dress loosely hugging her curves. She looked as provocative as the piece she read, a story of heartbreak driving her into the arms of a Manhattan tattoo artist. She needed to talk. She needed to be touched. She never knew a needle could feel so delicate…

The book itself is a kind of confession, a substitute receptacle in which women spill their guts. Francesca Lia Block told the audience the reading would be difficult for her because her story was so personal. In it, she revealed a deep shame over her appearance and the botched plastic surgeries that worsened her self-concept.

It is in those moments of pain, when a woman is messy underneath, that she craves a little ‘lift,’ a touch of color, or a new ‘do. When her appearance improves, her emotions follow suit. Or do they?

And what is wounding all these women? The pressure? The knives and needles? The cruel lovers and neglecting fathers? Whatever it is, the idea of “beauty,” of being attractive and ageless, has become a mechanism through which women confront (and project) their innermost demons.

An anonymous makeup artist who works at a strip club wrote, “Sometimes, the only peace in a woman’s day is the twenty-minutes when she’s getting her toes done or her fingernails done. The only time she has when someone else is completely focusing on her. One of those rare opportunities when someone’s looking her in the eyes and seeing what she needs.”

So, what do we need? A wax or a pluck—or a new approach to healing our hurt.

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July 27, 2007 | 11:10 am

Finding home far from home

Posted by Dikla Kadosh

My 18-year-old sister, Shirel, recently returned from a Birthright trip and joined 7,500 alumni in the greater Los Angeles area. The all expense paid group excursion to the Holy Land, though widely shared, is still highly personal and for many, intensely spiritual. Here, in her own words, is Shirel’s experience:

Three days back from Israel and it already seems like forever. Today is uneventful and slow, at least compared to the last 10 days of the birthright trip I went on. I was so hesitant to go at first. I was scared that I wouldn’t make friends or that it would be too hard away from home, my parents, and my boyfriend, but half an hour into the trip (at the airport) I knew that it couldn’t possibly turn out to be a mistake. The vast majority of people were from Orange County, allowing them to share the same colleges, lifestyle and acquaintances, and I sometimes felt a little bit like an outsider being from Los Angeles. But being with 40 people for 10 days, it was impossible not to end up all mingling and having fun together. I walked out with four or five good friends that I hope to stay in touch with for a really long time.

The days were jam-packed with amazing things to do. We saw everything from the Golan Heights to the ancient city of Tzefat. Kayaking in the Jordan River was incredible and refreshing. Any chance we got to cool down from Israel’s summer heat, we did. We all took a dip. We visited independence hall, walked around Jaffa and got to explore the flea market independently. This was one of the best moments. For once I got to feel integrated with Israelis. I felt like I was on my own bargaining and living the lifestyle like everyone else, not feeling like a tourist.

We were joined by eight Israeli soldiers our age that traveled with us for a few days. We got to learn how they live and the cultural differences between Americans and Israelis. We floated in the Dead Sea, climbed Masada and slept in a Bedouin tent. At night things continued to heat up. We went to bars and night clubs. We drank, partied, created a stronger bond with each other and snapped away with our digital cameras. Once the sun rose we were back on the bus traveling to Jerusalem and getting ready for Shabbat services.

By far the best thing about this trip was finally seeing the Kotel (the western wall). At first I thought it would just be fun like everything else on the trip. We would go, I would put a note in the wall, touch it and snap a few photos. I was wrong. Of course, I did all that, but it wasn’t like everything else on the trip. For me it was the most beautiful thing ever. The moment I touched the wall tears streamed down my face. I still can’t explain why or what it was but it was just a feeling of someone being there with me. It was the closest I ever felt to God.

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July 26, 2007 | 5:49 pm

Definitely, “to date”

Posted by Danielle Berrin

Turns out, our adulated editor-in-chief may have a thing or two to say about dating after all. In an excerpt from this week’s editorial about Jewish philanthropy at the Playboy Mansion, Rob notes what he thinks comprises a cute Jewish bunny:

After I left, I was told, Hef came down to the courts for a moment, accompanied by two fully clothed aspiring models/actresses. But there were plenty of attractive women if, like me, you find smart, successful and charitable middle-aged Jewish women totally hot.

For most Jewish gals, smart and successful does not an attractive appearance make. Hence, a little self-charity begs stylists, beauticians and yoga instructors to ensure women get noticed for wisdom and not wrinkles. It’s called “Damage Control” and it’s happening tonight—a reading reveals beauty secrets and boils—at Book Soup.

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July 26, 2007 | 2:41 pm

Naughty numbers (no more)

Posted by Danielle Berrin

On Tuesday night, I peeled myself away from a satisfying read of Daniel Mendelsohn’s “The Lost” to satiate my appetite for community connection on a holiday. Though appropriate material for erev Tisha B’Av, a tinge of curiosity as to what JConnectLA and Birthright had in store prompted me to drag myself out of Bolechow, Ukraine to attend “A Time to Cry” at the Museum of Tolerance.

After navigating the winding pathways of a museum under construction, I found my way into a small, dark theater and plopped into a seat as the film began. While Kevin Costner narrated, I scanned the room, checking out the (hip) crowd and counting heads. Twenty-three…twenty-four…twenty-five, as the ingression of a few grungy looking youngsters tip-toed in even later than myself. A mere twenty-five? Blogger Luke Ford reported attending along with a crowd of 200. Wouldn’t I have noticed an exodus of 175 people? To clarify the discrepancy, I emailed JConnectLA’s program director Michal. Her records reflect a count of 150. Math was never my strong suit but something here doesn’t add up. (***NOTE: Apparently, my tardiness precluded me from knowing or even noticing that there was another theatre, quite full, and I was in the overflow room.)

Truth be told, I was less bothered by the thin turnout than the documentary “Ever Again.” The Museum’s own Moriah Films presented a disturbing collection of anti-Semitic incidents and propaganda currently consuming Europe. The more than two-hour documentary depicted an apocalyptic message for the Jews: lots of people in Europe hate us and daily plot our demise.

I drove home downtrodden. Was I upset because I had to listen to my “Dances With Wolves” hero document distaste for my people and for me? Or was it more unsettling to consider the effect of such a repetitious recounting in propagating the hatred the Museum of Tolerance is trying to suppress?

Regardless, from “The Lost” to the ludicrous, this Tisha B’Av made me realize that no matter who seeks our destruction, no matter what is lost from the physical world, we retain our memory—even if it’s only twenty-five Jews remembering together.

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