MY URBAN KVETCH

In-Depth Studio Interview: Michelle Citrin

My friend, the amazingly talented Michelle Citrin, gave a long interview and an in-studio mini-concert to Toronto's "Professionally Speaking," hosted by Randall Craig. 

Don't miss Michelle's upcoming gigs in December in New York and in England at LimmudUK. Check Michelle's website for the latest information.

This February, Frolic With LimmudLA

Seriously, because all these people are going to be at the LimmudLA Conference in February. Want to see a list of presenters (being updated all the time!)? Check it out to read names such as, well, everyone I've met in Los Angeles in the last year, and the Greenbergs (Yitz and Blu), and one Yonatan Gordis from the Center for Leadership Initiatives (which organizes ROI, among other programs). Oh yeah, and me: I proposed a bunch of sessions, and will keep you informed as to which ones were Chosen.

But if you can't wait till then (and let's face it, who can?) then check out LimmudLA's ongoing events series: happy hours and Tastes of LimmudLA, which are held in different L.A. neighborhoods (the next two are this Sunday in Pasadena, and in two Sundays in Mar Vista). So if you're commitment-phobic, check out a Taste, and see what you think. Make sure to add Happenings LimmudLA on Facebook to stay updated on all the fabu events.

If you have any other questions about the Conference, check the FAQ, and you can hit me up in the comments, or ask @limmudLA on Twitter.

    

Digital Hollywood Content Summit: Initial Observations

So, in case I haven't mentioned it, I'm at Digital Hollywood's Content Summit this week in Santa Monica. This is exciting a) because I love learning about how technology has impacted the entertainment sphere and b) because this is the first conference in a while that doesn't feature the term "good for the Jews" anywhere in the program.

Here are some initial "shorts," just perfect for you short-attention-spanners for whom a 5-minute YouTube video seems too long:

• Jewish conference: "What? Food again?" / Hollywood conference: "Where's the bar?" (There was no food anywhere that I saw during this conference. Tomorrow, I bring sandwiches. And sell them.)
• One thing that Jewish conferences and Hollywood conferences seem to agree on? Sarah Lefton and G-dcast are awesome. Sarah pitched G-dcast to a panel of Hollywood tastemakers and content producers...and they liked it.
• There was some debate over whether, when it comes to viral video, it's better to be first than be best. Thoughts?
• Saw Justine Bateman within ten minutes of my arrival. She was already surrounded, so I chickened out of talking to her. 
• Several people predicted that online space would totally take over the entertainment world in the next five years. Others thought it already was taking over the entertainment industry, but that the money models aren't really set yet - we have to figure out when doing our projects what people are willing to pay for in order to monetize the product. I know my money models aren't set yet. :)
• In "We Live in Public," the film's subject - Josh Harris - made a ton of money in the dot com boom, and engaged in experiments regarding living in public, having every moment of their lives taped. He's alternately hailed as a visionary, an artist, and a genius (often all by himself), but the truth is that he's accurately foreseen the trends that today's internet users embrace: self-exposure, the need for community approval, connection to people without really connecting to them.
• Harris admitted after the screening that he had never experienced real "intimate love," despite the fact that one of his experiments was him and his girlfriend - or as he referred to her, his "fake girlfriend" - living together and being taped in every moment. And the moment when it all clicked that intimate love had evaded him? When he watched "The Truman Show," and saw Truman's wife in their wedding picture, with her fingers crossed behind her back. 

There's much more to say on this film and the issues it brought up, but that'll have to be tomorrow. Writer's Boot Camp starts early in the am...

Good night, Hollywood. 

Who's the Real Rosh Hashanah Girl?

When you think of Rosh Hashanah Girl, you probably think of the brilliant video co-created by Brooklynites (and ROIers) William "the Jewish Robot" Levin and singer/songwriter Michelle Citrin. And you should. Because who could compete with that, really?

But what many people don't know is that I rocked Rosh Hashanah first. This classic clip is an interview that the very funny Teresa Strasser did several years ago (before she was exploiting her baby) when she lived in New York and worked for Good Day NY - because the network decided that talking to rabbis about Jewish holidays was a little boring, they opted for a fresher voice...

There was initially talk of my becoming GoodDay's "Go-To-Jew," who'd come in periodically and talk about Jewish life and holidays. That didn't happen for whatever reasons, probably including the fact that Teresa moved back to LA. But that was my first real TV appearance, and now that I'm a seasoned professional living in Los Angeles, you never know what the future will bring. (You hear that, future? Bring it.)

While we're on Rosh Hashanah as a topic, let me remind you of a Yom Kippur option for people who can't get to (or don't feel comfortable going to) synagogue: I'm helping JewishTVNetwork to promote their online Kol Nidre service, which will air online erev Yom Kippur (September 27) live from Los Angeles. For more information, contact me (esther.kustanowitz at gmail) and/or click over to the special High Holidays page of the JewishTVNetwork.com site, which also has links to relevant video clips, recipes and more!

ROI Summit: About Those Tracks

What's the deal with the "tracks" at the ROI Summit? Bridge-Building? Jewish Education? New Media? And what about the other 5? 

For an inside look, check out this video, with Los Angeles-based enviro-planner and active IKAR-LA community member Anthony Rogers-Wright. Plus, for more about this year's ROI Summit, check out ROI Summit Central .

 

ROI Summit, Day One: Spot the Familiar Faces

We're having a blast at ROI Summit 2009 - great energy, great people and more greatness to come. I lack the adjectives to describe (apparently). Check out this video (and stay tuned to Youtube.com/ROI120 for all the latest professional and amateur videos from the Summit. Do you see anyone you know?

Stealing the Show This Passover? Bitter Herb

Here's the latest from animated mad genius William Levin and Taglit-Birthright Israel.

Birthright Israel Monologues (directed by Vanessa Hidary): Ticket Giveaway!

In the Birthright Israel NEXT show, Monologues, Taglit-Birthright Israel alumni bring their experiences to the stage in a collection of monologues, spoken word and hip-hop performances that explore personal Jewish identity inspired by their 10-day trip in Israel.

Produced by 2008 ROIer Lauren Eisenberg of Birthright Israel NEXT and directed by superstar of spoken word Vanessa Hidary, a.k.a. The Hebrew Mamita (HBO's Def Poetry Jam), Monologues is an evening of solo performances exploring Jewish identity through the stories of 15 Taglit-Birthright Israel alumni in spoken word, monologues and rap. Watch the video for a glimpse of the show and scroll down for your chance to win tickets:

And as Kvetch readers, you've got two ways to see the show, which is in its fourth run in New York, at the Triad Theatre at 158 W 72nd St. between Broadway and Columbus on the 2nd floor.

1) We are giving away one pair of tickets for Tuesday, March 31, and another pair for Wednesday, April 1: to enter, please submit your full name, e-mail, preferred date, and why you want the tickets to myurbankvetch at gmail.com. Winner will be chosen at random from qualifying entries and notified via email on Sunday, March 29.

2) MyUrbanKvetch is proud to provide a special discount for our readers - only $5 - so bring a group! For special $5 tickets for Kvetch readers here.

 

For tickets, schedule, video and more info, check out the Birthright Israel website or here on Facebook.

Monologues
The Triad Theatre
158 W. 72nd St., 2nd Fl.
Between Columbus and B'way

March 31
April 1, 29, 30

Doors Open at 7:30 PM, show begins at 8pm

 

Special $5 tickets for Kvetch readers here
$10 in advance
$15 at the door (if available)

The Rumors Are True: ROI Summit Application Deadline Extended

If you've been putting off your application to the ROI Summit, or thought you'd missed the deadline, I've got great news: the deadline has been extended to March 31st at 11:59pm EST. That's right. EST, not Central, Mountain or Pacific. Not midnight on April 1st - no joke.

Eligible candidates are Jewish Innovators who are:
• between the ages of 22 and 34 at the time of the Summit
• developing or seeking to launch a Jewish initiative, or who are demonstrating excellence in pursuit of a global or civic program
• Taglit-Birthright Israel alumni and staff (recommended, but not required)
• new to ROI and have never attended a previous ROI Summit
• eager to take an active role in ongoing ROI activities – including full participation in the 5-day ROI Summit in Israel, and continued engagement with ROI community members throughout the year
• dedicated to one of the 8 ROI Summit tracks (for in-depth info about tracks, click here)

There will be a highly subsidized fee for participation, which will include RT airfare from outside of Israel and accommodations for the summit, which will be held near Tel Aviv in celebration of the city's 100th anniversary.

Want more information? Read about the tracks for the summit (Arts and Culture; Service; Visions of Israel; Environmentalism; Jewish Education; Bridge-Building; New Media; and Networks of Purpose) here. And feel free to contact me with additional questions: esther@roicommunity.org.

Commenter on JTA Site Thinks Environmentalism Grantors Are "Trouble Makers"

Over at the JTA, every day is a new announcement of a Federation that's cutting spending, programs, staff...but today, there was a glimmer of sunshine: the Jewish Funders Network announced that it will give $750,000 in matching grants to first-time gifts for environmental projects in Israel. Investing in preserving the environment helps to ensure that there is an Israel to live in tomorrow. The grants are "open only to JFN members and will be given to match either first-time gifts or gifts that are at least double a donor’s previous gift to an Israeli environmental nonprofit."

Good news, right? I think most people would celebrate this news. Except for the first commenter on the post at JTA, who offered this commentary:

These Goldmans [Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund Matching Grant Initiative for the Environment in Israel] seem like trouble makers to me. Why worry about water in Israel we have a 50% intermarriage rate in america and on any given friday night some 94% of reform and conservative Jews are not in shul.

Is the commenter serious? If not, she's done a pretty good job of offering up comments with a consistent message. Responding to the proposal that Reform and Conservative movements merge, she had this to say: "If the reform want to continue perhaps they should ask their members to start marrying each other and having children." In response to the news that Hadassah had lost $90 million in the Madoff debacle, she countered with: "hadassa used its money to encourage Jewish women to have abortions and use birth control. Now that hadassa is out of money who will be left to encourage Jews to destroy themselves."

The online Jewish community is sure interesting. Just when you think you've found some good news, someone else will show you how that philanthropic move will destroy the Jewish people. Never a dull moment here, I tell you...