Apparently the idea was inspired by Ari Sandel who wanted a way to display his passion of politics and the middle east in a humorous fashion. After throwing in a little food, West Bank Story was born.

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency) The title is a riff on Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story.” In this case, though, the confrontation is between competing West Bank falafel stands, the Israeli Kosher King and the Palestinian Hummus Hut.

Their weapons are falafel and hummus folded into a pita, the soul food loved by all Middle East factions. [...]

Amid catchy tunes, dancing and a mugging camel, David and Fatima fall in love. After both eating establishments are set on fire, the lovers persuade the rival owners to join hands and hummus to feed their hungry customers.

Sandel was able to shoot this mini film in 14 days thanks to generous sponsors from friends and families who generously gave him $74,000 to shoot this flick.

Sandel mentions that even Warner Brothers stepped in giving him free props (talk about generous) and his film has been played in not only the Sundance Film Festival, but in the Dubai Film Festival as well (not an easy thing to enter in if you’re Jewish).

Apparently their were some grumbles, but a lady from Gaza seemed to have enjoyed the film and has requested several copies for her friends and family in Gaza. (note: I think I’m going to order a copy of this film for myself as well!).

You can check out more info regarding the movie by visiting the WestBankStory.com.

Update: The reaction after them winning the Oscar was priceless!

I would pay anything to have this lady’s talent, but then again if I did I wouldn’t be blogging here if I did (as I would be doing this all day).

I think I’m going to add this video to my favorites list. For more info regarding Ilana Yahav and her art you can check out her website Sand Fantasy for more details.

Here is some background info from the ever kosher Aish:

(Aish.com) The unusual story of Shmuel Skaist begins when he was a rabbi in a yeshiva high school for boys in New York area. Trying to come up with a way to get his unruly teenage students to stay seated and actually listen, he attempted something unconventional — he brought in his guitar and started playing. “It was then that I realized the power that music had as a way to communicate with people,” says Skaist who goes by the name “Rav Shmuel” when performing because that’s what his students call him. [...]

“I started getting a little bit of a following,” admits Skaist humbly. “Not thousands of people mind you, but after a while fifty to a hundred people would start coming to a show if they heard that I was playing.”

The Jewish Music Group, a not-for-profit Jewish recording label, noticed the success and helped produce Rav Shmuel’s first album: Protocols.

For those of you who are interested, you can purchase a copy of his CD over at the Jewish Music Group.

Note: Perhaps I should mail out a copy to those who actually take the Protocols of the Elders of Zion seriously? Heh!

Anyways, it seems that a humorous musical is catching some attention in Israel. The plot: a man and his family perform Aliyah and try to survive in their new homeland.

(Ynet News) The musical “In Bukhara I Was Boi” (rich) was performed for the seventh annual conference of the Bukharian Jewish Congress, under the leadership of Lev Leviev. [...]

The playwright, director and actor, Chai Davidov (of Bukharian origin) was called to duty to write the musical that is based on the lives and experiences of the Bukharian immigrants to Israel.

The musical tells the story of ‘Mula Chai-Abu Albanat’, who emigrated with his family from Bukhara to Israel, and struggles with the hardships of absorption, cultural differences, language issues, and the social and financial struggles that his family experiences. His family is composed of seven people – Chai, his wife Mazal and their five daughters.

The play sounds very humorous, especially when the father has to find suitable husbands for his daughters (who end up choosing their own mates to his horror). All seems to end well though, despite the fact that the sons-in-law give Chai a few gray hairs.

If the musical is this good, I wonder if they will release this on Broadway (New York) anytime soon?

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency) The drawings to be given back by the Courtauld Institute of Art, valued at up to $23,519, are attributed to 17th-century painters Giuseppe Bibiena and Carl Ruthart.

A third drawing, by 17th-century painter Frans van Mieris the Elder, is being given by the heirs to the institute in an act of good will.

The Courtauld, which never contested the heirs’ claim filed a year ago, said it wasn’t aware of the paintings’ origins when it obtained them through a 1952 bequest from Sir Robert Witt.

Much thanks to the London Art institute for helping out the families regarding this situation. It’s amazing how much art the Jews produced before (and sometimes during) the second world war.

It’s good to see these paintings, some valued in the thousands of dollars (or shekels), be returned to their families (and hopefully we will see more of this in the future).

What makes this more interesting is not the fact that it talks about Palestine, the Lebanon war and Israel, but that the Persian nation is allowing this film to be played despite its obvious Jewish viewpoint.

(Ynet News) Israeli-Iranian history was made when an Israeli director received an invitation to participate in the annual Iranian film festival in Tehran this week.

The film, an Israeli-German collaboration titled “More than 100[0] words”, follows Israeli photographer Ziv Koren over a two-year period, as he documents different aspects of the Middle East conflict. [...]

Avital’s initial reaction to the invitation was that there was no way he would send his movie to Iran after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent statements and the second Lebanon war.

“Afterwards, things Iranian friends told me in Berlin started to sink in, that there’s another side to Iran, and that many Iranians oppose the current regime. After hearing about the students’ rally at the University of Tehran, and that they prevented Ahmadinejad from speaking, I decided there is no reason why I should keep them from seeing the movie,” explained Avital.

Although Avital will not be able to attend the Tehran festival in person, his film may have a greater ability to speak to Iranians than the worlds current political leaders.

Update (2/2): It looks like Iran has banned the film.