An Israeli Version Of "Survivor?"

Israelis may soon get a taste of their own version of Survivor very soon. Channel 10 (in Israel) is launching their own version of the popular show in the holy land, which debuts this upcoming Saturday.

(Ha'aretz) Channel 10 has invested more than $5 million in the first 40 episodes of "Survival," Israel-style. The television show's launch is scheduled for this Saturday, after five weeks during which Channel 10 bombarded viewers with promotions that were just part of its public-relations blitz. [...]

Like the original American version of Survivor, the Israelis were "abandoned" on an isolated island. "Surviving isn't just a sport and eating cockroaches," said producer Guy Hameiri. "It involves many of our hidden human fantasies. It is the slim seam between heaven and hell."

Note: This should be fairly interesting, although I wonder if they will push the limits further than the American show? If anyone is in Israel (and has time to watch it), let me know how this goes by posting below.

Video: Jerry Seinfeld Promotes Bee Movie To Peres

(Hat Tip: Isrealli.org)

Jerry Seinfeld's arrival into Israel has received a lot of buzz (note: pun not intended) regarding his Bee Movie, which has been doing fairly well in the US.

During his visit Seinfeld was able to meet privately with Peres, and exchange some jokes as well as some information of what Israel was all about.

(Jerusalem Post) On Friday, Seinfeld toured Yad Vashem, Jerusalem's Old City and Masada. He also met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres. He told Peres that he was very excited by the warm welcome that he had received in Israel, and amazed by how popular his sitcom Seinfeld is in this country.

"You can imagine how much people like you here and respect you," Peres told Seinfeld as the two sat in suits and ties in front of Israeli flags at Beit Hanassi.

Seinfeld explained his movie to the 84-year-old Nobel peace laureate. "It's about a bee who's not sure that he wants to go into honey," Seinfeld said, as Peres laughed. "They tell him he has no choice."

According to the article, Jerry seemed to be surprised by how popular his show Seinfeld was in Israel. Whether its due to the fact that Israeli's love to see a Jewish star blossom, or that the show revolves around nothing, Seinfeld has become a phenomenon world wide, and hopefully we will see more of Jerry in Israel--along with his Jewish wife.

Joost: Israel's Aniboom Now Has Its Own Channel

One of the hottest websites online has a new addition to its arsenal of entertainment. Joost, a media company that is a cross between TiVO and a regular television network, has recently given Aniboom its very own channel online.

(TechCrunch) Israeli-startup AniBoom just went live with an animation channel on Joost to launch, the peer-to-peer Internet TV service. AniBoom is an animation site with 30,000 videos, contributed from about 3,000 animators around the world. AniBoom, which competes with MyToons, currently splits advertising revenues with animators who contribute to the site, and holds an annual $50,000 contest to attract the best animations. Now the best of those will be featured on the Joost channel as well (with ad revenues being split three ways amongst AniBoom, Joost, and the animators).

This partnership will definitely help out Aniboom, whose purpose is to help some of the best animators achieve recognition in the real world, something that's probably easier said than done.

Note: More information about Joost's latest addition of Aniboom can be found over here.

Israeli Producer's Film Generates Hollywood Buzz

It looks as if Ram Bergman will be launching a new film entitled "The Brothers Bloom" which is a movie about two cons deciding to perform one more act of misconduct before retiring.

(Ynet News) Bergman, who is currently working in Hollywood, managed to recruit actor Adrien Brody ('The Pianist,' 'King Kong'), British-Jewish actress Rachel Weisz (who won an Academy Award last year for best supporting actress in 'The Constant Gardener'), and Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi (who is nominated this year for an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 'Babel') to participate in his intriguing and all-embracing production.

Director Rian Johnson wrote 'The Brothers Bloom,' inspired by the film 'The Sting.' Johnson has already worked with Bergman on 'Brick,' a successful movie which won Bergman recognition as one of the 10 prominent producers in American independent cinema.

Bergman says that the film industry is extremely intrigued by the new movie ("everyone in Hollywood wants to work in this film"), referring to Johnson as "the next Tarantino."

With the film hosting an incredible cast I would not be surprised if this was nominated for an Academy Award. No word when this movie is scheduled for release in the states, but from my estimates films like these can generally take up to two years (or more) to produce, edit and release.

Video: The Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion?

If you are Jewish and have a sense of humor (or simply a gentile who loves to laugh like me) then you will sure enjoy this video.

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!

Those Crazy Bukharian Actors

Disclaimer: I'm joking.

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?

Spiritual Rock And Roll, Anyone?

His name is Ovadia Hamama, and although I have heard similar things done by American artists, (with Christian songs) it's not everyday that you hear someone taking Jewish prayers and putting them to a modern beat.

(Ynet News) It is Israeli rock in the deep meaning of dealing with spiritual issues relevant to Israeli reality. It is Jewish rock because of the ancient prayers sung in a modern way that only accentuates their beauty, and because of the creation of new prayers, including some that would be gladly embraced by the godless, and because of the encouragement to fulfill the Jewish calling to "get up and change the world." [...]

Hamama sings about the connection between heaven and earth, thought and feeling, melody and lyrics in the fascinating song "Isaac Wasn't Blind". Another song is titled "The World Is Beautiful". This is not a new-age type of admiration. Hamama is not blind to the hardships, but he insists on the beauty.

His music sounds fairly good, although I think Sabbah sounds a lot better (just my opinion). You can listen to a sample of Hamama's music over here, and if you enjoy his music, I would recommend buying it as it would help support Israel.

Israeli Movie Flick Dominates Venezuela?

It looks like the Israeli's have done it again! First they conquered Iran (at least the people's hearts) and now they are doing it again in Venezuela!

(Ynet News) The critically acclaimed Israeli film 'Walk on Water', the story of an Israeli Mossad agent has taken Caracas movie theaters by storm.

The movie's success was reported several days ago by popular Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional, which ran a banner headline in the culture section of the paper.

Sources at the Israeli embassy in Caracas noted that dozens of the city's residents told them they had seen the movie and that they had
enjoyed it immensely.

It seems in our day in age, media influences the world a lot more than cold, hard, facts. Hopefully more of these films can be made that can highlight the kosher side of Israel, something you don't always see on TV (especially in the US and Europe).

Lenny Kravitz To Fly Away To Israel?

(Hat Tip: Isrealli)

He still has not decided whether or not he will play in Israel (everyone is hoping that he does, including me) although he will be making a short trip to the holy land this summer to visit some friends.

(Ynet News) Singer Lenny Kravitz, one of America's most popular rock stars, has announced he will make his first visit to Israel in the summer, Israel's leading newspaper reported Thursday.

The 42-year-old singer will visit as a tourist, and has not decided if he will perform here during the visit.

During the Jewish-African American reception earlier this week, Kravitz told Israel's consul general in New York, Aryeh Mekel, that he will be arriving in Israel in the next two-to-three months to visit friends in Tel Aviv.

His journey through the holy land will probably be "on the down low" although if people press him hard enough, he might throw a free concert while in Tel Aviv.

Israeli Show On HBO?

(Hat Tip: Isrealli)

I don't really watch HBO (in fact I barely watch any TV as YouTube is much more fun) but it seems that one Israeli television show has caught the attention of HBO.

(Ynet News) HBO has ordered 40 episodes of "In Treatment," a half-hour drama starring Gabriel Byrne.

Based on the popular and critically acclaimed Israeli series of the same name ("BeTipul" in Hebrew), "Treatment" centers on a therapist (Byrne) who is calm, smooth, insightful and non-confrontational with his patients but turns into a testy, self-doubting individual full of barely concealed anger when he is a patient seeing his own shrink.

Sounds like this show might be a hit in the US (Americans can relate to therapists, as Dr. Phil plays one on TV...and in real life).

I wonder if they'll get a cut on prime time or cable anytime soon?

Cheb I Sabbah Making Arabians Dance

If Madonna can bring the people together in the west, Cheb i Sabbah is definitely doing this in the east.

And the best part about this is he does it with style.

(Foward) For many people, the idea of a Jewish DJ being named a featured artist at venues like the Arab Film Festival or the Arab American National Museum would be a head-scratcher. For global electronica DJ Cheb i Sabbah, however, it's standard fare.

In the four decades of his accomplished career, Sabbah - born Haim Serge El Baaz - has specialized in crossing barriers between nationalities and working with artists of all religions and ethnicities. [...]

"It wasn't something we were conscious of - bringing a Jewish artist into the museum - but we wouldn't not bring a Jewish artist into the museum," she said. "We invite all people to be together, as performing arts, music and dance are ways for all of us to heal and learn about each other.

Sabbah really has some great music as you can tell by visiting his site (geek warning: heavy in flash).

I think I'm tempted to even buy some of his stuff as it would help set a great mood for a party. Unfortunately I have no clue what they are saying...perhaps I can Google a translation somewhere as it sounds like the song is done in several different languages.

Update: Reposted on IsraPundit.

The Bee Gees headed for Israel?

"Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin alive, stayin alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin alive."

Sorry for that, I just had to get that out of my system.

(Israel Today) Singer and songwriter, Robin Gibb of the "Bee Gees" arrived in Israel as a guest of psychic Uri Geller and the Ministry of Tourism.

Gibb was a member of the band that was a singing trio of brothers who became one of the most successful musical acts of all time, attaining exceptional success in the late 1960s through the end of the 1970s. The Bee Gees are categorized as among the six most successful artists in the world together with Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney. The group won seven Grammies during its forty years of recording music.

Despite it being only Robin visiting the holy land, his arrival should make for an interesting tour--at least for the Israeli music industry.

Although he may consider otherwise, I wonder if he'll sing "Stayin' Alive," as it seems to be Israel's theme song.

Kosher And Famous?

(Hat Tip: Israellycool, Twice)

I would have never guessed that Elvis Presley and Yaphet Kotto were Jewish.

I was able to meet Presley's step brother (by marriage) a few years ago, although he mentioned nothing about his step brothers kosher roots (then again, he was talking to a couple hundred students at the time).

I wonder how many other actors we see on TV are Jewish? Besides Superman, that is...

Donald Gives Advice To Israel

(Hat Tip: Israellycool)

Donald Trump gives some advice for Israel, and congratulates them for having a strong economy despite "missiles being lobbed at them."



It also looks like Donald will be taking a trip to Tel Aviv in order to see his park (I guess he really wants to see it in person).

Note: Did he say he is going to construct a building in Tel Aviv?