The Weekly Schmooze: Jewish Christmas carols

The hottest Jewish culture news worldwide: Ari Gold in period costume; Hanukkah gives Christmas a KO.

weekly schmooze 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
weekly schmooze 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Holiday shopping season may be over, but don't tell "Mr. Selfridge," a new TV show for British channel ITV. Jeremy Piven stars as Harry Selfridge, the American magnate who opened a glamorous department store in 1909 London. It seems like Selfridge is like Piven's best-known character, Ari Gold of "Entourage," with period costumes. No complaints here!
A couple of movies came out this week in the US starring the top Jewish-American Divas – Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler – but neither plays a Jewish character! Janis Hirsch complains about and analyzes this phenomenon in The Hollywood Reporter.
Christmas was this week, and readers in America may want to know: Do Jews in Israel go to the movies and eat Chinese food on the 25th of December? The answer is no, it's a regular work and school day, and the Schmooze is still bringing you the best Jewish gossip on the Net.
With Christmas and Hannukah so close together, it's a good opportunity to judge which is the better holiday. College Humor decided to help, with a Mortal Kombat-style battle video that ends up with a "Choose Your Own Adventure" twist. Christmas trash-talks – "have yourself a merry little ass-kicking" – while Hannukah retorts: "Tonight we light a candle…for your grave!" Viewers get to pick a winner at the end, and watch the holiday of their choice deliver a KO to the other.
Jewish humor site Bangitout.com compiled a list of . Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" is the best known, but "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" were written by Johnny Marks and "Let it Snow" is by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. Schmooze favorite "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is by Albert Hague.
Speaking of very Jewish Christmases, Elizabeth Simins' latest installment in her webcomic series "Kosher Salt" is about her mixed-faith family's traditions – a Christmas tree with brisket and kugel for dinner.

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The Weekly Schmooze collects the hottest Jewish culture news from around the world. Ranging from celebrities to philanthropy to quirky communities, we're here to schmooze about Jews.
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