Scene Around

My favorite movie of all ...

This has nothing to do with the column or the comedians I'm writing about today, but I just saw my favorite movie, "Singin' In The Rain," on television for the 4th or 5th time. I loved everything about that movie. Unfortunately all the stars, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Conner, (none Jewish) are deceased, but they were and always will be favorites of mine. And dancing was my favorite talent ... more than singing.

(Watching it gave me a good upbeat feeling to write my column!)

I want to laugh ...

There are so many Jewish comedians and I intend to write about them. Take Melvin Kaminsky for instance. WHAT! You don't know him? How about Mel Brooks? Surely you've heard about him. His career spanned more than seven decades and his movies are probably among the best ever made.

Mel was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. (like me) and grew up in the Williamsburg section.

His Jewish ancestry hails from Poland and Kyiv, Ukraine, which was once part of the Russian Empire. At about age nine, Mel decided he was going to be in show business and WOW! He sure was! While still in his teens, he became a pool tummler, which is an entertainer. He was funny and still is!

(I honestly love all of his work. Mel, make me laugh!)

I'm sure you'll recognize this name ...

Carl Reiner was, (unfortunately he is no longer with us) very funny as a comic, a director and a writer and much more. When his name appeared on my TV screen I knew I was in for some very funny and clever shows.

Carl was born in the Bronx, N.Y., into a Jewish family. His father was from Austria and his mother was from Romania. When he was just 16 years old, he was told about a free drama workshop. It changed his life.

He also wrote a lot of comedy and once had this published in a magazine, "You have to imagine yourself as not somebody very special, but somebody very ordinary. If you imagine yourself as somebody really normal and if it makes you laugh, It's going to make everybody laugh." (Well said!)

(And Carl Reiner, you were super special in my book!)

Like father, like son ...

As an actor/comedian, ROB REINER, first was noticed in the popular sitcom "All In The Family." He won two primetime Emmy awards for his role as Michael Stivic.

Through the years he has shown similar talents as his dad, Carl, especially as a comedian and a director, and Rob has been nominated for several comedy acting awards.

(I'm sure his dad his smiling down on him with great pride!)

The Simon Wiesenthal Center on antisemitism ...

I received a letter recently from Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Unfortunately, it was about the rise of antisemitism here in the U.S. and also abroad.

This little article caught my eye right away: "There is a Jewish group, a German antisemitism commissioner who "likes" social media posts equating Israel to Nazi Germany, and a prominent American Muslim Civil Rights Group that unapologetically continues its public defense of a rabid Jew-hater."

Even as antisemitic hate crimes and anti-Jewish violence surge on streets of our nation and European capitals, the hateful rhetoric is also surging among well-known institutions like the BBC, TikTok, Telegram, Facebook, Unilever, and the University of Southern California.

You know how critical this is. At the beginning of this year, an Islamic extremist gunman stormed a synagogue in Texas, and took the rabbi and three worshippers hostage. Thankfully, all escaped unharmed. This incident, however, show how easily antisemitic rhetoric can turn into violence.

Indeed, prominent American Islamists, including a leading official of CAIR (Council American-Islamic Relations) have launched attacks against "Zionist" synagogues without once being held accountable by leaders of civil society, elected officials, or media for such incendiary anti-Semitism.

(It seems like Jew/hate is returning in a strong way. I suffered it as a child. NO MORE!)

The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando ...

Save this date: Saturday, Oct. 8th, there will be a Unity Block Party.

Phone the Federation at 407-645-5933 for details.

Also, we need host families for Shinshinim.

Att: Students in 2nd to 5th grades: From Aug. 23rd until Nov. 8th from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Roth Family JCC on Maitland Avenue, S.T.E.P.S., the Orlando Ballet program will take place. Students will learn all types of ballet art and will be afforded full dance attire.

Phone the Roth Family JCC for further details, contact Fara Gold farag@orlandojcc.org

One for the road ...

In a book titled "That's Really Funny!" there is a cute story sent in by ADAM FERRARA. It goes like this:

"You know who had faith? Jews had faith. They followed Moses through the desert for 40 years. No map. There had to be one guy in the back saying, Hey, I don't tink he knows vere he's goink. Forty years, vadda you kiddink me? I vas 10 when vee started this trip!