Matzah Time

Time has posted an article online, So You Think You Know Matzo?, mentioning the "20 Things To Do With Matzah" video I made with Michelle Citrin. And, this Passover, our video has received over 1,000,000 views on YouTube!

Matzah Boy

Meet Billy, son of Simon. Simon edited our "20 Things To Do With Matzah" music video, as well as Rosh Hashanah Girl and Pass The Candle. This is a photo from Simon's blog, of Billy's first Passover party at preschool here in Brooklyn. According to Simon, Billy prefers to strip and eat the chocolate off the matzah, leaving behind the flat, unleavened bread. At least we know what he can do with all that leftover matzah!

See more photos, and help Simon solve the mystery of the frogs.

Bitter Herb

Meet Bitter Herb, the star of my new Passover cartoon for Taglit-Birthright Israel. His name pretty much says it all -- please try to laugh with this standup comic, not at him.

Starring Meir Taub as Bitter Herb
Illustration, animation and music by me (William Levin)

Share it with your friends!

20 Things To Do With Outtakes

This Passover marks the first anniversary of Michelle Citrin's and my video, "20 Things To Do With Matzah". To celebrate, Michelle compiled this blooper reel of our experience while making the video. There are some really funny moments in it, and as well as few embarrassing ones I forgot about. Thanks, Michelle! And thanks, Jesse Epstein, for your camerawork!

Also see the original video, "20 Things To Do With Matzah", edited by Simon Weaver.

Happy Passover!

SuperJews

Having just completed one of my most ambitious animation projects to date, I am pleased to present SuperJews - Episode 1: "The Package", part of the UJC Team Super Jews Color Wars campaign on Facebook. I worked with my longtime neighbor and friend, Bill Alger, who did the illustrations for all the characters used throughout the SuperJews.org website, Facebook Fan Pages, and the animation. This cartoon also features a music soundtrack I composed, inspired by the Peter Gunn Theme and Orbital's remake of the Saint Theme, mixed in with a little Tradition.

Voices by Jessica Wachsman, Jesse Epstein and me ... and special cameo voiceover by Meir Taub as "The Cough" ... long story, I had recorded Meir doing the lines of Captain Israel but gave poor direction and realized I couldn't use his audio clips when it was too late to rerecord.

Special thanks to campaign leaders Allison Weiner and Andy Neusner, and former leaders Naftali Goldsmith and Dina Garfinkel.

Pass The Candle

I am pleased to announce my third music video collaboration with Michelle "Rosh Hashanah Girl" Citrin. This one is called Pass The Candle, a Hanukkah celebration around the world. We received hundreds of submissions of video clips of our friends, families, and fans around the world, and compiled our favorites into a musical montage to our new song, "Left To Right".

Special thanks to ROI120 for honoring me with the 2008 ROI Small Grant to fulfill my "Music Videos for Jewish Kiddios" project. To fellow ROI120 participant, partner and friend, Michelle Citrin for her incredible talent, creativity and patience. And to Aryeh Goldsmith of Jewster.com for hosting the site and providing the inspiration for this music video over a year ago!

More thanks to Jesse Epstein for her help with the How-To video, and to Simon Weaver, who stayed up late at night editing the final music video.

Also special thanks to JTA and The Jewish Channel for their support.

And thank you, everyone, who sent in your video clips. We couldn't have done it without you! Including fellow ROI120 participants Marcus Freed, Harry Rubenstein, Esther Kustanowitz, Uri Levin, Josh Nelson, and Justin Korda. And friends Lisa Kingston, Andrew Krucoff, Ephraim "Ha'anak" K, Jesse Epstein and family, my niece Lola, Dina Garfinkel, Tova and Molly Gold, and Billy Weaver.

Let there be G-dcast!

Friend and fellow ROI120 participant Sarah Lefton pitched her idea for G-dcast, an educational animated cartoon series at the ROI120 Summit in 2006. The website has finally launched, and you can now catch the first episode for the parshat of the week, Parshat Bereshit, at G-dcast.com.

From Sarah's newsletter:

It's basically low commitment learning! You can check out a different narrator for 4 minutes each week - some tell stories, some sing country songs, and some hurl some hip hop. Whether you already know the story, or this is totally new stuff, you can hear 54 new voices this year. New episodes drop Mondays.

How it works: we think of brillant speakers - teachers, rabbis, novelists, musicians, and poets - they tell the story in four minutes or less - and then we animate their words into a cartoon EVERY WEEK.

Phone Atone

How do Obama, McCain, Biden and Palin celebrate their Jewish heritage during the High Holy Days? Check out "Phone Atone", my latest cartoon for Taglit-Birthright Israel, a JibJab-style animation featuring the 2008 presidential and vice presidential candidates exploring the tradition of making amends for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Atonement is just a phone call away!

Written and animated by William Levin
Voices by William Levin and Andrea Praet
Special thanks: Concept by Jesse Epstein

I Went To Israel (I Liked It!)

Check out my latest cartoon music video collaboration with Michelle Citrin ... "I Went To Israel (I Liked It!)", a new recruitment piece for Taglit-Birthright Israel. This is a fun parody of Katy Perry's hugely popular hit, "I Kissed A Girl". Pay close attention and you'll catch a reluctant cameo appearance by friends Meir Taub and Esther K!

Music and lyrics by William Levin (me)
Sung by Michelle Citrin
Illustration and Animation by William Levin

I'm a Cool Jew

I just received my copy of Lisa Alcalay Klug's new book, Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe, in which you will find a few of my Shabot 6000 comic strips. The book is available now, and you can pick up your own copy at Amazon.com

Rosh Hashanah Girl Power

My friend, fellow ROI120 participant and musical collaborator, Michelle Citrin -- known in some circles as "Rosh Hashanah Girl" -- is the topic of a nice article, "Jewish 'it' girl in the US", in the Arts & Culture section of the Jerusalem Post. Hey, they even mentioned me in the article :-) Keep an ear out for her new album hitting shelves and online retail soon!

Israel or Bust

PresenTense founder Ariel Beery, Jewster founder Aryeh Goldsmith, and ROI121 founder Meir Taub

Today I'm leaving for Israel for two weeks, where I'll not only be attending the ROI120 2008 Summit in Jerusalem, but also traveling with my three good buddies, Ariel, Aryeh, and Meir. Ariel has moved to Jerusalem to devote his time to his PresenTense Institute, and will be meeting up with the rest of us in Tel Aviv for shabbat this weekend. After that, Aryeh and I will be attending the ROI120 conferences in Jerusalem, but that isn't stopping Meir from joining in on the action, and sharing his first time in Israel with us! You can spot Meir proudly wearing his ROI121 tee-shirt ... or his FROI shirt, depending on what kind of mood he's in.

And if you happen to be in Tel Aviv on June 18th, ROI is hosting a party, open to our friends and family, so come to the Gordo Pub in Tel Aviv at 121 Hayarkon Street around 9:30pm to join in the fun.

TJC on TWCNYC

My friend Steven I. Weiss of The Jewish Channel is proud to announce that TJC can now be ordered On Demand on Time Warner Cable of New York City and New Jersey. Last year I was pleased to work with TJC to air my Shabot 6000 "Head of the Year" cartoon for Rosh Hashanah, and I'm looking forward to see the great new content Steve has been programming for the station.

Happy 60th

Star-studded Hallelujah finale at the Radio City Music Hall

Last night I attended the Yom Ha'atzmaut Israel's 60th Anniversary Celebration at the Radio City Music Hall with my friends (thanks, Lindsay!). It was my first time in Radio City, and the show was really spectacular. An impressive lineup of Jewish and Israeli musicians, including Matisyahu, Idan Raichel, David Broza, Rami Kleinstein, John Zorn, and my favorite acts of the evening, Habanot Nechama and Yael Naim who performed her hit, "New Soul", made popular in the Apple MacBook Air commercials, as well as her cover of Brittany Spears' "Toxic". In addition to these wonderful musical acts, we were treated to special appearances by guest hosts Natalie Portman, Governor (and genetically Jewish!) of New York David Paterson, Paul Schaffer and Richard Belzer.

Alicia Post and Lindsay Litowitz share post-show shots

Esther K. and Doree Lewak descend at Radio City Music Hall

Steven I. Weiss finds his audience for The Jewish Channel in front of Radio City Music Hall

After the show, which ran past midnight, many of us ended up at Tavern on the Green for the Dor Chadash Yom Ha'atzmaut bash. I think every young Jew in New York was there, it was an impressive party!

Jewish Robot flanked by his Israel Girls, Lindsay and Sydney

More photos on Facebook

Remembering Dave

Gabby Sirner and Lindsay Litowitz remember Dave

Last week I attended a memorial at the Australian in midtown Manhattan for Dave Burnett, my Australian friend who died in a landslide accident in Petra in January. I met Dave at the ROI120 conference in Jerusalem in the summer of 2006, and I remember how charismatic and funny he was, and how I was surprised I was to learn that he was the youngest participant, because he was so confident and outspoken. I'll be returning to the ROI120 Summit again next month, where many of Dave's friends will be gathering, and it won't be the same without him.

Sydney Henning and Esther K. share a bittersweet moment

Aryeh signs the guest book

Tagging Michael Findling ... because that's what Dave would have wanted

20 Things To Do With Matzah

Passover's over, and wouldn't it be neat
If you could use all the matzah ... that you didn't eat?

I am pleased to present "20 Things To Do With Matzah", the new Post-Passover music video I produced with Michelle Citrin, a.k.a. Rosh Hashanah Girl! We're just a couple of crazy matzah-eating kids who grew up on Streit's Matzos for Pesach, so when Streit's learned we were making a video for the holiday, they were more than happy to give us 35 boxes of the stuff to use in our video.

Music and Lyrics by me and Michelle Citrin, video editing by Simon, and camerawork by Jesse Epstein.

Like the tight tees we wore in the video? You can get them at PopJudaica.com

Lyrics and more at MatzahSong.com

Also available on Facebook, MySpace, and Yahoo! Video

Chag Sameach!

Shabot Spotted

L to R: Ariel Beery, Skye, Kyle, Jewish Robot, and Vanessa

Yesterday I met with PresenTense Magazine founder and friend, Ariel Beery, during one of his rare social visits to Brooklyn. Always making connections, Beery stepped outside the Tea Lounge on 10th St. briefly to take a call. When he happened to mention to his acquaintance on the phone that he was in Park Slope with the creator of Shabot 6000, an unsuspecting young fan who was sitting outside with her friends perked up. That's how I met local uber-fan Skye and her friends Kyle and Vanessa. Getting recognized for my relatively obscure comic strip doesn't happen often ... thanks for making my day!

Shabot Sunday Strip

My friends at PresenTense Magazine have done it again, and released Issue 4 to the public. I am pleased to have a special "Sunday Strip" style Shabot comic — complete with color and longer format — featured as the "Shabot Spot" on page 32.

Click on the image to see the full comic strip, which is about Jews on Facebook. While you're at it, become a Facebook Fan of Shabot, too!

Let My Parents Go!

Attention Birthright Israel alumni: Do you wish your parents could experience Israel the way you did? Now is your chance. Enter the Taglit-Birthright Israel "Let My Parents Go" video contest, and your parents might win a free trip to Israel!

This is the promotional video I produced for Taglit-Birthright Israel, to encourage Birthright alumni to participate in the contest. It was by far the most fun project I've worked on so far, having my friends with me in front of and behind the camera. I even rented a green screen and professional lighting to make the Israel scenes possible.

Cast and Crew in front of the green screen: "Daddy-O" Meir Taub, "Ema" Esther Kustanowitz, and camerawoman Lindsay Litowitz

When I wasn't in front of the camera, I was playing the role of teleprompter.

Cast:
Josh - William Levin
Mom - Esther Kustanowitz
Dad - Meir Taub
Nice Jewish Girl - Michelle Citrin
Dog - Cooper

Camerawork by Lindsay Litowitz
Edited by Simon Weaver at Snip-Snip

Written and directed by William Levin

"Home" by Shi 360
other music by William Levin

Special thanks to Paul Barnett for the use of his apartment, and Ariel Beery for Israel background video footage.

Produced by JewishRobot

Standard News

We made our mark in 2007! "I Gotta' Love You Rosh Hashanah", the music video I produced together with Michelle "Rosh Hashanah Girl" Citrin for Taglit-birthright israel, made it on the New Jersey Jewish Standard list of Newsmakers of 2007:

Amber Lee Ettinger’s "Obama Girl," a tribute to Democratic presidential hopeful Barak Obama, was already a parody of music videos about unrequited love. But Will Levin and Michelle Citrin decided the genre needed a little Yiddishkeit. [..] As for the future, Citrin says more Jewish videos "are in the making. Expect more."

Looking forward to making more music and videos with Michelle in the new year!

PresenTense Drunken Thunk Tunk

Getting into the spirit of the Drunken Brainstorm, Dana Raviv, Avital Aronowitz, and Rachel Travis
PresenTense Magazine had their first, but certainly not last, Drunken Brainstorming meeting last night, to celebrate the release of Issue Three while coming up with article ideas for Issue Four. Hosted by Rachel Travis at her Travis Think Tank on the Upper West Side, about 20 contributors showed up to do l'chaims between thinking. The evening was more productive than anyone could have predicted, and I'm looking forward to seeing some of the concepts move from Post-It notes to glossy magazine pages.

If you give 20 drunks 20 pens, how many magazine articles can they come up with in 2 hours?
PresenTense Editor in Chief Ariel Beery keeping track of all our article ideas
See more photos on Facebook

Mega Mini Mega

Israeli singer Einat Sarouf leads us in round of "Salaam", the unofficial birthright israel bus trip anthem
Yesterday I attended the birthright israel Mini Mega Event, a reunion for birthright alumni and friends hosted on the vast Bedford estate of Michael and Judy Steinhardt. And when I say vast, I'm talking Neverland Ranch proportions, complete with apple orchards, a Japanese garden, a zoo with exotic animals, catered food in a tent for hundreds of alumni, and more. Michael Steinhardt introduced his friends, Senator Joe Lieberman, and honorary Jew, Newark NJ Mayor Cory Booker, who gave a most memorable, rousing speech about, oddly enough, the privilege of being Jewish.

A baby fennec fox, just one of the exotic animals in Steinhardt's zoo
birthright staffer Melissa Frank calls her boyfriend in Israel to brag that she is hanging out with the Jewish Robot
Shira Shimoni of Taglit-birthright NY and Aaron Bisman of JDub Records
"Sure, Mrs. Steinhardt and Mrs. Schusterman, I'd be happy to pose for a photo and sign my autograph for you!"
Michael Steinhardt, Newark NJ Mayor Cory Booker, singer, and Senator Joe Lieberman singing "Oseh Shalom" ... "We Are The World style!"
Photographer Michael "Crouching Tiger" Findling captures it all on film
Esther K. and JTA's Jacob Berkman, whose goal is to make his head and hair grow to resemble a fist holding a black tambourine
Mini Mega Coordinator/Terminator Lindsay Litowitz
Filmmaker Alan Dorfman with Moshav singer Duvid
Jewish Robot freestyle rapping against Wu-Tang Clan member Remedy

Watch Wu-Tang Clan member Remedy perform at the Mini Mega

While I'm not a birthright israel alumnus, I've participated in several events funded by the Steinhardt Foundation and the Schusterman Foundation, and I can see how these mega events will help former participants maintain a sense of pride and responsibility, even though they are miles away from Israel.

See more photos from the birthright israel Mini Mega event on Facebook:
Photo Album 1, Photo Album 2, Photo Album 3

Hookah in the Sukkah

Dope beats courtesy of Harel Schachal & Anistar
PresenTense Magazine celebrated the launch of their third issue (in which I have a full-page Shabot 6000 special "Shabot Spot" comic) with Sukkot in the PresenTense: A Feast from the Middle East, celebrated in perfect weather and under the sukkah at the Sixth Street Community Synagogue in Manhattan. With live Middle Eastern music, more hookahs than you could shake a bong at, and food and wine flowing, I believe everyone who attended had a fantastic time, and this party marked the best PresenTense event yet!

PresenTense editor Esther K. and graphic designer Sari Lisch
Educator and former PresenTense contributor Beth Pollack and voiceover artist Jessica Wachsman
Heeb contributor David Kelsey and Basya Schechter of Pharaoh's Daughter
New Jewcy contributor Maya Wainhaus, world traveler Raven Brown, and Alicia "The Postmaster" Post
The shwarma and pita simply wasn't Jewish enough for Eli Valley's strict standards, so he moved shop to the kitchen for some real Jewish food ... Matzo Farfel
Jewish Robot with bedazzled admirer Alicia Post
Success! Party organizers Ariel Beery of PresenTense and Maven Haven, Dara Lehon, and the Good Rabbi Charlie Buckholtz

OneVoice is One Word

OneVoice President Daniel Lubetzky
Last night I attended the OneVoice Blogger Meet-Up at Think Tank 3 in Manhattan. From their website,

On October 18, 2007, the Israeli and Palestinian peoples will say "enough!" - enough stalemated negotiations, enough violence and chaos, enough setbacks and excuses.
Through unprecedented, massive parallel summits in Tel Aviv and Jericho satellite-linked to locations worldwide, and supportive events in London , Washington , D.C., and Ottawa , the moderate majority will take a stand.

After an introduction by Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, and Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post, OneVoice President Daniel Lubetzky explained that, while traditional media has failed in spreading the word in their stand for peace in the Middle East, there is still hope with the new media reporters, like us bloggers. So far, over half a million Israelis and Palestinians have pledged their support in the One Million Voices campaign to end the conflict. We bloggers were invited to help spread their word.

Jewschool.com founder Daniel Sieradski compares notes with Craigslist founder Craig Newmark
Aryeh Goldsmith of the Jewish blog aggregator Jrants.com, Leah Jones of Accidentally Jewish, and ever present Esther K.
Heeb's Adam Baruchowitz and Etty Beke for NuYorker
Etty told me that if we took this photo, she would be the envy of all her friends in Venezuela, who happen to be Shabot 6000 fans. As opposed as I am to befriending tall, young Venezuelan Jewish girls, I reluctantly agreed to pose with her.

See more photos by Dan Sieradski

September Timbre

Meir, me, Esther, and Aryeh at Jewzapalooza
As the new year approaches, thankfully the shofar isn't the only music you'll hear this month. Last Sunday was the Oyhoo! Jewzapalooza festival at Riverside Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, featuring musical acts including Dan Zanes, Pharaoh’s Daughter and more. Check out the schedule for more Jewish music events in NYC, all part of the Oyhoo! 2007 venue.


And yesterday, between curtains of rain, I went to see our very own Michelle Citrin, a.k.a. Rosh Hashanah Girl, perform a set in the 9/11 September Concert series at Union Square.


Check out this video of Michelle performing her catchy tune, "I Believe in Music"!

Kosher Barbe-CUTE!

Photo by Paul Berger
Brooklyn buddy Paul Berger snapped this fine photo in Prospect Park earlier in the week. What a cute family picnic, with all the kids in matching shirts!

An interesting question has been posed on the comment section of Paul's post: is it kosher to use the park grill, which is not kosher, even if you are not grilling directly on it?

I suspect the family are cooking on their own grill and coal basin, and are using the park grill merely as a high platform for their own cooking device. Would that be a halachicly kosher solution? Would they have to kasher their cooking basin when they got home? Enough Hassidic families use the park grills in the same way that it must be kosher, but if anyone can explain exactly why, Paul and I would appreciate it.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend!

Rosh Hashanah Girl

I am pleased to bring you my first non-cartoon video production, "I Gotta' Love You Rosh Hashanah"! Fellow ROI120 participant and music co-writer Michelle Citrin stars as Rosh Hashanah Girl in this musical parody of the popular "I Got A Crush...On Obama" video that came to fame on YouTube this summer.

The Rosh Hashanah Girl concept was originally pitched to client Taglit-birthright israel as another animated holiday e-card, but as I was recording the music with Michelle, I began to realize it would be so much better as a real live video, and with Michelle as Rosh Hashanah Girl. Reluctant at first, Michelle graciously accepted the star role, and we set out to shoot on location throughout New York City. Once we had enough footage, friend Simon Weaver lived up to his name and weaved the tapestry of video goodness you see above.

If you watch the video closely, you'll spy Leading Up North Fly Girls Danielle Cohen, Sydney Henning, Esther Kustanowitz, Lindsay Litowitz, and Gabby Sirner; Grey co-worker Jim Heekin; even notable Union Square 6'7" Jewish faith healer Te'DeVan.

We hope you enjoy the video and will share it with your friends and family ... Even Obama Girl herself is helping to spread the word!

For lyrics and more information visit Rosh Hashanah Girl on our website, rhgirl.com!

Behind the Scene

Tuesday August 7 was National Underwear Day, an event launched by Freshpair, based on the simple belief that underwear deserves a lot more recognition than it gets. What does this have to do with Jewish and/or robots? Other than my sneaking suspicion that many of the models were actually androids, the event was founded by Freshpair president Michael Kleinmann, and the video production was coordinated by Alex Lirtsman, with on-the-fly editing by buddy Dave Marcus, who got the Jewish Robot in on the job of preparing the videos for YouTube for The Underwear Observer blog.

Alex smiles because, well, we're blogging about National Underwear Day!
Seen the behind? Behind the scene in Hard Rock Café at Times Square
"Must ... concentrate ... on ... editing ... Ignore ... girls ... in underwear!"
Jewish Robot, Dave Marcus, and Freshpair president Michael Kleinmann, (who bears an uncanny resemblance to ROI120 leader and friend, Elias Parker!)

Newish Media

Point/Counterpoint with Mobius and Rebecca
This week I attended The Evolving Landscape in "New" Jewish Media discussion at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. On the panel were Tahl Raz of Jewcy.com, Sara Ivry of Nextbook, Rebecca Wiener of Heeb Magazine, Esther Kustanowitz of PresenTense Magazine, Daniel Sieradski of Jewschool.com and moderator Ami Eden of JTA. Eden played the devil's advocate with his questions, asking the panel if blogs really have an impact in the world of legitimate Jewish journalism. He expressed a common sentiment: he could read about the same topic in a hundred blogs, but he won't take it seriously until he reads it in a reputable printed publication like the Jewish Daily Forward (where he used to work). Tal argued that blogs must be having an impact, because now all these reputable print publications are rushing to create their own blogs. Dan "Mobius" Sieradski, founder of Jewschool.com, knows first hand about these Old School publications looking to start some serious blogging, as he hinted to the audience, and finally announced on his Orthodox Anarchist blog:

Next Monday, I assume the role of Director of New Media for JTA, the global Jewish newswire. Mostly, I will be responsible for JTA’s website, video, podcasts, etc.. I will not be writing for them. Not yet, anyway. And unless I’m showing off something I made, I also will not be writing about JTA here or anywhere else. I do not want to blow this gig. So, this is “the last time I am phoning and the first time. Goodbye.”

Good luck to all my fellow New Jewish Media bloggers, though I have a feeling it's the Old Media folks who need the luck.

"Sorry for making fun of Heeb in my comics, Rebecca."
Persuasive and manly speaker Tahl Raz flanked by swooning Sara Ivry and Esther K.
Self-professed Brooklyn hater, alcoholic and author of Generation S.L.U.T., Jewcy contributor Marty Beckerman finally meets his idol: me.

Chosen Courter

After all the poking fun at JDate I do, occasionally I must take a break to acknowledge when something good comes of it. This past weekend I joined in a Prospect Park barbecue celebration for the one year wedding anniversary of my friends Sara Schwimmer of ChosenCouture.com and her husband, Dave Marcus ... who met on JDate!

Many more, Sara and Dave!

Holy American Jewry, Batman!

Fellow cartoonist Eli Valley has posted his new comic parody online, Holy American Jewry, Batman! posing the question, "What if the Caped Crusader worked in the American Jewish community?"

Not surprisingly, EV's message reminds me of a cartoon I did for JSU, Where in the World?

London Blog

I think that's Baby Spice crossing the street behind me in the West End theatre district of London
After eleven days in Canada, I returned home for just one night before repacking and heading straight back to Newark International Airport, this time for a ten day business trip in London. I'm helping my longtime friend (and occasional Simon Cowell voice impersonator) Paul Barnett with a a marketing research project for his company, Now What Research. I'm not doing any cartooning on this trip. Instead, I'm helping with the technology end with a product so cutting edge that I'm not at liberty to discuss it here ... seriously!

Fellow blogger and Now What Researcher Esther K. and I in a large tube-like underground transportation system that simply I cannot remember the name of
I'm also traveling with friends and co-bloggers Esther K., who is here with me in London, and Paul Berger, doing research in his hometown of Leeds. When I'm not doing tech support, I'm accompanying Esther on research interviews throughout the city.

My relatives across the pond, Ida and Dave Lawrence
So far the trip has been a fantastic experience, helping my old friend and his team of writers with a revolutionary marketing research project. And, as an added bonus, I got to visit my relatives, Ida and Dave Lawrence, and spent shabbat with them in their home in Snaresbrook in north-east London. Ida's mom was my bubbi's first cousin, and left Poland to live in the UK in 1914. Ida lost contact with the rest of the family until around 1994, when she finally found us in New Jersey. More on the story of our family reunion in a future post.

My mate Paul Barnett and I, out for dinner
We have three more days of work, and then I'm back in Brooklyn on June 6. And for friends of Shabot, thanks for being patient, the weekly comic strips will return when I do.

11 Days B.C.

Lake Louise, Alberta
I've just returned from eleven days in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, driving between Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary. No time to get into the trip details right now, as I am tired from traveling, and will be leaving home again today for another 10 days in London.

So until I return, enjoy these photos!

Dinner in Vancouver with fellow LUN leader Elias Parker (middle) and his friends, travel partner Ernie on the left, and me on the right
Jewish Robot gives a Jasper bear hug
The view of Calgary City Centre from our hotel room
Tagged caribou on the side of the road through Jasper
Bison in Elk Island National Park
"Hayburger!" I got out of the car to snap this perfectly mocking "Hey, Bison Burger!" photo
Here's that same Hayburger Bison rolling over, getting ready to charge me after I encroached on his territory! Click to see a larger version, and you will actually see the rage in his eyes!

Oy Canada

I am heading out to Vancouver today for 11 days of vacation in British Columbia, Canada with my old college roommate Ernie. Cartoons and blog posts may be put on hold for the next two weeks, but check back soon for updates and photos from the trip.

Have a festive Shavu'ot, and ShaBot Shalom!

-- The Jewish Robot

Salute to Israel Parade

Last week was the Salute to Israel Parade on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The event was well attended, and offered a chance to meet up randomly with all the people I've gotten to know in the active Jewish community over the last year.

Newly engaged Seth Galena of BangItOut.com and Hindy "sister of ROI120's Existential Rabbi Avi" Poupko pass out "Kiss Me if You Love Israel" stickers
Leading Up North participants Melissa Frank, Esther K., and National Alumni Coordinator for birthright israel Sydney Henning reunite.
JTA staff writer Jacbo Berkman and Nice Jewish Girl Gone Bad musician Michelle Citrin, exhibit a sign of change: "COME TO ISRAEL ... NO ONE BELONGS HERE"

Frum on Eileen

Friend, novelist, and stealth cartoonist Eli Valley has written an excellent piece on the intersection of romance comics and interfaith relationships, complete with scanned pages of the nine-part series from 1973 to 1974 in Charlton Comics’ Just Married.

"Listen, you rednecked Irishman, Rabbi Schwartz will marry my David to your daughter!"

"In a pig's eye, Goldman! They'll be married right ... In a church!"

Read all about "Jewish David" and "Irish Eileen" in Valley's Jewcy.com article, "When Jewish David Met Irish Eileen
Jewcy's resident humorist examines intermarriage, 1970s-style".

Will kikes like me in Kike Like Me?

About a year ago I was interviewed by Canadian filmmaker Jamie Kastner of Cave 7 Productions for a documentary in progress with the working title, The Identity Project/ HOW I TOLD THE WORLD I WAS JEWISH, AND FOUND OUT WHAT IT FELT LIKE. Next week, Kastern's film, now more succinctly titled, Kike Like Me, will make its debut in the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Watch the trailer for Kike Like Me:

About one minute into the trailer is an interview clip with my friend, Sara Schwimmer of ChosenCouture.com. And at the end of the trailer, listen closely to the music. That's me jamming on my Hohner melodica!

Funny story about that musical interlude -- while giving the film crew a brief tour of my small apartment, I took out the melodica to demonstrate how I might come up with music for my cartoons. Jamie liked the sound, and to make things more interesting, he suggested we go to the rooftop for a cityscape backdrop. I remember it was freezing cold, and my fingers were getting numb as I played. You can hear the music slowly turning into mush as I end the song.

A few months ago, Cave 7 contacted me to ask what song I was playing, just in case the composition was protected by copyright. I gave my assurance that the music was all improvised, and gave my permission to use it in the film. Here's the short video clip they sent me for confirmation, (back when I strangely resembled Wolverine):

I haven't seen Kike Like Me yet, and I have no idea if my interview even made it into the film. So if anyone in Canada has a chance to see it, let me know!

Nice, Jewcy Berger

This week, my good buddy and freelance journalist, Paul Berger, is writing as a guest blogger for the Daily Shvitz section of Jewcy.com. Berger not only posts daily about his perspective as an Englishman In New York, but he also juggles writing articles for the New York Times and Metro New York, as well as a few book projects. I think Jewcy made a great choice going with my buddy Berger Boy, and Paul confided in me that his sweet Jewish mum would be very proud.

Check out Berger's posts on the Daily Shvitz, and if you like his writing, let Jewcy know.

Best of All, the Festival

Misha the Frum Mouse meets the Jewish Robot
I arrived home in Brooklyn on Tuesday after spending a fun filled weekend participating in the Jewlicious at the Beach 3.0 festival, co-hosted by Beach Hillel in Long Beach, CA. The festival was well attended, with about 400 Jewish students all converging in the Alpert JCC for shabbat meals, wine tasting, music, arts and crafts, concerts, seminars, and open music jams.

I was honored to have been invited to conduct a "JewTube" seminar, about Jewish influence in online marketing and viral videos. Joining me in the discussion was fellow Jew-world song writer and comedic entertainer Eric Schwartz, a.k.a. Smooth E, who had given a hilarious live performance in the music festival the night before. We talked about our involvement in the niche Jewish online market, and even got into deeper philosophical issues, asking questions like "Is Judaism becoming too trendy?" and "Do these funny Jewish viral videos negatively affect the way people view Judaism?" (I hope not, because I'm trying to make a business out of it.)

Rabbi Yonah calls everyone into the concert
Comedian and fellow songwriter Eric Schwartz, a.k.a. Smooth E, honors the Jewish Robot with his own robot impression
Straight outta' Brooklyn, Rav Shmuel performs his hit song, Protocols
Sweet young Festival goers, Andrea and Flora, flanked by two guys whose names I can't remember if I ever knew
The haunting music of Israeli Grammy award-winning musician, my second surprise
After four days of festival, Heeb Magazine contributor and hardcore New Yorker David Kelsey was not nearly as enthusiastic as I was about finally getting to the beach in Santa Monica, for fear he might spontaneously combust in the sunlight (his clothes are SPF 1,000).
It was nice to see so many young Jewish adults come together and become friends, and I'm looking forward to participating in future events. Thanks again to the Jewlicious crew and especially Rabbi Yonah!

Jewish Robot at the Beach

Yesterday I arrived in Long Beach, California for the Jewlicious at the Beach Festivals, where I, along with many of my colleagues, will be speaking in salons and panels about being Jews in new media (I think ... I'm still not sure what I'll be talking about). As with my trips to Israel, once again I am traveling and rooming with fellow J-blogger and friend, Aryeh G. The good Rabbi Yonah Bookstein of Beach Hillel, founder and organizer for the event, arranged our flight and lodging and food and local transportation, and we are already indebted to his generosity. That's why Aryeh and I were more than willing to help decorate the JCC into the night.

Aryeh at the airport
Jewish Robot, having a ball
Aryeh helps make the JCC look nice, just by standing there
Blogging from the Alpert Jewish Community Center of Long Beach, where I got to blow the dust off my old Macboy skills and set up the Macintosh iMacs for the registration center.

More news and photos after the weekend, ShaBot Shalom!

Manic Monday

L to R: Aryeh Goldsmith, Ariel Beery, Sara Schwimmer, Paul Berger, and Eli "No Website" Valley
Last night I gathered with the usual suspects at Mo Pitkins for Manic Monday, a joint event hosted by PresenTense Magazine and Save the Assistants. The after-work program, conceived by Lilit and Ariel, intends to combine the audiences of Jewish readers and overworked assistants for a monthly unwinding. I found it ironic that ninty percent of the folks who showed up were, like me, self-employed, and therefore could not relate to the daily strife of those Assistants who need Saving. Still, it's always good to get together with my unemployed friends.

DJ Wolinsky and Dave Schwimmer Marcus
Lilit, Assistant Saved
EV, New York blogger event king Andrew Krucoff, and Berger Boy

Artists Appreciated

Canonist Steven I. Weiss and wife Rachel
On Sunday I attended the Second Annual 14th Street Y Artist Appreciation Soiree at Mo Pitkin's in Manhattan. Having placed last (first loser) in the Mr. and Ms. Jew-S-A Pageant, as well as contributing artwork in the Tikun Olam benefit, I apparently qualified as an artist deserving of appreciation. Among other artists in attendance who are more deserving of appreciation were the loveable Canonist Mr. and Mrs. Steven I. Weiss, Heeb Magazine Editor Josh Neuman, 14th Street Y Director of Arts, Jewish Culture, & Adult Education Alyssa Abrahamson, the Goddess Perlman (star of the Channel 102 series Raduate School), and fashion designer and self-proclaimed superstar Apollo Braun, who stunned participants with his sexually charged Jew-ish dance and song routine, "Party in My Pants" (warning: adult language).

Neuman, Alyssa A, and the Goddess Perlman
Apollo Braun says, "Buy my music!"

Diasporrhea

PresenTense Israel and the Diaspora Salon participants (and non-participants) ck, Mystery Girl, Lindsay, Aryeh G, Laya M, Esther K, Josh Frankel, and me
You may have noticed a missing comic strip and lack of blog posts in the last few days. That's because I'm finally back in Brooklyn, and after three weeks abroad, I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. Aside from taking a lot of photographs and fond memories back with me, I also brought along something else: a fantastic case of TD. I'm not sure when I contracted the bug, or which microorganism is suddenly making life in the bathroom such a colorful experience, but after a feverish 12-hour ride home and six days in the can, it became serious enough to visit the doctor, who, after providing a very thorough examination, has put me on two powerful antibiotics. They seem to be doing the job, as I am able to type this post in one sitting.

During my last few days in Jerusalem, I had the pleasure of attending a PresenTense Magazine salon about Israel and the Diaspora. Believe it or not, we finally came up with definitive, absolute answers to all the big questions, such as "Who is a Jew?", and "What is the Diaspora's role concerning Israel?" But the fellow who took all the notes for the discussion got drunk on pomegranate wine, stumbled into the Christian Quarter of the Old City, and was never to be seen again.

Speaking of the Old City, I also got a wonderful tour of the Muslim Quarter by my knowledgable friend, Aharaon Horwitz, who knew all the nooks and crannies of that daunting neighborhood.

Aharon, my guy did tour
On my last night in Jerusalem Aryeh and I met up with notorious Mobius for dinner. I had the Jerusalem Mix, which, after having been introduced to Jerusalem life, may have been the point when Jersualem life was literally introduced into me.

Jewish Robot, Mobius, and Aryeh in Jerusalem
Israel was the trip of my life, but I'm happy to be back, and looking forward to getting back into business and making this the Year of the Cartoon.

Coming soon, cartoons!

Tzfat Chance

The city of Tzfat
When I was in Israel in the summer, we missed out on going to Tzfat, as the city was being hit by Katyusha rockets while we were driving there! So it was a fortuitous occasion when Lindsay invited me and my freewheeling ROI120 friend, Aaron Small, to come up with her to the Livnot campus in Tzfat for a night. We took the bus up from Jerusalem for a beautiful scenic drive, and got to hang out with the young Livnot participants for the next twenty-four hours. They were an enthusiastic bunch who treated us like one of the family. Our temporary home was The Cave, and there we dwelled as cavemen, awaiting our hiking adventure and other cave-manly things.

Wipe that graffiti of the Moshiach NOW!
Ghostly tree in the Tzfat cemetery
Picking fresh oranges is no Small task
After our overnight stay in Tzfat, we hitched a ride with the Livnot group back to Jerusalem. Along the way we stopped at a kibbutz where we were treated to fresh dates and raisins, and a sunset view that was simply breathtaking. I would like to thank Lindsay and the entire Livnot 184 group for making us feel so welcome, and feeding us, and housing us, and chafufeuring us, and massaging us, and cleaning our socks and underwear.

The kibbutz on the way home
Guitarist Pesach sings to the Livnot group at sunset

Aryeh: A Lesson

K'far Giladi Guest House roomies Aryeh, Elias #2, and the Jewish Robot
Leading Up North is also the second trip that I roomed with J-webmaster extraordinaire, Aryeh Goldsmith, known for his J-domain domination, matched only by his prowess with the J-ladies.

At times it felt like Aryeh and I were a real-life enactment of my Shabot 6000 series: two blokes with different Jewish upbringings and levels of observance, living together as roommates and somehow finding a harmonious balance of spirituality and religion. If you are familiar with my characters, Shabot and Moti (yes, he has a name!), then you know their dynamic involves a recurring role-reversal in which irreverant robot and pious man exhibit each other's expected behavior. Such has been the case with me and Aryeh, an experience which has already served fodder for many a future Shabot comic strip.

Mr. and Mrs. Goldsmith, you've raised a fine boy!

Leaving Up North

A picturesque Metula (photo by Elias #2)
January 4, 2007 was the tenth and last day of our Leading Up North trip. As we left the K'far Giladi Guest House for the last time, some of us heading back home, others staying in Israel for more traveling, I reflected on my personal experience over the last 10 days, and came to a simple conclusion: Leading Up North was the best trip I have ever been on! Every detail, from our balcony view of our hotel (pictured left) to the new friends I got to know and the old friends I got to know better, fills me with happiness.

JR flanked by NYC friends Esther K. and Michelle Citrin
Handywomen Sarah and Melissa of JCS
When I came to Israel in the summer of 2006 for the ROI120 conference, I didn't have a chance to visit the north because the sky was falling. So for me, LUN marks the continuation of a journey that was cut short by unfortunate circumstances. It is ironic that those unfortunate circumstances were the very reason I was able to return to this wonderful country. But I'm not complaining.

I'd like to thank Lynn Schusterman of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation for making Leading Up North possible. They gave us the greatest gift ever, which is the ability to give a gift to someone else.

Coming soon, my impromptu trip to Tzfat with Livnot Lindsay and Urban Eskimo Aaron Small

Tzfat travel partner Aaron "Flicker" Small

Leading in the New Year

Right back at you, youngest ROI120 LUN participant, Aussie Dave Burnett
The K'far Giladi Guest House were kind enough to host a New Year's Eve party for the ROI/Kivun/Charlie and JCS LUN gang right in the hotel. Drinks flowed, the DJ spun all the popular tunes the kids like these days, and everyone had a great time. It may sound strange, but this may be the first New Year's Eve party I've ever been to where everyone was happy! There were no fights, no out-of-control drunks, no one getting sick, and no inappropriately excessive public displays of affection on the dance floor. Everyone in our group was partying not just for the New Year, but for a sense of accomplishment we all shared just six days into our Leading Up North initiative. I am fortunate to have been a part of this wonderful experience.

Where was I for this sweet group photo? I spy Beery, Joel, Aryeh, Dave B, EV, Caroline, Joelle, Gal, Esther K, Alon, Michelle Citrin, Kronick, and Sydney (photo by Elias #2)
The Jewish Robot, Michelle Citrin, and Ariel Beery boogie until the break of dawn (well, more like 1AM IST for the Bot, I was so tired)
Aussie Dave is quite used to women converging on his position (photo by Elias #2)
My K'far Giladi roommate and stealth funnyman, Elias #2, and fellow Park Sloper Michelle Citrin
Wishing you all peace and prosperity in 2007!

-- The Jewish Robot

Sacred Drift

My photographer friend, Joshua Kristal, shot a series on cultural decay in the Orthodox Jewish community on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Josh was selected as one of ten photographers to be featured in the first issue of STORY Magazine. His work, titled Sacred Drift, can be viewed on exhibition through this Saturday night, with artists' reception and closing party to follow. Details below.

Exhibition through December 16, 2006

Artist Reception and Closing Party
Saturday, December 16, 2006, 7-11pm

The Gallery at 3rd Ward
195 Morgan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY (Williamsburg)
L to Morgan Ave. station

Jewish Blog night with a Chinese Shabbat dinner: December 8

Join us at a Synaplex Shabbat Downtown where you will meet JEWISH BLOGGERS ... including the Jewish Robot.

Jewlicious, Jewschool, Kesher Talk, Blogs of Zion, My Urban Kvetch, JDaters Anonymous, Shabot6000 – these blogs are all part of a vibrant virtual community that is reinvigorating the conversations and connections among Jews. Come hear and meet "famous" Jewish bloggers as they share some of their favorite posts and talk about the impact of the Internet on Judaism.

Services at 6pm, dinner at 7, roundtable at 8...
RSVP required to TVSynaplex@yahoo.com or 212-677-8090 x26, by Monday, December 4, with advance payment of $20/adults, $15/young adults & students, $10/children under 13.

At Town and Village Synagogue – 334 East 14 th Street

Family

Visiting my grandparents at the Alliance Cemetery in Vineland
For the first time in a while, my entire family were together in my hometown, Vineland, NJ. That includes my parents, my sisters Sandy and Michelle, Sandy's husband Todd, and their baby LOLA, with special guest appearances by hot Jewish author P.D. Berger (not shown, because he was the Man with the Camera) and the infamous Shansta!

I was born and raised in Vineland, NJ, a town known for its poultry and farms. In fact, just down the street from my sister's place is a little family of llamas and donkeys. I know llamas can be kept for their wool, but I'm not sure what the advantage is of keeping donkeys. Maybe they're trying to crossbreed ... llonkeys?

Llamas and donkeys down the street
Thanksgiving was relaxing, and every time I visit home I wonder why I don't do it more often.

Then, by Sunday, I'm always scrambling for the earliest ride back to Brooklyn.

Sandy, The Shansta, Michelle, Lola, and the Jewish Robot
Photos by Paul Berger

PresenTense Issue One Launch

Last night I attended the PresenTense Magazine Issue One Launch at the Edgar M. Bronfman Center for Jewish Life at New York University, featuring "Forgotten Heritage: Uncovering New York's Hidden Jewish Past," the work of photographer and PresenTense photoessayist Julian Voloj. Plenty of people turned up, including the usual suspects (see photos below). If you can pick up a copy of the magazine, you'll find my full-page cartoon "Marine Ecology of the Middle East" on the back page.

PresenTense Editor-in-Chief Ariel Beery and Heeb contributor David Kelsey
The Robot and Executive Editor Beth Pollak
New Jewlicious contributor Phoebe
The real reason Beery started a magazine: GROUPIES

A Night of Whores and Borats

Does your Magen David hang low, does it dangle Jew and fro? (I was really trying to snap the flight attendant in the background.)
Last night was Halloween, or the Pagan Purim if it pleases you. I went to the HavaLight Halloween Party at Cielo in the West Village of Manhattan, the city where, for one night, hundreds of women dressed as whores were matched by an equally strong army of men dressed as Borat.

I decided to go as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran. Look at the photo to the left, can you tell who is Ahmadinejad and who is the Robot? Most folks at the party knew who I was supposed to be, especially since I had printed a name tag on the colors of the flag of Iran. But some people didn't quite get it, and when they read the name "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad", they said knowingly, "Ah, I get it, you're a terrorist!"

Among the other anti-Semitic characters self-hatingly portrayed by Jews that night was Borat. I ran into a few of them, but the Borat in this photo was the friendliest. He warmed up to me when he saw my name tag, and broke character to ask me something in Farsi. Embarrassed by the mixup, I confessed that I didn't speak Iranian.

"In my country there is problem, and that problem is the Jew."
The Shansta was da' Bomb of Iran
A vanilla Flavor Flav and, I don't know, maybe the road manager from Rock Star?
He had moves like the Hebrew Hammer, but Alan Z. claimed to be someone else

An Issue with Food

Whaddup, Shansta?
Heeb Magazine celebrated their eleventh issue, The Food Issue, with another kick-ass party last night. Held at Fat Baby on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the usual suspects made their appearance and posed for the ShaBlog.

Beth Pollak of PresenTense thinks PINK
Heeb's David Kelsey and Sarah Lefton of Jewish Fashion Conspiracy
Avi, David, and Adam Baruchowitz
Fellow ROI120ers Sarah Lefton and Rebecca Wiener, Senior Editor for Heeb
PresenTense Editor-in-Chief Ariel Beery obscured by powerful pre-party host E.V. of Jewschool
West coast's Sarah, and Yoseph of Cannabis Chassidis
Storahtelling David Wolkin and bright-eyed Lindsay of PresenTense and ROI120
Esther K., the Bot, and an encore appearance by Sarah Lefton

Cyberg

The Conan O'Brien minyon is not complete without Cyberg!
I got an e-mail from my friend Threebrain last week, casually informing me that he'd be appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in a bit role as ... the JEWISH ROBOT!

How could Threebrain have been so "Oh, by the way" cavalier with his announcement? He knows that I'm the Jewish Robot, but he mentioned this character as if it were any of the other roles he's played, like Masturbating Bear or an astronaut. He didn't use nearly enough exclamation marks, either.

In this skit, Conan was celebrating his 13th year on air. He considered it his bar-mitzvah episode. So in order to make it kosher, he summoned a minyon of Jewish characters, including the rabbinical robot, Cyberg, played by Threebrain. I suppose it was funny because, well, any time you mix something Jewish with pop culture, it's sure to be a hit, and rein in those wayward Jews.

Conan and rabbi stare in disbelief at Cyberg

Jewzapalooza Newza

JR greeted by ubiquitous UWS Heeb contributor, David Kelsey
The Oyhoo Jewish Music Festival concluded yesterday with Jewzapalooza, a free outdoor concert at Riverside Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I got there in the evening, just in time to catch JMA "Best Middle Eastern Blend" and "Best World Music" winners Pharoah's Daughter, followed by the Pink Floyd-esque sounds of Yosi Piamenta's Heavenly Jam Band, and finally a hip-hopping performance by Israeli group, Hadag Nahash. The music was great, but I had the most fun running into all my friends and fellow Jewish bloggers!

Aryeh Goldsmith juggles balls like he juggles his websites ... five at a time!
JR and Jewschool co-contributor Ruby K
When not in Rome ... Lilit and David
Ariel Beery of PresenTense Magazine does the robot, with the robot

JMA JAM

BennyBwoy, the original Jewmaican
I'm finally catching up on the ShaBlog after a week of Jewish music events here in Manhattan, organized by Oyhoo in the New York Jewish Music and Heritage Festival. On Monday, September 11, I attended the Jewish Music Awards at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. I was also a member of the board of journalists who nominated and voted for the finalists in each category.

The show was hosted by actress and comedienne, Jackie Hoffman, whose musical interludes, such as "You're Not Buddhist, You're Jewish!", kept the audience entertained after somewhat awkward moments in the show.

JR meets Jackie Hoffman. I was flattered to learn she is a fan of my work!
Admittedly, while the venue was fantastic, and the live performances were superb, the event was poorly attended, which often resulted in embarrassingly weak audience reaction and applause. This reserved audience phenomenon became apparent when the talented DJ rap artist BennyBwoy and his highly energized crew of Jamaican jammers put their groove on the stage, only to be met with befuddlement from the audience, who were not hip enough to translate the Jamaican dialectic requests to join in with clapping or echoing "ho, ho!" I'm not sure why so few people attended the show ... It could have been the price, or a lack of promotion, or not enough interest being generated in these upcoming Jewish artists. But for some reason I was reminded of a scene from This Is Spinal Tap, when their band manager lamented, "I’ve told them a hundred times: put ‘Spinal Tap’ first and ‘Puppet Show’ last!"


Ahron of Blanket StatementStein back from the UK feels the groove at the after party
Best Hip Hop Winner Y-Love poses with fans, the Shansta and my Hungarian ROI120 travel companion, Brigitta
After the show, I took a moment to walk by the September 11 light memorial nearby. As I gazed skyward, my eyes following the vertical path of these beams of light, I could see highly luminescent objects fluttering about. They looked like spirits trapped in an ethereal cage. I'm not sure what I was seeing, but I suspect it was moths, attracted by the light. It reminded me of all the office papers that blew around in the sky after the towers fell five years ago.

September 11, 2001 memorial at the site of the World Trade Center
Friend and fellow blogger Esther Kustanowitz was there, too. She writes,

We have had our pillars of smoke and fire, which led us into chaos and despair; now we have our pillars of light, our luminescent hope that extends forever into the heavens, melting together at the top and seeming to form rungs. We climb, unsure of where we'll end up, but we use the ladder because it is our legacy.

Kidshabot

French graffiti artist MIST paints a phat FatCap
Last Thursday I went to the Paint Ball, a toy show benefit for the Save the Children Federation at Kidrobot in Soho. Graffiti artists, fashion designers, and underground comic artists from around the world were invited to paint and reconstruct big Dunny and FatCap dolls, which will be auctioned for charity.

Wall of FatCaps and Dunnies
Famed fashion designer Richie Rich of the Heatherette lingerie line signs a Dunny box for us
Dunny by illustrator Andrew Rae
I particularly liked this Dunny painted by illustrator Andrew Rae, whose robot creations I find very appealing. Taking a closer look at Rae's montage on this cartoon doodled Dunny, I think I may have found Shabot's long lost secular twin!

Here are more photos from the Kidrobot Paint Ball.

PresenTense Moment

PresenTense Editor-in-Chief, Ariel Beery, with hip cat Avi Fox-Rosen
Last week I attended the first meeting for contributors of the exciting new Jewish publication, PresenTense Magazine, headed by natural-born leader and fellow ROI participant, Ariel Beery. From the PresenTense mission statement:

As an open marketplace of ideas, PresenTense seeks to serve young Jews by providing them with a space to encounter and engender innovative ideas, initiatives and communities. Using three dimensions of engagement—print magazine, website and a writing workshop series—PresenTense aspires to create a structured forum to channel the creativity and passion of the next generation of thought-leaders while exposing the larger community to emerging writers, thinkers and artists. This forum will also serve as an access point for young Jews to explore trans-denominational thinking and visions.

Issue One is set for release in October, and will feature, among the article contributions of many talented writers, a full backpage cartoon by me.

Esther Kustanowitz, David Dabscheck and Mordechai Levy-Eichel
An enthusiastic Lindsay Litowitz
The pilot issue of PresenTense reached a worldwide audience, with distribution in New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Seattle, Moscow, Warsaw, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. If you are interested in sponsoring the magazine by advertising to an audience of more than 15,000 readers, please feel free to contact me or Ariel Beery for more information on special introductory ad rates.

After the meeting, Beery and I headed to the JDate End-of-Summer Rooftop Party at China Club in Manhattan. Mind you, we weren't there to swing ... this was official business! Thanks to our supporters in JDate Media Relations, who provided us with press passes, we were able to mingle amongst the crowd, taking notes while conducting research on a future Jewish singles article, as well as a cartoon for the magazine.

Deep undercover: Jewish Robot with notepad and beer in hand, shirt unbuttoned to blend in with the crowd, and reel in the ladies for Ariel Beery (who really needs no help in that area at all)
Click Alert!

Chasanist

About-to-be bride Rachel Feinerman circles her chasan, Canonist Steven I. Weiss, under the huppah
A few months ago, with a ragtag posse of uninvited, dope-smoking misfits in tow, I crashed fine fellow blogger and renowned journalist Steven I. Weiss's engagement party. Tonight I had the honor of witnessing Steven follow through with his commitment, as he married his lovely and talented fiancee, Rachel Feinerman, at the Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst, New York.

Rabbi Eliyahu Stern preaches to the choir
After a sweet smorg with more meaty hors d'oeuvres than you could shake a leg of lamb at, Beliefnet's Rabbi Eliyahu Stern conducted his first wedding ceremony. As a close friend to Weiss, Stern delivered a heartfelt and down to earth sermon.

Once the couple were happily wed, we made our way to the reception area for dinner and dancing. Sitting at my Table #7, I was introducing myself to the fellow sitting to my left, Fodor's travel guide author, Mark Sullivan. When I mentioned my comic strip about a Jewish robot, the fellow next to Mark smiled as he introduced himself as Wayne Hoffman, Managing Editor for Forward who sent me my first Shabot 6000 syndication rejection letter! He also offered plenty of useful advice about where and how to pitch my comic strip, and it was a pleasure to meet Wayne in person.

JR with Rivka Bukowsky of CampusJ
Steven and Rachel amused
Steven I. Presley
Fodor's author Mark Sullivan and Forward's Managing Editor, Wayne Hoffman
Alyssa Abrahmson of 14th Street Y with MyJewishLearning.com founding editor Daniel Septimus on the LIRR back to Flatbush
The entire evening was a blast, and who knows, maybe video footage of the Jewish Robot actually doing the robot in the middle of a Jewish Bloggers' hora will surface on YouTube one day.

Aharon

My friend, Aharon Horwitz, fellow ROI120 conference participant and contributor for Blogs of Zion, has been called to Miluim, the IDF Reserves. Aharon and his wife, Alieza, who recently celebrated the first anniversary of their aliyah, graciously hosted me in their home during my stay in Jerusalem.

For my Israeli friends, I'm sure this is a familiar scene. But for me, this is the first time a friend has been called to duty in a time of war. Aharon, thank you for everything you are doing for us.

Esther K. posts on the ROI120 Blog:

The rest of us, in Israel and abroad, continue to grapple with how we define our relationship with the Jewish State; if we are not serving in the IDF, if we do not live in Israel, if we do not volunteer in Israeli hospitals, if we do not rush north into the eye of the storm to support our extended family who have been displaced by rocket attacks, if we are too poor to support the country and IDF efforts in any meaningful way from the comfort of our homes, if we visit the land but always return to another country we call ‘home,’ if we contribute our time to creating meaning for Diaspora Jews, is it all lip service to the idea of Zionism? Or is it the extent of our current capacity for action? Does it represent laziness? A lack of conviction or commitment? And what lack of action is and isn’t acceptable/forgivable?

Viva Tel Aviv

I am writing from the comfort of my home, safe and sound in Brooklyn.

Graffiti in Jaffa
I spent the last 5 days of my holiday in Israel in Tel Aviv with my buddy Ephraim, who lives within walking distance of many great restaurants, cafés, boutiques, beaches and clubs. Even though the city is about 60 miles from Haifa, where most of the rocket action was taking place, Ephraim told me that the mood was tense, quieter than normal, especially on Saturday night when we hopped from one empty lounge to the next.

Still, there was plenty to do and see, even during a time of war. We took a day to walk to Jaffa, the ancient port city next to Tel Aviv.

Jewish Robot sits and stairs in Jaffa
I ate like a carnivorous king in Israel, and had some of my best meals in Tel Aviv. My favorite restaurant was aptly named Meatos. I think they feed the cows other cows just to give them that double meaty flavor.

Vegetarians are not welcome at Meatos
All sorts of cool creatures came out at night, like big fruit bats and giant cockroaches that put their Brooklyn counterparts to shame. There were also these tank-like Egyptian desert roaches, about the size of a quarter dollar, that scurried around on the sidewalks. If you flipped them onto their backs they had a difficult time rolling back on their feet.

The bugs come out at night
I liked the graffiti art all around Tel Aviv. There was the usual "Meat is Murder" that was also prevalent in Jerusalem. But there were some other, more cryptic messages penned on practically every block, usually in permanent marker. "KNOW HOPE" was a popular tag, about as ubiquitous as de la Vega's chalk art in Manhattan. And there was also the "Imagine Someone's Watching" series, often accompanied by a funky drawing of something I couldn't quite make out. Looks like an astronaut embryo reaching for bubbles ... Anyone got a clue?

Here's another cool one:

"No bears and no forest"
The bear looks happier watching television than he would be in the stupid forest.

Before I left, I got to meet Amit, Ephraim's workout partner and current Mr. Israel (80kg class) bodybuilding champion. The secret to their massive musculature? Meatos!

Ephraim and Amit - here to pump *JEW* up!
Next post: my afternoon with Mr. Dry Bones!

Ramot location

Driving down the west bank of the Kinneret
Our original plan was to go to Tzfat through the weekend, but as we were driving north, we heard that Tzfat had been hit in a missile attack, so the Judapest team and I stayed further south. After driving around the entire lake, we ended up staying at a beautiful bed and breakfast in Ramot on the hills of the east side of the Kinneret, near the Syrian border.

Brigitta gives a big wa-wa-wee-wa to the Mango Man
The B&B was owned and run by the Mango Man and his wife. I can't remember their names, but they grew their own mangos on the premise, which they brought to us fresh in the morning. And we had fresh mint and spearmint plants growing along our bungalo, that we plucked and used for fresh tea. We also had a friendly family of horses around the bend.

The most stable condition in Israel
I was feeling a little horse
After a fantastic few days with the Judapest lovebirds, we parted ways early on Friday. My Hungarian friends dropped me off in Tiberias (which was attacked by Hizbullah the next day!), where I took a sherut to Tel Aviv to stay with my buddy Eprhaim.
Cowboy Ephraim, outside his apartment complex
Next post: Tel Aviv

Waterblogged

Judapest bloggers Bruno and Brigitta living it up at the Dead Sea Oasis Spa
After sorting out a complicated banking mishap in which all of Bruno's money was accidentally transfered to an expired credit card, the Judapest gang were finally able to rent a car in Jerusalem, and we headed south to the Dead Sea.

We spent three relaxing days in the Prima Oasis spa, soaking in the sun and mineral-rich water of the sea. Not much to say about this time of floating, soaking, eating, sleeping, drinking, and watching Wimbledon commentated in Hebrew, so just enjoy these few photos.

You can hear the sea in Bruno's phone!
The Judean Hills are alive with the sound of bloggers
Don't make Bruno angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry.
Brigitta received several offers to help finish with the mud covering
Mud in my circuits
On our way up north heading toward Tzfat, we happened to catch the news on the radio that Tzfat was hit with rockets from Lebanon. So we wisely chose to stay further south on the east bank of the Sea of Galilee, so close to Syria that Lebanon wouldn't dare fire rockets there, and risk hitting their sweet friends.

Watching the news while the news goes on outside
Next post: a night on the Kinneret, and then Tel Aviv

Last Night in Jerusalem

For all those who have expressed concern for the Jewish Robot's well-being, I am safe in Tel Aviv with my friend Ephraim. Thank you for your support!

All shuk up
July 10 was my last night in Jerusalem. While I had not seen the rest of Israel, admittedly I did not want to leave this wonderful holy city. My new friends made me feel so welcome, and the German Colony where I stayed with Aharon and Alieza had the coolest vibe. But the rest of the country was calling, so I made one last round in J-town before heading down to the Dead Sea with my favorite new Hungarian friends, Bruno and Brigitta of Judapest.org.

The evening started with a visit from my old buddy, Ephraim, originally from NYC, who made aliyah in 2002. We went to the Jerusalem shuk for a taste of marketplace bargaining, and then dropped by the Old City for a final jaunt through the Jewish Quarter.

Ephraim and me, old friends in the Old City
The evening concluded with the Existential Rabbi Avi Poupko's Ishbitz Full Moon Party, where DJ Mobius rocked the house between live sets of South African Hassidic Reggae and human beat box freestyle poetry.

DJ Mobius spins vinyl like a tweeker spins the dreidel for crystal meth gelt
The next morning I left the comfort of the German Colony to venture south.

Aharon and Alieza's flat in the German Colony felt like home
Heading south through the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea
More photos from the Dead Sea and more in following posts!

Jerusalem Repost

The Jewish Robot returns to the Kotel, alone
I spent most of Sunday alone, walking through Jerusalem into the Old City, to really absorb my surroundings without the distraction of friends and conversation. I started off in the German Colony, where I have been staying with my new friends, Aharon and Alieza. From there I walked through the center of town, and ended up entering the Old City in the Christian Quarter, and passed through the Muslim Quarter. I would have taken some photos, but there seemed to be very few tourists, and I stuck out like a Jewish Robot wearing a funny hat in a land of burkas, so I kept the camera in my pocket.

Once I emerged in the Jewish Quarter, I had a chance to revisit the Kotel, which I had been to twice before: first with the ROI120 group, when I was tired and disoriented, (and apparently looking like Rick Morranis); and also on Friday night for a memorable Shabbat with the Existential Rabbi Avi Poupko. This time was a more peaceful and reflective experience.

From there I headed south to an observatory deck overlooking the City of David, where I encountered a group of young soldiers in training.

Young Guns
I can see David's City from here!
As I left the Old City I walked along the perimeter of the outer walls. I snapped this photo of the Old City from behind a section of the fence that had been replaced with barbed wire.

Security fence around part of the Old City
Sunday night I reconvened with some friends from the ROI120 conference, and we went out for dinner and the World Cup final match. After the match, the streets were taken over by crazed football fans, swerving and speeding down the road, yelling out their windows. Then I was told that's how Israelis normally drive.

Aryeh and The Jewish Robot, representing Brooklyn on Jerusalem stone
Alieza, Aharon, me, Aryeh, Esther, and Ariel

Jerusalem Times

The Jewish Robot towers over the Second Temple
I've been in Jerusalem for almost a week now, with very little time to post to this blog. But now that the ROI120 conference has concluded, I've got a moment to share some photos before I head out again. I'll write about the conference in future entries, after I've collected my thoughts on this robust topic. For now, just some quick fun photos and captions from the conference here in Jerusalem.

Mobius of Jewschool.com practices yawning before the conference
Fellow ROI120 participant and Brooklyn musician Michelle Citrin of Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad joins the Jewish Robot, inexplicably dressed like an Israeli soldier, at the Kotel. (In the background, Judapest.org's Bruno Bitter and his fiery friend Brigitta of Hungary share a tender moment of appreciation and butt-squeezing.)
My favorite New Media track moderator Esther K. and Sarah Lefton of Jewish Fashion Conspiracy at the Israel Museum
Ariel Beery and Aharon Horwitz (my gracious host for these last few days) of Blogs of Zion flank Sarah Chandler of Zeek Magazine at the ROI120 banquet.
Ausi ROI120 class cut-up, Dave Burnett, expresses his love for the Jewish Robot. Turns out Dave is my Number One Fan!
The charismatic From Jerusalem with Love blogger and future Israeli reality tv star Matt Lebovic refers affectionately to the Jewish Robot as his "Muffin"
ck and Laya of Jewlicious with the Existential Rabbi Avi Poupko
Aryeh Goldsmith--hotel roommate and IBS sufferer-- of TwentyFourSix.com agrees with the graffiti: Meat = Murder. Especially on his bowels.
Protected by the mesh enviro-bubble, the Jewish Robot finds a moment to blog, even as noxious fumes produced by my IBS roommie permeate the third floor of the Prima Kings Hotel.

Jew Orleans

The New Orleans Holocaust Memorial stood unscathed in the wake of Katrina
Last week I spent Shavu'ot in New Orleans, immersed in a multicultural mélange of ceremony and activites. Not only did I celebrate life on Bourbon Street, New Orleans style, but I also participated as a groomsman to my good friend Christopher Argiropoulos in a traditional Greek Orthodox wedding.

Chris, beaming Greek Orthodox groom, and his loyal smirky Jewish groomsbot
The devastation caused by hurricane Katrina was evident and widespread, especially the further I got from the French Quarter. I did not take photos of abandoned neighborhoods, where dark waterlines on the exterior of houses exceeded 8 feet high, because that was not the point of the trip. It was the week of Shavu'ot, a celebration of a new harvest, and what better place to celebrate than in a city on the verge of complete renewal.

Lara, Jewish Robot, Marlon, and Chris ... all having Sex on the Beach!
With every dark hurricane cloud there is a silver lining. This "Lucky" fellow is a carpenter, and he's been busier than ever, rebuilding a fantastic city.