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

Honorable Mention

After just a few days online, our "20 Things To Do With Matzah" Passover music video is definitely making the rounds: It was a featured Viral Video Hit on Yahoo! Video and even made it to the main Yahoo.com home page, bringing in over 120,000 views to date. And on YouTube, with about 90,000 views, the video has received the honor of being the #40 Most Viewed Music Video This Week (#49 Most Viewed in Canada, and #78 in Australia).


You can also find mention of the Matzah Song in The Jewish Daily Forward, YNet News, and CNET News.com!

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!

Join the Seda' Club

My animated Shabot Passover special "Seda' Club" is now easier to share and embed on your blog than ever. It's available on YouTube, as well as MySpace and Facebook.

Seth's Bar Mitzvah

On September 4, 1993, Seth became a man. And his family became a legend.

Share Shushan Shabot

Now you can share the Shushan Shabot Purim cartoon with your friends on YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook!

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!

Heebonism 2007

Heebonism New York will take place at the Knitting Factory and start with an hour-long open bar from 9:00-10 p.m. The 21+ blowout will feature live sets by Original Hamster, Terry Diabolik (Finger on the Pulse), June D (White Dove) and DJ Krowd Pleezr, Christmas Carol Karaoke, "Strip Dreidel" led by Kinkyjews.com and all sorts of other Semitic salaciousness.

The event runs from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. (open bar courtesy of LinLin Vodka for the first hour) and will be held at the Knitting Factory (74 Leonard Street, New York, NY). Tickets are $20 in advance ( Knittingfactory.com) or $25 at the door. (The event is 21+)

8 Nights of Hanukkah

I am pleased to present "8 Nights of Hanukkah"! a new musical cartoon that I produced for my friend Sara Schwimmer of PopJudaica.com, formerly known as ChosenCouture.com. Conceived by Sara, illustration and animation and music and voices by me, and featuring a Fran Drescher, Natalie Portman, and a dead-on Madonna impression by friend Andrea Praet!

Perfected

Thanks, Paul, for pointing out that our lovely friend, Leah Kauffman, the voice behind Obama Girl and the inspiration for Rosh Hashanah Girl, has a new parody music video out, Perfected, a response to political pundit Ann Coulter and her inflammatory comment that "Jews need to be perfected by becoming Christians."

Personally I don't think Coulter's comments were offensive at all. She was simply summarizing the underlying theme of "completist" religions, including Christianity. Still, the song is catchy and fun, and it's nice to see Kauffman in front of the camera as well as the microphone!

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

Barely Political Party

Team Obama Girl (creator Ben Relles and vocalist Leah Kauffman) with Team Rosh Hashanah Girl (me and Michelle)
Having been inspired by BarelyPolitical's Obama Girl, we were flattered to learn that the Obama Girl team are mutually fans of our own Rosh Hashanah Girl production. So last night, Rosh Hashanah Girl a.k.a. Michelle Citrin and I attended Barely Political's launch party for their new music video, I Like A Boy ..., featuring Leah Kauffman, the voice behind Obama Girl.

Flanked by two of three Romney Girl Triplets
Unfortunately we didn't get to meet Amber Lee Ettinger a.k.a. Obama Girl as she was a bit under the weather (and seemingly preoccupied with a very lucky boyfriend), but I did get to meet many of the talented folks behind BarelyPolitical.com's videos, including two of three Romney Girl Triplets.

Huffington Post reporter Rachel Sklar, vocalist Leah Kauffman, and Michelle Citrin
New BFFs, the voices of Obama Girl and Rosh Hashanah Girl
Many business cards were exchanged that night, and as we were all promptly ushered out of the Canal Room at 9pm so they could get ready for the next event, we all wished each other an easy fast, because, as it turns out, almost everyone involved in these projects was Jewish.

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"!

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!

Jews and Shoes

Makes more sense if you've seen the original Shoes video.

Is Dan Zanes Jewish?

I suspect he might be, as this local musician is a featured artist in the upcoming September Jewzapalooza concert at Riverside Park in Manhattan. Regardless, Dan Zanes and Friends is also the attraction that got my sister Sandy and her husband Todd to travel up to Brooklyn with my 17 month old niece, Lola!

Lola really digs the music!
It was Lola's first trip to Brooklyn, which was already a special occasion. The Celebrate Brooklyn music series just made the day even more memorable.

Picking up the babes by picking up the babe
Lola and my sister Michelle, back together
Dan Zanes shines as he signs Lola's DVD
More photos on Facebook

Grey Day

The entrance to Yerg. Every morning, that Y is mysteriously in a new location.
Sorry for the lack of comics and blog posts in the last two weeks. I've taken on a short-term animation project at Grey, a worldwide advertising agency, and the full-time work schedule has taken a toll on my personal projects like Shabot 6000 and JewishRobot.

Even though it has been an exhausting two weeks, it has certainly been fun! I'm working with the "Yerg" team--that's "Grey" backwards, to signify how wacky and imaginative we are. There are about a dozen creative members in this department, including fellow Flash animator and friend Threebrain, who introduced me to the company. I'm helping out with Globe Probe, an entertaining promotional website for Tanqueray. (I don't think I'm allowed to say much about the project until it is live, so stay tuned for more info within the next few weeks.)

A typical day at Yerg involves a lot of foosball, jamming on guitars, practicing skateboard moves, playing video games, and other ways to keep the creative juices flowing. As a part-timer, I do not feel I have earned the right to partake in these pastimes, so I sit quietly at my desk and animate.

Perhaps not so typical at Yerg is a private mini concert we were treated to by UK rock artist Donovan!

After the mini concert, in which he performed his classic hits "Hurdy Gurdy Man" and "Mellow Yellow", (see YouTube video above), Donovan gave us all autographed CDs and offered his songwriting services for commercial advertising. What a cool way to start the morning!

Bennett and Threebrain and other Yerg audience members pleased with Donovan's performance

Tim Mellors, President and Chief Creative Officer of Grey Worldwide North America, presents Donovan with a Yerg custom designed skateboard Deck