Schmoozer (Audio Edition)

In this epsidode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman visits an event sponsored by Paeel that related to dating and relationships.

PaEel, a group based on the core Jewish values of Tzedaka (charity) and Gemilot Chasadim (Acts of Kindness), is about opening up opportunities to actualize one’s potential to do good by giving to the Jewish community. It enables one to connect with Jewish causes that one finds meaningful through creating and running events that increase one’s awareness of Jewish, charitable causes. These events also serve as a fundraiser to support such causes as poverty, health, orphans, disabled children, elderly in need, victims of terror, as well as Jewish culture and the State of Israel.

The word, PaEel, meaning “active” in Hebrew, is derived from the Hebrew root word, פ.ע.ל (PEL), which implies a deeper level of acting. Contributing one’s time and services, as well as giving financially, to build the Jewish community is a form of action that PaEel promotes based on Jewish principles.

Living in a society that tends to de-moralize Israel, the Jewish homeland, and a world that sometimes even devalues the struggles that our People have faced throughout generations of persecution, it is crucial to strengthen our ties to the Jewish community and stand united. PaEel is here to assist you to accomplish this goal in a fun and meaningful way.

In this epsidode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman visits the PresenTense Idea Slam. Aaron watches and explores the ways in which brainstorming can help create innovation.

Innovation was in full force at the PresenTense Idea Slam in NYC. The slam process has a basis in contemporary social thought and is derived from the concept of design thinking developed at Stanford University.

The process also draws on NASA research on brainstorming that found that the first person to articulate an idea in a brainstorming session tends to define everything that follows.

The slam process tries to avoid that pitfall by having participants write their ideas on sticky notes, which are then organized on the wall as “clouds” of related ideas that may be further refined as the slam process proceeds.

The PresenTense Group engages and inspires the most creative minds of our generation, investing in their ideas and energy to revitalize the Jewish community. PresenTense enables young Jews to have global conversations about new ideas and envision a better future. And when they’re eager to act upon these ideas, we educate and equip them for success.

For more information about PresenTense, please visit their website at PresenTense.org

As we approach the end of the holiday of Sukkot, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman hits the streets of New York to look at a few innovative ideas for Sukkahs.

Aaron shows us the first sukkah (booth) he has ever owned, an easy to assemble one-man sukkah made by PopUpSukkah.com as well as the Sukkah on Wheels created by Chabbad, and that can now be found all around the city during the holiday.

This week Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman returns to Occupy Wall Street to talk to Daniel Siradsky who created the Occupy Judaism project as part of Occupy Wall Street.

Jewish activists across the United States constructed sukkahs as part of ever-growing Occupy Wall Street movement and to mark the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. We had the opportunity to speak with Daniel Sieradski about his initiative to Occupy Judaism and how it is influncing Jews around the world. Daniel has coordinated various events during Occupy Wall Street protest. Over 1,000 people came out to the Kol Nidre service and thousands of people have come by to learn more about Sukkot. Daniel has erected a sukkah to teach people about the holiday.

Aaron then discussed the vast differences in prices for Etrogs, and found out what makes an Etrog more or less valuable.

Guest, Rabbi Chaim Shapiro walked him through the different components that affects the beauty and kashrut of an etrog.

On behalf of JCast Network, we wish you a Chag Sameach.

(Due to the timeliness of this episode, we have published it on Tuesday rather then our usual Wednesday morning.)

Join Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman in this weeks special addition of Schmoozer as he talks to Daniel Sieradski, the Social Change Agent behind the Kol Nidre Services at  Occupy Wall Street.

Occupy Wall Street is a movement created in response to the current financial realities of today.

Daniel Sieradsky, seeing that the protests were falling during the same time as the Jewish High Holidays decided to promote a Kol Nidre service to make it possible for those committed to the project to NOT have to decide between religious services and the protests.

Daniel Sieradski is also the host of another JCast Network podcast, Jewish Tech Meetup.

Can you bend a spoon with your mind? Can you hear the thoughts of others? One man can and his name is Ehud Segev. We had the opportunity to see his incredible talents and learn more about his amazing talents.

His first experience with mysticism came when a young Segev begged his mother to buy him Tarot cards, because he could see and feel a powerful energy from them. At the age of 12 he started doing Tarot readings friends and neighbors. Segev used these cards as a tool to connect to the universe’s powers as his own connection to himself developed.

For More information about Ehud Segev, please visit his site.

Join Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman this week at the Red Carpet Premier of 50/50 the new film staring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen. In this episode, Aaron gets a chance to talk to star Gordon-Levitt as well as director Jonathan Levine.

What’s so funny about cancer? Well if you are Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt you will be laughing for hours. We attended the NYC premiere 50/50 and got an first hand account about what it so funny about 50/50.

A young man turns a devastating illness into a unique opportunity to experience life in 50/50, a funny, touching and original story about friendship, love and survival starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen.

Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has a pretty great life—with a talented, sexy artist girlfriend and a cool job with NPR, the 27-year old seems to have it all. But when Adam discovers he has a rare and possibly fatal form of cancer, his entire life turns to chaos. Writer Will Reiser experienced his own personal battle with cancer, and was inspired to write an original story which reflects the humor and heartbreak which collide in a poignant and often hilarious journey the main character is completely unprepared for.

As his world starts to unravel in every way, Adam finds himself dealing with the wellmeaning but totally outrageous attempts by his friends and family to make it all better. His best friend, Kyle (Seth Rogen), uses Adam’s condition to lure girls into sympathy sex, his overbearing mother (Anjelica Huston) loses sight of him in her own fears, his otherwise-occupied girlfriend, Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) tries to distract herself an increasingly frantic social life, and Katherine (Anna Kendrick), the inexperienced therapist assigned to his case, struggles to keep up with the needs of her third client ever in this unexpectedly funny movie that reminds us that sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.

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In this weeks episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman sat down with actor Paul Giamatti to discuss Barney’s Version.

The film is based on Jewish author, Mordecai Richler’s prize-winning comic novel, Barney’s Version. It is the warm, wise, and witty story of Barney Panofsky (played by Paul Giamatti), a seemingly ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life.

The Groggers are a Jewish pop-punk band with a comic twist. Based out of NYC, the band formed in early 2010 when singer/songwriter L.E. Staiman recruited musicians Ari Friedman and Chemy Soibelman for a spontaneous music video shoot of his original punk anthem called “GET”. The video, which covered the issue of withholding a Jewish divorce, became an instant success on YouTube and garnered the attention of several prominent bloggers and websites, specifically ones that dealt with this sensitive issue. It didn’t take long for the realization to set in that a hit song and music video was circulating the Internet for what was at the time a totally fictitious band. The only logical thing to do was immediately begin intense rehearsals and writing sessions-which is exactly what The Groggers did. With songs like “Mitzvah Night” and “Malka Jihad” (a tune about the downside of falling for a ‘Neturei Carta’ girl) the band is quickly establishing itself as a wholly original band with the musical chops and high energy live shows to back it up. In only a few short months, the band has already played with some of the biggest names in the modern Jewish music scene, such as Yosi Piamenta, Rav Shmuel, Soulfarm and Moshav, and played some of New York’s most renowned underground venues such as Sullivan Hall, Canal Room and of course Highline Ballroom. Following the Success of their first video, The Groggers released their second video “EIshes Chayil” in November of 2010. The video featured Jewish music legend Rav Shmuel and was well received by critics and fans alike. We had the opportunity to speak to the Groggers about their new alubum There’s No “I” in Cherem”

The Groggers new album “There’s No I in Cherem” is available for purchase.

The Groggers will be performing with The  Moshav Band on September 22nd at the Canal Room.