Yosef Kardurner Interview

Breslovworld.com does an excellent in depth interview with Yosef Karduner. The interview covers a lot of ground from his professional soccer playing to his stint in the IDF to becoming a Baal Teshuva.






(HT A Simple Jew)

Spinka Rebbe: Free on $2 Million Bond....

The Spinka Rebbe who was indicted with 5 others for tax fraud and money laundering had his bail set at $2 million and is currently out on bail. The arraignment of the six defendants named in the indictment is scheduled for Dec. 31. One of the defendants, Joseph Roth, the assistant manager of the Israel-based Mizrahi Bank had his bail set at 1.9 million by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Hillman but the Judge then delayed granting bail until the government could appeal his decision. Roth will have to remain in federal custody until at least Jan. 4, pending the district judge's decision on Hillman's ruling.

YBC 2 Video Preview !

Sameach Music now has a sneak preview for the new video release YBC 2 Live.

Kosher : Not Synonymous With Clean...

An article in the Jewish Chronicle points out that there has been a significant increase in kosher restaurants in the UK. The problem is that evidently kosher does not mean a clean environment.The JC conducted an investigation and found that half of kosher restaurants, delis and bakeries inspected by local authorities are rated “very poor” or “poor” — including some of our most trendy hang-outs. And only two restaurants — out of 59 — are given top marks.

Recording an Album? Read This First!

Sruly from Sameach Music gives potential artists some real sound advice (no pun intended) for those considering releasing an album . It's an excellent piece and covers a lot of different issues such as cost, release dates, album success, PR and more. It would make an excellent addition to the website so you wanna.

JDL Backs Off Will Smith: ADL Backs Him Up

It looks like the JDL has backed down from boycotting Will Smith's movies. The JDL in anattempt to save face said it accepted Will Smith's apology. They were referring to the statement he made after the Scottish newspaper article was published. The problem of course is he never apologized and they know it. The ADL is backing Will Smith and agree that his words were certainly twisted to sensationalize the story.

2ND Dance: A Bad Review

2ND Dance: The latest release by Yitzy Schwartz has recently been reviewed by Jewish Music Blog. Perhaps you will not be surprised by this but he did not like it one bit. Click here to read his new version of reviewing entitled "Rapid Review" (some may call it a drive-by-review). Considering how most of the albums Aryeh reviews he can't seem to stand, it makes one wonder why he would subject himself to such torture?

Free Jewish Music Download: YBC LIVE 2!

Sameach Music Podcast Features an 8 minute download audio preview of YBC 2.

This preview features The yeshiva Boys Choir, Tek-Noy, Eli Gerstner & The Chevra. This Double CD and DVD includes 20 songs.This second volume of YBC LIVE has a brand new song composed special for this show "Lazer's Niggun" and a beautiful rendition of Abie Rotenberg's Neshomelle. Also included is the brand new totally remixed version of V'Ohavta. There are many other exciting surpises on this CD/DVD including the debut performance of new singer Dovid Stein, whose upcoming CD is being produced by Eli Gerstner.

JDL Goes After Will Smith

The JDL is slamming Will Smith after comments he made stating "Even Hitler didn't wake up going, Let me do the most evil thing I can do today,I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good." The JDL has condemned his remarks as "ignorant, detestable and offensive" and urged theaters to pull Mr. Smith's new movie, I Am Legend. As you can imagine this is not the kind of PR Mr. Smith was looking for as he released his latest big hit film. He was angered by what he felt was a misinterpretation of his words:

"It is an awful and disgusting lie," Smith said in a statement Monday provided by his publicist. "It speaks to the dangerous power of an ignorant person with a pen. I am incensed and infuriated to have to respond to such ludicrous misinterpretation.""Adolf Hitler was a vile, heinous vicious killer responsible for one of the greatest acts of evil committed on this planet," read the statement.

Say Tehillim: 2 Seminary Girls Hit by a Car!

Please say tehillim for 2 seminary girls one of which was injured critically after being struck by a car. One of the girls, Ilana Leah bas Shaindel Rochel, was listed in critical condition, while her friend Chaya Mushka bas Mattel, was listed in stable condition. Readers are requested to keep saying Tehillim for their complete recovery.

He Paid for His Car in Cash..From His Piggy Bank?

A 70 yr old man, Paul Brant from Frankfurt, IN purchased his Dodge Ram Pick-Up with loose change: The price: $25,000! My question is how did he get all that change into the dealership? It must have weighed tons. Anyway Paul is a repeat offender, as he had previously purchased a Dodge pickup and a Dodge Neon using about $36,000 in quarters. Talk about braking the piggy bank...something to tell your kids. If they start saving now maybe they can buy a Porsche?

Introducing Kosher GPS

Ever wish you could find the nearest pizza shop or steakhouse but didn't know where to find it? Well now you can download a file onto your GPS that has over 1000 Restaurants for all over the USA and Canada. For only $18 you should have little problem finding kosher food or a minyan wherever you travel across the USA and Canada. The file can be purchased here.

All Time High 1k Visitors!

Considering this blog is more of a hobby then anything else, it was pretty cool to see that this past Thurs. my stats were at 1000 unique visitors! . I'd like to thank my readers and the academy....(::bow::)...Thank you all

Hasc #20 Presents: Dovid Gabay Video!

Brought to you by our friends at Sameach Music:HASC 20 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT - Dovid Gabay!

Pizza Prices Skyrocketing.....

With the recent hikes in the prices of cheese we are seeing some pretty scary increases. Pizza is a food many rely on for a cheap lunch or dinner. Unfortunately that idea is about to evaporate and quickly. The Avg. cost of pizza in the 5 town section of Long island is $2.25-2.50 for a regular slice. Add some spinach and it can easily be $3.25! Many stores are charging $3.00+ for French fries after which a lunch can easily run you $30-$50 after soft drinks etc. Makes you think twice about taking your family out to the local pizzeria. Although there is certainly a rise in cheese prices I have seen some good deals on these cheeses at kosher supermarkets. This makes me wonder if the pizzerias are taking advantage of these increases.

Spinka Rebbe Indicted for Tax Fraud!

As if we don't have enough stereotypes the Grand Spinka Rabbi: Naftali Tzvi Weisz, 59, faced some serious today in LA federal court. Among them are, conspiracy, mail fraud and money laundering, according to a 37-count indictment returned Tuesday.

Authorities say Weisz helped solicit millions of dollars in contributions to five Spinka charitable groups by promising to secretly refund up to 95 percent of the donations. That way, the contributors could falsely claim higher tax deductions,

In some cases, donors received cash payments through an underground money transfer network involving business owners in Los Angeles' jewelry district, prosecutors said. Contributors also were reimbursed through wire transfers from Spinka-controlled entities into accounts secretly held at a bank in Israel, prosecutors said.

Weisz is from Brooklyn, N.Y., where the charitable organizations are based.

Also indicted were his executive assistant, Moshe E. Zigelman, 60. Six of the seven charged in the case were taken into custody as federal agents conducted searches in Los Angeles and New York on Wednesday morning.

It was unclear whether the defendants had retained attorneys yet.

I hope this is all some kind of mistake but with an indictment that long what are the chances? This should strike some fear into any other organizations trying the same shtick.

Manhattan's First Kosher Cheeseburger?

Talia's has decided to add a Kosher Cheeseburger to their menu. This article maintains that it looks and tastes like the real deal. If you ever had a real yetzer hora for a cheeseburger (never really did) now you can get the same taste without the sin.

Best of Kosher Food: New Soda Award!

It's been a while since I've added an item to my Best of Kosher Food (drop down on the left side of my blog). Today I would like to give an award to Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash, for it's outstanding crisp taste and excellent flavor. The trick here is that none of the flavors overpower the other and the diet version is one of the better diet soft drinks on the market. Give it try.

He Refused To Give a Get Now He Must Pay...

$47,500 to Stephanie Bruker, 48, as awarded by a the supreme court of Canada.

Justice Rosalie Abella, representing the majority, said courts can referee religious disputes if they "take into account the particular religion, the particular religious right, and the particular personal and public consequences -- including the religious consequences -- of enforcing that right," the newspaper reported.

The two dissenting judges said the court had no place in religious disputes.

The couple divorced in 1980 after 11 years of marriage. Husband Jason Marcovitz then refused to honor a prenuptial agreement that included a requirement to provide a get. In 1995, Marcovitz granted the get when Bruker was 46, unmarried and past child-bearing age.

Jewish Music Poll Closed and the Winners Are..

The Poll for the Best New Jewish Music Cd had Yitzy Spinner and Aryeh Kunstler neck in neck. Click here for the final tally.

New Jewish Dating Assistance Website

It's been a while since I've seen a website I thought to add to my list of "Links Worth Knowing".I had been visiting SerandEZ as I often do and noticed this little ad saying "Mikomos "and needless to say I was a bit intrigued. I clicked it and there on the screen is a huge database of date places that are in a wikpedia format and allow you to edit and add places of your own (which I am guilty of doing). If you know of some great dating venues you'd like to share I suggest strongly that you enter them into this fantastic new site. Help spread the word as this site will no doubt be a great help to those dating as well as others who are looking for a nice fun place to hang.

Introducing the Cancun Rebbe....

Even in the sun soaked beaches of Cancun there is a Rabbi that can be found. That Rabbi is Mendel Druk who is available to assist with challah or perhaps a minyan. Chron.com has an interesting article about this Rabbi from Detroit who now finds himself meeting Jews from all over who are in pursuit of relaxation (even on Rosh Hashanah?). Jewishcancun.com can give you more information on what this new Rabbi can offer.

Jewish Music Poll: Your Favorite CD

Poll Now Closed:

Winners Are:

1st place- Yitzy Spinner- 81 Votes

2nd Place- Aryeh Kunstler- 78 Votes

3rd Place- Hasc #20-10 Votes

4rth Place- PRUZ- 5 Votes

5th Place- 2nd Dance- 3 Votes

6th Place- Yosef Chaim Bloch-2 Votes

Peanuts Are Not Kosher?Pasta Not Kosher

You may not realize this but the FDA allows a certain amount of filth in food that is natural. For an easy to read version of the FDA's Food Defect Action Levels click here. Here is one that caught my attention:Macaroni and noodle products average of 225 insect fragments or more per 225 grams in 6 or more subsamples Average of 4.5 rodent hairs or more per 225 grams in 6 or more subsamples. Perhaps this one would also catch yours:Peanut butter Average of 30 or more insect fragments per 100 gramsAverage of 1 or more rodent hairs per 100 grams Peanuts, shelled Average of 10% or more peanuts by count are rejects (insect- infested, moldy, rancid, otherwise decomposed, and dirty). Anything that's less than these levels is ok because the FDA says it's unavoidable. Makes you wonder how kosher some of these products really are. Do we have to wash our peanuts too?

Jewish Music : Aryeh Kunstler Joins PHP Band

Aryeh Kunstler recently joined up with Jam Band, PHP. What does PHP stand for? Well they are not really sure themselves. PHP consists of the following members: Pinny Farkas ~ Drums; Payis,Doni Joszef ~ Rhythm Guitar; artwork, Aryeh Kunstler ~ Bass; Vocals, Ahron Rosenthal ~ Lead Guitar; Vocals (now in Israel - Shaya Sussman ~ Bass; Dancer). You can read more about the band here. According to thier website they were working on an album back in 06' at Hyperstudios with Eitan Kantor and I'm wondering when that release date might be. Also be sure to check out Aryeh Kunstler, PHP and Yaakov Chessed at the Jewish Music Cafe (401 9th St.-Park Slope, Brooklyn) on Dec. 22nd (motzei Shabbos)!

They Wished Them A Happy Hanukkah but Got a Beat Down

This is one disturbing story from the NY Subway: AP reports that a group of four Jewish riders were approached by a group of ten who extended holiday greetings. When the Jews replied in response to have a "Happy Hanukkah" the 8 men and 2 women proceeded to assault them and yell racial slurs. The police thankfully caught the guilty party and arrested all 10 of them on several charges, including third-degree assault and menacing and second-degree riot and harassment. They pleaded not guilty. The interesting part is that one of the men Joseph Jirovec, 19, pleaded guilty last year to attempted robbery as a hate crime and was awaiting sentencing, prosecutors said. Joseph's lawyer however is claiming that since his client is in fact Jewish, he would not have attacked simply based on race. I guess he never heard of a self-hating Jew. Update: This story made the front cover of the NY Post. Evidently a Muslim from Bangladesh, Hassan Askari assisted in helping the Jewish group as they got beaten badly. Hassan is truly a hero and should be an example to all.

New Poster: Yitzy Spinner

Here is the latest poster by Sameach Music for Yitzy Spinner. You can read my review as well as others.
To purchase his CD click here.

BLOG FIGHTS! Areyh Extends the Olive Branch but it Falls

On the floor... The Jewish Music Blog has been smacked hard by the introduction of MeanJBlogs. In this latest part of the saga Aryeh attempts to hand out an olive branch but it's thrown out by his nemeses. Do you think he should shut down his blog or just apologize or something else perhaps (7 days of community service?). I found it a bit comical that Aryeh tried to review 2 albums at once namely Yitzy Spinner and Pruz. The idea that Pruz sounds more genuine in his singing of the songs is a ridiculous statement: If for no other reason than simple logic. Who would sound more genuine to you? Someone who actually wrote his OWN song and sang it or someone singing something that a songwriter wrote for him? Enough said. Hey that's just my opinion....

Haviel Havalim #144: Latkes Edition

Be sure to check out Jack's Random thoughts of Haveil Havalim #144- Too Many Latkes Edition. It's sure to fill you up.

Jewish Music Review: Aryeh Kunstler

Coming from an extremely musical family it's not surprising that Aryeh Kunstler has decided to release his debut album "From the Depths". It was interesting to learn that this young man had turned into a pretty impressive guitar player. This album would not be confused with the"Shiny shoe music" group and it's more in line with the Blue Fringe era. Even though this style is not what I usually listen to in the Jewish Music genre, I found myself really enjoying this album. The guests on this album include his brother Dani Kunstler and Lenny Solomon of Shlock Rock fame. The album opener "Oseh Shalom", starts off with acoustic guitar and is a "feel good" catchy style in major that really grabs you and may get your feet tapping right off. (Warning: if you start humming this tune in middle of class, you'll know why). Aryeh then moves into a relaxing moderate ballad in "Az Yashir", yet another nice tune which combines the electric and acoustic guitars. Next tune is one of my favorites and I believe it really shows Aryeh's talent both musically and certainly vocally. I'm speaking of "Mizmor Shir" and features Lenny Solomon on back up vocals. The groove is fantastic and the hebrew and English lyrics really work well together. Aryeh's next tune is "Im Eshkachech", a melancholy rock tune that expresses the words in a way that really fits in that genre. To pick you back up from the sad and lonely, Aryeh brings you "Modeh Ani" which you might dub as the " Rock n' roll" niggun (or maybe just me?). Aryeh dedicates the next ballad to his aunt: "Hateh Alei". This song again shows Aryeh's ability to translate the meaning of the lyrics well into the music in this really sad but beautiful melody. Aryeh then discusses the battle with "yetzer hora" in this rock/country style tune: "Show me your love" another great English song. The next tune, "Miokolos" is dedicated to Avinoam Grossman, an 18-year-old yeshiva bochur from Long Island, NY who drowned off the western coast of Australia. This beautiful haunting melody really tugs at your soul (tissue box not included). Aryeh then shows his heavier metal side with "Mimakim" which is the title track and shows off some more of his guitar talent and features some cool synth from Avi Tai. The next tune is "Aileh Vrechev" a moderate rock/ pop style that also features more guitar soloing by Aryeh.The last song (on the album cover) is "Gates": This songs features some great vocal harmonies and the acoustic guitars really bring out the message at neilah of Yom Kippur. The hidden track is the "Chavrusa break up" song which will certainly bring smiles to many. There really aren't any fillers on this CD and Aryeh proves that he's a serious songwriter/arranger and is sure to be a face you'll be seeing more of on the Jewish Music scene. To purchase this album click here.

Enviromentally Sound Menorah Here!

In efforts to save the earth, I propose we make our menorahs not from silver or metal. That will deplete our natural resources and manufacturing them will cause toxic fumes to kill the ozone. Please make your menorah from old shoes! Thanks! Happy Chanukah

Sameach Music: Lipa Video

Sameach Music would like to wish everyone a Happy Chanukah and has released this snipet of the LIPA DVD.

Please Light One Less Candle: Enviromentalists!

Some Israeli environmentalists would like you to express your concern for the enviroment by lighting one less candle this Hanukkah. What's next? Eat one less matzah for peasach or one less cup of wine? How about only lighting one candle every shabbos? Rabbi Darren Kleinberg tried to diffuse the situation by suggesting ,``Why don't we ask people that while they light their Hannukah candles, they should turn off the lights in their house," he said. ``That seems like an equally powerful statement that ensures the same goal without undermining the ritual."Is there a reason why Israeli environmentalists look for ways to infringe upon Jewish practices? Perhaps we could help the environment by not being religious at all?Honestly, if you want to help the environment, start boycotting China. They are looking to be the emission leader very shortly. Let's also not forget how divorce contributes greatly to global warming. Perhaps they will outlaw divorce since it eats up to much of our resources.

Bring Out Those Doughnuts!Chanukkah Recipes..

In honor of Chanukkah enjoy these sufganiyot recipes: Doughnut #1, Doughnut #2, Doughnut #3,Doughnut #4, Doughnut #5.

Chanukkah Presents: Some Ideas

Now that Chanukah ( or is it Hanukkah?) is upon us this evening, I will give you last minute shoppers some ideas of gifts you can purchase for your loved ones. One gift I researched well is a digital camera. After days of looking at different reviews I settled on the Cannon Powershot A630. I was able to snag it for $195.00 at the time and it seems that the demand has brought this model up in price. Another cool gift is a digital picture frame. Don't just buy any old digital frame as many don't resize your picture to fit the frame and this can become a problem especially for the less-than tech savy ( not to mention many have poor picture quality). I would like to suggest the Phillips digital photo frame. I bought a refurb and it has excellent brightness and picture quality. Looking for something less expensive?Try a silverplated menorah or a newly released CD. What are your favorite chanukah presents?

Free Music Download: Piamenta!

As promised the new Piamenta album is available for purchase you can download a free music sample here courtesy of Sameach Music.

Miri Ben-Ari and Hip Hop

Miri Ben-Ari is one of the most famous violinist in the music business right now. She's a Grammy award winning musician whose fame has risen quickly among the hip hop crowd. What many people don't know is this Israeli violinist was playing Jewish Orthodox weddings for many years. . She's currently involved in a project, "Gedenk" and she seems interested in bringing the Holocaust to the forefront so that it is not forgotten and I applaud her for this effort. The problem in my humble opinion is I find it to be somewhat of a sacrilege to have a music video dedicated to the holocaust that features immodestly clad dancers. The two just don't jive. One might begin to wonder how sincere she is in her efforts to keep that flame alive or is it just a PR stunt....

Jewish Music Poll: Best Website in Jewish Music

There are some new cool Jewish music websites out there. Which do you like best? Spinner, Piamenta, Pruz or Dachs?

Well the Poll is closed: Spinner won first place with 15 votes. Piamenta second with 6 votes and Dachs and Pruz tied for 3rd with 2 votes each.

Jewish Music Review: Yitzy Spinner: you and i

I finally went out and picked up a copy of Yitzy Spinner's debut album entitled "you and i" produced by Avi Newmark. I had heard some tracks via Sameach Music and decided to give it a whirl. You can tell that although Yitzy wants his album to be attractive to the mainstream market he doesn't want it to be boring as many tend to be. You can tell he put a lot of effort in bringing some new ideas to the table and he certainly doesn't disappoint. The album starts with a punch from the opening song "Tzur" which is nice attention grabber. Yitzy then transitions into a nice ballad "Acheniu": I was especially impressed with the backup vocals from Mike Boxer and Yitzy on this tune. The next song is a funky disco/hora:Mi Sheshikein with Danny Flam arranging the brass which really makes this song stand out. The next tune is the title song "you and i". I'm usually not a big fan of English songs since the lyrics tend to be childish and the song is usually dull. I thought Yitzy does a decent job of writing a song where the melody and words match well. In this song Yitzy shows the more emotional side of his voice . You and i is probably best described as a contemporary /quasi- R & B tune which certainly is quite different from what you will hear say on a Shwekey album. Yitzy then goes to rock it up with L'maan Achai which can be kind of catchy. If you are looking for something very different the next song will have your ears perking up: Lefonai. Yaron Gershovsky does what he does best backing up this rock n' roll shuffle .This tune is sure to get you up and dancing. Other songs include Peha another ballad, Modeh Ani with it's calypso/ carribean feel (where is my pina colada?) to a spanish hora-Sholom Aleichem and then moves to "neshomah" another contemporary ballad that really shows the depth of Yitzy's voice. The album does not stop at just 10 songs: Oseh Shalom an Arabic Hora would not be complete without the great guitar work of Avi Singolda and last but not least Avraham Yagel a moderate rock tune gives this album a real strong finish. Bottom line: you and i is a real nice album that will certainly make a nice chanukah present and is certainly enjoyable to listen to and can be purchased here.