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Up Front

We Were Slaves in Westwood

Southern Californians can travel from Pharaoh\’s palace to Midwestern wheat fields to a rain forest — all without leaving Westwood.

‘Guess Who’ Can’t Look Jewish?

Apparently, Demi Moore is the only thing people will be seeing on Ashton Kutcher\’s arm these days. In the actor\’s new film, \”Guess Who,\” Sony Pictures spent some $100,000 to digitally remove a red string kabbalah bracelet from his wrist, according to a recent article by MSNBC.com\’s Jeanette Walls.

Zucky’s Counter Culture

\”Zucky\’s was designed by Weldon Fulton as a prime example of the Googie or California Coffee Shop Modern architectural genre,\” Biondo said. \”In any remodeling, we want to preserve the main Zucky\’s signboard, exterior ceramic tiles and stonework, the diagonal treatment along Fifth Street, and the brick wall and window sills.\”

Shin Bet Links Up & Prayers for Pesach

Shin Bet Links Up

Israel\’s Shin Bet security service went online Tuesday at www.shabak.gov.il. The Hebrew-only site contains information on the domestic intelligence agency as well as application forms for would-be agents interested in countering Palestinian terrorism or foreign spies, or in joining one of Israel\’s diplomatic bodyguard units. The Shin Bet\’s overseas counterpart, the Mossad, put up its own Web site last year.

Prayers for Pesach

The Orthodox Union is again operating a program for Passover to help Israeli soldiers. The group is selling prayer cards for $1 apiece that can be placed at Passover seder tables. Proceeds from the cards will be given to help soldiers and their families. More information is available at www.ou.org/israel.

PowerPoint Purim

Given that fulfilling the mitzvah of Purim requires that we hear the reading of Megillat Esther, the Orthodox Union (OU) has come up with a unique way for the deaf and hard of hearing to participate in the mitzvah.

Stein Scores Grammy

In the midst of all of the glamour of the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, one could easily miss the hurrahs of one local cantor. But it was a proud moment for Chazzan Mike Stein of Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills, one of a group of musicians honored Feb. 13 with an award in the Best Children\’s Music category for \”\”cELLAbration! A Tribute to Ella Jenkins.\”

On Stage, Off Screen

Jewish talent didn\’t make the headlines at Sunday evening\’s Academy Awards, but found some consolation in the less glamorous categories. Tom Rosenberg briefly shared the spotlight with Clint Eastwood as one of the three producers of best picture \”Million Dollar Baby,\” which also collected Oscars in the best director, actress and supporting actor categories.\n\nCharlie Kaufman, the favorite, won the best original screenplay Oscar for his \”Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.\” After a \”normal Jewish upbringing\” on Long Island, Kaufman has become one of the hottest Hollywood writers for scripts that tend to blur the line between fantasy and reality.\n\nIn the documentary feature category, often dominated by Holocaust-themed entries in the past, the winner was \”Born Into Brothels,\” about the children of Calcutta prostitutes. Sharing the award were director Zana Briski, whose Iraqi Jewish mother now lives in Israel, reports Jewhoo.com, and her Jewish co-producer Ross Kauffman.

Charmed Blessings

First, there was the red string kabbalah bracelet popularized by Madonna; then, the yellow \”LIVESTRONG\” wristband supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Now, there are blessing rings, which may just become the next national craze in message-imbued jewelry. (If they do, you heard it here first, folks.)

Salami Shortage No Baloney

Five hunks of Hebrew National salami lie side by side in a glass display case at Ben\’s Kosher Delicatessen in midtown Manhattan. When compared with the crispy corn dogs and enormous latkes, they don\’t look like much. But the takeout counter guy is relieved he has any salami to sell at all.\n\nFor the last several months, a shortage of Hebrew National products has hit kosher restaurants and food distributors across North America, forcing some to fill the gap with other meat products — ones that don\’t \”answer to a higher authority,\” as the Hebrew National famous advertisement put it.\n\nThe shortage comes at what should be a time of celebration, as Hebrew National, which was founded on Manhattan\’s Lower East Side, celebrates its 100th birthday.

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