New Ranking!

It's another first! Cool Jew has captured the # 8 position on Amazon's list of bestselling Judaism titles. And in continued good form, Cool Jew is again ranking #4 on Amazon's bestselling humor/religion list. Endless thanks for your continued support!

UCLA HILLEL RECAP

Last night's event at the Dortort Center for Creativity in the Arts at UCLA Hillel was a wonderful celebration of contemporary Jewish culture with JDub tunes, the Cool Jew show and a panel discussion with Rabbi Yonah, educator and creator of the Jewlicious Festivals, award-winning filmmaker Dan Katzir and moderator UCLA History Professor Ra'anan Boustan. And a full martini bar with the Cool Jew signature Mani-tini and scrumptious eats... Thanks so so much to Mary Pinkerson at UCLA's Center for Jewish Studies, Perla Karney at Hillel's Dortort Center, Daniel Inlander of UCLA Hillel Alumni Association and Rachel Bookstein of Long Beach Hillel.

NEXT UP: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Celebration of Jewish Books Sunday Festival at American Jewish University, with more than 30 authors. I present 12:30 - 1:15 pm in room 307.

(I'm up just after Heebster pal Matthue Roth, who is also slated to appear at my upcoming New York launch party at the JCC of Manhattan on November 20th.)

Tickets, more information and the day's full schedule of authors, entertainment and more listed at http://www.ajula.edu/cob or call (310) 440-1246, AJU Familian Campus, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air, CA 9077. Tickets $15. During the Sunday festival, complimentary shuttle service is available from dedicated parking lots at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino and the Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Blvd. in Westwood (Lot C off Veteran Blvd.) Limited pre-paid premium parking is available for $10 in lots near the University. To obtain a placard with lot location, advance reservations are required. Call (310) 440-1246 for handicapped and premium parking arrangements.

RECENT COVERAGE in the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles

October 29, 2008

Hey, Hipster Jew—you probably think this book is about you

By Jay Firestone

You're sporting a Batman yarmulke on your head and a cubic-zirconia-studded Star of David pendant around your neck that would put Flavor Flav to shame. A plastic Moses figure stands posed next to your computer, ready for some sea-splitting action.

If you count yourself among the Heebsters and Sheebsters, you're proud to be a Jew and have no reservations when it comes to flaunting your J-bling. If this is all new to you, welcome to the world of hipster Jews.

That's the thinking behind Lisa Alcalay Klug's new book, "Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe" (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $12.99), which seeks to catalogue hip Jewish trends, from He'BrewBeer to Heeb magazine, while looking at Judaism and its culture through a post-denominational lens.

Also referred to as "The Heebster Handbook," Klug describes "Cool Jew" as "a field manual for 21st-century Jews." With chapters ranging from "Heebster, Know Thyself" to "Heebster Spoken Here," the book captures the social and cultural zeitgeist that defines modern cool Jews. "Cool Jew" picks up where the do-it-yourself "Jewish Catalog" series left off, aiming its content at the iJew who feels no shame in giving the gift of a virtual matzah ball to a Facebook friend. (more)