Jews = Hollywood = Oscars

Written by: Shira Webber

The Oscars left me somewhat dissatisfied this year; the co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway were suppose to add a hip angle to the evening, but as far as I'm concerned they were just weird and awkward. However, did you catch the dreidel spin in the opening montage? (the ladies at my Oscar evening caught it) Who knows maybe the spinning top spoof set the tone for what ended up being a pretty good night for Jews at the Oscars.

Among the top winners, a house hold name to every Jewish male I know,  one Miss Natalie Portman, drop dead gorgeous while making  pregnant stunning  no less, she walked off with best-actress trophy  for“Black Swan.”  a movie that one of my co  Oscar watchers insists I must see immediately



Natalie Portman



I haven't seen the King's Speech but many were excited about it being named  best picture. Did you know that Emile Sherman who accepted this award as one of the three producers comes from of a prominent Australian Jewish family.  Yup a fellow Jew as well.

Emile Sherman

Don't forget about the Jewish writers who I'm told also swept the boards (I read about it the next day, I fell asleep): Britain’s David Seidler of “The King’s Speech”, won for original screenplay, and Aaron Sorkin of “The Social Network” for adapted screenplay (I was rooting for Jesse Eisenberg even though he has nothing to do with the adapted screenplay,.I may have a small crush)

David Seidler

Aaron Sorkin

Susanna Bier a Danish director-writer who studied for two years at the Hebrew University and the Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem, won for the best foreign-language film “In a Better World”.  I had never heard of her prior to her win (her 2nd at that) so I googled her; http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/in-a-better-world/golden-globes-susanne-bier

Susanna Bier

There were some big 'hollas' at my Oscar party when a short documentary on the work of the Bialik-Rogozin School in south Tel Aviv won in its category.  “Strangers No More”, by American filmmakers Kirk Simon and Karen Goodman, is a film about educating and integrating kids from 48 countries .This documentary has just been added to the top of my must see list...how have I not heard of it before?

Director/Writer, Lee Unkrich, accepted the award for my nephews Gilad (Beans) favorite animated feature “Toy Story 3", I guess with a name like Unkrich it is kind of obvious he is a member of the Tribe um or it is? Another Golden nod for the same movie went to Jewish producer Randy Newman tipping Jewish wins to nine with his second Oscar (among 20 nominations) for his song “We Belong Together.”

Sheriff Woody & Buzz Lightyear

And lastly, the award for sound mixing went to fellow Jewish winner number 10, Lora Hirschberg, and her two colleagues for their contribution to “Inception" bringing us right back to the beginning with the spinning  Dreidel in the opening montage.

Lora Hirschberg

So all in all not such a bad night for the Jews at the Oscars...I guess I should probably have gone a bit easier on co-host James Franco who as a good Jewish boy he did  introduce both  his kveling Jewish mother and grandmother who were sitting proudly in the audience...but it doesn't take away from the fact that I still think he looked like a sleepy Jew for most of the night...

Thanks for the fresh out of the oven chocolate cookies ladies, they were actually my favorite part of the entire evening:)


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