Downtown Seder

Jewish Rappers Unite: Shabot meets Y-Love
Last night I attended the 6th Annual Downtown Seder, presented by XM Satellite Radio and hosted at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan. I was invited as a guest of Downtown producer (and Knitting Factory founder) Michael Dorf as a thank you for contributing a Shabot 6000 comic to the Passover Haggadah. Just like last year, the seder was a blast, only better! With talented acts including the music of Neshama Carlebach, DJ Spooky, Y-Love, and readings by Lou Reed and Dr. Ruth, you couldn't ask for a more ecclectic and entertaining Passover party!

I especially enjoyed a performance by Yitz Jordan, a.k.a. Y-Love, and as it turns out, we are mutual fans of each other. My first encounter with Y was on Myspace Music, where he confessed that he could do a much better job of rapping than whoever rapped in my Seda' Club (that was me)! I asked him why he had to be a seder hater ... But now that we've settled the whole Eastside-Westside rapper rivalry, we plan to work on a joint project together.

Also turns out that the bad boys of musical comedy duo What I Like About Jew and I also share a mutual respect for each other's work, and Rob Tannenbaum and Sean Altman treated me to an autographed CD of their new album, Unorthodox. Thanks, dudes!

A special thanks to Michael Dorf, who, as one speaker put it, is the only guy who could throw a party where Jews of all streams, from Reform to Orthodox to Secular to Unorthodox Orthodox, come together as one.

Michael Dorf, producer of Downtown Seder
ChosenCouture.com's Sara Schwimmer and baby faced beau David Marcus
Joshua Nelson & Kosher Gospel Singers
Coolest table at the seder! See if you can find Yoshie Fruchter and DJ Handler.
Rob Tannenbaum & Sean Altman of What I Like About Jew