JewishRobot at Limmud NY

On the weekend of January 15-18, 2010, I attended the Limmud NY 2010 conference, where I had the honor of presenting my Jewish heroes video to an audience of 700, sung backup for my "20 Things To Do With Matzah" song onstage with Michelle Citrin, and presented a beginners' workshop in Flash animation.

Read "700 Jews Can't Be Wrong", my blog post about the event for ROI, the organization that helped me travel to Limmud NY with a Speakers Bureau grant.

You can see more photos from the event on my Facebook photo album.

Jailbreak Interview

Quincy Moore of The Jailbreak, a blog about pop, politics, and counterculture, interviewed me on July 15, 2009.  Here is the intro:

Like all great artists and creative folk, cartoonist William Levin finds his inspiration from a series of ex-girlfriends who spark innovation and then eventually drift away in favor of a more suitable muse.

With each turn of the perpetual partner wheel, Levin learns more about his artistic process and churns out funny, irreverent, and often educational cartoons about Jewish Robots and oft-injured bike riders.

While his target demographic started out as a microcosm of the larger population (mostly Jews), his adaptability and chameleon-like penchant for recognizing trends have promised him a bright future in an animation industry that is still relatively new to the Brooklyn resident.

Levin was gracious enough to sit down with the Jailbreak for a hilarious interview in which he ponders a future in anime, reveals the actual location of Sesame Street, and explains why Futurama was an anomaly.

-Quincy

Read the complete interview here. 

Matzah Boy

Meet Billy, son of Simon. Simon edited our "20 Things To Do With Matzah" music video, as well as Rosh Hashanah Girl and Pass The Candle. This is a photo from Simon's blog, of Billy's first Passover party at preschool here in Brooklyn. According to Simon, Billy prefers to strip and eat the chocolate off the matzah, leaving behind the flat, unleavened bread. At least we know what he can do with all that leftover matzah!

See more photos, and help Simon solve the mystery of the frogs.

Passover Videos

JTA, one of the sponsors of the Pass The Candle music video I made with Michelle Citrin for Hanukkah, was busy this week with articles and blog posts about Jewish videos for Passover. Author Amy Klein took an in depth look at the reasons behind the Jewish YouTube craze in her article, Let my people post Passover videos, where she interviewed Michelle about our Matzah Song, and followed up with a Top 10 list, 10 YouTube videos for Passover, (which I'm surprised failed to mention my Shabot 6000 "Seda' Club"), placing our "20 Things To Do With Matzah" at the #1 spot. And as a bonus, a JTA blog post, Two more Passover videos, by Ami Eden, gives a shout out to Bitter Herb.

Thanks for all the attention, JTA!

The Hanukkah in NYC Real Estate

Shabot fan Stephanie from IntoTheBox.tv submitted this video blog episode, The Hanukkah in NYC Real Estate, about a new synagogue being built in Lincoln Square. Lincoln Square Synagogue will be the first new temple build in NYC in decades.

OneVoice is One Word

OneVoice President Daniel Lubetzky
Last night I attended the OneVoice Blogger Meet-Up at Think Tank 3 in Manhattan. From their website,

On October 18, 2007, the Israeli and Palestinian peoples will say "enough!" - enough stalemated negotiations, enough violence and chaos, enough setbacks and excuses.
Through unprecedented, massive parallel summits in Tel Aviv and Jericho satellite-linked to locations worldwide, and supportive events in London , Washington , D.C., and Ottawa , the moderate majority will take a stand.

After an introduction by Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, and Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post, OneVoice President Daniel Lubetzky explained that, while traditional media has failed in spreading the word in their stand for peace in the Middle East, there is still hope with the new media reporters, like us bloggers. So far, over half a million Israelis and Palestinians have pledged their support in the One Million Voices campaign to end the conflict. We bloggers were invited to help spread their word.

Jewschool.com founder Daniel Sieradski compares notes with Craigslist founder Craig Newmark
Aryeh Goldsmith of the Jewish blog aggregator Jrants.com, Leah Jones of Accidentally Jewish, and ever present Esther K.
Heeb's Adam Baruchowitz and Etty Beke for NuYorker
Etty told me that if we took this photo, she would be the envy of all her friends in Venezuela, who happen to be Shabot 6000 fans. As opposed as I am to befriending tall, young Venezuelan Jewish girls, I reluctantly agreed to pose with her.

See more photos by Dan Sieradski

Kosher Barbe-CUTE!

Photo by Paul Berger
Brooklyn buddy Paul Berger snapped this fine photo in Prospect Park earlier in the week. What a cute family picnic, with all the kids in matching shirts!

An interesting question has been posed on the comment section of Paul's post: is it kosher to use the park grill, which is not kosher, even if you are not grilling directly on it?

I suspect the family are cooking on their own grill and coal basin, and are using the park grill merely as a high platform for their own cooking device. Would that be a halachicly kosher solution? Would they have to kasher their cooking basin when they got home? Enough Hassidic families use the park grills in the same way that it must be kosher, but if anyone can explain exactly why, Paul and I would appreciate it.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend!

Eat Me, I'm Kosher

A man after my own single-minded heart, Seattle blogger Ben has devoted an unreasonable amount of time to cataloguing and pontificating on Suicide Food — that is, "any depiction of animals that act as though they wish to be consumed."

In one of his recent posts, Ben showcases a glatt kosher beef product from Simcha Valley. In describing the happy cow, who, judging from the bloody brisket she holds in her cloven hoof, is apparently aware of her ultimate consumption, Ben provides some relevant facts about kashrut:

So here, our happy cow is perfectly situated to contemplate and serve God, right up to the Blessed Moment. Of the 613 mitzvot—the commandments contained in the Torah—a great many deal with the proper disposition of sacrificed animals. Our cow is in the right line of work. After her ritual death, her internal organs will be rigorously inspected for any of 70 irregularities that would render her remains non-kosher. (Glatt is often thought of as "ultra kosher," a designation requiring extra scrutiny.) Is it any wonder she is filled with gladness?

Mmm, all this talk about inspecting entrails is making me hungry!

Behind the Scene

Tuesday August 7 was National Underwear Day, an event launched by Freshpair, based on the simple belief that underwear deserves a lot more recognition than it gets. What does this have to do with Jewish and/or robots? Other than my sneaking suspicion that many of the models were actually androids, the event was founded by Freshpair president Michael Kleinmann, and the video production was coordinated by Alex Lirtsman, with on-the-fly editing by buddy Dave Marcus, who got the Jewish Robot in on the job of preparing the videos for YouTube for The Underwear Observer blog.

Alex smiles because, well, we're blogging about National Underwear Day!
Seen the behind? Behind the scene in Hard Rock Café at Times Square
"Must ... concentrate ... on ... editing ... Ignore ... girls ... in underwear!"
Jewish Robot, Dave Marcus, and Freshpair president Michael Kleinmann, (who bears an uncanny resemblance to ROI120 leader and friend, Elias Parker!)

Newish Media

Point/Counterpoint with Mobius and Rebecca
This week I attended The Evolving Landscape in "New" Jewish Media discussion at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. On the panel were Tahl Raz of Jewcy.com, Sara Ivry of Nextbook, Rebecca Wiener of Heeb Magazine, Esther Kustanowitz of PresenTense Magazine, Daniel Sieradski of Jewschool.com and moderator Ami Eden of JTA. Eden played the devil's advocate with his questions, asking the panel if blogs really have an impact in the world of legitimate Jewish journalism. He expressed a common sentiment: he could read about the same topic in a hundred blogs, but he won't take it seriously until he reads it in a reputable printed publication like the Jewish Daily Forward (where he used to work). Tal argued that blogs must be having an impact, because now all these reputable print publications are rushing to create their own blogs. Dan "Mobius" Sieradski, founder of Jewschool.com, knows first hand about these Old School publications looking to start some serious blogging, as he hinted to the audience, and finally announced on his Orthodox Anarchist blog:

Next Monday, I assume the role of Director of New Media for JTA, the global Jewish newswire. Mostly, I will be responsible for JTA’s website, video, podcasts, etc.. I will not be writing for them. Not yet, anyway. And unless I’m showing off something I made, I also will not be writing about JTA here or anywhere else. I do not want to blow this gig. So, this is “the last time I am phoning and the first time. Goodbye.”

Good luck to all my fellow New Jewish Media bloggers, though I have a feeling it's the Old Media folks who need the luck.

"Sorry for making fun of Heeb in my comics, Rebecca."
Persuasive and manly speaker Tahl Raz flanked by swooning Sara Ivry and Esther K.
Self-professed Brooklyn hater, alcoholic and author of Generation S.L.U.T., Jewcy contributor Marty Beckerman finally meets his idol: me.

Feed Me, See More!

After more than two years of blogging using Google's Blogger service, I have finally figured out how to incorporate a Comment Feed and Per-Post Comment Feeds in the ShaBot ShaBlog.

The Comment Feed allows you to subscribe to all the comments people write on this blog with your Atom feed reader.

The Per-Post Comment Feeds, a new one located at the bottom of each Post, allows you to subscribe to the conversation about that specific Post.

These new feeds will make it easier to track discussions on the ShaBlog.

For any FTP-hosted Blogger users out there like me, here is the Blogger Help Group post with instructions on how to implement Comment and Per-Post Comment Feeds on your FTP-hosted Blogger blog:

FEEDS, FTP, COMMENTS, POSTS, ATOM, RSS, LABELS

Nice, Jewcy Berger

This week, my good buddy and freelance journalist, Paul Berger, is writing as a guest blogger for the Daily Shvitz section of Jewcy.com. Berger not only posts daily about his perspective as an Englishman In New York, but he also juggles writing articles for the New York Times and Metro New York, as well as a few book projects. I think Jewcy made a great choice going with my buddy Berger Boy, and Paul confided in me that his sweet Jewish mum would be very proud.

Check out Berger's posts on the Daily Shvitz, and if you like his writing, let Jewcy know.

Kosher lUNCH in FlATBUSH

OK, L or I?
Regular readers of the ShaBlog may be familiar with a hobby/obsession of mine, which takes form in another blog called lowercase L. I usually keep the two blogs separate, but lately there has been a bit of crossover, including this week's post about lUNCH at Bermuda Restaurant, one of just five kosher restaurants participating in Dine in Brooklyn Restaurant Week this year. I wonder if when they told the printer to mark Bermuda as half off lunch, this is what they meant?

lowercase SHUl

Besides producing cartoons and blogging here on the ShaBlog, I have another little project that, over the last two years, has evolved from a hobby into a mission. lowercase L is my blog dedicated to the inexplicable use of lowercase L's in otherwise uppercase words. Typically this has nothing to do with Judaism (or robots ... or Jewish robots), except for a loosely related Hezbollah entry last July. But this week's lowercase L entry, HATZOlAH comes straight from Young Israel of the West Side in Manhattan, where I've spent many a shabbat morning in the last few months. Admittedly, there is something wrong if I'm distracted from prayer and scoping out lowercase L's at shul. I should follow our Jewish tradition like everyone else, and scope out what's on the other side of the mekhitza.

Special thanks to Shana for inviting me to shul.

Manic Monday

L to R: Aryeh Goldsmith, Ariel Beery, Sara Schwimmer, Paul Berger, and Eli "No Website" Valley
Last night I gathered with the usual suspects at Mo Pitkins for Manic Monday, a joint event hosted by PresenTense Magazine and Save the Assistants. The after-work program, conceived by Lilit and Ariel, intends to combine the audiences of Jewish readers and overworked assistants for a monthly unwinding. I found it ironic that ninty percent of the folks who showed up were, like me, self-employed, and therefore could not relate to the daily strife of those Assistants who need Saving. Still, it's always good to get together with my unemployed friends.

DJ Wolinsky and Dave Schwimmer Marcus
Lilit, Assistant Saved
EV, New York blogger event king Andrew Krucoff, and Berger Boy

The Ackerman Files

JR and Ackerman
When I was in Israel last month, I had the pleasure of meeting young political cartoon artist (and Shabot fan), Sam Ackerman at a Zionism salon hosted by PresenTense Magazine. This whole cartoon business is still new to me, and being the one who usually asks the questions, I was deeply flattered when Sam sought my expert advice in the world of online comic strip publishing. After reviewing his work, it is clear that Ackerman has a natural talent for cartoons, and I think his illustration skillz are even doper than mine. So I doubt he'll have any trouble finding homes for his work in syndication.


Sam's work is currently featured in the Brandeis University newspaper, but he is looking to expand his reach. If you would like to work with Sam, you can contact him via e-mail at ackers AT brandeis.edu

You can see more of Sam's work on his blog, The Ackerman Files.

Oy Vey! The Rabbi is Gay!

In light of the Conservative movement's decision to allow commitment ceremonies for gays and the ordination of gay rabbis, Rabbi Daniel Brenner of Reb Blog posted his original story, Oy Vey! The Rabbi is Gay!, "A Children's Tale for All the Conservative Synagogue Educators Who Might Need a Little Extra Help Next Week":

"Who is that tall man?" Mr. Birnbaum asked Sarah. "And why is he in the Rabbi's house?"

"Shhh! Keep quiet," Sarah said, "the Rabbi's car just pulled into the driveway!" Mr. Birnbaum and Sarah Spitzer watched through the window as the Rabbi walked into his new house.

The tall man got up. He put down his book and gave the Rabbi a long hug and a kiss. A long kiss.

"Oy vey!" Mr. Birnbaum exclaimed, "the Rabbi is gay!'

"Well, I guess I won't be giving him my niece Karen's phone number!" Sarah joked

Read more on the Reb Blog.

Jewish Blog night with a Chinese Shabbat dinner: December 8

Join us at a Synaplex Shabbat Downtown where you will meet JEWISH BLOGGERS ... including the Jewish Robot.

Jewlicious, Jewschool, Kesher Talk, Blogs of Zion, My Urban Kvetch, JDaters Anonymous, Shabot6000 – these blogs are all part of a vibrant virtual community that is reinvigorating the conversations and connections among Jews. Come hear and meet "famous" Jewish bloggers as they share some of their favorite posts and talk about the impact of the Internet on Judaism.

Services at 6pm, dinner at 7, roundtable at 8...
RSVP required to TVSynaplex@yahoo.com or 212-677-8090 x26, by Monday, December 4, with advance payment of $20/adults, $15/young adults & students, $10/children under 13.

At Town and Village Synagogue – 334 East 14 th Street

Blog Bog

You may notice that the helpful navigation bar usually found at the top of my ShaBlog is missing, as well as the advertisements and other nice bits normally adorning the sidebars throughout shabot6000.com. This is because I have switched my website to a new server, and I'm in the process of working out the kinks.

In the meantime, if you've reached this page with no way to navigate, here's a link to the home page.

Update 4PM EST - Problem fixed

a zsidó robot

Zsidó is the Hungarian word for Jewish, and today the zsidó robot is happy to learn that my fellow ROI120 travel companions Bruno and Brigitta of Budapest will be translating my weekly ShaBot 6000 comic strips into Hungarian for their blog, Judapest.org.

This week's strip is too punny to be translated into Hungarian and still make sense, but future episodes will be fully translated.

Incidentally, you can also read ShaBot 6000 in Portugese and German.