Blog
By Michael Croland
Moshiach Oi! Double the Na Nach on Rock Rabeinu
Moshiach Oi! have narrowed their focus over the past nine years. When I first found out about Moshiach Oi! in 2008, guitarist Menashe Yaakov Wagner described Moshiach Oi! as “perhaps the world’s first hardcore vegan straight-edge Orthodox Jewish punk band.” By the time I met and interviewed them a few months later, the label was more succinct: “Torah […]
Jewish Punks & Resistance Music in the Trump Era
In his guest post on Monday (“When Punk Rock Fights Nazism, I Hope You’ll Invite Me to the Party”), Rabbi Patrick “Aleph” Beaulier said “this battle needs to come from art” and “from music.” It’s almost become a cliche that the era of Donald Trump would usher in punk rock and other resistance music with […]
Guest Post: When Punk Rock Fights Nazism, I Hope You’ll Invite Me to the Party
The following guest post is by Rabbi Patrick “Aleph” Beaulier. Rabbi Patrick is in Oy Oy Oy Gevalt! Jews and Punk in Chapter 3, as the front man of CAN!!CAN, and Chapter 6, as the executive director of PunkTorah. Click here to read his guest post from earlier this year, “From Punk Rocker to Rabbi.” I live about an hour away […]
Jewish Voices on Rock Series by Jamie Marx
Jamie Marx is putting out a Jewish hard rock album titled In Pursuit this fall. In the lead-up to the release, the Pennsylvania-based cantor has a Jewish Voices on Rock series on his website. The blog posts are by Marx as well as other contributors, including yours truly. Jewish Voices on Rock featured my guest post yesterday, “What Goes into […]
Golem at My Wedding!
I’ve been asking Golem to play my wedding for the past decade, since long before I met my wife, Tamara. I’d seen them at least 21 times previously, including one fake wedding and one real wedding. Last month, my dream came true: Golem played our wedding! In Chapter 4 of Oy Oy Oy Gevalt! Jews and Punk, […]
Presentation at My Childhood Synagogue
On Wednesday, I gave a presentation about Oy Oy Oy Gevalt! Jews and Punk at South Huntington Jewish Center (SHJC) in Melville, New York. That’s where I attended Hebrew school and had my bar mitzvah, and my mom is still a member. It was an honor to be introduced by Rabbi Ian Jacknis, who was the rabbi […]
One Year Since the Book Was Published
Today marks one year since Oy Oy Oy Gevalt! Jews and Punk was published. It’s been a fun ride spreading Jewish punk cheer, with articles about the book, guest posts on other blogs, and great events! Oy Oy Oy Gevalt! Jews and Punk was reviewed or featured in Jewniverse, New Voices, Algemeiner, Rabbi Patrick Podcast, and […]
Every Time I’ve Seen Daniel Kahn Live
Check out my blog posts recapping all the times I’ve seen Golem, Moshiach Oi!, and the Shondes. Last night, I saw Daniel Kahn & The Painted Bird, which calls its music “Radical Yiddish Punkfolk Cabaret,” at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan. It was my eighth time seeing Berlin-based Kahn perform, including with Daniel Kahn & The Painted Bird, […]
Klunk: Klezmer-Punk from Paris
I was happy to hear from Jean-Gabriel Davis a few months ago. Davis is the lead singer and pianist of a band called Klunk (short for “klezmer-punk”) in Paris. He also works at the European Institute of Jewish Music, and I was grateful for his nice review of Oy Oy Oy Gevalt! Jews and Punk. Klunk […]
Golem’s Fake Wedding
On March 23, Golem, a klezmer-rock band with a punk edge, staged a fake wedding. It was an opportunity for Golem to perform a wide variety of songs and styles that they play at weddings but not their concerts. Golem also adapted a Jewish tradition of fake weddings from the Catskills. Singer/accordionist Annette Ezekiel Kogan […]
