Blog
By Michael Croland
Times of Israel Feature about Moshiach Oi! & Jewish Punk
On the heels of their new album, Rock Rabeinu (click here to read my review), Moshiach Oi! was featured in the Times of Israel. The writer also interviewed members of two other Jewish punk bands, the Shondes and Asher Yatzar. I’m quoted extensively in the article. Here’s an excerpt: Among the ranks of Jewish punk include other outfits such as The […]
Punks Playing the Shofar
Rosh Hashanah starts Wednesday night, so the shofar (ram’s horn) is widely seen and heard nowadays. I wrote a feature for JTA about Jewish punk bands’ use of the shofar, which was first published on August 23. The article talked about Yidcore, Schmekel, and Steve “Gangsta Rabbi” Lieberman. Here’s an excerpt: Presser, 41, played the […]
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, […]
