Keepin' it kosher

Film • Jonathan Kesselman's "The Hebrew Hammer" features Adam Goldberg as a Torah-toting Jewish crime fighter who battles to save Chanukah from Andy Dick's evil Santa. Photo courtesy Content Films and Beach Hillel

 

By Kambria Fischer
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer

With the holidays quickly approaching, it is important not only to remember Santa and his reindeer, but also not to forget those who brought us the dreidel and yarmulkes, and a lot of holidays away from school. That's right, the Jews. That is exactly what Jonathan Kesselman, writer and director of "The Hebrew Hammer," had in mind

On Nov. 16, students from different campuses around the nation featured "The Hebrew Hammer," "A good-natured Jewish spin on the ‘70s Black-exploitation genre," according to Variety's David Rooney. Comedy Central and schools all over the nation have partnered with the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, Hillel, the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, to put the Jewish-themed film that was geared towards the college demographic in an educational context on the occasion of its DVD release.

"We chose to partner with Hillel on this project because Hillel shares the film's cutting-edge, youthful sensibility," Kesselman said. "The film also shares Hillel's commitment to Jewish pride."

The film focuses on Mordechai Jefferson Carver, otherwise known as the Hebrew Hammer (Adam Goldberg), and his heroic quest to save Chanukah from an evil Santa (Andy Dick). With help from his friend Mohammed Ali Paula Abdul Rahiem (Mario Van Peebles), the head of the African-American Kwanzaa Liberation Front, he protects his traditions from destruction and saves Chanukah, while at the same time keeping his pimp-like sense of style. "The Hebrew Hammer" presents a character rarely seen in Hollywood: a sexy and powerful Jewish superhero.

Other instrumental characters include Mrs. Carver, the judgmental mother who only wants Mordechai to settle down with nice Jewish girl Esther Bloomenbergansteinthal, the Hebrew Hammer's sidekick, and eventually send her to Boca Raton so that she may brag to her friends about how wonderful and successful her son is.

"It's very rare to get a positive Jewish character in movies these days," said Jeff Nelson, the program coordinator of Beach Hillel, the Cal State Long Beach chapter of Hillel. "Mordechai is not your typical Jew who works a nine-to-five job or who does your taxes. He's a big pimpin' Jew, a total bad-ass!"

Nelson introduced the Comedy Central film in the University Theater Tuesday night after distributing a glossary of terms to the audience for reference. The terms included such Yiddish words as yenta (a gossipy woman; a blabbermouth, someone who can't keep a secret) and l'chaim meaning "to life," an age-old Jewish toast "to your health" usually done over wine with glasses raised.

"I hope that everybody is offended," said Nelson about the parody. "I don't think I identify with anything in that film except being the only kid in school who was Jewish when I was younger. Not every Jew has Shabbat dinner with his anal, overbearing mother on Friday nights, and not all black people smoke blunts and have afros. It's all about stereotypes."

With its rich symbolism, and message of cultural significance, the movie lends itself to discussions on everything from the meaning of Chanukah and the Torah to "shvitzing" and "schlepping" to the portrayal of minorities in film, according to Hillel. References to Kosher foods and cheap Jewish stereotypes are also mentioned.

When planning and promoting the event Nelson wanted to get students from every culture to attend, as with many Hillel sponsored events. Beach Hillel, a cross between a religious and cultural club, is focused on reaching out to students, Jewish or not, to help advocate learning and connecting with other Jews.

"We want non-Jewish students to know we are cool too and be a part of Hillel as a learning experience," Nelson said. "You know it's cool when your Rabbi gets up and promotes the ‘Pimp Your Chanukah' contest." Along with this contest, which focuses on building the best menorah, other events vary from Shabbat dinners to "The Great Latka Fry" to rock climbing. Beach Hillel also has an intramural softball team, the Hebrew Hammers, coincidentally named after the film that Nelson and the group saw a year ago on Comedy Central. The next events they have planned include Israeli dancing on Sat. night at the Alpert Jewish Community Center on Willow in Long Beach and a Hollywood Chanukah Party later this month.

For more information about Beach Hillel and ways to get involved go to www.beachhillel.com. The interactive website includes games, forums and pictures to keep the group connected. A resource guide, available at www.hillel.org, offers articles on these themes, a glossary of terms used in the movie, Chanukah recipes and "The Hebrew Hammer" e-cards.