Bill Bailey's royal klezmer

So far as I am aware, no klezmer band has yet appeared at the annual Royal Variety Performance.

But here’s the next best thing. Bill Bailey (right), in a musical comedy act, took the Match of the Day theme tune and had the audience smiling and clapping along when he slowed it down on his keyboard and rendered it as a “Jewish folk song”.

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Silence over the settlements

Israel’s planned settlement expansion east of Jerusalem — in retaliation for the UN’s upgrade of the Palestinians’ status — provoked a predictably strong international reaction.

And it elicited a predictable reaction, too, from the Board of Deputies: silence.

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Kosher way to cure diabetes

There’s a famous joke about the Englishman, the Frenchman and the Jew in the desert. The Englishman says: “I’m so thirsty, I must have beer”; the Frenchman says: ”I’m so thirsty, I must have Perrier” and the Jew says: “I’m so thirsty, I must have diabetes”.

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Israel's Tony Award Winner

Congratulations to Israeli film-maker Liat Har-Gill, who has won a Tony award — sort of. She was one of 3 winners of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation’s 2012 global film competition, Faith Shorts. She and the other winners, from the Phillipines and India, picked up their prizes at the home of BAFTA in front of 200 guests, including Mr Blair

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Kvetchers required for TV

Dragonfly TV, makers of documentaries such as One Born Every Minute, is looking for contributors to a new series about “expert complainers” — people who have no hesitation in kicking up a fuss if they don’t get proper service or who have taken on companies and won.

Can’t think why they approached us.

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New lesson for Gove

Education Secretary Michael Gove is putting into practice his ideas on continuing learning. He revealed at the Board of Deputies president’s dinner this week (where Prince Hassan of Jordan was guest of honour) that he has started learning Hebrew.

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Introducing Mr Miliband

A wry quip from Labour leader Ed Miliband, guest speaker at the Norwood dinner on Monday. When DJ Chris Evans asked him how he would like to be introduced, Mr Miliband said anything would do, "just not David".

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Bibi's great escape?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have other ideas than fighting an election. I noticed this case at the High Court in London Tuesday: Bibi v Upper Tribunal (immigration asylum chamber).

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Friday night dinner with tinsel

Robert Popper’s Jewish family comedy, Friday Night Dinner, which has just ended its second run, has earned the ultimate accolade from Channel 4: a “Christmas special”. Turkey with latkes perhaps?

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