Remember when those charges against Roman Polanski were dredged up after all those years?

All of a sudden, hordes of ordinarily very rational stars were tripping over themselves to defend him. Never mind that he was an alleged rapist, he was so talented, so creative, they gushed.

Who cared that he fled the country rather than face the consequences of his actions? Not when his films were so wonderful.

You know those weekends when you feel that you should just have pulled the duvet up over you on Friday night and not emerged until Monday morning?

This was just such a weekend.

First, Dior's head designer John Galliano, not once, but twice (noch), ranting unappealingly in a Paris bistro-bar. Almost certainly the worse the wear for alcohol, Galliano managed to get himself arrested for apparent antisemitism and then was no sooner released than he was back at the same bar and ranting even worse. This time he was caught bang to rights on film and the results are not pretty.

So they say that the Jews control Hollywood.

Most of the time, we would take that as an insult - zionist conspiracy, yada yada yada. This year, it's not far off. Because the 83rd Academy Awards are basically a who's who of Jewish showbiz - you've got your Portmans and your Coens, your Seidlers and your Francos. Will Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan beat Sorkin's Social Network? Which Jewish actor (Eisenberg or Franco) will be celebrating with one of those trophies later tonight (or tomorrow morning, depending on your time zone)?

The glamorous, the beautiful and the over-botoxed will be arriving on the Red Carpet in about an hour. Stay with The JC for news on who wins what and who is snubbed, not to mention gossip about the gowns, sarcasm on the speeches and the top Oscar Tweets out there. Also, let us know what you think of the results, the expressions and Anne Hathaway as a presenter by commenting below or tweeting us at @jewishchron.

Most of the attention was appropriately heaped on Ian McEwan at the Jerusalem Book Fair this week – but Umberto Eco grabbed a headline or two with his eloquent trashing of academic and cultural boycotts.

He told an AP reporter: "I consider it absolutely crazy" and "fundamentally racist to identify a scholar, a private citizen, with the politics of his government."

With Berlusconi his country’s inglorious leader, Eco should know a thing or two about this.

… and other stories.

A fascinating piece on Charedi life in Stamford Hill in today’s Telegraph. A well-balanced, in-depth look at the community, full of fascinating insights and colourful details.

Far better a report than, say, this piece in the Independent last year.

Anti-Israel campaigners relentlessly promoting their boycott of the country and its goods would have you believe they are landing success after success.

Don’t believe them.

This week Palestine Solidarity Campaigner Pamela Hardyment waxed lyrical about a supposed great victory over multinational waste management company Veolia (which many would have you believe is the next Great Satan after the United States).

Israeli ex-President Moshe Katzav awaits sentencing after being convicted of rape last month.

There’s something about the story of easyJet selling bacon sandwiches on its Tel Aviv flights which really rubs me up the wrong way.

Passenger Victor Kaufman believes easyJet were “insensitive” and need “a lesson or two on cultural awareness”.

Get a grip.