About Michael Croland
A Pre-Shabbat Blessing: Gangsta Rabbi
If you haven’t had the good fortune of experiencing the Gangsta Rabbi, we are pleased to give you an introduction. This prolific one-man band combines bass guitar (with the distortion turned way up), vocals, drum machine, and flute. Add that … Read More
Jewish Pride at Shamrockfest
I attended Shamrockfest, a massive Celtic-rock festival at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., this past weekend. During the opening set by Celtic-punk band Charm City Saints, an audience member wearing a NOFX sweatshirt shouted "The Brews!" For a split second, I … Read More
Political or Not, Useless ID Brings Israeli Punk to Brooklyn
Following sets from obscure punk bands that wouldn’t be known on the international stage, Israel’s most famous punk export performed in front of about 20 people without a stage. Haifa-based Useless ID is touring the U.S. for the first time … Read More
The Four Questions: Myq Kaplan
When I first saw the name "Myq Kaplan," I figured that "Myq" was Vietnamese. It turns out that the name is pronounced "Mike" (which shouldn’t seem all that foreign to me), not "meek," and Mr. Kaplan is Jewish. I really … Read More
Natalie Portman: Pacifist Vegan Jew
For the second time in the past year, I tracked down Natalie Portman at a public appearance in New York City and asked her about connections between her Jewish faith and her vegan diet. After the world’s most famous Jewish … Read More
Yidcore Says Goodbye: An Interview with Bram Presser
Yidcore played their final show on December 17 in their hometown of Melbourne, Australia. The genre-defining Jewish punk band went from just covering classic Jewish songs a decade ago to recording gems like "Punk Rock Chanukah Song" and "They Tried … Read More
DJ Lil Ray: Jewish, Vegan, Loves Hip-Hop
DJ Lil Ray, aka Rachael Spiewak, got her start as a DJ last year. This Jewish vegan specializes in hip-hop and had a weekly gig at a Saturday night dance party called Radiotron in Atlanta. She recently moved to Brooklyn. … Read More
