Category Archives: Holidays

By Robert J. Avrech | February 14, 2018

Flashback: Hollywood Valentine

Also posted in Audrey Hepburn, Betty Grable, Betty Hutton, Carole Lombard, Deanna Durbin, Doris Day, Dorothy Lamour, Elizabeth Taylor, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Kim Novak, Mary Pickford, Rita Hayworth, Valentine's Day | Tagged Audrey Hepburn, Betty Grable, Carole Lombard, Cyd Charisse, Deanna Durbin, Doris Day, Kim Novak, Marilyn Monroe, Mary Pickford, Rhonda Fleming, Robert Montgomery, Valentine's Day | 3 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | November 22, 2017

Thanksgiving 2017: The Children of the Children of Israel

Tweet As far as I know, there are only two countries in the world that were founded on the idea of hope. America and Israel. And what was the hope?

Also posted in Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography, Israel, Judaism, President Trump, Thanksgiving | Tagged Alfred Hitchcock, Alice White, Ann Miller, Audrey Hepburn, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Doris Day, Dorothy Sebastian, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Jeanne Crain, Judy garland, Lowell, Marilyn Monroe, Marsha Hunt, Mass., MIckey Rooney, Paula Corday, Rebbetzin Celia Singer, Shirley Temple, Thanksgiving, Vera Allen | 4 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | December 22, 2016

Flashback: Hollywood Celebrates Christmas

Tweet During Hollywood’s Golden Age, the studios, via newspapers, fan magazines, and trade publications, published photos of their stars celebrating Christmas. In this way, Hollywood—though founded by poor immigrant Jews—informed the public that the motion picture industry was in harmony with Christian America. Seraphic Secret—Karen and I—are Orthodox Jews. We observe the Sabbath and eat […]

Also posted in Christianity, Christmas, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography, How I Married Karen, IslamoNazis, Judaism, Judaism & Christianity, Photography | Tagged BB, Brigitte Bardot, Christian America, Clara Bow, Cyd Charisse, How I Married Karen, Jayne Mansfield, Jobyna Ralston, Louise Brooks, Marceline Day, Mary Pickford, Maureen O'Sullivan, Priscilla Lane, Rita Hayworth, Shirley Temple | 6 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | October 16, 2016

Succos: 2016

Tweet You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths. —Leviticus 23:42 On the first day, you will take for yourselves a fruit of a beautiful tree, palm branches, twigs of a braided tree and brook willows, and you will rejoice before the L-RD your G-d for seven […]

Also posted in Family, Israel, Judaism, Photography, Succos | Tagged Etrog, Lielle, Livia, Lulav, Maayan, Samarkand, Succos, Uzbekistan | 5 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | December 31, 2015

New Year, Old Hollywood

Tweet Here at Seraphic Secret we try to maintain an optimistic demeanor. However, after seven years of Obama, this becomes increasingly difficult, if not downright impossible. Cognitive dissonance is not our style. IslamoNazis are on the march all across the globe. In Israel, the murder of Jews by IslamoNazis who call themselves Palestinians—a faux nationality invented […]

Also posted in America, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography, Islam, Islam Denial, Islamic State, Islamic Terror, IslamoNazis, Israel, Movies, Obama Watch | Tagged Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina, Hollywood, New Years, Rashomon, Stalin, The Big Short, Trumbo, Truth, Waterloo Bridge | 16 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | September 13, 2015

Rosh Hashanah 2015

Tweet Karen and I wish all our friends and relatives a Shana Tova.

Also posted in Rosh Hashanah | Tagged Jewish new Year, Rosh Hashanah | 5 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | July 4, 2015

A Hollywood July 4th

Tweet A long time ago, in a universe far, far away, in a place called Hollywood, the movie studios and the actors who were under contract to them, celebrated their love of America, and enthusiastically indulged in overt displays of patriotism.

Also posted in America, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, July 4th | Tagged Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Leila Hyams, Madge Evans, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hay | 6 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | April 9, 2015

Friday Photos: In Every Generation

Tweet On Passover, Jews around the world recite a passage from the Haggadah that strikes a note both poignant and defiant. In every generation they [our enemies] rise up against us to destroy us, but the Holy One Blessed Be He saves us from their hands. But Judaism does not place faith in faith alone. […]

Also posted in Art, Brigitte Bardot, Friday Fotos, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography, Iran, Islam, Islamic Terror, IslamoNazis, Israel, Jean Harlow, Jew-haters, Jew-hatred, Jewish Holidays, Joan Crawford, Judaism, Kim Novak, Kirk Douglas, Marilyn Monroe, Passover, Susan Hayward | Tagged Anish Kapoor, Clyfford Still, Ethiopian Jews, Ethiopian Passover, Jews of Iran, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Ma'ayan Ariel, Matzoh, Otis Kaye, Passover in Iran, Passover in Manila, The Yellow Ticket | 19 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | April 3, 2015

Friday Photos: Passover, Time to Remember the Future

Tweet Jewish holidays do not simply recall the past. Jewish holidays are cautionary tales for all time. They remind us that Jewish history repeats itself with terrible constancy. The Jewish people introduced ethical monotheism to the world — and for this gift the world has never forgiven us. Thus, we are despised and demonized.

Also posted in Ariel Sharon, Art, Edward Hopper, Friday Fotos, Hollywood, Hollywood Cars, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography, Iran, Israel, Judaism, Obama Watch, Passover | Tagged Abba Kovner, Audrey Hepburn, Edward Hopper, Entebbe, Jewish partisans, Lizabeth Scott, Myrna Loy, Sandy Koufax, Shalom of Safed, Theda Bara, Vermeer, Yom Kippur War, Yul Brenner | 11 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | March 27, 2015

Friday Photos: Announcing a New Jewish Holiday Edition

Tweet Jewish humor is filled with self-deprecating observations. We poke fun at our peculiar foibles, and frequently address our greatest anxieties — intermarriage, Jew-hatred, weight-gain — with a take-no-prisoners attitude. If you want to know how Jews are really feeling about something or someone, pay attention to the jokes Jews tell each other. A few […]

Also posted in Abraham Avrech, Art, Friday Footwear, Friday Fotos, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography, Jew-haters, Jew-hatred, Jewish Holidays, Judaism, Marilyn Monroe, Obama Watch, Painting, Passover, Photography, Photography, Los Angeles, Pico-Robertson | Tagged Anita Björk, Barbara Stanwyck, Eleanor Parker, Gary Cooper, Hank Greenberg, Hitchcock, I Confess, Jewish Humor, Jimmy Foxx, Kelly's Kosher Kitchen, Livia Yarden, Louboutin, Miss Julie, Rembrandt, Sally Gray, Tattoos, Teshuvah, Twin Towers | 30 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | December 31, 2014

New Year, Old Hollywood

Tweet Here at Seraphic Secret we try to remain optimistic. However, after six years of Obama, this state of mind becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. IslamoNazis are on the march all across the globe. Iran edges closer to becoming a nuclear power even as Obama touts what a good friend Iran could be. ObamaCare is, as […]

Also posted in Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, New Years, Vivien Leigh | Tagged Al Sharpton, Holiday Inn, Rita Hayworth, Robert Taylor, Vivien Leigh, Waterloo Bridge | 4 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | December 25, 2014

Flashback: Hollywood Celebrates Christmas

Tweet During Hollywood’s Golden Age, the studios, through newspapers,fan magazines, and trade publications, published photos of their stars celebrating Christmas. In this way, Hollywood — though founded by poor immigrant Jews — informed the public that the motion picture industry was in harmony with Christian America. Seraphic Secret — Karen and I — are Orthodox Jews. […]

Also posted in Brigitte Bardot, Christmas, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography | Tagged Buster Keaton, Clara Bow, Cyd Charisse, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Celebrates Christmas, Jayne Mansfield, Jobyna Ralston, Louise Brooks, Marceline Day, Mary Pickford, Maureen O'Sullivan, Priscilla Lane, Rita Hayworth, Shirley Temple, Shirley Temple Conservative Republican, The Cameraman | 9 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | December 24, 2014

A Timeless Chanukah Message From…

Tweet A married couple, two of our dearest friends, are making aliyah (going up) to Israel tomorrow. They sent us this message as the timeless reason they are, at last, moving to the Jewish state.

Also posted in Bible, Chanukah, Israel | Tagged Aliyah, Book of the Maccabees, Shimon the Maccabee | 4 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | November 27, 2014

Thanksgiving 2014 — America: The Children of the Children of Israel

Tweet As far as I know, there are only two countries in the world that were founded on the idea of hope. America and Israel. And what was the hope? The hope of achieving religious freedom, and freedom from the tyranny of centralized government. The Children of Israel, fleeing Egyptian slavery and religious persecution, settled […]

Also posted in America, Barbara Kent, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography, Israel, Marilyn Monroe, Thanksgiving | Tagged Barbara Cloutman, Barbara Kent, Harold Lloyd, Lonesome, Marilyn Monroe, Thanksgiving in Hollywood, Vera Allen, Welcome Danger | 6 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | September 24, 2014

Rosh Hashanah — 2014

Tweet As America and the token (militarily useless) Arab allies go to war against the Islamic State, it is no small irony that America’s most faithful and reliable ally in the Middle East, Israel, has once again been sidelined. The reasons for this political snub are simple. The racist, Jew-haters of the, ahem, moderate […]

Also posted in ISIS, Islam, Islamic State, Islamic Terror, IslamoNazis, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Jew-haters, Jew-hatred, Jewish Holidays, Rosh Hashanah | Tagged Netanyahu, Rosh Hashanah Greetings | 6 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | July 4, 2014

Four Movies for the Fourth of July

Tweet Family, friends, backyard barbecue. You’re going to load up on burgers, hot dogs and french fries. Naturally, you will be exhausted from celebrating Independence Day. Time to heave your starch-laden body into a club chair and enjoy some rousing entertainment. Here are Seraphic Secret’s suggestions: four spectacular movies that are uniquely appropriate for this […]

Also posted in America, Hollywood, July 4th | Tagged Akira Kurosawa, George C. Scott, Jane Powell, Jeff Daniels, July 4 Movies, Mel Gibson, Patton, Rita Hayworth, The Crossing, The Patriot, The Seven Samurai | 23 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | December 25, 2013

Flashback: When Hollywood Celebrated Christmas

Tweet There was a time when Hollywood openly and joyously celebrated Christmas. Now, among the Hollywood elite, the greeting I hear is “Happy Holidays.” Look, we at Seraphic Secret are Orthodox Jews. This is not our holiday. But we want our Christian friends to celebrate Christmas. The politically correct Happy Holidays shtick is another nail […]

Also posted in Christmas, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars | Tagged Anita Page, Anna May Wong, Carole Lombard, Clara Bow, Jean Harlow, Marceline Day, Mary Pickford | 20 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | April 6, 2012

Friday Fashion: The Exodus Edition

Tweet On Passover the Jewish people are instructed to envision that they are experiencing the Exodus from Egypt. During the Passover seder (meal) we reenact—through sacred memory animated by ritual—the passage from bondage to slavery. The Torah tells us that the Jews left Egypt with the spoils of their oppressors—compensation for 400 years of cruelty. […]

Also posted in Friday Fashion, Friday Footwear, Passover | Tagged Barbara Briones, Charlotte Olympia, Exodus, Fendi, Gio Dev, Glamour, Gucci, Jerusalem, Ma'ayan Ariel, Manolo Blahnik, Passover Fashion, Seder, Shabbat, Stella McCartney, Tory Burch | 3 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | March 30, 2012

Friday Fashion: Hollywood Hats for Passover

Tweet Passover is almost here. Cleaning, changing dishes, and buying Passover food takes up a huge amount of time and energy. Observant Jews also take the opportunity to purchase new clothing in honor of the holiday in which we celebrate our deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Orthodox women cover their heads in synagogue—a sign of modesty—thus […]

Also posted in Anita Page, Friday Fashion, Hollywood, Hollywood Hats, Passover | Tagged Bette Davis, Cecil Beaton, David Lean, Edward Stevenson, Fashions of 1934, Grace Kelly, House of Flying Daggers, Irene Dunne, Joy of Living, Kalloch, Leslie Howard, Mary Nolan, Miriam Hopkins, The Old Maid, Wendy Hiller, William Powell, Ziyi Zhang | 10 Responses

By Robert J. Avrech | April 17, 2011

Passover, 2011: In Every Generation

Tweet A rare copy of a Passover Haggadah printed in Munkacs, with a forward by the Munkacs Rebbe, Rav Chaim Elazar Spira, 1930’s. Courtesy, The Itzkovic Family, Los Angeles. Tweet During the Passover seder we recite the following: For not just one alone has risen against us to destroy us. Rather, in every generation, there […]

Also posted in Passover | 21 Responses

How I Married Karen

The new book
by Robert J. Avrech

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About Me
Robert J. Avrech
Los Angeles, California
I'm an Emmy Award winning screenwriter. I'm also an observant Jew, a religious Zionist, a conservative Republican, and a member of the NRA. I've been writing and producing in Hollywood for over twenty-five years. But the focus of my life is my family: my radiant wife, Karen—with whom I have been in love with since I was nine years-old—and my two daughters, who, thankfully, look like Karen. Not too long ago, we had three children. But our son, Ariel, died at the age of twenty-two from cancer. We miss him terribly. We think about him practically every minute of every day. People tell us that time heals, but Karen and I know this is not true. Time grinds away doing its terrible work. Ariel is gone. Yet absence becomes presence.

Ariel Chaim Avrech, ZT'L, May His Righteous Memory be a Blessing.
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Annual Ariel Avrech
Memorial Lectures
Young Israel of Century City

Fourteenth: June 11, 2016
Daniel Greenfield: “Fighting Anti-Semitism and Defending Israel in the Age of BDS.”

Blog Post
MP3 Audio Stereo (100 MB)

Thirteenth: May 22, 2016
Ben Shapiro: “How You Can Save Israel”

Blog Post
MP3 Audio Stereo (70 MB)

Twelfth: June 7, 2015
Larry Elder: “The New Black Anti-Semitism”

Blog Post
MP3 Audio Mono (50 MB) | Stereo (100 MB)

Eleventh: June 8, 2014
Michael Medved: “Shifting Alliances: Why Liberals No Longer Reliably Support Israel — And Conservatives Do.”

Blog Post | Audio (mp3 97MB)

Tenth: June 9, 2013
David Horowitz: “The War Against Judaism on the University Campus.”

Blog Post | Audio (mp3 16MB)

Ninth: June 3, 2012
Joel B. Pollak: “The Mainstream Media’s Betrayal of Israel.”

Blog Post | Audio (mp3 15MB)

Eighth: June 5, 2011
Yossi Klein Halevi: “What is Expected of a Survivor People: Lessons My Father Taught Me.”

Blog Post | Audio (mp3 18MB)

Seventh: June 13, 2010
Dennis Prager: “Happiness is a Mitzvah, Not an Emotion.”

Blog Post | Audio (mp3 80MB)

Sixth: June 21, 2009
Rabbi Steven Pruzansky: “Conformity in Jewish Life: Vice, Virtue or Affectation?”

Blog Post | Audio (mp3 64MB)

Fifth: June 15, 2008
Rabbi Dr. Gil S. Perl: “What Was the Rosh Yeshiva Reading: Intellectual Openness in 19th Century Lithuania.”

Blog Post | Audio (mp3 70MB)
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