Stars help American Jewish World Service raise funds
Hollywood celebrities in video for group include Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, Lindsey Lohan and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
By GIL STERN STERN SHEFLER311_Jerry Seinfeld(photo credit: Courtesy)
The American Jewish World Service released a public service announcement on Friday featuring a lineup of Hollywood celebrities, both Jewish and non-Jewish, ranging from tribe members such as Ben Stiller and Jerry Seinfeld to “honorees” like Tracy Morgan, Patrick Stewart and Lindsey Lohan.The video, which can be seen at www.AJWS.org, is aimed at raising funds for the Jewish organization which, as comedian Sarah Silverman reminds us, gave away $22 million to 458 organizations in 34 countries last year.RELATED:My mission, my country, my lucky escapeUS: Seinfeld, Midler to headline Jewish museum opening“That throws a wrench in the ‘Jews are cheap’ premise,” the star of the eponymous Sarah Silverman Program tells the camera. “If you think that’s cheap, than there’s no way you’re Asian because you’re bad at math.”AJWS was founded in 1985 and is currently engaged in a wide range of work around the world, from fighting the AIDS epidemic in South Africa to providing relief to Darfurian refugees.Ruth Messinger, the former New York City mayoral candidate and CEO of the aid group for the past 12 years, commented on the video in the organization’s newsletter.“Judd Apatow’s film is a little edgier than our usual approach,” she wrote, “but we’ve just turned 25 and we’re celebrating!” One of the edgier moments, as JTA’s Ami Eden points out, comes when Silverman makes a comment insinuating there are no Jews in need.“You probably don’t help any Jews, I mean Jews are fine,” the comedian says, in her character of a clueless Jewish American Princess.The video was voluntarily made by producer Apatow and writer Jordon Rubin. The AJWS was not involved in its filming.But it’s not only famous humans who make an appearance in the five-minute video. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, the famous canine hand puppet created by Robert Smigel, also throws in his support.“People ask me if I’m Jewish because of the way I talk,” Triumph says in his placeless accent. “I choose to be like Madonna. I prefer not to announce I’m Jewish until I need the publicity.
