Adam Sandler vs. ‘Ten Commandments’

For years, couch potato pundits have pondered life’s ultimate question: What is the greatest Jewish film of all time? Is it a classic like “The Jazz Singer” or a modern-day romantic comedy like “Keeping the Faith”?

Come Oct. 11, those questions will be answered as the National Foundation for Jewish Culture (www.jewishculture.org) will name the top 10 greatest Jewish films at the fourth annual Jewish Image Awards in Film and Television.

“It’s our greatest hope that the process of engagement with this cinematic legacy will instill not only a greater sense of Jewish pride, but also stress the value of sustained cultural and aesthetic critique,” says NFJC Executive Director Richard Siegel.

While we understand how a film like “Yentl” could have sustained cultural relevance, it still remains to be seen how it will fare against the animated 2002 dud “Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights.”

‘Staying’ power

Jewish songstress Lisa Loeb — she’s the one with the funky black plastic glasses — is at it again this month with the release of her latest album, her ninth, entitled “The Way It Really Is.” The new disc is filled with her patented pop stylings and is already racking up the good reviews from critics. This is all while she and boyfriend Dweezil Zappa continue their acclaimed quirky reality show on the Food Network. Not too shabby.

DVD news for members of the tribe

Before he jumped the shark, Henry Winkler (aka the Fonz) was the breakout character on the classic sitcom “Happy Days.” But little do most people know, his character was originally supposed to have only a minor role and, indeed, he wasn’t even in the credits for the first episode. That’s just one of the nuggets you’ll learn in the series’ first season, which arrived on DVD this month. …

Thought you had your fill of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ?” Think again. The controversial Jesus biopic will hit Blockbuster on Tuesday, Aug. 31. We didn’t even try to reach the film’s greatest promoter, Abe Foxman, for comment. …

In other DVD news, it was recently announced that the first three seasons of “Seinfeld” will finally be released on DVD on Nov. 23, with behind-the-scenes footage with Jerry Seinfeld. Among the extras will be cast-member commentaries, deleted scenes and bloopers.

‘Curb’ ball

Speaking of “Seinfeld,” co-creator Larry David is in the news — albeit circuitously. Back in June murder charges against Juan Catalan were dropped because he had the perfect alibi: He was at Dodgers Stadium when David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” was filming an episode there and he was seen on tape at the stadium and not the murder scene. Now comes word that Catalan is suing the L.A. Police Department for screwing with his life. At the time of the initial arrest, David said: “I tell people that I’ve done one decent thing in my life, albeit inadvertently.”

Quote of the week

“It should be called the Berg family business. You have Daddy Berg, Mommy Berg and baby Bergs and their cadre of high-ranking friends. It’s a business. Who else but a business would be interested in trademarking the words “red string”? Or bottling Kabbalah water? Someone gave it to me as a souvenir; it’s Canadian spring water.” — cult watcher Rick Ross in a Village Voice article about the leaders of the Kabbalah Centre, Rabbi Michael Berg, and their celebrity clients.

Columnist Benyamin Cohen is the editor of Jewsweek magazine (www.jewsweek.com).