A Jewish Standard exclusive interview with the 2,000-year-old master comedian

It’s good to be an American." With those words Mel Brooks, one of only a few people to win an Emmy, an Oscar, a Tony, and a Grammy, accepted another award on April 17 at Ellis Island: The 2008 Ellis Island Family Heritage Award in entertainment. Presented by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the annual award recognizes Ellis Island/Port of New York immigrants or their descendents who have made their mark on American life.

Shortly after the rare public appearance, Brooks sat down for an even rarer telephone interview with The Jewish Standard. He is not a religious man, but anybody who has seen his movies — and witnessed such memorable creations as the "Jews in Space" musical number in "History of the World Part I," his Rabbi Tuckman character in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," or the thick Lower East Side accent of the all-powerful, all-knowing Yoghurt in "Spaceballs" — knows that Mel Brooks is a product of the Borscht Belt brand of humor who embraces his Jewish identity.

Shirah, the community chorus of the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly, will perform for Englewood’s annual Yom HaShoah program on Thursday, May 1, at 8 p.m., at Cong. Ahavath Torah, 240 Broad Ave. The event is co-sponsored by Ahavath Torah, the East Hill Synagogue, Kehillat Kesher, Kol HaNeshamah, and Temple Sinai of Bergen County in Tenafly.

The chorus will be directed by its founding director and conductor, Matthew Lazar. Among the speakers are author Martin Schiller, who will discuss his memoir "A Boy’s Journey Through the Holocaust," and Rabbis Bruce Block of Temple Sinai and Chaim Poupko of Ahavath Torah.

For information, call (201) 568-1315.

These are among the many Yom HaShoah programs scheduled in and around the community.

monday [april 28]

Holocaust program in Closter The Closter Public Library commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Week with activities through May 2. At 4 p.m., Susan Solel will present a children’s program, "A Child’s View of the Holocaust." (201) 768-4197.

tuesday [april 29]

Holocaust program in Closter At 3:30 p.m., Ruth Minsky-Sender’s book "The Cage" will be discussed, Closter Public Library. For middle school-aged children.

wednesday [april 30]

Yom HaShoah in Madison The Drew University’s Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study in Madison offers a Yom HaShoah commemoration with Holocaust survivors Ina and Jack Polak, the couple portrayed in the 2007 film "Steal a Pencil For Me," 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Drew University Baldwin Gymnasium. Free. (973) 408-3600.

Learning and teaching the history of the Holocaust

Eleven high students from Jersey City, New Milford, and Overland Park, Kan., are getting to see up close what they have learned about the Holocaust.

The trip, from April 19 to 29, was to include Berlin, Prague, and parts of Poland.

In Poland, the students were planning to visit the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau.

The trip is being led by June Chang, language and arts supervisor at the Jersey City school district, and Colleen Tambuscio, a teacher at New Milford High School.