While much of the film was amusing and entertaining, the stereotypical depictions of Jewish women as loud and abrasive was offensive. By the way, some Jews are blond and blue eyed...and not all Jewish mothers are clawing and overbearing. These negative stereotypes are not helpful. There really are hot Jewish women who would be more than mildly attractive to a hot Jewish Rabbi. If you do another episode, how about including them? Have you seen Gal Gado; do you remember Lauren Bacall...just to name a few?
The show is sooo sweet and GREAT! I wasn't offended by any of the characters or how they were depicted. The only scene that gave me pause was when Tovah snuck the prosciutto ---- other then that is was WONDERFUL!! Especially now, we need the world to open their arms to us, and this show makes you believe in a world where we can coexist with our differences, even truly love one another -- I can't wait for season 2,3,4
Yes, I agree that was the only scene I found fault in however, I found the entire series was a gift to Judaism especially in today’s world. It was charming and respectable - I am extremely sensitive to anything that might color my beloved religion negatively and I found this quite beautiful and uplifting
The whole series was Pro intermarriage which in my view does not represent the tragedy of losing so many Jews to Christianity in each intermarriage family!
I like your take - I also enjoyed it but really was uncomfortable with the stereotypes of Jewish women particularly in the early episodes. I also wish it were gender flipped - I’m tired of the ongoing trope of an endearing nerdy Jewish man being too good for Jewish women. It’s all over pop culture and just lends itself to perpetuate the negative stereotypes of Jewish women. If this were a story about a female rabbi and her non-Jewish boyfriend, we’d maybe break new ground!
The other thing I like to think about is how if this aired 20 years ago, it would have been universally shunned by Jews. Intermarriage was so taboo then it would never have gone over. And I love how much we’ve changed.
I am surprised non Jews love it so much. I would have thought more people would be turned off by his need to value having a Jewish spouse and that they just wouldn’t get that.
So many more thoughts but an iPhone keyboard makes typing too hard.
Hah, not to keep whining about it, but I just don't think anything the show provides is either original enough or important enough that its worth suffering through a bunch of derivative stereotypes that were tired and overdone decades ago. And like, speaking for myself and a lot of the single Jewish women I've talked to about the show, this kind of stuff perpetuates a lot of the real-life attitudes that can make it very hard to date on a practical level, so many guys in our community believe we're all nagging harpies because literally every piece of popular culture reinforces the idea.
It's not like this is the first show ever to tackle an interfaith relationship. And *especially* after seeing the kinds of baffling comments Erin Foster keeps making (both the granola rabbi comment and also her trying to make it about the fact that her in-laws are immigrants, which came across super yikes). I'm just deeply unimpressed with her and her like, basic grasp of the world outside her very rarified and privileged personal, nepo-baby bubble, and like...we can do better? I know so many fantastic Jewish writers of all kinds of backgrounds who would do incredible work with the same basic premise, it really bothers me that we're stuck with something that is the absolute worst version of the idea.
I always love and welcome your whining! You’re also spot on. It’s easy to make it into not such a big deal when you don’t bear the burnt of it. That this does send a message to single Jewish women, once again, that they’re not worthy of the romantic love stories like so many past movies and shows featuring this trope. And I agree that there’s another version of this tale that would feel so much more real and deep and validating to more Jewish viewers, that would make them feel worthy of being loved and being seen, and it’s disappointing that we can’t get that.
It also probably doesn't help that I just came off of finally watching Shababnikim, so my personal standard at the moment for comedy that feels like it understands the stereotypes and has something smart and humanizing to say about them is very high
It's clear by her LA Times quote that Erin Foster doesn't get it, and doesn't want to. She doesn't want it to rain on her parade. There was clearly not another Jewish woman involved I this show to offer another perspective. Frankly, I think it's Erin's view of the Jewish women she met while dating her husband that influenced the portrayal of women in the show. I wonder what the women in her congregation think?
I'm enjoying the show, but quite sick of "Jewish" stereotypes. I have blue eyes, 5 of my siblings have blonde hair and blue eyes. Stop this nonsense, why didn't they give Adam Brody a nose prosthetic? 🙄. I don't know any Jewish women that are overbearing and bitchy, I guess non Jews like the show because it confirms their priors.
This was a cute rom- com that could have been about any stereotypical ethnic group….Irish,Italian,Greek, etc. It was a light love story , completely unimportant with not much of a message. I think we Jews are becoming too sensitive about the silly things and are afraid of the important, scary things that are lurking around us. We have turned on other Jews, cannot coherently explain the Intrinsic problems of the Gaza situation, and worry too much about the craziness of old white men. A rom-com is insignificant to a very limited audience.
I finally watched the show (or the first two episodes, anyway). Have to be honest, I kind of liked it. So far, the Rabbi is the only character I find to be entirely likable, but we’ll see if that changes as I watch the rest of the episodes.
So lets look ahead as to what the story line is in season 2. Noah marries the "shiksa" Joanne and is unable to get a position at any Synagogue. He also is no longer a Rabbi. They eventually have children who are not Jewish and in fact are practicing Christians. His brother in the meantime falls in love with Joannes cute sister, divorces his overbearing Jewish wife and begins a new family. Again all Christians! Judaism loses all the way around!
I understand why all my non- Jewish friends are telling me how much they love the show but I found it utterly disappointing. Where is the joy in being a Jewish woman?? The Jewish women I know are closer to Sarah Silverman and Lizzy Kaplan - women who will draw you in with a big smothering hug and love you to bits, women who are campy and self-deprecating, women who are real and sexy. These are the Jewish women that come to mind for me. the show is a caricature and a sad and demoralizing one at that. Also, any Jewish mom I know would be thrilled for the son to marry ANYONE at 44… (I believe this is the real age of the actors) as long as the grandchildren are raised Jewish:)
I actually love this show. I watched the first 4 episodes yesterday while home recovering from minor surgery. I will admit that I fangirl over Adam Brody and will adore him in everything I see him in. I can see where some people may get offended over the representation of the Jewish women in the show but as a 100% Ashkenazi who was treated like they treat Joanne by the female members of the conservative shul I grew up in I just don't feel bad for how they are portrayed. That's my own personal bias. I do hope they tone it down in the later episodes. I'm enjoying seeing a more updated look to how rabbis are seen, instead of just old men. As someone who is in an interfaith marriage (my husband is Lutheran) it's interesting to see this perspective from the other side. Note: every single member of my generation (siblings, cousins) have married outside of the faith for the same reasons I did. I also just am not thinking too deeply about it and am enjoying a show that includes some of the traditions I grew up celebrating.
Your comment that every single member of your generation has married outside the faith says it all. Future generations of these families are being raised Christian and it follows the population of the Non-Orthodox will decline greatly!
While much of the film was amusing and entertaining, the stereotypical depictions of Jewish women as loud and abrasive was offensive. By the way, some Jews are blond and blue eyed...and not all Jewish mothers are clawing and overbearing. These negative stereotypes are not helpful. There really are hot Jewish women who would be more than mildly attractive to a hot Jewish Rabbi. If you do another episode, how about including them? Have you seen Gal Gado; do you remember Lauren Bacall...just to name a few?
The show is sooo sweet and GREAT! I wasn't offended by any of the characters or how they were depicted. The only scene that gave me pause was when Tovah snuck the prosciutto ---- other then that is was WONDERFUL!! Especially now, we need the world to open their arms to us, and this show makes you believe in a world where we can coexist with our differences, even truly love one another -- I can't wait for season 2,3,4
In reality no Orthodox women would knowingly eat pork. Unflattering view of Judaism!
Yes, I agree that was the only scene I found fault in however, I found the entire series was a gift to Judaism especially in today’s world. It was charming and respectable - I am extremely sensitive to anything that might color my beloved religion negatively and I found this quite beautiful and uplifting
The whole series was Pro intermarriage which in my view does not represent the tragedy of losing so many Jews to Christianity in each intermarriage family!
I like your take - I also enjoyed it but really was uncomfortable with the stereotypes of Jewish women particularly in the early episodes. I also wish it were gender flipped - I’m tired of the ongoing trope of an endearing nerdy Jewish man being too good for Jewish women. It’s all over pop culture and just lends itself to perpetuate the negative stereotypes of Jewish women. If this were a story about a female rabbi and her non-Jewish boyfriend, we’d maybe break new ground!
The other thing I like to think about is how if this aired 20 years ago, it would have been universally shunned by Jews. Intermarriage was so taboo then it would never have gone over. And I love how much we’ve changed.
I am surprised non Jews love it so much. I would have thought more people would be turned off by his need to value having a Jewish spouse and that they just wouldn’t get that.
So many more thoughts but an iPhone keyboard makes typing too hard.
You love "how much we changed". Intermarriage is reducing our Jewish Population!
Hah, not to keep whining about it, but I just don't think anything the show provides is either original enough or important enough that its worth suffering through a bunch of derivative stereotypes that were tired and overdone decades ago. And like, speaking for myself and a lot of the single Jewish women I've talked to about the show, this kind of stuff perpetuates a lot of the real-life attitudes that can make it very hard to date on a practical level, so many guys in our community believe we're all nagging harpies because literally every piece of popular culture reinforces the idea.
It's not like this is the first show ever to tackle an interfaith relationship. And *especially* after seeing the kinds of baffling comments Erin Foster keeps making (both the granola rabbi comment and also her trying to make it about the fact that her in-laws are immigrants, which came across super yikes). I'm just deeply unimpressed with her and her like, basic grasp of the world outside her very rarified and privileged personal, nepo-baby bubble, and like...we can do better? I know so many fantastic Jewish writers of all kinds of backgrounds who would do incredible work with the same basic premise, it really bothers me that we're stuck with something that is the absolute worst version of the idea.
I always love and welcome your whining! You’re also spot on. It’s easy to make it into not such a big deal when you don’t bear the burnt of it. That this does send a message to single Jewish women, once again, that they’re not worthy of the romantic love stories like so many past movies and shows featuring this trope. And I agree that there’s another version of this tale that would feel so much more real and deep and validating to more Jewish viewers, that would make them feel worthy of being loved and being seen, and it’s disappointing that we can’t get that.
It also probably doesn't help that I just came off of finally watching Shababnikim, so my personal standard at the moment for comedy that feels like it understands the stereotypes and has something smart and humanizing to say about them is very high
Omg yes forever spoiled by Shababnikim!
It's clear by her LA Times quote that Erin Foster doesn't get it, and doesn't want to. She doesn't want it to rain on her parade. There was clearly not another Jewish woman involved I this show to offer another perspective. Frankly, I think it's Erin's view of the Jewish women she met while dating her husband that influenced the portrayal of women in the show. I wonder what the women in her congregation think?
It's a Hallmark movie at best.
😂😂😂
I'm enjoying the show, but quite sick of "Jewish" stereotypes. I have blue eyes, 5 of my siblings have blonde hair and blue eyes. Stop this nonsense, why didn't they give Adam Brody a nose prosthetic? 🙄. I don't know any Jewish women that are overbearing and bitchy, I guess non Jews like the show because it confirms their priors.
I'm annoyed that Jews get painted with such a broad brush. Make a show about Orthodox Jews.
This was a cute rom- com that could have been about any stereotypical ethnic group….Irish,Italian,Greek, etc. It was a light love story , completely unimportant with not much of a message. I think we Jews are becoming too sensitive about the silly things and are afraid of the important, scary things that are lurking around us. We have turned on other Jews, cannot coherently explain the Intrinsic problems of the Gaza situation, and worry too much about the craziness of old white men. A rom-com is insignificant to a very limited audience.
I finally watched the show (or the first two episodes, anyway). Have to be honest, I kind of liked it. So far, the Rabbi is the only character I find to be entirely likable, but we’ll see if that changes as I watch the rest of the episodes.
So lets look ahead as to what the story line is in season 2. Noah marries the "shiksa" Joanne and is unable to get a position at any Synagogue. He also is no longer a Rabbi. They eventually have children who are not Jewish and in fact are practicing Christians. His brother in the meantime falls in love with Joannes cute sister, divorces his overbearing Jewish wife and begins a new family. Again all Christians! Judaism loses all the way around!
I understand why all my non- Jewish friends are telling me how much they love the show but I found it utterly disappointing. Where is the joy in being a Jewish woman?? The Jewish women I know are closer to Sarah Silverman and Lizzy Kaplan - women who will draw you in with a big smothering hug and love you to bits, women who are campy and self-deprecating, women who are real and sexy. These are the Jewish women that come to mind for me. the show is a caricature and a sad and demoralizing one at that. Also, any Jewish mom I know would be thrilled for the son to marry ANYONE at 44… (I believe this is the real age of the actors) as long as the grandchildren are raised Jewish:)
BTW the grandchildren are never raised Jewish! Sad but true!
I actually love this show. I watched the first 4 episodes yesterday while home recovering from minor surgery. I will admit that I fangirl over Adam Brody and will adore him in everything I see him in. I can see where some people may get offended over the representation of the Jewish women in the show but as a 100% Ashkenazi who was treated like they treat Joanne by the female members of the conservative shul I grew up in I just don't feel bad for how they are portrayed. That's my own personal bias. I do hope they tone it down in the later episodes. I'm enjoying seeing a more updated look to how rabbis are seen, instead of just old men. As someone who is in an interfaith marriage (my husband is Lutheran) it's interesting to see this perspective from the other side. Note: every single member of my generation (siblings, cousins) have married outside of the faith for the same reasons I did. I also just am not thinking too deeply about it and am enjoying a show that includes some of the traditions I grew up celebrating.
Your comment that every single member of your generation has married outside the faith says it all. Future generations of these families are being raised Christian and it follows the population of the Non-Orthodox will decline greatly!