Over the Top Judaism Precedents and Trends in

Over the Top Judaism offers criticism of scores of television episodes and films, mainly between 1980 and 2002, that highlight the beliefs and practices of Judaism, real or perceived. Author Elliot Gertel examines parallels and precedents in both media, and organizes the works topically, concluding with the most promising efforts. Chapters on classic television episodes cite interviews with writers and producers from Gertel's rare oral histories.

Preface

ix

Introduction

1

(10)

Part One From the Sublime to The Ridiculous: Distortion of Jewish Observances

Misdirected Life-Cycle Events

11

(40)

Brit Milah and Bar Mitzvah in Homage to Insult: ``Cheers,'' ``Roseanne''

13

(4)

Brit Milah and Seder as Sacred Joke: ``The Nanny''

17

(3)

Brit Milah and Kashrut as ``Common'' Judaism: ``Seinfeld''

20

(4)

Bar Mitzvah as Graduation From Judaism: ``Route 66''

24

(8)

Talking Bar Mitzvah to Death: ``The Discovery''

32

(3)

Bar Mitzvah as Rejection of Parents: ``Bronx Zoo''

35

(2)

Inappropriate Bar/Bat Mitzvah Gifts: ``Square Pegs,'' ``Diff'rent Strokes,'' ``Good Advice,'' ``Caroline in the City''

37

(4)

Bar Mitzvah as Formula Spirituality: ``The Education of Max Bickford''

41

(3)

Backhanded Wedding Nostalgia: ``I Love You, Alice B. Toklas''

44

(2)

Chuppah as Object Lesson: ``Dharma and Greg''

46

(2)

Jewish Weddings and Jewish Gangs: ``Diagnosis Murder''

48

(3)

Fractured Festivals

51

(18)

Shabbat and Marriage Taboos: ``Archie Bunker's Place''

51

(2)

The Seder in the Absence of the Jewish Mother: ``Anything But Love''

53

(2)

Chanukah as Self-absorption: ``E.R.''

55

(2)

The Chanukah Menorah as Assimilation: ``An American Tail,'' ``The Five Mrs. Buchanans''

57

(4)

Chanukah as Slander of Jewish Children: ``Hiller and Diller''

61

(2)

Thanksgiving as Jewish Holiday: ``Avalon,'' ``Family of Cops''

63

(6)

Corrupted Jewish Usages and Beliefs

69

(12)

Matzah as Communion With Hollywood: ``State and Main''

69

(3)

Mezuzah, Mikvah and Apocalypse: ``Millennium''

72

(2)

The Talmud Ignored: ``Reasonable Doubts''

74

(1)

Forfeited Jewish Customs: ``Chicago Hope''

75

(3)

Yiddish as Euthanasia: ``Chicago Hope''

78

(3)

Misguided Mourning and Afterlife

81

(14)

Shiva as Kung Fu: ``Babylon Five''

81

(2)

Convoluted Shiva: ``Saying Kaddish''

83

(4)

Ignored Afterlife: ``Max Glick,'' ``Murphy Brown''

87

(5)

Choosing Hell: ``Deconstructing Harry''

92

(3)

Constrained Conversion

95

(18)

Cowardly Conversion and Baby-Naming: ``A Year in The Life''

95

(6)

Exploitation of ``Conversion'' and of Jewish Periodicals: ``Picket Fences''

101

(3)

Compartmentalized Heaven: ``Party of Five''

104

(3)

TV's ``Un-Conversion'': ``Living in Captivity''

107

(6)

Part Two Outlandish Judaisms For Bizarre Jews: TV's Deconstruction of Judaism

Misplaced Judaism

113

(12)

The Absence of Judaism: ``Duddy Kravitz''

113

(2)

Faith Redefined: ``Keeping The Faith''

115

(3)

Mitzvah Redefined: ``Law and Order,'' ``Son of The Beach''

118

(2)

The Holy Ark as Negation of Ritual: ``Touched by an Angel''

120

(5)

Misapplied Nostalgia

125

(22)

Covenant as Ethnic Chain: ``Thirtysomething''

125

(3)

Tradition as Pleasant Prison: ``Sofie''

128

(3)

Jewish Ritual as Mantra: ``Independence Day''

131

(2)

Jewish Tradition as Vestige: ``Brooklyn Bridge''

133

(4)

Jewish Ritual as Family Neurosis: ``Frank's Place''

137

(3)

Scribal Arts For Angry Jewish Daughters: ``Touched by an Angel''

140

(4)

Jewish Ritual as Backdrop: ``Unstrung Heroes''

144

(3)

Misrepresented Practices and Sensibilities

147

(28)

Reinventing Jewish Law: ``St. Elsewhere,'' ``Chicago Hope,'' ``The Nanny,'' ``Cybill,'' ``Crisis Center,'' ``Medicine Ball,'' ``Seventh Heaven''

147

(6)

Protest Preempts Shabbat: ``Beverly Hills 90210''

153

(2)

The Torah of Vengefulness: ``In The Heat of The Night,'' ``E.R.''

155

(5)

Religious Stances as ``Temporary Insanity'': ``Seventh Heaven''

160

(4)

Jewish Rituals as Sex Appeal: ``Gideon's Crossing''

164

(3)

Flip Gothic Judaism: ``Home Court''

167

(3)

Jewish Ritual Over Jewish Children: ``Family Law''

170

(5)

Inverted Hostilities

175

(24)

Shema Without Scruples: ``Picket Fences''

175

(6)

The Synagogue as Vicious Cabal: ``The Practice''

181

(2)

The Synagogue as Vintage Television: ``Thirtysomething''

183

(5)

Judaism Without Jews: ``Northern Exposure''

188

(4)

Cantorial Music as Manipulation: ``The West Wing''

192

(7)

Part Three Glimmers of Sanctity on Big and Small Screen: Admirable and Insightful Production Efforts

Heart and Soul

199

(14)

TV's Best Exploration of Judaism: ``Little House on the Prairie''

199

(2)

The Bible and its Jews: ``NYPD Blue''

201

(3)

Relating to God: ``Ben Casey''

204

(1)

Covenant Affirmed: ``The Plot Against Harry''

205

(3)

Bar Mitzvah as Gift to Parents: ``The Dick Van Dyke Show''

208

(5)

Redemptive Jewish Observances

213

(26)

Meaningful Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ceremonies: ``The Wonder Years,'' ``Archie Bunker's Place,'' ``Hotel,'' ``Bill: On His Own''

213

(4)

Mourning Becomes Bar Mitzvah: ``Touched by an Angel''

217

(3)

Rosh Hashanah and Friendship: ``Our House''

220

(1)

Minyan as Sanctuary: ``Naked City''

221

(6)

Yom Kippur Brilliantly Applied: ``Northern Exposure''

227

(5)

Portraying Jewish Piety: ``A Stranger Among Us''

232

(3)

Exploring Suburban Jewish Spirituality: ``Homicide''

235

(4)

Dignified Jewish Life and Identity

239

(26)

Authentic Jewish Healers: ``Fight For Life,'' ``Ben Casey''

239

(4)

Shabbat Beyond Vandalism: ``The Trials of Rosie O'Neill''

243

(3)

TV's Best Chanukah: ``Big Brother Jake''

246

(3)

Chanukah And Interfaith Marriage: ``Commish''

249

(1)

Sexual Mores: ``Touching''

250

(3)

Jewish Marriage Affirmed: ``Crossing Delancey''

253

(3)

Explaining Jewish Marrying-in: ``Our House,'' ``Buck James''

256

(6)

Jewish Divorce---Tragedy and Comedy: ``L.A. Law,'' ``Hester Street''

262

(3)

Conversion

265

(10)

Thoughtful Conversion: ``Sisters''

265

(3)

Tough Conversion: ``Homefront''

268

(4)

Hostility to Converts: ``Seinfeld''

272

(3)

Positive Hereafter

275

(4)

The Afterlife Respected: ``The Cemetery Club''

275

(4)

Index

279

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Over the Top Judaism Precedents and Trends in the Depiction of Jewish Beliefs and Observances in Film and Television

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials