TV Jews
In many movies and tv shows there are scenes that have characters that are supposed to be orthodox jews. Sometimes it's in the extreme (black suit, long long beard, thick dark-rimmed glasses) and in these cases I don't get offended (most likely because it is so extreme and not a part of a my everyday life or I know it's just utter exaggeration). But yesterday I was very annoyed at the show Gray's Anatomy. One of the stories from yesterday had a girl who was supposed to be orthodox, whose perhaps were obviously not even close to such observance, perhaps they were reform jews. This girl had some problem with her heart and the only way to treat her was with putting a valve of a pig in her. From the begining of the scenes with this girl "Esther" she certainly did not opitomize a "bas yisroel." The manner in which she spoke with the doctors was very very condescending and rude and when the doctor commented on her long skirt and asked if she was Omish she replied in a very condescending manner "Haven't you ever seen an orthodox Jew before?" She ranted and raved that she couldn't have a valve from a pig in her body, "no way in hell" to quote her. In another scene the doctor came in while she was davening and after she finished shemoeh esrei she said to the doctor in a very holier-than-thou manner that she "had to speak to G-d first because He was more important than some doctor."
In the end the doctor found a valve from a cow that they could use. Esther wanted a rabbi to "bless" her before the surgery and so they found this women to say some kind of mishebarch. Forgetting the women-rabbi which also doesn't quite fit, the behavior of the girl who was claiming to be orthodox-her arrogance and condescending nature was just utterly terrible and embarrassing.
I honestly think (now I haven't asked a rabbi yet) but if there were really no other way to treat her, Judiasm preaches life and if the pig valve were the only way to save her I would think it might be ok.
I don't want to sound hypocritical-my language might not be wonderful and I certainly have many areas in which I can improve, but when I speak to people who aren't Jewish, or aren't relgious, I try to be very careful to make a kiddush Hashem.
This girl "esther" who was created by the writers on the show was perhaps taken from a real life story-or based on someone that the writer knows. He most likely isn't making it up completely. It's sad that this was the representation and image that was created last night.
I suppose it got to me because it wasn't just a fat-shlumpy looking old guy with a beard but a teenage girl with an attitude that was supposed to be orthodox.
In the end the doctor found a valve from a cow that they could use. Esther wanted a rabbi to "bless" her before the surgery and so they found this women to say some kind of mishebarch. Forgetting the women-rabbi which also doesn't quite fit, the behavior of the girl who was claiming to be orthodox-her arrogance and condescending nature was just utterly terrible and embarrassing.
I honestly think (now I haven't asked a rabbi yet) but if there were really no other way to treat her, Judiasm preaches life and if the pig valve were the only way to save her I would think it might be ok.
I don't want to sound hypocritical-my language might not be wonderful and I certainly have many areas in which I can improve, but when I speak to people who aren't Jewish, or aren't relgious, I try to be very careful to make a kiddush Hashem.
This girl "esther" who was created by the writers on the show was perhaps taken from a real life story-or based on someone that the writer knows. He most likely isn't making it up completely. It's sad that this was the representation and image that was created last night.
I suppose it got to me because it wasn't just a fat-shlumpy looking old guy with a beard but a teenage girl with an attitude that was supposed to be orthodox.
