A recent episode of the television series House featured a heavily themed Jewish episode. For those who are not familiar with the show’s premise it is about a group of expert medical diagnosticians who every week try and figure out ‘what’s wrong with the patient’ …using their brilliant minds, professional skills, and all the modern technology at their disposal. Dr. Gregory House is the group’s leader. He is a self ish and self absorbed genius and though nominally Christian is an avowed atheist. He is quite knowledgeable about religious practices of all major faiths no less Orthodox Judaism.
In this episode the storyline featured a Chasid and his newlywed wife who was a Balas Teshuva. She was the patient who had the puzzling ‘disease of the week’. By the end of the episode - as is almost always the case - Dr. House figured out what the medical problem was and its cure. What is interesting about this program aside from the interesting medical cases is that it often discusses the ‘big issues’ - such as atheism versus belief. This week was no exception.
Without getting into the details of this episode, I was duly impressed by the relative accuracy in portraying an Orthodox newlywed couple. There were some minor inaccuracies but for the most part it was dead on. The caricatures that one usually sees when Orthodox Jews are portrayed by Hollywood were almost entirely absent. The young religious couple was portrayed as normal, dedicated, and devout …and in a very positive light.
The wedding they potryaed was one that had a Mechitza and separate dancing. The issues of Hilchos Niddah (family purity laws) and modesty was accurately portrayed and in a fairly positive light. As was Shabbos and Kashrus. As was the issue of saving a life superceding Shabbos. I never thought I would ever hear Eishes Chayil being sung on a popular nationally broadcast drama series.
How did the producers of that show get it so right? Here is a hint. As is often the case in shows like this the couple had a distinctly Lubavitch look. Yet none of the people involved with the show are anywhere near Chabad or even Orthodoxy - although many are Jewish. They had an advisor. He was a Lubavitcher Chasid, the rabbi of a Chabad House somewhere in the Hollywood area by the name of Yossi Mintz. He was called in as a technical advisor. After reading the script he had many portions re-written to reflect an accurate portrayal of religious Jews. He even had a cameo appearance.
And that is the brilliance of Chabad’s Kiruv. They are not afraid to plunge in with both feet. Their attitude about this is the correct one. They engage with the culture and utilize it toward the benefit of their Kiruv efforts. By participating in this show they were able to communicate to countless numbers of secular Jews via this program the beauty of a Torah lifestyle.
To the best of my knowledge, it is only Lubavitch which does this... which is why when there is any accuracy about Jewish religious practices in a Hollywood production, it has a distinctly Lubavitch stamp to it.
By contrast I believe that the attitude of most other Kiruv organizations is to stay as far away from Hollywood as possible. If for example Ohr Sameach were asked for technical assistance on a Jewish themed episode of a TV series, I doubt very much that they would accept. They look for other ways to be Mekarev secular Jews. And though they are a pretty successful organization they are nowhere near Chabad in terms of reaching out.
People who are involved in Kiruv ought to take a page from the Lubavitch play book. Lubavitch knows what they’re doing. It is in the interests of Kiruv and Klal Yisroel to not allow opportunities like this to pass them by.
I have been very critical of Lubavitch in many areas, including some of their Kiruv methods. But not in this one. This is something they do right. Very right! And it is one reason that they are so valuable to Klal Yisroel. And it is a reason I am so grieved by their problems and so strident in my criticisms. They cannot and should not be ignored. We cannot and should not remain indifferent. Their current problems are serious. But their ultimate value is to Klal Yisroel is immeasurable. And we ought to do everything we can to be Mekarev Lubavitch into mainstream Judaism.
