According to Wikipedia, The Goldbergs is a Jewish-related show; and its producer, Adam F Goldberg, is Jewish.
Other than the stereotypically Jewish name of the family, I’m getting no indication that they’re Jewish. I don’t see any menorahs, references to going to synagogue, etc.
Do you get a Jewish vibe from this show?
Menorahs are only around at Hanukkah - have they shown a Hanukkah episode?
Do most sitcoms make reference to going to church? Some do but do all of them?
Seem a little California Jewy, they are probably just secular.
Sitcoms have to have broad appeal. Making it emphasize Jewish things too much will narrow that appeal. I know if someone made a show that was emphasizing Christianity or Islam it would lower the appeal for me.
And I have seen references in some sitcoms about going to church. Mindy’s Project. The Middle. But they are fairly low key.
First, yes I know Menorahs are only around at Hanukkah. It’s Hanukkah/Christmas season on TV right now, by the way.
And many sitcoms reference going to church. Besides the ones mentioned so far, there have been church references on Modern Family, Mike & Molly, and Raising Hope, to name a few.
The show is autobiographical. Adam Goldberg is Jewish, therefore, the family is.
But it’s not a show about being Jewish, it’s a show about the 80’s and having crazy family members.
I haven’t watched the show in question, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it had culturally Jewish elements that went over non-Jewish heads. Take “Seinfeld”: Jerry Seinfeld doesn’t have a religious bone in his body, but *his *character was definitely Jewish.
Seinfeld was about the most Jewish show there could be but the funny thing is that most of the characters are not Jewish in it (many of the actors are of course). Jerry and his parents were the only Jews among the main characters in the show. There were a handful of minor characters that were also Jewish. Elaine and George were not Jewish on the show despite being extremely stereotypically Jewish.
I haven’t watched the show, have they done a Hanukkah episode?
And many haven’t made church references. I guess my point is that if there are no overt references to Christianity in a show do you assume the family is generic Christian?
They did a Thanksgiving episode two weeks ago, but no Christmas or Hanukkah episode yet.
But come on. The dad’s name is Murray Goldberg, his sons are Barry and Adam, and he owns a discount furniture store. How could he possibly be anything but Jewish?
Kramer is not Jewish?
George is Italian, and Elaine is… vaguely WASPish. Still, you live in Manhattan, you pick up a lot of Jewish cultchuh.
That’s confirmed in “The Fatigues,” when Kramer announces that he’s organizing a Jewish singles night:
It is a little murky. In the episode “The Fatigues”, Kramer says that he is not Jewish.
"
…
Kramer walks in carrying a stack of flyers, he hands a few to Jerry and Elaine.
Kramer: Yowza yowza. Check it out.
Jerry (reading): Jewish singles night?
Kramer: I expect you both to be there.
Elaine: I’m not Jewish.
Kramer: Well neither am I.
Jerry: Well why are you going?
Kramer: I’m not, I’m running it.
Jerry: What are you talking about?
Kramer: Well Lomez, he usually runs it but he’s in the Everglades.
Jerry: Lomez is Jewish?
Kramer: Oh yeah yeah yeah. Orthodox, Jerry. Old school.
…
There are more suggestions that he isn’t Jewish in that episode but you would have to watch it or read the script below to decide for yourself.
I assume they are Jewish - my point is that the OP appears to be looking for overt representations of the family’s Jewishness when they may simply not appear in the show. I don’t think they are necessary for the average viewer to assume the family is Jewish, especially if you know the background of the show creator.
George wasn’t Jewish? Is there anything on the show to indicate that? He is just Larry David slightly fictionalized.
That is probably true but George is definitely not Jewish on the show. He is Italian-American and was raised Catholic (his father was in the Knights off Columbus and being Catholic is a requirement for that). However, George converted to the Latvian Orthodox church in one episode because of a romantic interest.
Elaine had the shiksa appeal.
I know that the show asked us to pretend that George was Italian, but that’s stretching willing suspension of disbelief past the breaking point. He’s obviously Jewish.
But anyway, it isn’t “Hanukah season” anymore, Hanukah is over. And besides, have you ever seen a TV Jewish family observing Yom Kipur or Passover? If they’re a real Jewish family they’re much more likely to observe those things that Hanukah. Hanukah is a minor holiday, you light some candles and say a blessing and eat a latke and you’re done.
Or to put it another way, yeah, sometimes characters on TV go to church or have a dream where everyone is cast in “A Christmas Carol”. But 99% of the time their Christian religion is never mentioned.
Jewish families don’t sit around all day and talk about how Jewy they are. They just act all Jewy without talking about it, especially on TV. TV families are often very Jewy even when the characters are ostensibly Christians/Nones. You get a bunch of Jews writing sitcoms and this is what happens.
Sounds like they’re Ambiguously Jewish.
To me, the most “obviously Jewish” characters on *Seinfeld *were George’s parents, regardless of what the show “asked us to pretend.” I’ve had Jewish relatives who could understudy those characters.