Jewish Celebrities

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  • #2030607
    Zaphod Beeblebrox
    Participant

    Is it wrong to be taking pride on jewish celebrities? I obviously don’t mean frum ones. Should we be celebrating the fact that many extremely influential people in this pop culture world are jewish and supporters of Israel, which can have a positive effect on how the world views us? Or should we dismiss them like we would any other non jewish celebrity?

    #2030693

    give an example. like Dr. Middos or more like Shweky?

    #2030714
    Shimon Nodel
    Participant

    This actually has halachic implications. You’re not supposed to praise or compliment a non jew because of לא תחנם.
    It happens to be I don’t usually tend to like the Jewish celebrities, only the goyish ones

    #2030751
    Novelty
    Participant

    The question is: What is a “positive impact on the world”?
    Being in the public eye and like Israel isn’t necessarily a positive impact.
    It’s only when someone does mitzvos that it can lead to a positive impact.

    So be proud of the mitzvos a Jewish celebrities does, the things that link them to their Jewishness. But be proud of them being a Jew if they don’t behave as one is supposed to? I think that’s a stretch.
    You can feel a kinship with them, knowing that we come from the same holy roots, but proud of someone not following the Torah? Hmmm…

    #2030786
    Zaphod Beeblebrox
    Participant

    They have a positive impact because these days to a huge number of Americans (and other nationalities), every word that comes out of these peoples mouths is treated like scripture. So when they publicly display pride in their roots, albeit in a twisted manner, this could lead others to similar sentiments. Obviously there will always be anti semites, and I’m by no means saying that this will stop it, because it won’t, but many people will find it hard to hate on Jews when their favorite actor/director etc. is jewish.

    #2030797

    in no particular order – Einstein, Trotsky, Chomsky, Marx, Rothschild, Moses, Avraham, Kushner, Sharon, Kissinger, Haber, Brin, Zukerberg, Friedman, Brandeis, Disraeli.

    #2030818
    CTRebbe
    Participant

    I don’t think pride is the feeling that should be evoked. Pity is more appropriate. These are tinokos shenisheu. It should make one take a step and recognize the immense power and talent that has been endowed to klal yisrael. We excel in everything that we do both for the good and bad. You would be surprised when you look at the genealogy of the majority of Hollywood actors and actresses. If I had to make an estimate I would say that over 50% have either a Jewish mother or father. Imagine if all that raw talent was used to serve Hashem instead of Hollywood.
    We are fortunate that a few have not sucked into the anti-israel left but that is a very small consolation to the tragedy of the fact that they represent a symbol of how many of our brethren we have lost to assimilation.

    #2030821
    Gadolhadorah
    Participant

    In many cases, it is impossible to differentiate the positive benefits resulting from certain public policy decisions or action as between yidden and people in general. There is no reason so forego praise of someone whose actions result in benefits to society as whole, where such outcomes are not contrary to daas torah.

    #2030867
    commonsaychel
    Participant

    Please define celelberties, UJM, CTlLawyer, Avira, Godalhatorah, Reb E, Amil most likely all have a different take on who is one.

    #2030869
    Reb Eliezer
    Participant

    Alan Alda has Jewish children as his wife is jewish. Michael Landon is not Jewish as his mother was not Jewish but Lorne Greene is.

    #2030875

    Every Jew is a celelbrity. Especially if you “look Jewish” or “dress Jewish”. People are looking at you and judging Jewish people/Torah/Hashem accordingly. Not my words.

    #2030909
    ujm
    Participant

    Celebrities, as a klal, are the lowest people.

    #2031045
    Sandy613
    Participant

    @Always_Ask_Questions. You are 100% correct. I was walking in Cape Town SA a few months ago and a non-Jewish man stopped to chat to me. After a while he said ” You are a real Jew”. I said “why?” He said “you dress like a Jewish modest woman, you respect others and have a love for G-d”

    #2031159
    maskildoresh
    Participant

    Zaphod, the answer to your question is 42.

    #2031269

    Maskildo Love the inspiration!

    #2031645
    theshadchansays
    Participant

    wow. ummmmm… yeah? duh? like, so many frum people have so much talents and kol hakavod for those that do it in a kosher way!!! keep it up!!!

    #2031856
    Gadolhadorah
    Participant

    The real “rock stars” are those who are able to consistently articulate their beliefs and positions in a respectful way without engaging in hateful, racist or otherwise hyperbolic commentary regarding those with whom they disagree.

    #2031890
    Gadolhadorah
    Participant

    While I’ve not come close to “celebrity status”, as long as I’m on my TDS meds, its certainly a long-term aspirational goal.

    #2032331

    Gershon Distenfeld – see WSJ article 2 days ago, a bond guy who also plays professional poker once in a while, donating all $300k of his earnings. supports a bunch of things, inlcuding a kew yeshiva in Teanack.

    #2032739
    huju
    Participant

    Only jerks care about celebrities, and since we Jews seem to have some jerks among us, I guess they need a few Jewish celebrities.

    #2033012
    bored_teen 💕
    Participant

    Ujm- This was the post I was looking for!

    Huju- why are you so harsh/bitter?!?! Relaaaaax! Take it easy!

    #2034014
    Zaphod Beeblebrox
    Participant

    Just to make it clear, the question is not about frum celebrities within our community. Nor is it about politicians and scientists, as they are not celebs just because they contributed to society.(not saying that celebrities contribute to society.) Rather it is about famous people in the entertainment industry who are of jewish descent.

    Huju: it’s nice to know that you like celebrities too! After all only jerks like celebrities, and you’re definitely putting yourself in that category by labeling millions of people you’ve never met. Don’t be so bitter, it’ll help you in life.

    #2034190
    philosopher
    Participant

    I agree with huju here and I don’t think he/she is bitter because of that true statement.

    To me there’s no such thing as “celebrities”. There were some entertainers that used to be enjoyable to watch or listen to but today “entertainers” are all “celebrity jerks” for the jerks who worship them.

    #2034230
    EJMRBro
    Participant

    This is a very well thought out question. But before i provide my answer can you tell me which rav gave you a heter to be on the internet?

    #2034272
    Zaphod Beeblebrox
    Participant

    Sure. It was Rabbi Bethany Lopinsky of the Beth-El of greater Iowa. Any more brilliant questions?

    #2034303
    user176
    Participant

    Pride, otherwise know as gaava, is not a quality and Jew should have. We should be happy when we see people defending the Jewish people, supporting us and encouraging others to do so. We should be thankful that Hashem has sent these people who will undoubtedly make a difference in the way people perceive Jews, whether they themselves are Jews or not.

    #2034343
    5TResident
    Participant

    Reb Eliezer, the same goes for Paul McCartney – his children were born to his now-deceased wife Linda, who was Jewish.

    #2035374
    bored_teen 💕
    Participant

    Philosopher- I didn’t say he/she was wrong, but the way it was said was unnecessarily harsh. You don’t need to call people jerks because they have dumb interests.

    #2035516
    philosopher
    Participant

    bored_teen, I hear you. But what would you call someone who worships/is infatuated by another human because they can act well/play baseball well/ sing well, etc.? I personally think that being a fan of “celebrities” is jerky kind of behavior. Non-frum “celebrities”, (who despite being called Jewish are often non-halachic “Jews”) are most often narcissist and empty and it is really immature to admire such empty shells. And not only are most of them empty shells, most “Jewish celebrities” are liberals who contaminate and spread immoral garbage within the world. These people should be condemned, the last thing that they should be is “celebrated”.

    #2038034
    Zaphod Beeblebrox
    Participant

    First of all, I think we have different definitions of what a jerk is. Second, we’re obviously not talking about the ones who are rabid leftists. There is an extremely famous actor of jewish descent who votes republican and is a conservative. And there are ones like Adam Sandler who publicly takes pride in his Jewishness, forget about the Chanukah song, there’s a video on YouTube of him publicly shaking lulav!

    #2038079
    ujm
    Participant

    That isn’t any better than every random guy in the street shaking a lulav from a Chabad kiruv worker.

    #2038263
    5TResident
    Participant

    Mayim Bialik is an actress who has been on several TV series and is currently the host of Jeopardy. She is a baalat tshuva who is an aspiring Orthodox Jew. She is quite public about it.

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