“Is this Jewish… or just good writing?”

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Out of all the series I’ve ever watched, Dr. House M.D. is one of only two I’ve seen in its entirety. At first, I was drawn in by the complexity of the main character, Dr. Gregory House. But as the episodes unfolded, I started to notice something familiar—not just in the medical mysteries, but in the deeper, often uncomfortable questions the show raises.

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It wasn’t a huge surprise to learn that the show writers are Jewish and come from Hollywood. But discovering that grew up in religious Jewish homes—with  rabbi as father—suddenly made things click. Certain moral dilemmas, questions of identity, and even the humor felt like echoes of conversations I’d heard before—sometimes in the synagogue, sometimes in a Beit Midrash.

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This workshop will explore what makes a film or TV show “feel” Jewish. Does the presence of Jewish characters—or Jewish actors—make something a “Jewish show”? Or is it the questions being asked that matter more? Together, we’ll look at three clips from Dr. House M.D. and ask: Could these stories have roots in the Talmud?

 

Topics will include:

• Who is a real hero?

• What matters more: belief or action?

• And yes… even Halachot of Shabbat.

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Are you ready to dive in and learn together?