It's the Ferengi episode we've been dreading. Eek! We're jumping into the decades-old controversy about antisemitism in Star Trek. Reb Alert guest Jonathan Branfman helps us trace the historic origins of pop culture depictions of Jews, and how these tropes intersect with both gender and Christonormativity. We look at the Ferengi's rocky start in season 1 of TNG and track their evolution through DS9, with an eye towards models of TV's "Jewish Mother" and "Nice Jewish Boy" tropes. Plus: Jewish masculinity, the Jewish labour movement and the problem of people who get too close to the camera in FaceTime.

HSHW: TNG The Last Outpost; DS9 Family Business; DS9 Bar Association; DS9 The Magnificent Ferengi.

Spock and Leonard Nimoy are at the core Trek's Jewishness. This month, we look back at them both with love. Hava and Josh examine the Jewishness of Spock, and how that legacy has shaped Star Trek and our own identities. Using archival audio from the Wexler Oral History Project, we hear from Leonard Nimoy himself, reflecting on his life and career.

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HSHW: TOS Amok Time; TOS Journey to Babel; TAS Yesteryear.

Imagining Jewish life in Star Trek's 24th century. Hava and Josh look at TNG Journey's End and Sub Rosa to explore how Trek has depicted modern human national groups, leaving a whole balagan to unpack. Reb Alert guest Rabbi Jennifer Gorman talks about the practical halacha of off-planet Shabbat, alien kashrut and synth Jews. Plus a look at how Starfleet handles reasonable accommodation. Source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/239180.

HSHW: TNG Sub Rosa; TNG Journey's End.

Picard season 1's Jewish themes, references and ideas. Reb Alert guest Aaron Rotenberg of the Annex Shul (Toronto) teaches us about the Golem. Hava and Josh consider if showrunner Michael Chabon delivered Star Trek's most Jewish season of Star Trek to date. Reb Alert source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/232064.

HSHW: Star Trek: Picard, season 1 (episodes 1-10).

How do Star Trek's most powerful creatures relate to Jewish ideas of the divine? Reb Alert guest Rabbi Mimon Mamane of Congregation Magen David of Manhattan talks to us about monotheism, as well as HaSatan (the Accuser), Malachim (angels) and Sheydim (demons). Hava and Josh consider how this stacks up against Q, Nagilum, the Organians and the entity inhabiting Sha Ka Ree.

HSHW: TNG All Good Things...

Voyager's "Day of Honor" is Trek's only Yom Kippur special. Reb Alert guest Rabbi Steve Wernick of Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto) explains the concepts of "teshuva" and "vidui". Hava and Josh explore why B'Elana Torres--a secular Klingon--feels connected to this most important Klingon holiday, and question if Seven of Nine's teshuva is adequate, or even necessary.

HSHW: VOY Day of Honor.

Introductory episode. We discuss goals of the show and situate ourselves in the Jewish world and Star Trek world. We question if this show should even exist given Gene Roddenberry's views on religion, discuss the explicit mentions of Jews in Star Trek, and explore the portrayal of Jews in contemporary TV. Guest Rabbi Steve Wernick.