Don’tClosethe…Door:RugratsanditsImpactonJewishChildren
Master’sThesis
Presentedto
TheFacultyoftheGraduateSchoolofArtsandSciencesBrandeisUniversity
HornsteinJewishProfessionalLeadershipProgramDepartmentofNearEasternandJudaicStudies
JonathanKrasner,AdvisorEllenSmith,Reader
InPartialFulfillmentoftheRequirementsfortheDegree
MasterofArts
inJewishProfessionalLeadershipandNearEasternandJudaicStudies
by
TeriL.McGuire
May2016
ii
Acknowledgements
Iamsothankfultoeveryonewhohashelpedmealongthewaytomakethis
thesisareality.Theysayittakesavillagetoraiseachild,anditdefinitelytakesat
leastthattocraftathesis.Somuchloveandgratitudegoesouttomyfriendswho
listenedtomeparseouteverynookandcrannyofmyideas.Itisamazingtohave
reliablesoundingboards,andIamluckytohavesomanypeopleinvestedinmy
success.Aspecialshoutouttomybestfriend,AaronFineberg,forenduring
countlessrantsandstressfuleveningswithstrideandalwaysknowinghowtopush
metodomybest.
ToProfessorsJonathanKrasnerandEllenSmith,thankyouforlisteningto
mecomplain,assistingmeinthinkingdeeper,andpointingmeintheright
directions–yoursupportandtimearegreatlyappreciated.Mydeepestthanksalso
goesouttoeachauthorwhocontributedtotheworksIreadinordertoresearchmy
backgroundmaterial.IamindebtedtothecreatorsandwholeteambehindRugrats
whofashionedsuchatouchingandrelevantworld,whichIwasthrilledtowatchas
achild,andamevenmoretakenwithafterdelvingindeeperasanadult.The
themesarerelevant,thecharactersare(figuratively)three-dimensional,andIam
honoredtobeabletoidentifywithsucharemarkableshow.Itrulyfeelbadforthe
generationsofJewishchildrenwhodidnotgrowupwithsuchagift,andIhopethe
legacycontinueson.
Last,butnotleast,Iwouldliketothankmyfamilyformakingthisstudy
possible.TomyoldersistersErinandKara,thanksforwatchingeveryepisodeof
Rugratswithmegrowingup,andmoldingmeintoatrue‘90’skid.Tomy
iii
exceptionalparentsSharonPollackandThomasMcGuire:thankyouforbeingthe
bestpeopleIknow,forsupportingmeregardlessofhowcrazymydreamsare,and
for“intermarrying.”WithoutyourunionIwouldnotbethepersonIamtoday,andI
wouldnothavebeeninspiredtostudythemindsofkidslikeme.Thisoneisforyou.
iv
ABSTRACT
Don’tClosethe…Door:RugratsanditsImpactonJewishChildren
AthesispresentedtotheHornsteinJewishProfessionalLeadershipProgramandtheDepartmentofNearEasternandJudaicStudies.
GraduateSchoolofArtsandSciencesBrandeisUniversity
Waltham,Massachusetts
ByTeriL.McGuire
ThisthesisistheculminationofayearlonginvestigationintotheJewish
rituals,themes,andcharactersportrayedinthe1991hitchildren’sseries,Rugrats.
Bystudyingtheerainwhichthisshowaired,closelyanalyzingtheJewishcontentof
theshow,andconductinginterviewswithindividualswhohadbeenexposedtoit,I
setouttodeterminetheaccuracy,relevanceandimpactofRugrats’Jewishness.
ThroughthisqualitativestudyIdeterminedthatamajorityofmyrespondentshad
positiveassociationswiththetelevisionprogram,andsawitasanexampleof
Jewishmediathatbothhaseducationalvalueandanassociationwhichmakesthem
proud.ThroughthisthesisIpresentthestudyofapopularpieceofpublicmediaas
anexampleofagrowingandlegitimatesourceofevidenceandinfluenceon
perceptionandidentityontheindividualsthatconsumeit–inthiscaseAmerican
Jews.
v
TableofContents
Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................................ii
Abstract..........................................................................................................................................................iv
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
Chapter1:PuttingItAllinContext:TheWorldinwhichRugratsLives..........................10
Chapter2:ARugratsPassover:LetMyPeopleLearnaboutPassover………..………….20
Chapter3:Judaism’sMostFamousHoliday:“YouHaveto‘Cha!’WhenYouSayIt”..32
Chapter4:TheSantaExperience:CanYouTellTheyAreInterfaith?...............................46
Chapter5:WhatAboutEveryOtherDay?RugratsandDailyLife……..............................48
Chapter6:TheGiftthatKeepsonGiving:TheImpactandLegacy…………………….…..54
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................................60
Bibliography..............................................................................................................................................63
Appendices………...……………………………………………………………………………………………...65
1
Introduction
OntheeveningofApril3,1995mywholefamilygatheredinourlivingroomto
watchaveryspecialepisodeofRugrats.Theinnovatedchildren’sshow,whichbroughtthe
newlyestablished“FirstKidsNetwork”Nickelodeon,tonewheights,wasnotonly
presentingthelastepisodeofitsthirdseason,butalsopremieringanewholidayspecial.
Forthefirsttimeinthehistoryoftelevision,ashowaimedatachildren’sdemographicwas
presentinganepisodedevotedtoaJewishholiday.“ARugratsPassover”broughtinthe
mostviewersinNickelodeonhistory,earninga3.1Nielsenrating1andenteringthehomes
ofchildrenandfamilieseverywhere.Justmonthsearlier,inDecember1994,AdamSandler
hadaddressedforthefirsttimethosewho“feltliketheonlykidintownwithouta
Christmastree”inhisperformanceof“TheChanukahSong”onSaturdayNightLive!Finally,
inaworldwherereligiouscelebrationonscreenwasovertakenbyRudolph,theGrinch,
andSantaClaus,therewasanexampleofaJewishholidayspecialtowhichJewishchildren
couldrelateandenjoy.
RugratsintroducesaudiencestothePicklesfamilywholiveamiddle-class,1990’s
suburbanlife,inhabitingatwo-storyhousewithalargeyard,twocargarageandlovable
familydog.Intheshow’sfirstseason,thefamilyconsistsofparents,StuandDidi,andtheir
babyTommyPickles.Uniqueinnature,thepointofviewoftheshowcomesfrombaby
1Banet-Weiser,Sarah.KidsRule!NickelodeonandConsumerCitizenship.Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2007.
2
Tommyhimself,whoisnotoldenoughtoutterhisfirstwordtohisparents,but
communicatesvia“babytalk”withhisbestfriends,theneuroticChuckie,andthedirt
lovingtwinsPhilandLil.Ineachepisodethebabiesfindthemselvesonsomesortof
adventure,whetheritbesneakingintothebasementtobattleamonsteroravoidingthe
dustbunniesthatliveunderthebed.Yettheirgrandplansaretoooftenspoiledby
Tommy’sevilcousinAngelicawho,asathreeyearold,isabletocommunicatewithboth
thegrownupsandthe“dumbbabies”assheoftenreferstotheyoungerchildren.The
childlikelensRugratsimplementsisendearingandaddstothenarrativeandin-depth
understandingofthecharacters.Forthemostpart,theviewerseestheworldthrough
Tommy’seyesandthereforecansometimesmisinterpretthesituationsathand.Itisnot
uncommon,aswewillseeunfoldinmanyepisodes,forthechildrentomishearaword
fromtheirparentsandjumptoconclusionsaboutwhatishappening.Thesemisreadsare
usuallyfortheviewersbenefit,leadingtoahumor.However,adeepermeaningregarding
thegapsbetweengenerationscouldalsobeinterpreted.Thewritersseemtobemakinga
statementaboutthewayinwhichgenerationsperceivesituationsdifferently,and
misunderstandeachother’spointsofview.
Althoughthechildren,orrugrats,themselvesarethemainfocusofthestory,that
doesnotmeantheshowisexclusivelyfororaboutchildren.Unlikemanyfamouscartoons,
suchasPeanutswhereadultsaredepictedassoinconsequentialthattheyliterallyspeakin
gibberishandarerarelyseen,Rugratsincludesadultcharactersthataredynamicand
relevanttotheplot.Astheaudiencegetstoknowthechildren,theyalsogettoknowtheir
parents,andinsomecasestheirgrandparents.WiththeadditionofTommyandAngelica’s
grandfatherLouwholiveswiththePicklesfamily,andTommy’smaternal,Jewish
3
grandparentsBorisandMinka,thereisawiderangeofgenerationsrepresented.These
multi-generationallayersallowforviewersofmanydifferentages.Whetheryou’reachild,
aparent,oragrandparent,Rugratsisfilledwithdynamicsituations,humor,andrealistic
themesforthewholefamily.
Furthermore,thepresenceofmultiplegenerationsallowsfortheaudiencetogetto
knowtherugratsinadeepersense.Itisthroughtheselayersofgenerationalexposurethat
welearnmoreaboutthechildren,especiallyourprotagonist.AlookintoTommy’sfamily
treeprovidesaninterestinglookatthedifferentforcesthataffecthisupbringing,for
instancereligion.AsFigure1.12illustrates,withoneJewishparent(Didi)andonenon-
Jewishparent(Stu),Tommyisexposedtofamilymemberswithdifferentbeliefsand
histories.Thesedifferentbackgroundsallowforanuanceddiscussionregardingwhatitis
likeforachildtoberaisedinmultiplefaiths,asweseeTommycelebratingChristmas,
Passover,andChanukah.
2InthisFigure,bluerectanglesrepresentindividualswhoarebornJewish,accordingtoJewishlaw.WhiterectanglesrepresentindividualswhoarenotJewish.
Figure1.1TommyPickles’FamilyTree
4
DespitethefactthatRugratsisacartoon,itprovidesanimpressiveamountof
realism.Thisaspecthasadirectcorrelationtothepersonalandfamilylivesoftheshow’s
creators:ArleneKlasky,GaborCsupoandPaulGermain.Toalargeextent,theintermarried
aspectsofRugratsmirrorthelivesofmarriedcoupleKlaskyandCsupo.Klasky,the
daughterofJewish-Russianimmigrants,andCsupoanatheistborninHungary,raisedtwo
childrentogether,notwithouttheirstruggles.However,KlaskywasnottheonlyJewish
influenceatthehelm.PaulGermain,thethirdcreator,basedthecharactersofBorisand
MinkaonhisbelovedJewishgrandparents.Thepersonalelementsandfamilyinspiration,
whichchanneledthecreativeenergyoftheteam,madeRugratsaninstantclassic.3The
samecreativeteamproducedahandfulofothershowsthroughoutthe“goldenage”of
Nickelodeon,allofthemgreatsuccesses,suchasRocketPower,AsToldbyGinger,andThe
WildThornberrys,butnonerivaledRugratsinratings,DaytimeEmmywins4,orboxoffice
andmerchandisesales5.
Ihavenorecollectionofmyfirstviewingofthehistoricepisodethatis“ARugrats
Passover.”Justshyoftwoyearsoldatthetime,thisisnotsurprising.However,whatmay
besurprisingtosomeisthememberofmyfamilywhorememberstheepisodemost
vividly.Myfather,ThomasPatrickMcGuire,whowasraisedIrish-Catholic,recallsseeing
multiplecommercialsfortheepisode.6Uponviewingtheseadvertisementshewassurehe
wouldsoonbewatchingthisepisodewithhisJewishwifeandthreedaughterswhowere
beingraisedasobservantJews.However,theepisodewasnotonlyofinteresttohimasa
desiretogivehischildrenJewishcharacterstorelateto;hecouldalsoseehimselfprojected3Klickstein,Mathew.Slimed!AnOralHistoryofNickelodeon’sGoldenAge.NewYork:PenguinGroup,2013.4"Awards."IMDb.IMDb.com,n.d.Web.10Mar.2016.5Klickstein,Mathew.Slimed!AnOralHistoryofNickelodeon’sGoldenAge.NewYork:PenguinGroup,2013.6McGuire,Thomas.Personalinterview.16Nov.2015.
5
onthescreen.He,justlikeStuPickles,hadJewishin-lawsthatbickeredabouteverything,a
wifewhofoundJewishtraditionmeaningful,andchildrenwhowerebeingraisedwith
Jewishtropes.
Foragenerationofchildren,thePicklesfamilyrepresentsthefirstJewishfamily
thatwascreatedasatelevisioncartoonjustforthem.However,somemightarguetheterm
“Jewishfamily”isbeingusedloosely.Tommyandhisfamilydonotexclusivelycelebrate
PassoverandHanukkah,whichisshowcasedinanotherspecialayearlater.Aseasonprior
toexperiencing“ARugratsPassover”viewerswereabletoenjoyanepisodetitled“The
SantaExperience”inwhichTommyandhisfamilycelebrateChristmas.Althoughthefamily
neverspecificallyclassifiesitself,thenormalJewishdiscoursewouldlabelthePicklesasan
interfaithfamily,orrefertoTommyasaproductofintermarriage.Didi,Tommy’smother,is
thedaughterofJewish-Russianimmigrants,andStu,Tommy’sfather,isatypicalAmerican
manwhoenjoyscelebratingChristmas,yetisnotillustratedaspartakinginany
particularlyreligiousaspectsofChristianity.
InapresentationatBrandeisUniversityaboutSylviaBarakFishman’sworkDouble
orNothing:JewishFamiliesandMixedMarriageJoyceAntlerpostulated,thatahuge
percentageofJewishindividualsportrayedontelevisioninthe1990swerepartofan
intermarriage.“Duringthe1990s,”Antlerstated,“theincidenceofintermarriageon
television,Iwouldguess,wouldbe95,97,or98percent.”7Aviewerfamiliarwiththe
popularTVshowsofthe1990swouldhavenoproblemagreeingwiththisestimate.
Friends,DharmaandGreg,TheNanny,andMadAboutYouarejustafewexamplesof90’s
hitswhichfocusedoninterfaithJewishcouples.WithsuchaninfluxofJewishintermarriage7Antler,Joyce."DoubleorNothing:JewishFamiliesandMixedMarriage”BrandeisUniversity.Waltham,MA.25April2004.
6
portrayedontelevisioninthedecadeitissurprisingthattherealityofAmericanJewish
intermarriagedidnotquitematch.Antler’sestimateoftelevisionintermarriagesproduces
amuchlargerpercentagethanwasreportedfortheactualAmericanJewishcommunityin
theNationalJewishPopulationStudy(NJPS)1990,whichdeterminedthat52%8ofJewish
bornindividualsweremarriedtoagentile.9Tenyearslater,NJPS2000providedregional
ratesofintermarriageinwhichtheydeterminedagreatdiscrepancybetweentheWest
coastandtheNortheast.Theydiscovereda42%intermarriagerateintheWest,while
notingonlya25%intermarriagerateintheNortheast.10Doesthegreaterprevalenceof
JewishintermarriageinWest,wheretheseshowsarecreated,explaintheprevalenceof
intermarriageonthescreen?Possibly.ThereisnodenyingthattherepresentationofJews
ontelevisionduringthisperioddidnotapplytoallJewishfamiliesandindividuals,
however,thisprevalenceofintermarriedcouplesontelevisionrepresentanincreasein
reallifeintermarriage,andagenerationalshiftinopinionsofthesetypesofunions.
In1973,ashowwhichdepictedJewishintermarriage,BridgetLovesBernie,became
thehighestratedshowinthehistoryoftelevisiontobecanceled.Bombanddeaththreats
totheshow’scast,crewandnetwork,allegedlyfromiratemembersoftheOrthodoxJewish
community,werepartoftheimpetustothisdecision.Inhisbook,TheJewsofPrimeTime
DavidZurawikclaimsthatthereis,“someconsensusthatthereasontheserieswasso
offensivetosomeJewishgroupswasthatitmadeintermarriagelooktooeasy.”11Roughly
8Thispercentagerepresentsastarkdifferencetothe17%recordedin1970.9Kosmin,BarryA.,SidneyGoldstein,JosephWaksberg,NavaLerer,ArielaKeysar,JefferyScheckner(1990).TheNationalJewishPopulationSurvey1990.10Kotler-Berkowitz,Laurence,StevenM.Cohen,JonathonAment,VivianKlaff,FrankMott,andDanyellePeckerman-Neuman.(2004).TheNationalJewishPopulationSurvey2000-01:Strength,challengeanddiversityintheAmericanJewishpopulation.11Zurawik,David.TheJewsofPrimeTime.Lebanon:UniversityPressofNewEngland,2003.
7
twentyyearslater,Rugratswasembraceddespiteitscontextofintermarriage.Its
impressiveportrayalofJewishthemesandcharacterspresentedanimportanteducational
opportunityforJewishandnon-Jewishfamiliesalike.Thefunandinteractiveexplanation
ofholidayswassomethingJewishchildrencouldusetoreinforcetheirunderstandingof
theirfamilies’traditions,andalsoenableanon-Jewishchildtousetoconnecttotheir
Jewishbestfriend.MichaelBell,whovoicedBoris,reportedduringaninterview,“We
presentedtheHanukkahshowtoanOrthodoxsynagogueandtheylovedit.Theyroared
andcheered.”12Howisthispossible?HowdidashowaboutaJewishinterfaithfamily
targetedatchildrengetpraisefromtheentirespectrumofJewishaudiences?
HowaccuratelydoesRugratspresentJewishthemesandrituals?Doestheshowcall
forassimilation?DoesitignoreimportantaspectsofJewishnessordumbthemdownfor
effect?InmyexperienceIhaveseensupplementaryJewishschoolsuse“ARugrats
Chanukah”and“ARugratsPassover”aseducationaltoolstotellthestoryoftheholidays.
Yet,theseinstitutionshavetypicallyignoredthethemesandmentionsoftheunique
makeupofthisfamily.Howdoesthisaddedlayeraffectthesignificanceandhistorical
perspectiveoftheseepisodes?Howdochildrenofintermarriageandin-marriagereactto
Rugrats?Dotheydosodifferently,oristhereasimilarresponse?IstheJewishmessageof
RugratsonethattheJewishcommunitywantsportrayedorwouldratherforget?Does
Rugratshaveapositive,lasting,andpowerfulimpactonthosewhowatchedit?
Aftercompletingmyresearch,Ianswerthislastquestionwitharesounding“Yes.”
Ofthetwenty-fiveinterviewsIconductedabouttheparticipants’relationshipwith
televisionandtheirJewishidentity,allbutthreerespondentsnotedRugratsasanexample12Klickstein,Mathew.Slimed!AnOralHistoryofNickelodeon’sGoldenAge.NewYork:PenguinGroup,2013.
8
ofJewishmediafromtheirchildhood.Non-coincidentallythesethreerespondentsallgrew
upinhomesthatdidnotsubscribetocabletelevisionandthereforedidnothaveaccessto
Nickelodeon,thechannelonwhichRugratsaired.Inaddition,myinterviewsshowedthat
halfoftheparticipantswereabletorecallminutedetailsfromtheJewishholidayspecials,
yetlittleabouttheeverydaylifeofthecharacters.Overwhelmingly,theintervieweesdid
notknowthatthePicklesfamilywasintermarried;theyonlyrecalledthefamilyasafun,
JewishclanthatactedasareprievefromtheChristmasfilledalternatives.Asaresultof
theseinterviewsandmytimespentanalyzingtheJewishnatureoftheshow,Iassertthat
Klasky,CsupoandGermain’screationportraysanauthentic1990’sJewishness,onethatis
richinmeaning,dependentontheinsistenceoftradition,andisonthe“ownterms”ofthe
individualsthatpracticeit.
Whatfollowsismysupportfortheseclaimsthatexistsintheformsofin-depth
culturalanalysisofkeyepisodes,characters,andthemes,aswellasthefindingsofmyin-
personinterviewscompletedwithchildrenwhowerebornorcameofageinthe
Nickelodeon“GoldenAge.”TheseparticipantsincludebothchildrenofJewishinmarried
families,andthosewhogrewupinintermarriedhouseholds.
Thistopic,althoughfunandofpersonalinteresttome,isalsosignificantfroma
practicalandpolicydrivenpointofview.AsmytitleimpliesIhopethisworkwillshow
educatorsandJewishleadersthattheyshouldn’t“closethedoor”onthenon-traditional
aspectsthatimpactachild’sJewishidentity.WhiletheRugratsmightseemlikeatrivial
topicinthisregard,myresearchhasshownthatthisexcellentanddynamicportrayalof
AmericanJewrycanleadtoprideandmeaningfortheyoungpeopleexposedtoit.Ihope
thatthisportrayal,andotherportrayalswhichsharethesameamountofnuanceand
9
knowledge,cancontinuetobeutilizedtoinspireyoungJewstotakeprideinthemselvesas
Jews,howeverthatisdefinedbythemselvesandtheirfamilies.
Isetouttocompleteamaster’sthesisthatwouldcombinemyinterestsinthe
cultureofthe1990’s,Jewishportrayalswithinpopculture,andtheinclusionofinterfaith
familieswithinthegreaterAmericanJewishcommunity.Ialsoembarkedonthisjourneyto
learnaboutmytopicandmyself,grow,andhavefunintheprocess.Whatfollowsis,onthe
onehand,theculminationofayearofhardworkanddetermination,andonanotheristhe
capstoneoftwenty-threeyearsself-reflectionanddiscovery.Ihopeyourreading
experienceisasenjoyableandfulfillingasmywritingprocess.
10
Chapter1:PuttingItAllinContext:TheWorldinWhichRugratsLives
Boris:Don'tclosethe...
(Doorcloses)
Boris:...door.13
ThemainlaughsofARugratsPassoverrevolvearoundthereoccurringjokeabove.
Afterachainofevents,whichwillbedescribedingreaterdetaillater,GrandpaBorisfinds
himselflockedintheattic.Jammedfromtheinside,yetworkingperfectlyfromtheoutside,
thedoorbecomesabarrierbetweentheoldRussian-Jewishimmigrantandtherestofhis
familyontheeveningofthePassoverSeder.Throughoutthenight,characterafter
characterfindshimorherselfjoiningGrandpaBorisintheattic.Asthecrowdintheattic
growslarger,andthechairsaroundthediningroomtablequicklyempty,itbecomes
apparentthatthereisamuchhappieratmosphereupstairsthenthereisdownstairs.
Ultimately,theepisodeendswiththeentirefamilysittingupstairsintheattic,lockedin
withnowhereelsetogo,listeningtoGrandpaBoristell,inacasualmanner,thestoryof
Passover.
Isthereasymbolicmessagewecantakefromthisexperience?Astheyattemptto
escapethetraditional,andasStuconstantcomplains,“boring,”14ritualofthePassover
Seder,thefamilymembersfindthemselveshappilyengagedinthestoryofPassover,a13Rugrats.“ARugratsPassover”April13,1995.14Ibid.
11
storythatthechildrenliterallyseethemselvesaspartof,whenitispresentedas“story
time”andnotattachedtotheritualofSeder.WhatdoesthissayaboutAmericanJudaism?
IsRugratspaintingthereligionanditspracticesinapositivelight?Orisitarguingfora
more“modern,”lessritualized,Americaninterpretation?Althoughitmightappearasifthis
“storytelling”approachisantitheticaltotraditionalritualpractice,itisactuallyin
accordancewiththecoremitzvahoftheholiday:“Youshalltellyourchildren[aboutthe
storyoftheExodusfromEgypt].”15ARugratsPassover,thefirstmajormentionofJudaism
withintheRugratsuniverse,isessentialtounderstandingthewayinwhichJudaism,and
religioningeneral,isportrayedtoitsyoungdemographicaudience.Thenextseveral
chapterswillexaminethecharacters,themes,andritualsastheyrelatetoJudaism.An
explorationofthetwoJewishthemedRugratsspecials,aChristmasspecial,anda
discussionoftheextentreligionisrelevantoutsideofthesethemedepisodes,willprovide
insightintothemainlessonsandobjectiveswhichcanbegleanedfromtheprogram.
Ofcourse,Rugratsdoesnotexistinavacuum.Beforewedelveintoa“close-
watching”ofthismaterial,wemustfirstunderstandthemanycontextsinwhichthispiece
offictionsits.ThischapterseekstounderstandtheintersectioninwhichRugratssitsby
exploringthefollowingquestions:(1)WhatwasthereligiousclimateofAmericainthe
1990’sandhowdiditdifferfrompreviousdecades?(2)WhatdidJewishaffiliationlook
likeinthisdecade?(3)HowdidtheJewishcommunityviewintermarriageatthetime?And
(4)HowwereotherTVshowsdepictingJewsandJewishthemes?Thenextfoursections
willanswerthesevitalquestions.
15ThiscommandmentcomesfromExodus12:8.
12
There’snoIinTeam:TheReligiousClimateof1990’sAmerica
In1998sociologistRobertWuthnowproducedanimportantstudyofreligiouslife
inAmerica.Inhisbook,AfterHeaven:SpiritualityinAmericaSincethe1950s,Wuthnow
concludesthat"habitationspirituality,"whichheargues“marksoutadefiniteplaceforGod
intheuniverseandnarratesasacredspacewherehumanstoocandwellandimpliesa
senseofbeingathome,”16nolongerhasamonopolyonthespiritualrearingofindividuals.
Instead,hebelievesithasgivenwaytoatimeinwhichthereisvastpersonalfreedom
allowedintheenvironmentofspiritualseeking.Ultimatelyhearguesthatthereligiousand
spiritualdiscourseoftheeraleanedmoretowardstheidealsofhumanismasopposedto
universalism.Peoplebegantofocusontheirownspiritualfulfillment,insteadoffocusing
ontraditionalreligiousritualsandorganization.
Infact,Wuthnowarguesthattheseinstitutionsarenotassuccessfulastheyonce
were.Hewrites,"Despiteevidencethatchurchesandsynagoguesare,onthesurface,faring
well,thedeepermeaningofspiritualityseemstobemovinginanewdirectioninresponse
tochangesinU.S.culture…[leaving]manyAmericansstrugglingtoinventnewlanguages
todescribetheirfaith."17
InhisbookRestlessSouls,scholarLeighSchmidtsimilarlyarguesthatthereare
manyalternativestothetraditionalchurchmodelforthoselookingtoengagethemselves
spiritually.FromyogaclassesandZenmeditation,toNew-Ageseminarsandholistic
workshops,theremanyoptionstoquenchone’sspiritualthirst.Hegoesasfarastoobserve
thatmanya1990’shousewifeconsultedOprahWinfreyastheirlife-guru.Hearguesthat
16Wuthnow,Robert.AfterHeaven:SpiritualityinAmericaSincethe1950s.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1998.17Ibid.
13
thistrendinspiritualityhasdeephistoricalantecedents,ashumanbeingsembarkon"a
searchforareligiousworldlargerthantheBritishProtestantinheritance."18
TheAmericanReligiousIdentificationSurveysof1990,2001,and2008conducted
byProfessorsBarryKosmin,EgonMayerandArielaKeysar,provideimportantinsightinto
thewayAmericansunderstoodtheirrelationshipwithreligioninthe1990s.The
researchersbelievethat,“Themostdramaticchangesinthebalanceofreligioussentiments
seemtohaveoccurredduringthe1990s.”19Threemainchangesfromthe1990survey
becameapparentoncetheybeganexaminingthe2001data:
“(a)theproportionofthepopulationthatcanbeclassifiedasChristianhasdeclinedfromeighty-sixin1990toseventy-sevenpercentin2001;(b)althoughthenumberofadultswhoclassifythemselvesinnon-Christianreligiousgroupshasincreasedfromabout5.8milliontoabout7.7million,theproportionofnon-Christianshasincreasedonlybyaverysmallamount–from3.3%toabout3.7%;(c)thegreatestincreaseinabsoluteaswellasinpercentagetermshasbeenamongthoseadultswhodonotsubscribetoanyreligiousidentification;theirnumberhasmorethandoubledfrom14.3millionin1990to29.4millionin2001;theirproportionhasgrownfromjusteightpercentofthetotalin1990tooverfourteenpercentin2001.”20
Overall,thefindingsshowadecreaseinthereligiousnatureoftheUnitedStates,with
fewerAmericansreportingthemselvesasbeingChristianoraffiliatingwithreligionin
general.
Thisdeclineseemstohavehadanimpactonthechildrenofthisgeneration.A
surveycompletedbythePEWResearchCenterin2013establishedthat“Nine-in-ten
MillennialssaytheytakepartinChristmas,butonlyfour-in-tensaytheydosomainlyasa
18Schmidt,LeighEric.RestlessSouls:TheMakingofAmericanSpirituality.SanFrancisco:HarperSanFrancisco,2005.Print.19Kosmin,Barry,EgonMeyer,ArielaKeysar(2001).“AmericanReligiousIdentificationSurvey2001.”20Ibid.
14
religiousholiday.”21TheseMillennials,thosewhogrewupprimarilyinthe1990s,have
redefinednotonlywhatitmeanstobeofareligiousfaith,butalsowhatholidayssymbolize
andcommemorate.
AttheCornerofJewishandAmerican:UnderstandingAmericanJewry
Unsurprisingly,theAmericanJewishcommunityofthetimeperiodwasalsoaffected
bythistransitioninspirituallife.InreferringdirectlytotheJewishcommunity,the2001
ARISsurveyfoundthattheJewishadultpopulationthatidentifieswithJudaismasa
religionrepresent“53%ofalladultswhocanbeclassifiedasJewish.Theremaining47%of
thetotalconsistedofadultswhoindicatedtheyareofJewishparentageorwereraised
JewishorconsideredthemselvesJewishforsomeotherreason.”22TheemphasisonJewish
communallife,whichhaddefinedthecommunityforsomanyyears,hadreceded.The
1990sboreagenerationofchildrenwhodidnotknowaworldinwhichJewrywasnot
deeplyintegratedintoAmericansociety.Thisisnotsurprisinghistorically,asAmerican
JewishhistorianJonathanSarnapointsoutinhisbookAmericanJudaism.Hearguesthat
thesocialupheavalsofthe1960s,thedecreaseinantisemitism,andthedeclineof
segregatedneighborhoodsallowedforJewishindividualstobegreaterexposedtothe
Americanidealofindividualism.23
Thisdesireforanindividualandhumanistlifestyleledtomanychangesinsome
sectorsoftheAmericanJewishcommunity.Asdiscussedintheintroduction,the
intermarriageratehadrisenrapidlyinthe1970sand1980s,andthestudieslikewisenoted
21Smith,GregoryA,ConradHackett,CaryFunk,NehaSahgal(2013).“APortraitofJewishAmericans”22Kosmin,Barry,EgonMeyer,ArielaKeysar(2001).“AmericanReligiousIdentificationSurvey2001.”23Sarna,JonathanD.AmericanJudaism:AHistory.NewHaven:YaleUP,2004.Print.
15
adeclineinJewishpractice.NJPS1990revealedthat“justoverhalfofBornJewswho
marriedatanyage,whetherforthefirsttimeornot,choseaspousewhowasborna
Gentileandhasremainedso.”24The1980srepresentedatimeinwhichmanyAmericans
understoodtheirJewishnessasonesegmentofalarger,multi-facetedidentity.This
conceptonlyincreasedinpopularityinthe1990s,asspiritualityandmoralbehavior
increasinglybecameasessentialtoonesmotivationsastheirdesiretopreservecontinuity
oftheJewishcultureandbloodline.
JewsinGlassHouses:AttitudesTowardsIntermarriage
TomanyJewishscholarsandcommunityleadersofthe1990s,newsoftheNJPS
surveyfindingsweredishearteningandconcerning.Fearsurroundedtheideaofrising
intermarriagerates,whichcouldultimatelyleadtofewerJewishindividuals.Tothe
ConservativeandOrthodoxmovements,therewasnoroomforintermarriagewithinthe
Jewishsphere.In1989aquestionwasproposedtotheCommitteeonJewishLawand
Standards,thehalachic25,Jewishlegal,decision-makingarmoftheConservativemovement,
askingwhetherornotcongratulationscouldbemadepublicforintermarriedcouples
gettingmarriedorhavingababy.Theanswerwasaresounding“no”inwhichRabbiJerome
Epsteinruled,“SinceitistheofficialpolicyoftheConservativemovementanditsarms
includingtheRabbinicalAssemblyandtheUnitedSynagogueofConservativeJudaismto
discourageintermarriageandtotakestepstopreventit,itisimportantthatnoaction,
24Kosmin,BarryA.,SidneyGoldstein,JosephWaksberg,NavaLerer,ArielaKeysar,JefferyScheckner(1990).TheNationalJewishPopulationSurvey1990.25ThetermhalachareferstoJewishlaw.Here,thetermhalachicdirectlyreferstotheJewishlegalprocess,onethatdirectlyimpactsthewayinwhichcertainJewishindividualslivetheirdailylife.
16
whatsoever,beinitiatedthatwouldimplytheremovalofthesanction,achangingofthe
normorawillingnesstocondoneintermarriages.”26
ThatisnottosaythatallJewishinstitutionswereasfranticovertheintermarriage
rate.Somecommunitiesstrivedtoincludenon-Jewishspouses,suchastheReformand
Reconstructionistmovements,which,asSarnapointsout,resultedinnewheightsforthe
Reformmovement.“Forthefirsttimeinmorethanacentury,Reforminthe1990s
constitutedthelargestreligiousmovementinAmericanJewry.”27Whethertheir
motivationscamefromatruebeliefininclusion,orfromapracticalreasoningforkeeping
theirpopulationengaged,thesecommunitiesfounditpossibletoretainmembersthat
mighthaveotherwiseturnedawayfromtheirJudaism.
InherbookJewishonTheirOwnTerms,JenniferA.Thompsonbrilliantlyarguesthat
theissuesthattheAmericanJewishcommunityassignstointermarriedcouplesare
projectionsoftheirownfears.28Shewrites,“IntermarriedJewsserveasymbolicfunction,
allowingAmericanJewstodiscusstheiranxietiesaboutaperceivedlossofJewish
distinctivenessamidtheirsuccessinassimilatingintoAmericanculture.Byprojecting
theseanxietiesontointermarriedJews,otherAmericanJewscanexpressthemwithout
havingtorecognizethattheyfacethesamechallengesthemselves.”29Thisargument
emphasizestheanimositysometimesexpressedtowardstheJewswhointermarried,as
26Epstein,Jerome.“CongratulationstoMixedMarriageFamilies”CommitteeonJewishLawandStandards,1989.27Sarna,JonathanD.AmericanJudaism:AHistory.NewHaven:YaleUP,2004.Print.28Thompson,Jennifer.JewishonTheirOwnTerms.NewBrunswick:RutgersUniversityPress,2014.29Ibid.
17
wellastheover-archingthemeoffearofassimilation,whichThompsonargueshasonly
grownsincethebeginningofthetwenty-firstcentury.30
TheOtherJewsGracingtheSmallScreen
RugratswasdefinitelynottheonlyshowwithJewishcharactersinthe1990’s.In
fact,VincentBrook,authorofSomethingAin’tKosherHere:TheRiseofthe“Jewish”Sitcom,
claimsthatwithinthetimeperiodof1989-2001“thirty-threesitcomswithJewish
protagonistsmadetheirwayontoAmerican’stelevisionsscreens.”31Hestudieshitssuchas
Seinfeld,Friends,andWillandGrace,whilealsoacknowledginglesser-knownseriessuchas
StateofGrace,Clueless,andtheshortlivedPrincesses.
Almostallofthesethirty-threerepresentationsofJudaismtackletheideaof
intermarriageinsomeway.ShowssuchasMadAboutYou,TheNanny,andDharmaand
GregrepresentcorecouplesinwhichoneparticipantisJewishandoneisnot,whileothers
suchasFriendsonlybringupthetopicofreligioninrelevantsituationssuchasthewinter
holidays.Althoughsomemightarguethatasitcomisastrangeplacetodelveintosuch
serioustopicsasintermarriageandreligiousexpression,Brook’sargumentthatitis
actuallyanaturalfit.Hedescribessitcomsas“anidealwayofpresentingunpopularor
controversialpoliticalideas,sinceyoucansneakupontheaudienceandeducatethem
30Ibid.31Brook,Vincent.SomethingAin’tKosherHere:TheRiseofthe“Jewish”Sitcom.NewBrunswick:Rutgers,2003.
18
abouttheseideaswithouttheirnoticingit.”32From1989to2001,sitcomsconstantly
educatedaudiencesonthenuanceandawkwardnessofintermarriedfamilylife,andthe
intricaciesofJewishlifeingeneral.
AsDavidZurawik,authorofTheJewsofPrimeTime,pointsout,someofthese
protagonistswerenotunambiguouslyJewish,yettheyportrayedtheircharactersinaway
thatappearedJewish.33ZurawikspecificallypointstoPaulBuchmanofMadAboutYou,
statingthattheactor,PaulReiser,“played”hischaracterveryJewish,yettherewasnever
anydirectdiscussionofhisfaith,evenwhenhegetsmarriedtohis“shikzagoddess”34and
hasachildwithher.35Thisideaof“actingJewish”ispresentthroughoutthehistoryofTV,
whichisnottoosurprising,asthepeopleinchargeoftheindustryonlyreallyknewtheir
ownlives,thelivesofAmericanJews.AsHenryBialwritesinhisbookActingJewish:
NegotiatingEthnicityontheAmericanStageandScreen,thereisprideinaviewerwhen
theybelievetheynoticeaJewishcharacter.Hepointsoutthetendencyforviewersto
attemptto“decodehiddenJewishidentity,”36apastimeheargues“isitselfasourceof
communityformationformanyAmericanJews.”37
MadAboutYouco-creatorDannyJacobsonstatesinaninterviewtoZurawikthatthe
decisiontocreatetheserieshadnothingtodowithadecisiontoexpressJudaismonthe
smallscreen,buttofollowatrendhehadseenworkinginHollywoodinwhichbigname
32Ibid.33Zurawik,David.TheJewsofPrimeTime.Lebanon:UniversityPressofNewEngland,2003.34Ashikzagoddessisatermusedtodescribenon-JewishwomenwhoexudecharacteristicsthatseenbyJewishmentobequintessentiallynon-Jewish.Thesecharacteristicsincludeblondehair,blueeyes,andademeanorthatstandsinoppositiontothestereotypicalunderstandingofaJewishmother.35Zurawik,David.TheJewsofPrimeTime.Lebanon:UniversityPressofNewEngland,2003.36Bial,Henry.ActingJewish:NegotiatingEthnicityontheAmericanStageandScreen.AnnArbor:TheUniversityofMichiganPress,2005.37Ibid.
19
comedianswerebeinggiventheirownsitcom.Jacobsonstates,“Televisionhasalwaysbeen
anindustryoftrendsthatway.Whenyougetonesuccess,youthengetmultiplesof
it…That’spartofwhatishappeninghere…Look,PaulReiserandmearebothJewish,we’re
bothfromNewYork,we’rebothmarried.Wesaid,‘Hey,let’sdoashowaboutthat’…We
justhappenedtobeJewish.”38
AstheinterviewwithJacobsonemphasizes,someshowsofthe1990’swerenot
specificallyaboutJews,butaboutpeople.SomeofthesepeoplehappenedtobeJewish,and
somehappenedtoexhibittheirJudaismdifferentlythanothers.Loudtalking,bargain
shopping,andintenseeatingportrayedFranDresher’sJudaism,whileJerrySeinfeld’s
Judaismshownthroughself-deprecatinghumorsmatteredwithYiddish.Justlikethe
Americanpublic,whichitwasrepresentingandcateringto,theJewsof1990’stelevision
wereindividualists,makingtheirspiritualdecisionsbasedonwhatworkedandproved
meaningfulforthem.
Thatbeingsaid,notallviewersembracetheabundanceofJewishcharactersonthe
smallscreen.ZurawikwritesaboutthosewhoseecharacterssuchasFranFineandJerry
Seinfeldas“tooJewish,”atermheclaims,“echoesalltooloudlyacrossthehistoryofJewish
charactersonnetworktelevisioninitsuse–mostoftenbyJewishprogrammersand
networkexecutives–asatooltodistort,disguise,oraltogethereliminatedepictionsof
JewishidentityfromAmericanprime-timetelevision.”39Wewillseetensionsamongstthe
creatorsofRugrats,theirnetwork,anditsviewers,whichmirrortheseconcerns.
38Zurawik,David.TheJewsofPrimeTime.Lebanon:UniversityPressofNewEngland,2003.39Ibid.
20
Chapter2:ARugratsPassover:LetMyPeopleLearnaboutPassover
Theplotof“ARugratsPassover”takesplaceentirelyinoneeveningasthetwo
Picklesfamilies,andtheFinsters(Tommy’sbestfriendChuckieandhisfather,Chaz)join
GrandpaBorisandGrandmaMinkaattheirhouseforthePassoverSeder.Howdothe
differentmembersofthePicklesfamilypreparethemselvesforthePassoverSeder?The
stereotypical40Jewishgrandparentsthattheyare,BorisandMinkaspendtheirtime
arguingintheirthick,EasternEuropeanaccentsabouttradition(cuetheFiddleronthe
Roofmusic).Whatisthisimportanttraditiontheyargueover?IsitapointofJewishlaw
(halacha)?Dotheydiscusstheorderoftheirdinnerproceedingsorwhatacertainitemon
theSederplaterepresents?No,insteadthemarriedcoupledisputesanissuethatisso
importantittakesrootswithintheirbelovedbirthplacesofSmolenskandVilna:wine
glasses.Eachofthemwantstousetheirparent’swineglassesforthePassoverSeder,and
MinkarefusestouseBoris’astheyaresmudgedfromoldage.Eventually,Borisproclaims,
“Ifyoudon’tdotheSedermyway,thenIwashmyhandsofthewholething!”41asheleaves
theroominahuff.UnbeknownsttoMinka,heisactuallygoinguptotheattictofindher
mother’swineglasses.
40Astereotypeisdefinedas“awidelyheldbutfixedandoversimplifiedimageorideaofaparticulartypeofpersonorthing.”Throughoutthisthesisthistermisusedtoemphasizethemomentsofoversimplificationofcertaingroupsofpeoplewiththeideainmindthatasachildren’sshowportrayedviacartoonimages,thismediumisinevitablygoingtoprovidesimplificationsforthebenefitofitsyoungaudience. 41Rugrats.“ARugratsPassover”April13,1995.
21
ThisscenesetstheexpectationthatBorisandMinkarepresentclassicJewish
stereotypes.Thewaytheyareillustratedisjustthebeginningofthisexpectation.Both
grandparentsaredrawntohavelargenoses,andaccentuatedaccentsandhandgestures.
Theydonotsimplyspeaktoeachother;insteadtheybickerastheygesticulatewithbroad
strokes.Thisepisodeislitteredwithquestionsandanswers,mostlikelytogiveuneducated
viewersanunderstandingoftheholidayandJudaismingeneral.Onetopicalquestion
comesfromMinkaduringthisargument.Exasperatedsheasksaquestionmanyviewers
mightbewondering:“SincewhenisspottyoldglassesapartofJewishtradition?”42Wecan
readthisquestionfordeeperunderstanding.Perhapsthisquestionwasincludedtoactasa
digatJudaism’sinsistencethateverythingisbasedontradition.Aswillbediscussedlater,
thereasoningforcelebratingPassoverisbasedintheideathatJewsneedtoremember
theirhistory,somethingthatJews“havebeendoing…forthousandsofyears.”43When
exactlydoessomethingactuallybecomeatradition?Andistraditionfortraditionsakea
goodenoughjustificationforanyargument?Aquestionofthisnatureprovidesentrypoints
forbiggerquestionsregardingrepresentationoftheJewishcommunityinabroader
discourse.
Twoadditionalopeningsequencesrevealthefeelingsoftheothercharacters
attendingthePassoverSeder.Thefirstconsistsofguestswhoarenotdirectlyrelatedto
BorisandMinka.AsAngelica,andherparents,CharlotteandDrew,drivetoBorisand
Minka’shousefortheSederthethreeyearoldspendshertimemakingmatzosintocrumbs
inthebackseat.Unfamiliarwiththefoodshecallsthemcrackers.Itisinterestingfor
viewerstoseethissegmentofthePicklesfamilymaketheirwaytothePassoverSeder,as42Ibid.43Ibid.
22
noneofthemareJewish.AngelicaandTommyarecousinsbecausetheirfathersare
brothers,andJudaismispartofTommy’sidentitybecausehismother,BorisandMinka’s
daughter,isJewish.WhenAngelicaquestionstheirmotivesforattendingthefollowing
conversationtakesplace:
Angelica:“Idon’tseewhywehavetogooverthereanyway,theyareTommy’sgrandparents,
notmine!”
Drew:Angelica,maybeyou’llhavefun.Passoverisaverymeaningfulholiday!
Angelica:AHoliday?!Aretherepresents?
Drew:Well…no.
Charlotte:Passoverisaboutsomethingmoreimportantthanpresents,it’saboutfreedom.
Angelica:Freedom?Youmeanlikewhenyoucandowhateveryouwantandnoonecantell
younotto?
Charlotte:Well…sortof.
Angelica:(Angelicabreaksupmatzocrumbsandthrowsthemaroundthecar)I’mfree!I’m
free!44
Thisexchangeisrichwithdeepermeaning.Asdiscussedearlier,theconversationis
riddledwithquestions,justasthePassoverSederis.Auniqueandessentialaspectof
Rugratsisthepointofviewfromwhichitcomes.ThecreatorsArleneKlasky,GaborCsupo,
andPaulGermainsetouttopresenttheworld“throughababy’seyes”andtheysucceeded
beyondmeasurewithRugrats.Asthisepisodecontinueson,themaindialogueand
adventureispresentedthroughthebabies’experiencesandtheirsearchforexcitement.
Angelica,actingasamediatorwhoisabletocommunicatewithboththebabiesandthe
44Ibid.
23
grownupprovidesimportantdynamicstoeachepisode.Here,asamemberoftheadult
world,butdefinitelynotaninsiderinit,shecanbeusedasanentrypointtoaskthe
importantquestionsthattheaudiencemightbewondering.
Herfirstquestionisaselfishone,butalsoextremelyastute.Whyissheonherway
tocelebrateaholidaythathasnodirectcorrelationtoherparentsortheirancestry?
Viewersofthisscenecouldarguethatherparentsarecompletelydismissingthequestion,
notaddressingitatall.If,likethem,weignorethisburningquestionwecansimplychalk
uptheanswertothatofplotexposition.ItisrarethatAngelicaisnotpresentinanepisode
ofRugratsassheactsastheshow’smainantagonistandistheinstigatorofmostplot
drivenaspects.IntheillustrationofGrandpaBoris’story,whichtakesplacelaterinthe
episode,sheistheobviousrepresentationofPharaohandthereforeneedstobepresentin
theepisodefromthebeginning.
However,ifwereaddeeper,perhapsthecreatorsaremakingastatementaboutthe
modernfamilydynamic.PerhapsCharlotteandDrewdoanswerAngelica’squestion.The
responsethatitmightbe“fun”andthattheholidayis“meaningful”couldbejustthereason
thePicklesfamilyisattendingtheevening’sactivities.InanAmericansocietywhichis
muchlesssegmentedbyreligionthanitmighthavebeenconsideredjustafewdecades
earlier,itispossiblethatDrewandCharlotteareopentoanymeaningfulexperiencethey
mightbeabletogiveAngelica.Astheygivenosignsinotherepisodesofbeingavery
religiousfamily,theycouldbeopentoprovidingtheirdaughterwithamyriadoflessons,
stressingmoralandintellectuallearningoverpersonalidentitybuilding.Thisisinteresting
asitpresentsasentimentwhichpreciselytheoppositeofthemodernJewishtrope,which
preachesthatJudaismisallaboutidentitybuilding.
24
AsAngelica’sconversationwithherparentscontinues,itbecomesapparentthatour
latterinterpretationcouldbecorrect.Angelicaimmediatelyequatestheword“holiday”
withtheword“presents”anddoesnotseemtounderstandwhenherparentstellherthat
therearenopresentsincludedinthecelebration.Here,wehaveablatantrepresentation
oftheAmericanvaluessystem.Evenasathreeyearold,Angelicaunderstandsaholidayas
anopportunitytobuysomethingorbegivensomething.Thismaterialisticunderstanding
ofcelebrationisrelativelyabsentfromJewishholidays.However,itisimportanttonote
thattoanextentDrewisincorrecttostatingthattherearenopresentsonPassover.He
dismissestheconceptofafikomenandthegiftsthateitherbelongstothefinderofthe
dessert,ortohiderwhostumpsthehost,dependingonyourfamilytradition.Ofcourse,
thisscavengerhuntversionofactivitieshasnotalwaysbeenapartofSeder,butinsteadan
elementaddedinbyAmericanfamiliestokeepchildrenentertainedthroughoutthelong
hours.ThisAmericanization45goeshandinhandwithAngelica’sassumptionsthatthere
shouldbesomethingfunforhertododuringthefamilygatheringthatshouldresultina
present.
WhenCharlottestepsintoassertthatthethemeoftheholiday,freedom,ismore
importantthanpresents,Angelicaonceagainautomaticallyinterpretsthe“meaning”tobe
onethatbenefitsher.Shedoesnotseefreedomasavaluethatgivesonedignity,butas
somethingthatallowshertobreaktherulesherparentsset.Assheflingsmatzocrumbsall
overthefamily’sminivanherparentssimplysighandgiveupanyattemptstocontroltheir
daughter,perhapsgivingintotheAmericanizationthatissoingrainedinher.
45Theterm“Americanization”herereferstotrendsdiscussedinChapter1,whichillustratetheimportanceofholidaycelebrationsasentitieswhichhavedecreasedinreligiousvaluebutfortheimpactontheindividual.
25
Asthisconversationisgoingon,ourprotagonist’sfamilyisalsomakingitsway
towardBorisandMinka’shouse.AsTommysitsinthebackseatwithalittlekippasituated
onhishead,theinfantlistensashisparentshavea“grownup”conversationinthefront
seat:
Stu:Deed,areyousurethiswholeceremony’sreallynecessary?It’ssoboring.
Didi:Passoverisn’tboring;itisaverymeaningfulholiday.
Stu:Wellifitissomeaningful,howcomethere’snopresents?
Didi:Stu,thePassoverSederisatimeforJewishfamiliestocometogetherandretellthe
historyoftheirpeople.Wehavebeendoingitforthousandsofyears.
Stu:Soundsboringtome.46
Itisbothcomicalandsignificantthatthesametropes,whichappearinthe
conversationbetweenathreeyearoldandherparents,appearinaconversationbetweena
husbandandwife.Onceagain,thistimefromaJewherself,welearnthatPassoverisa
meaningfulholiday(perhapsCharlotteisjustreiteratingwhatDidihadtoldheraboutthe
holiday?)andthatitisnotaboutpresents.Ofcoursetheviewerissupposedtolaughatthe
factthatStu,agrownman,iswhiningthatthisholidayispresent-less,butthereis
definitelyadeeperimplication.ThroughoutthecourseofRugrat’sten-yearrun,Stuisonly
seencelebratingChristmasandembracingDidi’straditionsofHanukkahandPassover.
WithoutevenamentionofEasteroranyotherChristianthemes,wecanobservethatStu’s
connectiontoChristmasismoresuperficialthanspiritual.Aninventorbytrade,helikes
big,flashydisplays,soitisnotsurprisingthatheembracesChristmasforallofitsover-the-
46Rugrats.“ARugratsPassover”April13,1995.
26
topdecorationsandcelebration.Tohim,justastothethree-year-oldAngelica,aholidayis
markedbythepresentsyouget,notthedeepermeaningitserves.
Theconstantuseoftheword“meaningful”throughoutthisepisodeisalmost
laughable.Itbecomesabuzzword,justlikeBorisandMinka’suseoftheword“tradition”.
TwopopularjustificationsusedwithintheJewishcommunityarethatoftraditionand
meaning,twotermsthatcomeupwithinthefirsttwominutesofARugratsPassover.The
writersusethesetermsasbroad,overarchingthemes,whichtheyapplytomanydifferent
situations.Isn’tmeaninganextremelypersonalthing?Doesn’ttraditionvarygreatly
betweendifferentcommunities,families,andgenerations?Itisunclearifthewritersare
makingaspecificstatementabouttheseconcepts,oriftheyarejustusingstereotypesfrom
theirupbringings,buttheycertainlydoembracetheconstantrepetitionoftheseideas.
Astheepisodecontinueson,thetwoPicklesbrothersandtheirfamiliesarriveat
BorisandMinka’stofindBorismissingandMinkahysterical,thinkingthathehasranaway
fromheraftertheirfight.Tommy’sbestfriendChuckieandhisfatherChazalsoarrivefor
theSeder.Chazgreetsthefamilybysaying, “ItwasveryniceofyoutoincludeChuckieandI
inthefestivitiestonight.WerenotreallyJewishyouknow,wellwearen’treally
anything.”47Thescenedoesn’tshowanyoneelse’sreactiontothecomment,justChaz
smilingbroadlybeforetheycutawaytothekidsintheotherroom.Chaz’scommentabout
notbeing“reallyanything”isaninterestingcounterparttothereligiousexpressionofthe
Picklesfamilythroughouttherestoftheepisode.ItisimportanttonotethatChuckie’s
motherwasneverportrayedonRugrats,butismentioned,especiallyinatouching
Mother’sDayepisodeandtheviewersareawarethatshehaspassedaway.Perhapsthere
47Ibid.
27
isasignificantstatementbeingmentionedhereaboutreligiousdescentandthematrilineal
line.Historically,evenoutsideoftheJewishfaithwherethemotherhastraditionally
determinedJewishness,religionisknownasaconstructofhomelife,somethingthatis
greatlyimpactedbythematernalfigure.However,regardlessofthewayinwhichChazand
Chuckiearenotreligiouslyaffiliated,itisimportanttonotethatthePicklesincludedthem
regardless.ThewritersseemtobeinvitingChazintothisreligiouscelebrationjustasthey
areinvitingtheirnon-Jewishviewerstoit.JustbecauseyouarenotJewishdoesnotmean
youcannotenjoythisfunepisodeofTV.
AsChaz’squestionsaboutBoris’whereaboutsbringbackemotionalmomentsfor
Minka,StuwishestheSederwilljustbecanceled.Muchtohischagrin,theydecidetogo
alongwiththeSedereveninBoris’absence,leavingStutoleadtheproceedings.Thisis
fascinating,asStuisnotJewish,andhasnorealknowledgeoftheholiday.Interestingly,in
Boris’absence,theonlyhalachicallyJewishindividualsinthehouseareDidi,Minka,and
babyTommy.AlthoughthefamilygivesoffnosignsofbeingOrthodoxJews,andtherefore
feelinglegallyboundtotheideaofamanactingastheheadoftheceremony,theideaof
DidiorMinkaleadingtheSederisnotevensuggested.Thisclassicalrepresentationof
traditionalgenderroles--prohibitingawomanfromleadingareligiousservice--is
astounding,anddefinitelyhasanimplicationinregardstothecomplicatedrelationship
betweentraditionalJudaismandwomen.
Genderisalsoafactorinaninterestingjuxtapositionbetweentwoofthecharacters.
AmongstallofthecharactersthereisnodisparityasgreatasthatbetweenCharlotteand
Minka.CharlotteisDrew’swifewhoisnotonlytallandblonde,butapowerful
businesswoman.Throughouttheseries,sheisalmostneverdepictedaswearinganything
28
otherthanabusinesssuit,andconstantlyhashercellphoneinhand,usuallyattemptingto
createsomesortofdeal.Minka,ontheotherhand,representsacompletelydifferenttype
ofwoman.Deeplyrootedinherimmigrantpast,sherepresentsthestereotypicalwomanof
hertimeperiod.WithBorisgonesheishysterical,consistentlybreakingdownintotears
whenevershehearshisname.Rippedofpurposewhileherhusbandisgone,shedistracts
herselfwiththeonlyactivitysheisconfidentin:cookingforthefamily.Thisjuxtapositionis
justanotheriterationoftheconflictbetweentraditionandmoderninterpretations.Minka
representstraditionandtheoldwayoflife,andCharlotteboldlyportraysa1990’s
businesswoman.
AsMinkafinishesmakingdinner,andCharlotteattemptstofinalizeadealoverthe
phone,thebabiesbegintogetrecklessandgosearchingfortoystoplaywith.AsAngelica
joinsthem,theymaketheirwayuptothe“attict”theirmisrepresentationoftheword
“attic”tofindsometoystoplaywith.GrandpaBorisisexcitedtoseethekinderlachand
warnsAngelicanottoclosethedoor,rightassheslamsitshut.Thusisthefirstiterationof
“don’tclosethe….door”whichrepeatsitselfthreemoretimesastheepisodecontinues.
Withnothingelsetodo,GrandpaBorisconvincesAngelicathatifsheletshimtellherthe
storyofPassover,shewilllearnthatPassoveris“thegreatestholidayintheworld.”
29
AsBorisbeginsthestory,Angelica,asisnaturalforhercharacter,becomes
enthralledwiththeideaofPharaohwhogetstoruleovertheland.AsGrandpaBoris
continuestotellthestory,theaudiencebeginstoseeintoAngelica’simagination,where
thestoryisunfoldingwiththecharactersofAngelicaandthebabiespresent.Angelica
portraysPharaoh,andTommy,asseenbelow,receivesthehonorofMoses.Tommy’sinfant
friendsactastheJewishslaves,andoldertoddlerslikeAngelicaaretheEgyptians.
AsthechildrenareengrossedinGrandpaBoris’story,theadultsdownstairsare
havingwaylessfunasStureadsdrylyfromthehaggadah48,“Thebitterherb,whydowe
eatit?”Didiconstantlychastiseshimforhisboredtone,andthemispronunciationof
words,suchasherb.Onebyone,theadultsleavetheroomwiththeexcusethattheyneed
48BookdepictingthePassoverstoryandritualofSeder.
Figure2.1Tommy'sMoses
30
tocheckonthechildren.Eventuallytheyfindthemselvesupintheattic,andclosethedoor
beforeGrandpaBoriscantellthemnotto.However,everyadultenjoystheirtimeupinthe
attic,astheygetinvolvedinthestory.
Minka,Didi,andStuaretheonlyadultsleftaroundthediningroomtablewhenthey
realizeeveryoneelsehasdisappeared.Theysearchforeveryoneandarriveintheatticto
findtheirfamilymembersgatheredaroundGrandpaBoris.Confused,Minkastartsasking
questions,butAngelicashushesher,asshewantstoheartheendofthestory.Ultimately,
Angelica,whohadnodesiretoattendtheSeder,findsherselfthemostengrossedin
GrandpaBoris’story.“Whatagreatholiday”sheexclaimsasheconcludes.Didisuggests
thattheyallgodownstairstofinishtheSeder.“FinishtheSeder?”GrandpaBorisquestions,
“Ijusttoldtheentirestory,Isayweeat.”However,astheybegintomaketheirway
towardsthedoor,thewindblowsitshut.Allofthecharactersstareatitbeforetheydecide
tositdownandlistentoanotheroneofGrandpaBoris’story,thistimeitisalsoastorythat
takesplaceoverPassover,butitisthestoryofhowhisparentsmet.Asthecamerazooms
out,theFiddlerontheRoofmusicresumes.
ARugratsPassoverisanepisodeoftelevision,whichwillalwaysexistwithinthe
AmericanJewisheducationcannon.Asimpleinterpretation,theepisodedoesa
tremendousjoboftellingthecomplexstoryofPassovertochildren.Butthatisnotallthe
episodehastooffer.Thecomplexitiesofthisepisodeproviderichandinterestingmaterial
foranadultaudience.Thejuxtapositionofthefunstoryunfoldingintheattic,andthe
boringSederbeingheldonthefirstfloor,makeithardtoignorethedisparities.The
creatorsseemtobemakingastatementaboutthemeldingoftwogenerationsandpointsof
view.Itispossibletofindmeaningandfollowatraditionalthoughtprocess,whilealso
31
doingsomethinginadifferentwayorstyle.UltimatelyitisGrandpaBoris,whospendshis
openingsequencefightingfortradition,whocompletestheeveningfeelingasifthe
obligationofthenighthasbeenfulfillednowthathehastoldthefullstory,evenifitwasin
anon-traditionalmanner.ThefirstoftheJewishthemedepisodesofRugrats,ARugrats
Passover,providesanentrypointintoaninterestingandnuancedinterpretationofJudaism
inthesuburban90’slookedlike.
IfwegleanonelessonfromRugrat’sJewishdebut,itisdefinitelythatoneshouldnot
“closethe…door”whenitcomestoJewishhistory.Onametaphysicallevelthefactthatthis
episodewascreatedinthefirstplaceenforcesthisidea.BytellingthestoryofPassovertoa
wideaudienceonthemostpopularchannelforchildrentheyareemphasizingtheir
personalbeliefthatthisstoryisimportant.Ultimately,GrandpaBorisiscontentwithhis
Passovereveningoncehehaspresentedhisgrandchildandhisfriendswiththestoryofthe
ExodusfromEgypt.Thisepisodebeginswithanoldcouplebickeringabouttradition,and
bytheendoftheepisodeitappearsasifmaybethereisanewtraditionbeingformedfor
thefamily–onethatinvolvesaninformalSederexperience.Althoughitisneveraddressed
intheshow,itseemsprettyunrealisticthatthisfamilywilleverforgetthecrazyPassover
wheretheyendeduplockedintheattic.Thecreatorsseemtoimplyingthattradition,
althoughabuzzwordthatoftenreferstothepast,isactuallyfluidandpersonal.Whilethe
creatorspresentadrearyandblandSederexperiencewithanegativepictureofstringent
religiousritual,theyarestronglyendorsingthesignificanceofknowingyourhistoryand
passingitontothenextgenerationwithsomesortoftradition.
32
Chapter3-Judaism’sMostFamousHoliday:“YouHaveto‘Cha!’WhenYouSayIt”
SeasonfourofRugratspremieredonDecember4,1996,andfanscouldbreathe
easiernowthatthePicklesfamilysuccessfullymadeitoutoftheattic.Sincethepremiereof
ARugratsPassoverinAprilofthepreviousyearnonewepisodesoftheshowhadaired,but
rerunsrandailyonNickelodeon.Capitalizingontheratings,praises,andaward
nominationsthecreatorsreceivedforARugratsPassover,thefirstnewepisodereleased
aftermorethanayearwasincelebrationofyetanotherJewishholiday.ARugrats
Chanukah,muchlikeitspredecessor,ARugratsPassover,embedsthestoryofChanukah
intothelifeofourprotagonist,babyTommy.
Theepisodebeginswiththesoundsofachoirsinging“ChanukahOhChanukah”and
anoverlayofGrandmaMinka’svoiceasshetellsthestoryofatimewhentheJewsgot
alongwiththeirneighborstheGreeks.Theillustrationsshowtheexpansivestone
dwellingsofancientIsraelwhilebabies,hererepresentingJews,cohabitatenicelywith
toddlers,whorepresenttheGreeks.Thatis,untilanewKing,Antiochus,comestopower
andhismessengerdecrees,“Fromnowon,KingAntiochussaysyouhavetowearwhathe
wearsandreadwhathereads,youalsohavetoworshiphisgods.”49
Atfirstglance,thisdepictionofthehistorythroughtheimaginationofthebabiesis
simplyanimitationofthewaythePassoverepisodeispresented.Thisistrue,intermsof
formula,yetbytakingacloserlookintotheillustrationsanddialogueacarefulaudience49Rugrats.“ARugratsChanukah”December4,1996.
33
realizesanincreasedlevelofhumorandwordplay,whichisincludedtoattractanolder
andmoreJewishlyawareaudience.Theopeningsequenceisfilledwithjokesforanolder
audience,somerecognizablemainlybypeoplefamiliarwithJudaism.Otherjokesaremore
widelyaccessible.Forinstance,asthemessengerinformsTommyandChuckietheycan
onlyreadGreekbooks,hehandsthemabookwiththeword“Plato”writtenacrossitand
Chuckiegrowsexcited.“LookTommy!AwholebookaboutPlay-Doh!”50,mistakingthe
famousGreekphilosopherforthebelovedchildhoodtoythathadrecentlyincreasedin
popularityafterreceivingafaceliftin1991whenitwaspurchasedbyHasbro.Thelaughs
foradultskeepcomingwhenTommyinsiststoChuckiethattheymuststillreadthebanned
Torahbecauseitwasabookthattheir“forefathersread,andourfivefathersandour
sixfathers!”51Toaddtothecomediceffect,TommyandChuckie,bothwearingkippot52and
tallasim53,opentheTorahscrolltorevealpop-upbookversionsofthestoriesofNoah,
Jonah,and,withanothernodtotherecentPassoverepisode:Moses.
Theselittlejokesaregreatwaysofkeepingtheadultpopulationengagedinthe
children’sshow.TheyarealsolookingtoprovidesomelaughsthatonlytheJewishly
educatedwouldunderstand.Wemightthink:WhywouldtheytrytocatertotheJewish
elite?Wouldn’tthatbealienatingtotherestoftheirviewers,themajorityofwhichdonot
fitintothiscategory?Thesearefairquestions,onesthatthewritersseemtohave
considered,becausetheyhidtheirspecialjokesowell,thatmanylearnedJewsmighthave
evenmissedit.Infact,thebestjokeoftheentireepisodeisnotspoken,butpartofthe
backgroundillustrations.50Ibid.51Ibid.52Aritualheadcovering.53Aprayershawl.
34
Figure2.1aboveshowsasceneinwhichtwoofTommy’sbestfriends,PhilandLilembrace
thenewGreekculture,dressedinGreekgarbandgreetingoneanotherusingtheterm
“hail.”GrandmaMinka’svoice-overshares,“Somepeoplethoughtthisnewwayoflifewas
fine.”Theexchangeisrelativelyinconsequentialtothestory,yettoamemberoftheJewish
elite,theillustrationbehindthebabiesissubstantialandhumorous.Thestorefrontbehind
thetwin’sheadsreadsמוהל.AmohelisaJewishpersonwhoisqualifiedtoperformabrit
milah,aritualcircumcision.Hiddenundertheawning,totheleftsideofthescene,asmaller
signreads“CutRate.”Here,thesignprovidestwodifferentpurposes.Inoneway,itis
simplyinformative,lettingtheviewerknowthatthemohel’sbusinessisnotbeen
prosperousunderthenewGreekrule,forcinghimtolowerhisprices.Thisisnotan
unimportantpoint,infact,itexemplifiesthepointGrandmaMinkamakesaboutsome
peoplebelievingtheirnewwayoflifewasfine,theyhavenoproblemnotcircumcising
theirchildren.Butofcourse,the“cutrate”signisnotsimplythereforthissociological
Figure3.1MohelStorefront
35
extrapolation,butforacheaplaugh.Thedoubleentendrealludestothephysicalcutthatis
amohel’sjob.Letsbehonest,whatisfunniertoJewsthanacircumcisionjoke?However,it
isimportanttonote,onceagain,thatthisisajokeonlyaccessibletothoseabletoread
Hebrewandcognitivelyconnectthetwosigns.Theunderlyingjokeprovidesanotherboost
fortheJewisheliteintheirspecialconnectiontoRugrats.Here,ahitshow,onamajor
network,isgoingoutofitswaytonotsimplymakean“oyvey”or“schlep”joke,butajoke
specificallyforJewswhoaredeeplyengagedintheircultureandreligion.
AsGrandmaMinkacontinuestotellthestory,welearnthatTommyandChuckieget
introubleforreadingtheTorah,soaleaderemergestofightagainsttheGreeks.Judahthe
Maccabee,hereportrayedbyTommy,isdrawnholdingaswordandalargeshieldwitha
blueJewishstardesignedonit.AshegoesofftofacetheGreektroops,heraiseshissword
andshouts,“Amacca-baby’sgottado,whatamacca-baby’sgottado!”54Thislineisaslight
variationfromTommy’susualadventurecatchphrase,“Ababy’sgottado,whatababy’s
gottado!”AsGrandmaMinkacontinuestonarratethestory,speakingofthebattlesJudah
bravelyfoughtin,theillustrationslowlyshiftsfromTommyasJudahtoastillpictureofa
storybookwithanadultportrayalofthehero.AswehearDidicall,“Mom,canyoucome
helpmeinthekitchen?”55itbecomesapparentthatthestorytellingportionoftheepisode
hasconcluded,andwearenowseeingthePicklesfamilyintheirsuburbanhome.
AsDidi,GrandmaMinka,andGrandpaBorismaketheirwayintothekitchentofry
somelatkes,Angelicaisecstatictohavethemgone.“UGH!Finally!”sheexclaimstothefour
babies,“NowIcanwatchmyChristmasspecialinpeace!”56AssherunsofftofindtheTV
54Rugrats.“ARugratsChanukah”December4,1996.55Ibid.56Ibid.
36
remote,theviewerisredirectedtothekitchen,whereChaz,Chuckie’sdad,questionsthe
reasoningforlatkes.Didishareswithhim,“Wefrythese,andsometimesdonuts,toremind
usoftheoilusedinthemiracleofChanukah.”However,GrandpaBorishasanothermiracle
inmind,“Themiracleis,”hesayswithamouthfuloflatke,“thesethingshavecloggedour
people’sarteriesfortwothousandyears,yetwesurvive!”57Thejokeismetwithsmilesand
laughs,andtheaudienceisremindedofhis“oldcountry”humor.
Asthescenecontinues,GrandpaBorisonlybecomesincreasinglystereotypically
Jewish.WelearnthatGrandpaBorisistobeinaChanukahplayforseniorsatthe
synagoguelaterintheevening,andBorisisexcitedtoseeanewspaperarticleaboutthe
production,rememberingthathispicturewastakentoaccompanyit,asheisplaying
Judah.However,heisshockedandappalledtolearnthatShlomo,amanwhohehasknown,
andcompetedwith,sincehewasachildinRussia,ispicturedinstead.Shlomowhowascast
intheroleoftheGreekKingAntiocusintheplay,hasapparentlyalwaystriedto“one-up”
Boris.Gesticulatingwildly,theoldmanrantsinhisheavyaccent,“Icaughtasmelt,he
caughtasturgeon.Icaughtacold,hecaughtthepneumonia,Istartafamily,hestartshis
fancy,shmancybusiness!”58Then,underhisbreathheexhales,“gonif”andpouts.Similarly
tothemoheljoke,theinclusionofthetermYiddishgonifisajokefortheJewishinsider.
UnlikethecommonplaceYiddishlike“oy”ittakessomeonemorefamiliarwiththeJewish
vernaculartorecognizethatheisreferringtoShlomoasdishonestorathief.GrandpaBoris
responsetoShlomo’spicture,althoughcomical,isalsoessentialtotheplotoftheepisode.
Notonlydowelearnthatthereisagreatdealofhistorybetweenthemen,wealsolearn
thatunlikeBoriswhostartedafamily,Shlomoinsteadstartedabusiness.Thisisadynamic57Ibid.58Ibid.
37
thatwillbeexploredinmoredetaillater.Beforethesceneinthekitchencomestoaclose,
wehearofyetanotherexplanationofwhataChanukahmiraclecouldbe,asGrandma
Minkaexclaims,“IfShlomoandBorismakeitthroughtonight’sperformancewithoutkilling
eachother,thatwillbethemiracleofChanukah!”59
Ourfocusthenchangesbacktothebabiesinthelivingroom.Lefttotheirown
devices,Tommy,Chuckie,PhilandLileatchocolategelt60andwonderwhytheirdriedels61
don’ttastelikeclay.Butthatisnotallthebabiesareconfusedabout.Theycannot
understandwhytheyareabouttobeservedpancakesfordinner,andaremesmerizedby
thechannukiah62andthemanylightsitgivesoff.Staringatthegrandcandleholderthe
childrenengageinthefollowingconversation:
Lil:Whatisit?
Tommy:Idon’tknow,buteverynightIhavetowearafunnyhatwhileGrandpaBorissays
somestuffIdon’tunderstandandMomlightsanothercandle.
Chuckie:Soundsscary!
Tommy:Yeah,butthenIgetapresent!
Lil:Maybeit’syourbirfday!
Tommy:Everynight?
Phil:Maybetheyarehavingallyourbirfdaysatthesametime.
Lil:Yeah,maybeyou’reallgrowedupnowandyougotstogetajob!
Tommy:(lookingdownathisbody)Idon’tfeelgrowedup.
Lil:Well,makeawishandletsblowthemout!59Ibid.60Coins,herereferringtothecandyversion,madeofchocolateandwrappedingoldcoloredfoil.61SpinningtopsusedinthecentralgameofChaunkah62Aspecial,ritual,candleholderforChanukahwhichholdsninecandles.
38
ThebabiesthentrytoliftTommyupsohecanblowoutthecandles,whicharesituatedon
topoftheentertainmentcenter.Theirattempttogettothecandlesblockedtheviewofthe
TV,andAngelicawhohasjustfoundtheremotejoinstheconversation:
Angelica:Outofmywayyoustupidbabies!
Chuckie:HeyAngelica,benice,itsTommy’sbirfday.
Lil:Yeah,wewereblowingouthiscandles.
Angelica:Dumbbabies!Thosecandlesaren’tforTommy’sbirthday.ThoseareforCha-nukah!
(Thecamerazoomsinonherfaceassheaccentuatesthefirstsyllableandnotablyspitsalong
withit)
Tommy:Harmonica?
Angelica:Cha-nukah!Youhaveto‘Cha!’whenyousayit!
(Eachofthebabiestaketurnspracticingthe‘cha’andweseespitflyfromtheirmouths)
Chuckie:Angelica,what’sChanukah?(hesuccessfullypronouncesthechasound)
Angelica:ChanukahisthatspecialtimeofyearbetweenChristmasandmisgivingwhenallof
thebestestholidayshowsareonTV.Nowgetoutofmyway,itsalmosttimeforTheCynthia
ChristmasExtravaganzaSpecial!63
Therearemanyaspectsofthisscenethatdeserveacloserreading.Firstofall,itis
importanttonotethatTommy’stwinfriends,PhilandLil,jointhePicklesforthe
celebrationofChanukah.Althoughthetwinsarepresentintheimaginaryportrayalofthe
PassoverstorywithinthelastRugratsspecial,theyarenotatBorisandMinka’shousefor
theSeder.WhyaretheyincludedintheEgyptstorybutnotforthefamilyritual?That
questionisnotaddressedintheepisode,butthefactthattheyarepresentforChanukahis63Rugrats.“ARugratsChanukah”December4,1996.
39
telling.Chanukah,amuchlessrituallystringentholiday,mightbesomethingthetwin’s
parentsarehappytohavethemtakepartin.ThePicklesarespendingtheevening
celebratingChanukahbyeatinglatkesandvisitingacarnivalandplayatthesynagogue.
ObjectivelythisexperienceismorefunthanthetraditionalPassoverSeder.Perhapsthe
presenceofthetwinsimpliesalighterandlessseriousholiday.Overall,thisinterpretation
isnotincorrect.FromatraditionalJewishstandpoint,Passoverisasubstantiallymore
significantdateontheJewishcalendar,beingoneofthethreepilgrimagefestivalsinthe
Templetimeperiod,whereasChanukahonlytookitscurrentformonceJewsimmigratedto
AmericaandbecameoverwhelmedbytheattentionChristmasreceived.Thisideaof
Americanizationisprominentthroughouttheconversationsthechildrenhave.Although
comical,itisnotentirelyunrealisticthatthebabiesthinkitisTommy’sbirthday.Allofthe
signsarethere:funnyhats,candles,specialdinners,andpresents.Itisonlysincethemid
19thcenturythatChanukahhasincorporatedgiftgivingasakeyaspect,inordertomake
JewishchildrenfeelbetteraboutnotbeingabletocelebrateChristmas,whichhadbecome
acommercializedandconsumerizedholiday.
TheuniquerelationshipsChanukahandChristmasshareisseenthroughoutthe
entireepisodeandisbestexemplifiedthroughAngelica’sdefinitionofChanukahas,“that
timebetween‘misgiving’andChristmaswhenallofthebestTVspecialsareon.”Asthe
episodeprogresses,AngelicawillremaindeterminedtowatchherfavoriteChristmas
specials,althoughsheisforcedtogotothesynagogueandspendtimewithherJewish
familymembers.Thisplotpointisjustoneexampleofhowthewritershighlightthe
interfaithaspectofthePicklesfamily.Unlikeothertelevisionshowsofthetimeperiod,they
donotallowtheinterminglingofthesetwocelebrationstobeoverlysimplified.Itis
40
throughAngelica’sinsistenceonacknowledgingChristmasthroughouttheChanukah
episodethatweareremindedthatthereareunderlyingissueswhenafamilydoesnothave
ahomogenousbackground.Furthermore,Angelica’sexplanationoftheholidayexemplifies
theinabilityforJewishfamilies,whoassociatewiththegreaterAmericanculture,toignore
Christmas.RegardlessofyourpracticeasaJew,youcannothelpbutnoticehowChanukah
isovershadowedbythegrandandwide-scalecelebrationsofChristmas.Finally,itis
importanttorecognizethatAngelica’sconstantmentionofChristmasspecialsisan
acknowledgementofthefactthatmediaduringthewintermonthsismonopolizedby
Christmas.BymakingitafocusoftheirChanukahepisode,theyareshowcasinghow
importantitisforthisepisodetoexistandprovideanalternativeforthechildrenwhodo
nothaveaChristmastreeoraspotonSanta’snaughtyornicelist.
Thereisalsoanessentiallinguisticlayertothisexchange,particularlyregardingthe
pronunciationofthe“cha”sound.Theattentionthewritersgivetothecorrect
pronunciationofChanukahiscomical,yettelling.Theguttural“ch”soundisanessential
partoftheHebrewlinguisticssystem,presentinawidearrayofcommonHebrewterms.
Angelica’sinstructionto“chawhenyousayit”isnotjustaninstructionforthebabies,itis
alsoalearningopportunityfornon-JewishaudiencesaroundtheUnitedStateswhoare
watchingthisepisode.KnowingthatthissoundisnotcommontotheEnglishvernacular,
thewritersusehumortointroducethesoundinanintentionalway,andcreateamore
invitingexperienceforthenon-Jewishaudience.
Thepresenceofintermarriageinthisepisodeisonceagainaddressedaswesee
Tommy’snon-JewishfatherandGrandfatherdowninthebasementworkingonalarge
menorahfortheChanukahplay.Stu,aninventor,isaddingmanyadditionalsoundsand
41
lightstotheelectricmenorah.Whenhisfather,Lou,askswhyhe’sgoingoverboardtoput
thistogetherStuanswers,“IwantTommytobeproudofhisheritage!Andbesides,Iwant
toshowDidiI’mreallysupportiveofChanukah.”IfwerememberfromthePassover
episode,StuwasnotnearlyasenthusiasticabouttakingpartintheSeder.Perhapshisnew
excitementforaJewishholidayisaresultofthedisappointmenthispreviousattitudegave
hiswife,orperhapshesimplyfindsChanukahtobemorefun.Regardless,hisactionsshow
thatheiscommittedtobeingasupportivefatherandhusband.However,hisgood
intentionsblowup,literally,inhisfaceasheattemptstoturnonthemenorah64andnot
onlyblowsafuseinthebasement,butcausesanexplosionandsmallfireheneedsto
extinguish.
Asthisishappening,Didiandherparentsarepreparingthechildrentoleaveforthe
synagogue,andcalldowntoStuandLoutoseeiftheyareready.AsStufranticallytriesto
putoutthefirehecallsup,“YougoonaheadDid,itneedsafewminoradjustments,I’ll
meetyouattheChurch!”Catchinghismistake,Loushoutsathisson,“It’sasynagogue,
Chanukahboy!”andSturesponsebyhittinghimselfintheheadandmumbling,“Right,
right.Iknewthat!”65Here,withStu’sFreudianslip,theinterfaithaspectisaccentuatedyet
again.ThedefaultplaceofworshipformostAmericanfamiliesisachurch,soStuwillhave
totrainhimselftousethewordsynagogueeffortlessly.Thisexchangeisespecially
interestingbecauseitappearsthatDididoesnothearthemixup,sowedonotknowwhat
typeofreactionitwouldhaveelicitedfromher.Wouldhisactions,orhiswordshavemore
significanceforher?Thisquestionisleftunanswered.64Aritualcandleholder,whichactuallyreferstoaholderofsevencandles,butiscommonlymisusedtorefertothehanukkiah,thenine-prongedholderspecificallyforChanukah.65Rugrats.“ARugratsChanukah”December4,1996.
42
TheplotmovesforwardastheyleaveforBethShalomJewishCenterandthe
childrenmisunderstandyetanotherrantbyGrandpaBorisandbelievethatherefersto
Shlomoasthe“meanieofChanukah”whenhewasreallypointingtohispictureand
complainingaboutthewaythemanisexplainingthemeaningofChanukahinthearticle
writtenabouttheplay.ThechildrendecidethattheyneedtoprotectGrandpaBorisfrom
the“meanieofChanukah”andvowtodosobydoingwhattheteacherdoestothe“meanie”
atdaycare:puthimdownforanap.Astheyarriveatthefair,itisfilledwithlatkes,driedels,
andfunphotoboothsandthebabieslookaroundexcitedlybeforeembarkingontheir
mission.Astheytrytofindthemeaniesotheycanputhimdownforanap,Angelicaisin
searchforaTVsoshecanwatchherChristmasspecials.Herjourneytakesherintothe
sanctuarywhereshemistakesthearkforanentertainmentcenterandhastoavoida
conversationwiththeRabbiabouttheimportanceofTorahlearning.Herinsistencetofind
abitofChristmas,eveninaroomfullofChanukahfunemphasizestheprominencethe
formerholidayhasoverthelatter.
Meanwhile,BorisandShlomohaveatenseencounterbackstage,andeveryone
wonderswhereStuiswiththemenorah.AsthewriterscuttoStuandLouinthecarwith
themenorahstrappedontop,Stucomplainsabouttheimmenseamountoftraffic.However
asthecamerapansoutwelearnthattheyhaveunknowinglyjoinedaChristmasparadeand
areinchingdownthestreet–yetanotherexampleofhowChristmasimpedesthe
celebrationofChanukah.
AttemptsbythebabiesandAngelicatofulfilltheirindividualgoalslandtheminthe
synagogue’sdaycarecenter,anxioustoescape.Asthebabiesexplainwhattheyare
attemptingtoAngelica,thedeviousgirl,convincesthemthatwhattheyreallyneedtomake
43
themeanienapisaTV,becausewheneverGrandpaLouwatchesTVhefallsasleep.Now
thatshehasthebabiesonhersideinattemptstofindaTV,theyclimbontopofone
anothertoescapethedaycareandfindajanitorsleepinginfrontofaportableTV.Asthey
grabitandmaketheirwaybacktotheauditorium,weseethattheplayhasnotgoneas
planned,andafightbetweenBorisandShlomohasgottenthemkickedoffthestage.The
twomenbickerbehindthecurtainasthechildrenarrivecarryingtheportableTV.They
begintofightoveritasTommytriestogiveittothemeaniesohewillnap,andAngelica
wantsitforherChristmasspecial.TheTVdropsandbreaks.Angelicabreaksdowninto
tearsandShlomodoesn’tknowwhattodotoconsoleher,tellingBorisheknowsnothing
aboutkidsbecauseheandhiswifewereneverabletohaveany,andthatheisjealousof
Borisforbeingabletostartafamily.HeturnstoBorisandadmitsthatheshouldhavelet
himhavetheroleoftheKingbecausehehas“notonetosharetraditionwithanyway.”66
Nowfeelingbadforhisoldfriend,BorisconvincesShlomotocheerupthekidsby
readingthemastory,thestoryofChanukah.Thescenethatfollowsmirrorsthemajorityof
the“RugratsPassover”episode,whereweseethestoryofaholidaybeingdirectly
transmittedfromonegenerationtoanother.Ashefinishesthestory,Shlomotakesouta
menorahtoexplaintothechildrenthetruemeaningbehindit.Ashebeginstolightthe
candlesheexplains,“Themenorahislikethenightlightofourpeople.Intimesofdarkness
itshinesonthewholeworld,remindingusnottobeafraidtobedifferentortobeproudof
whoweare.”67Here,thecreatorsmentioninpassingthehorrorsthathavebefallenthe
Jewishpeople.ItisonlyinAmericainthe1990s,andtheimmediatepastdecades,that
Shlomoisabletomakethisdeclaration.ThegenerationthatgrewupwatchingRugratsis66Ibid.67Ibid.
44
oneofthefirsttofeelcompletelyintegratedintoAmericansocietywithoutanyserious
concernsofpersecution.ThefactthatthislineisutteredonapopularTVshow,being
watchedbypeopleofallbackgrounds,ethnicities,andreligionsemphasizesthattheJewish
peoplehavefoundapositivehomein1990’sAmerica,andthechildrenwatchingitcanbe
proudofthisfact.
Asthisisallhappeningbehindthecurtain,infrontofitachoirsings“Chanukahoh
Chanukah,”untilStuarriveswiththebigmenorahandtheyarerushedoff.However,as
withmostofStu’sinventions,itstilldoesnotwork.Anothersmallexplosionitresultsit
pullsdownthecurtainandrevealsShlomo,Borisandthechildrensittingtogether.Inorder
tosavethemoment,Borisstandsupandbeginstotalkasiftheirrevealwasplanned.Itis
hewhohasthelinethatsumsupthepointoftheentireepisodeashespeaksdirectlytothe
playaudience,andsubsequentlytheviewersathome.“Andmayitbeoursincerest
Chanukahwishthatourkindelach68willcontinuetocarrythelightofourpeoplefor
generationstocome.”BoristhenputshisarmaroundShlomoasheperfectlychantsthe
blessingoverthecandles.Thisdirectsentimentfromthewriterssurroundingthe
importanceofthecontinuingoftheJewishpeopleforgenerationstocome,especiallyin
thisepisodesoriddledwithinterfaithaspects,isaddressingtheimperativeof
intermarriagenotbeingabarriertothegoal.AsStuiscommittedtoallowingTommytobe
proudofhisheritage,hedoeshisbesttosupporttheChanukahcelebration,insteadof
impedingit.Itappearsthattheepisodeseemstoacknowledgethatthereareagreatdealof
hurdlesforintermarriedfamilies,butthatdoesnotexcludethemfromtheultimategoal:
Jewishcontinuity.
68Yiddishwordfor“children”
45
TheepisodeconcludesasTommylooksupandseeshisGrandpaandthemeanie
gettingalongandexclaimstohisfriends,“It’samirable!”Withhismispronunciationofthe
wordmiracle,TommybecomesthelastoftheJewishcharacterstogivehisowndefinition
ofwhatthemiracleofChanukahis.ThefactthatallfourJewishcharactershadsomething
toshareonthematter,whethersillyortraditional,emphasizestherolethatmiraclesplay
inthecelebrationoftheholidayandtheabilityandprerogativeforallJewstointerpretthe
holidayanddefinetheholiday’spersonalandcommunalmeaning.Theepisodeprovides
thelingeringmessagethattherearemanymiraclesintheJewishhistory–includingsheer
survivalagainsttheodds--anditisimportantthatJewstakethislessontoheart.
46
Chapter4-TheSantaExperience:CanYouTellTheyAreInterfaith?
Aswehavejustexplored,“ARugratsChanukah”isinterspersedwiththepresenceof
Christmas.Knowingthis,itmightappearlogicalthattheChristmasthemedepisodeof
Rugratswouldfollowaseeminglysimilartrajectory.However,theonlyspecifically
Christmasbasedepisode,whichappearsmidwaythroughtheshow’ssecondseason,does
notrevealatallthatthePicklesfamilyisintermarried.Infact,throughouttheepisode,
thereisnomentionoftheJewishreligionatall.Theepisode,whichisnotcalledARugrats
Christmas,but“TheSantaExperience”focusesonbothPicklesfamilies(Tommyandhis
parentsandAngelicaandhers)andtheirdecisiontospendChristmasinacabininthe
woodswiththeFinsters(Chuckie’sfamily)andtheDevilles(PhilandLil’sfamily).Although
Lou,Tommy’snon-JewishgrandfatherispresentfortheChanukahepisodeinadditionto
Tommy’sJewishgrandparents,LouistheonlygrandparentintheChristmasspecial.
AlthoughTheSantaExperienceisaholidayspecial,itsharesveryfewsimilarities
withthespecialswehavediscussedthusfar.WhileweseeBethShalomJewishCenterin
theChanukahepisode,thereisnomentionofaplaceofworshipinthisChristmasepisode.
ThePicklesdonotgotoChurch,discussJesusorviewanativityscene.Thereareno
religiousritualsorcrossesorangels.Infact,thePickleshouseisnotevendecoratedfor
Christmasalthoughitisrevealedtheholidayisjustafewdaysaway.Itisnotuntilthey
arriveinacabininthewoodsthattheychopdownatreeanddecorateit.
47
Mostnotably,thisepisodediffersfromtheJewishholidayspecialinthefactthatit
doesnottellthestoryoftheholiday.Whereasthechildrenandtheaudiencelearnthe
storiesofChanukahandPassover,thisepisodedoesnotinformeitherpartyofthestoryof
Christmas.InsteadofhavingTommyportrayJesusandAngelicatheVirginMary,the
episodeincludesnomentionofanyhistoricorreligiousfigures.Insteadtheentireepisode
revolvesaroundtheexistenceofSanta,andhowtogetonesselfonhisnicelist.Tothe
Picklesfamily,Christmasisagreattimetobewithfamily,playinthesnow,andexchange
presents.Thenagain,thisshouldnotbesurprisingtous.Thisisthewaythattelevision
portrayedthenormativeChristianfamilyinthe1990s.
Thesamegoesforthelackofholidaystoryintheepisode.Becausethemajorityof
theAmericanpopulationcelebratesChristmasitdoesnotneedexplaining.Wedonotneed
TommyandhisfriendstoactoutthestoryofChristmasforus,becausetheaverage
Americaneitherknowsit,ordisregardsitsimplytopartakeinasecularcelebrationof
presents,family,andtogetherness.Perhapsitisunfairtocompare“TheSantaExperience”
to“ARugratsChanukah”and“ARugratsPassover”becausetheformerislessofaholiday
episodeandmoreofanexplorationofthewinterseason.Therefore,atransitiontothe
discussionofreligiousexpressionoutsideoftheseholidayspecialsisinorder.
48
Chapter5-WhatAboutEveryOtherDay?RugratsandDailyLife
HavingdiscussedthreeholidayepisodesofRugrats,aquestionemerges:What
abouteverydaylife?Doesreligionhaveaplaceinotherepisodesofthisshow?Theanswer
isacomplicatedone.NootherreligiouscelebrationsareportrayedwithintheRugrats
universeintheoriginalseries’nineseasonrun.Outsideofculturalandhistoricalholiday
episodes,whichcenteronKwanzaa,Thanksgiving,andaverytear-filledMother’sDay(in
whichChuckietriestorememberhisdeceasedmother),Rugratsdoesnotdelveinto
specificcelebrations.Instead,themajorityofRugrats’episodesignorereligionalltogether,
andsimplydepictthecrazyadventuresTommyandhisfriendsembarkon.
Furthermore,outsideoftheChanukahandPassoverepisodes,thePicklesfamily
doesnot“readJewish.”Infact,theonlyhintsatTommy’sJewishheritagepresent
themselvesintheepisodesoftheshowthatBorisandMinkaarepresentfor.Surprisingly,
oftheonehundredandsixty-sixepisodesofRugrats,BorisandMinkaareonlyseenin
fifteen.DiscountingthetwoJewishholidayspecials,thereareonlythirteenepisodes,which
featurethegrandparentsfromtheoldcountry.Inthesethirteenepisodes,thereisnot
explicitmentionoftheelderlycouplebeingJewish.Ofcoursethecouple“readsJewish”
withtheirsignaturemusicandconstantbickeringandYiddishmuttering,yettheword
“Jewish”nevercomesup.AbetterunderstandingofhowthecreatorsportrayBorisand
Minkacanbegainedbyacloserlookattwoepisodeswheretheyarethemostrelevant:
“Tommy’sFirstBirthday”and“ChuckieGetsSkunked”.
49
“Tommy’sFirstBirthday”isthepilotepisodeofRugrats,whichairedonAugust11th,
1991.ApartyforTommy’sfirstbirthdayactsasagreatbackdropforthemeetingpointof
alloftheRugrats’characters.Aseveryonegathers,presentsinhand,tocelebrateTommy’s
firstyearoflife,Didiisfrazzled,convincedthatabadpartywillsignalherfailureasa
mother.ThelastgueststoarriveareDidi’sparents,whonotablyarrivepresent-less.As
theyenter,MinkapinchesDidi’sfaceandgivesheralargekissonforehead.Thepairthen
rushesovertoshowerTommywiththeirlove.AsweviewBorisandMinkathrough
Tommy’seyes,allweseearetheirpursedmouthsastheysmotherhimwithkisses.Asthey
pickhimupandgivehimalookovertheymutterastringofYiddishwordslikebubbeleh69
andkindelach.70
ThisinitialsceneillustratesBorisandMinkaintheoutfitsthattheywillcontinueto
wearthroughouttheseries.InthefirstepisodeBorisisdrawnwearingadarkbluesuit
withapocketsquare.Lateronintheseriesthecolorofhissuitjacketsometimeschanges,
buttheprofessionalismofhiswardrobedoesnot.Ultimatelyhiswardrobechoice
emphasizeshisageandtherespecttherestofthefamilygiveshim.Minka’soutfitisabit
moresignificant.Tommy’sgrandmotherwearsapurpleblouseandakneelengthnavy
skirt,butmostimportantlyshewearsawhiteapron.InthePassoverandChanukah
episodesthisisnotstrange,asMinkaisdepictedprimarilyinthekitcheneitherpreparing
fortheSederormakinglatkesforthefamily.However,thefactthatshewearsherapronto
hergrandson’sbirthdaypartyisablatantemphasisbythecreatorsthatMinka’splace,like
theplaceoftraditionalJewishwomen,isinthekitchen.
69AYiddishdiminutiveusuallytranslatedas“sweetie.”70AYiddishtermmeaning“child.”
50
Minka’scookingisactuallythecenterpointofanotherRugratsepisode.Thetitleof
“ChuckieGetsSkunked”isprettyself-explanatory.WhenChuckieissprayedbyaskunkand
continuestosmellaftermultipledays,theparentstrydifferentremediestocurehim.While
themenarebusycoveringChuckieinmud,MinkacallstoletthePicklesfamilyknowshe
willbebringingapotofborschtoverfordinner.Stuisdismayedbythisnews,complaining
thattheconcoctiontasteslikepurpleglue.WhenDidi’sparentsarrivewithdinnerandthey
learnofChuckie’spredicamentthefollowingexchangeoccurs:
Boris:Oyyoyoyoyo,What’sthatsmell?
Minka:Sha!Boris,ItoldyounottomakeanymoreremarksaboutDidi’shousekeeping!
Didi:Whataboutmyhousekeeping,Dad?
Stu:Actuallyit’sChuckie,hehadalittleencounterwithaskunkandwecan’tseemtogetrid
ofthesmell!
Boris:Sohestinks,childrenaresupposedtostink,it’sthewayoftheworld.Intheoldcountry
wegrewupsleepingwiththegoats,youthinkwedidn’tstinkalittle?
Didi(toStu)Don’tlistentohim.Heactuallycamefromaverywelltodofamily,hewouldn’t
knowagoatifitbithim.
Minka:There’sanoldRussianremedyforskunk,comewithme.71
Thisconversationpokesfunattheclassichyperbolicnatureoftheelderly.Bysaying
heusedtosleepwiththegoats,Borisisessentiallymakingajokeakinto“WhenIwasyour
agewewalked15milesinthesnowjustto…”EventhoughDidiundercutsBoris’story,it
doesnottakeawayfromhimmakingsimilarcommentsinotherepisodes.Regardlessof
whattypeoffamilyhecamefrom,Borisinsistsupondiscussing“theoldcountry”any
71Rugrats.“Tommy’sFirstBirthday”August11,1991.
51
chancehecan.WhatismostsignificantaboutthisexchangeisMinka’slastcomment.Her
suggestionisnota“Jewishremedy”buta“Russian”one.Here,thecreatorsmakea
consciousdecisiontodownplayBorisandMinka’sJewishidentity.Outsideoftheepisodes
directlytargetingtheJewishpopulation,itbecomesapparentthatthewritersare
downplayingtheJewishaspects.TheyallowBorisandMinkato“readJewish”forthose
whowillrecognizeit,buttheyareunwillingtomakeittheforefrontoftheshow’sidentity.
However,itwasn’tuntilanoutsidesourcepushedbackontheexistenceofthe
charactersthattheyreceivedevenlessairtime.In1998afterRugratshadbeenontheair
forsevenyearsandinspiredmultiplechildren’sbooksandcomicstrips,theAnti-
DefamationLeague’sAbrahamH.Foxmanputoutastatementarguingthat,“Thecaricature
ofGrandpaBorisisreminiscentofstereotypicalNazi-eradepictionsofJews.”72Inhis
statementhereferringspecificallytoacomicstrip(Figure5.1)thatillustratedBoris
recitingthemournerskaddish73whileTommylookedonsaying,“Boythismustbeareally
goodstory,everybodyknowsit.”Althoughthecontentofthiscomicstripwasproblematic,
thegreaterconcernoftheADL,oncethiswasbroughttopublicdiscourse,becameBoris’
72"PressRelease-NickelodeonAssuresADLItWillNeverRunCharacterorSpecificComicStripOffensivetoJewsAgain."20Oct.1998.Web.10Mar.2016.73AprayerintraditionalJewishliturgysaidbythosewhohavelostacloserelativewithintheyear,orontheanniversaryoftheirdeath.Asacredprayer,itissaidtoliftthesoulofthepersonitisbeingsaidinhonoroftotheworldtocome.
52
appearance.
Figure5.1Mourner'sKaddishComicStrip
ThisledtoagreatdealofconfusionforthecastandwritersofRugrats.CreatorPaul
Germaininsists,“BorisandMinkawerebasedonmygrandparents…wewereallJewishand
weredoingtheoldergeneration.MichaelBell(Boris)wasdoingit,MelanieChartoff
(Minka)wasdoingit,andIwaswritingit…Ithought,“Maybeyouthinkhe’sastereotype.
I’mdoingmygrandpa.”74Bellhadasimilarreactiontothebacklash.Bellreminisced,“That
wasinaneandawasteoftime.I’mJewish!That’swhatmygrandfatherlookedlike!They
comefromsmallcommunities;theywerenotbeauties.”75Chartoff,ontheotherhand,took
theopinionmoreseriously,asherownmotheragreedwithit.“Accordingtomymother,it
resembledanti-SemiticcaricaturespromotedbytheNazipropagandafilmTheEternalJew
thatshehadseenasayounggirl.ShethoughtIwasparodyingherlatemother,apudgy,
uneducatedAustrianbubbie.Isharedherfearswiththestaff–comprisedoflotsof
74Klickstein,Mathew.Slimed!AnOralHistoryofNickelodeon’sGoldenAge.NewYork:PenguinGroup,2013.75Ibid.
53
reformedJewishfolk–whodidn’twanttobackdownfromwhatwefeltwereaffectionate
anddistinctportrayalsratherthanhostilestereotypes.”76
Thenetworkofferedanapologyfortheoffensiveportrayal.InalettertotheADL
HerbScannel,thePresidentofNickelodeonwrote,“…toyourpointthatthetelevision
characterofGrandpaBorismaynottranslatewellintoacomicstrip,weagree.Inorderto
preventanypotentialmisinterpretation,theGrandpaBorisillustrationwillnolongerbe
usedinthecomicstripseries."77Althoughtheformalapologydidnotspecificallydiscuss
artformsotherthanthecomics,thewritersoftheseriesceasedusingTommy’sJewish
grandparents.WithBorisandMinka’sdeparturefromtheRugratsuniversecamethe
departureoftheJewishsouloftheshow.
76Ibid.77"PressRelease-NickelodeonAssuresADLItWillNeverRunCharacterorSpecificComicStripOffensivetoJewsAgain."20Oct.1998.Web.10Mar.2016.
Figure5.1BorisandMinka
54
Chapter6–TheGiftthatKeepsonGiving:TheImpactandLegacy
NewepisodesRugratswereproducedfrom1991-2004,withrerunsrunningdaily
forthoseyearsandthefouryearsthatfollowed.AspinoffseriestitledAllGrownUP!ran
from2003-2008andshowedthebabiestenyearslateraspre-teens,exploringthetrials
andtribulationsofmiddleschool.Viewerswhoareawakeintheweehoursofthemorning
andhaveaccesstochannelssuchasNicktoonsorthenewportionofprogrammingon
TeenNickcalledTheSplatcanseeepisodesofbothseriesweekly.Inaddition,theentire
seriesofRugratsisavailableforstreamingonHulu.Alongwithit’stitleofNickelodeon’s
secondlongestrunningshowofalltime(onlyusurpedfromfirstplacebySpongeBob
Squarepantsin2012)RugratsistheproudowneroffourDaytimeEmmyAwards,sixKids'
ChoiceAwards,anditsownstarontheHollywoodWalkofFame.ThescopeofRugrats
famedidnotonlyapplytothesmallscreen.Theseriesinspiredtwoworld-widemovie
releases,acereal,children’sbooks,hundredsoftoyventures,andseveralvideogames.
Itissafetosaythatforchildrenwhogrewupinthe1990’sandtheirparents,
Rugratswasahouseholdname.AfterexploringthewaysinwhichJudaismwasportrayed
onsuchapublicplatformforchildren,Iwascurioustodiscoverifandhowthisprogram
affectedtheJewishidentityandupbringingofthosewhoencounteredit.
55
RespondentMake-Up
InanefforttodeterminethepossibleimpactoftheoriginalRugratsseries,I
facilitatedtwenty-fiveinterviewswithindividualssomehowaffiliatedwiththeBrandeis
Universitycampus.Somewerestudents,bothundergraduateandgraduate,whilesome
workedinsomecapacityfortheuniversity.AlthoughtheirJewishbackgrounds,geographic
origins,andagesdiffered,theyallsharedacommonbondofself-identifyingasJewish.
RespondentsdifferedinlevelsofJewishobservanceandinaffiliationtospecificstreamsof
Jewishpractice.RespondentsincludedrepresentativesfromtheReform,Conservative,and
Orthodoxmovements.Ofthetwenty-fiverespondents,tenrespondentshadonlyone
Jewishparent,whilefifteenhadtwoJewishparents.Participantsrangedinagefrom18-31,
withtheaveragerespondentagebeing23yearsold.Althoughtheintervieweeswereraised
allovertheUnitedStates,theyallgrewupinamajorcityorinasuburbofone.Allofthe
respondentshadfrequentinteractionswithotherJewsthroughouttheirchildhood,some
throughconnectionstosynagoguesanddayschools,andsomethroughcamp,youthgroup
andfamily.Thetemplateusedfortheseinterviewscanbefoundintheappendix.
Caveats:
Ifinditimportanttonoteherethattherearemanyaspectsofthisstudythatcould
haveskewedmyfindings.First,itisimportanttonotethatBrandeisUniversityisacampus
knownforitscommitmenttoJewishlearningandexperience.Therefore,asstudentsor
employeesoftheuniversity,itisprobablethattheseindividualsaremoreconnectedto
theirJudaismthanthosewhodonotaffiliatewithsuchauniversity.Furthermore,thefact
thateveryoneinterviewedhas,orisintheprocessofgetting,atleastabachelor’sdegree
56
showsthisstudyisskewedtowardsaneducatedandprivilegedsub-setoftheJewish
community.
Participantsintheseinterviewseitherrespondedtoaflyerdisplayedaround
campus,orwerereferredbyafriendwhorespondedtooneoftheseflyers.Theflyer,
attachedasAppendixB,couldhavespecificallyattractedthosehadapredispositionforthe
topic,andthereforemighthavemorepassionateresponsesthanothersmighthave,
especiallyconsideringthatIdidnotprovideanyincentiveforparticipating.Finally,it
shouldbenotedthatthisisafairlysmallsamplesize,onethatmightnotexpertlyrepresent
theentirepopulation’sopinionsonthetopic.
Findings:
Ipresentthreemainfindingsfrommyinterviews:(1)Rugratshadalasting
impressiononmyparticipants,asofthetwenty-fiveinterviewsIconductedaboutthe
participants’relationshipwithtelevisionandtheirJewishidentity,allbutthree
respondentsnotedRugratsasanexampleofJewishmediafromtheirchildhood.(2)The
JewishholidayspecialshadmoreimpactonJewishparticipantsthannon-Jewishthemed
episodes,asabouthalfoftheparticipantswereabletorecallminutedetailsfromthe
Jewishholidayspecials,yetlittleabouttheeverydaylifeofthecharacters.(3)Therewasno
significantdifferenceinwaychildrenofintermarriageandin-marriagerelatedtothe
material,asnoneoftheintervieweesknewthatthePicklesfamilywasintermarried.
Ofthetwenty-fiveinterviewsubjects,onlythreedidnotmentionRugratswhen
presentedwiththequestion,“WhenyouthinkofJewishcharactersandshows,whoand
whatdoyouthinkof?”This22-3majorityprovidesinsighttotheimpactRugratshadon
57
thispopulation.Withoutcoaxingmanyrespondentsprovidedasentimentsimilartothe
followingone,providedbya22yearoldoriginallyfromtheBostonarea,“Oh,Ihadthe
orangeVHStapesforthePassoverandChanukahepisodesofRugrats.MysisterandI
watchedthemabunch.”Fiverespondentsspecificallyalludedtotheorangenatureofthe
RugratsVHStapes,thecolorofallVHStapesreleasedbyNickelodeonasopposedtothe
classicblacktape.Otherrespondentsrecalledtheirlovefortheseepisodesorsimply
shared,“I’mprettysuretheRugratswereJewish,IwatchedalotofRugrats.”
ThethreerespondentsthatdidnotdiscussRugratsallclassifiedtheirupbringingas
“Orthodox”andnotedthattheirchildhoodhomedidnothavecabletelevision.Asaresult,
theseindividualsdidnothavetheabilitytowatchRugrats,ashowthatairedon
Nickelodeon,withintheirownhome.Onerespondent,atwenty-eightyearoldmale
originallyfromtheBaltimorearea,expressedhislackofconnectiontotelevisiongrowing
up,duetohislackofexposuretoshowshecouldrelateto.Herecalledbeingthemost
engrossedwithMightyMorphinPowerRangers,andthewayhisobsessionwiththe
superheroshowgrewoncehelearnedthatthecreator,HaimSabanwasIsraeli.His
televisionhabitsbecomemuchmorepronouncedashegrewolderandhadautonomyover
whichshowshewatched.HefoundhimselfwatchingshowssuchasSrugimandTheBig
BangTheory,whichhadmanyJewishcharacters.Whenaskedwhyhechosethoseshowshe
responded,“WhenthereareJewishcharactersit’ssomucheasiertobondwiththemandI
caremoreabouttheirstories…there’safeelingofkinship.”Thisrespondent’sfeelings
mightnotcorrelatedirectlytoapositiveassociationwithRugrats,butimpliesalarger
themesurroundingtheimportantroleJewishtelevisioncharactersplayforJewish
individuals.
58
OfthosewhorecalledtheRugratsasaJewishTVshowoftheirchildhood,itwas
strikinghowmuchtheholidayspecialscameupinconversation.Whenproddedtodiscuss
whattheyrememberedfromtheshow,mostrespondentsimmediatelydiscussedthe
humorofeveryonebeingstuckintheattic,orthesignificanceofhavingaChanukah
episodetowatch.However,detailsregardingcharactersthatwerenotpresentinthese
episodes,suchasthefamilydogSpike,werenotonesthattherespondentscouldquickly
recall.One19yearoldfromFloridasaid,“Itwasreallycoolthattheywenttosynagogue
likeIdidandthattheyhadoldgrandparentswhofoughtandspokeinYiddishsometimes.”
ItisalsoimportanttonotethatnotallrespondentsrememberrelatingsowelltotheJewish
natureofthisshow.One22yearoldfromtheNewYorkareawhowenttoaConservative
JewishdayschoolandwaswelleducatedfromayoungagerecallswatchingtheARugrats
Chanukahatperhapssevenoreightyearsold,“TheirJewishidentitywasmuchdifferent
thanmine–theystruggledwithitbut[those]aspect[s]ofitwerelike‘duh’tome.”Tothis
respondent,aself-definedmemberoftheJewishelite,theaspectofJudaismthespecial
sharedweretoosimplistictoberelatable.
Overall,Icouldnotdetermineadifferenceinthewaychildrenofintermarriageand
childrenofinmarriedfamiliesrespondedintheirinterviews.Acrosstheboard,
intervieweeswereexcitedtospeakabouttheirJewishupbringing.Thismightbebecause
allofmyrespondentsself-identifiedasJewish,regardlessoftheirfamilybackground,soit
couldbearguedthattheseindividualsdidnotgrowupas“typicalchildrenof
intermarriage”might.Noneoftherespondentsexpressedhavinganyknowledgethat
Picklesfamilywasintermarried.Whenaskedwhytheythoughtitwasnotontheirradar,
manysuspectedthattheyweretooyoungtopickuponthataspect.Onerespondent,a31
59
yearold,originallyfromMilwaukeewastroubledbymyquestion,stating,“Ialwaysknow
whenpeople[onTV]areJewish,butIdon’tthinkIpayattentiontotheaspectsthatsome
mightsaymakethem‘lessJewish’ora‘badJew’orsomethinglikethat.”Itseemedlikethe
positiveassociationswiththeserieswereeasilyavailabletotheseviewersasyoungpeople,
yetamorenuancedunderstandingwasnotaccessible.
TheculturalanalysisIprovidedinthefirstfivechaptersofthisvolumereference
theuniquecommentaryRugratsprovidesonintermarriedJewishlifeinthe1990s.Priorto
myinterviews,myhypothesiswasthattherewouldbeasignificantdifferencebetweenthe
waychildrenofin-marriageandintermarriagerespondedtothismaterial.However,with
theaspectofintermarriagehavinggoneunnoticedbytheindividualsIinterviewed,
regardlessoftheirreligiousupbringing,ithasbecomeapparentthatmyhypothesiswas
incorrect.Instead,myfindingsseemtohaveprovidedamorepowerfulconclusion.Ibelieve
thatthefactthatthePicklesfamilywasableto“read”asanin-marriedfamilyshowsthat
thedistinctionbetweencertainin-marriedfamiliesandcertainintermarriedfamiliesisnot
actuallythatsignificant.“ARugratsPassover”and“ARugratsChanukah”representa
JudaismthatisrelatableforawidevarietyofJewishaudiences.Asatelevisionshowfor
childrenitisnotsurprisingthattheculturalmarkersIanalyzeinearlierchaptersareeasily
overlookedbythetargetaudience.Thatbeingsaid,furtherresearchintotheseparticipants’
parentsandtheirreasoningforencouragingthisprogramfortheirchildrencouldleadtoa
differentresult.
60
Conclusion
InIntroducingMediaStudies:AGraphicGuideZiauddinSardarprovidestheneeds
thathebelievesmediafillsforhumanbeings.Oneofthemanyneedsheprovidesis
“personalidentity.”78Heexpandsupontheideabystatingthatthroughmediaeachofus
hastheabilityto,“assessandlocateourownselvesagainstthesocialworld.”Igrewupina
householdwheretheTVwasalwaysonandIamnotashamedtoadmitthat,eveninthis
workofscholarship.Ineverviewedtelevisionasanimpedimenttomylearningor
development.Instead,Isawitastheveryopposite.Everynightduringdinnermyfamilysat
downtowatchJeopardy!together,fromwhichIlearnedtangibleknowledge.Everyweek
wealsosatdowntolearnmorallessonsfromshowssuchas7thHeavenandBoyMeets
World.Inmymostformativeyears,whenIlearnedwhoIwasandwhoIwasn’t,myfamily’s
fourtelevisionsweregatewaystoaworldthatrepresentedpeoplejustlikeme,andthose
whocouldnotbemoredifferent.AlthoughIlearnedandgrewfromexposuretomany
differentkindsofprograms,therewereveryfewexpressionsofcharactersthatIcould
pointtoandsay,“Hey,that’skindoflikeme!”butRugratswasoneofthoseexamples.
DidthePicklesfamilyexactlymirrormine?No.Thedifferencesarevast.Igrewup
withtwooldersisters,IwasactivelyinvolvedinaConservativesynagogueandreligion
playedagreaterroleinmylifethaninTommy’s.Mygrandparentsweren’tonlyoldJews
78Sardar,Ziauddin.IntroducingMediaStudies,AGraphicGuide.London:IconBooks,2012.
61
whobickered,butsurvivorsoftheHolocaust.Butthosedifferencesdidnotmatter.What
matteredtomewasthattherewasaJewishfamilyonTVwhowasmorelikemeandless
likeeveryoneelse.TheywerelesslikeallofmyChristianfriendsatmypublicschool,and
lesslikealloftheJewishpeopleIknew,whohadtwoJewishparentsandnoquestionof
whotheywere.RugratsmademefeelspecialandrelevanttotheJewishdiscourseinatruly
positiveway.Studyingtheshowasanadult,withmuchmorelifeexperience,and
understandingofthesubjectmatter,Ifoundmyselfappreciatingtheseriesevenmore.
Overall,RugratsshareswithJewishfamiliesthatrememberingourheritageandtheaspects
thatunitedusasaJewishpeopleismoreimportantthantheaspectsthatdivideus.
Ultimately,Ihopethekeyaspectofmyresearchthatstandsoutisthedecisiontonotclose
the…door,tobeopentothisinterpretationofwhatJudaismis,andtherelevanceitstillhas.
MyresearchsuggestedthatJewishindividualswhogrewupinthe1990’sassociate
RugratswiththeJewishmediatheyarefamiliarwith.Myanalysisofthisseriesprovides
reasoningtoarguethattheserieshadmanynuancedelementsthatmadeitarelatableand
compellingpieceoftheJewishtelevisioncannon.Ibelievethatthisuniqueseriesshouldbe
madeavailablebroadlytoJewishchildrenandfamiliesasanaidtotheirJewisheducation
andJewishidentitybuilding,astheshowaccuratelyportraysnotonlythestoriesofthese
holidays,buttheritualpracticesassociatedwiththem.
MyinvestigationofRugratswasbynomeanscomprehensive.Uponcompletionof
eachchapterIthoughtofthemyriadofotherissuesandthemestodiscuss,anditis
unfortunatethisstudyonlyallowedforayearofresearchanddiscovery.Furtherresearch
canandshouldcommenceasquestionsstillremain.Howdonon-Jewishaudiencesrelateto
thismaterial?Howdoparentsfeelaboutthismaterial?Howcanitbeusedinan
62
educationalsetting?Coulditbeutilizedforinclusionofintermarriedfamilies?Arethere
individualswhoreceivedtheireducationontheseholidayssolelyfromwatchingthese
episodes?Allscholarshipprovidesnotonlycompellinganswers,butalsomorecompelling
questions.
63
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AppendixA
Name:
DateofInterview:
Durationofinterview:
Age:
PlaceofGrowingup:
• Purpose:Thisinterviewisintegraltotheformationofmymasters’thesis.IamlookingtounderstandhowouridentityasJewsisshapedbytheJewsportrayedthroughthemediaduringourchildhood.Thepurposeofthisparticularinterviewistoobtainsomebasicinformationaboutyourupbringing,yourcurrentidentityandwhatmediainfluenceshadthegreatestimpactonyourchildhood.
• Confidentiality:Yourviewswillbecombinedwiththoseofothers.Nothingwillbereportedthatidentifiesanindividual.Wedonotusenamesofindividualsinanyofourreports.Anythingthatcannotbemaskedinthiswayisnotreported.IwillbetakingnotesthroughouttoassurethatIaccuratelycaptureyourviews.Thenotesareforthepurposesofthestudyonlyandwillnotbesharedwithanyoneoutsideofmyfacultyadvisors.(Givethemthatformtosign)
• Outline:We’regoingtocoverthreetopics:(1)yourJewishupbringing,(2)howyouclassifyyourcurrentJewishidentity(3)theJewishmediainfluencesyoucanrecallofyourchildhood.
Questions:
JewishUpbringing
A. Howwouldyoucharacterizeyourhomeintermsof“Jewishness”?[Probes:ArebothofyourparentsJewish?Whatwereritualsfollowedinyourhousehold?Whatdenomination,ifany,didyouaffiliatewith?]
B. Howdidyoufeelaboutyour“Jewishness”asachild?[Probes:DidyouenjoytheJewishactivitiesyoutookpartin?WhatarefondmemoriesyouassociatewithJudaismandyourchildhood]
CurrentJewishIdentity
A. HowwouldyouclassifyyourcurrentrelationshipwithJudaism?[Probes:Whatorganizationsareyouinvolvedin?WhataspectsofyourdailylifeareJewish?]
66
MediaandJewishness
A. WhatwereyourfavoriteTVshowsandcharactersasachild?
B. Werethesecharactersyourelatedtoonapersonallevel?Whyorwhynot?[Probes:didtheysharepersonalitytraits?Religiousbeliefs?Race?Gender?]
C. WhenyouthinkofJewishcharactersandshows,whoandwhatdoyouthinkof?Didyourelatetothem?Doesanythingstandout?
67
AppendixB
Do you have a favorite
Jewish TV Character?
Are you willing to help a fellow student with research?
How do Jewish themes in the media affect the
Jewish identities of children?
I need your help to figure that out!
Please consider donating your time...
to help me gather information for my thesis research!
Contact:
Teri McGuire
Expected MA/MA: 2016
Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program
Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Department
(917) 613 - 6955
If you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, please contact the Brandeis Institutional Review Board at [email protected] or 7817368133.
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