A Rabbi and a Comedian Watch TV on Yom Kippur

Monday, September 28 at 12:15 pm

This might be our first time tuning into Yom Kippur from home, but it’s not the first time Yom Kippur has been featured on screen. Many of our favorite Jewish characters in film and TV have wrestled with the holiest day of the year, embracing, or rebelling against, the gravitas of the day. Comedian Ari Shaffir and Rabbi Aaron discuss three of their favorite Yom Kippur clips–what they get right, what they get wrong, and what they tell us about being Jewish in America today. Shaffir is a podcaster, writer, and producer who hosts the podcast “Skeptic Tank.” He grew up as an Orthodox Jew, spent two years studying in a yeshiva in Israel, and came back to America to lose his religion and find comedy.

Content Warning: This conversation is light-hearted and, at times, irreverent. Our ancient rabbis say Yom Kippur is meant to be one of the most joyous days of the year. That said, if you are hoping for a more solemn and reflective Yom Kippur, the following session might be better appreciated after the holiday is over, when the video will still be available.

BACK TO LIVE-STREAMED SERVICE