When Rabbi Freundel Did ‘Da Ali G Show’
(JTA) — Back in 2003, long before Rabbi Barry Freundel’s arrest on voyeurism charges, and long before Sacha Baron Cohen was a household name, the rabbi appeared on Baron Cohen’s “Da Ali G Show.”
The rabbi was one of three religious leaders (plus an atheist) who agreed to appear on a panel, apparently unaware that they would be pummeled with questions like, “Is God just an overhyped David Blaine?” and “Isn’t it hypocriticalist that so many nuns work as strippers?”
In the roundtable discussion, Freundel defends circumcision and in-marriage.
When asked if he would marry someone who is not Jewish, Freundel replied, “I wouldn’t. The reason I wouldn’t is the family that I want to create is a family that’s going to have Jewish values in it.”
Baron Cohen’s character then asks: “What if she was really fit though?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Freundel said. “That’s not the most important thing in life to me.”
No mention of the mikvah, unfortunately.
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
