Nimoy On Trek and Judaism February 13, 2008
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Nimoy, ST09 Cast , trackback
In a new interview with The Jewish Daily, Star Trek’s once and future Spock spoke about his upcoming role in JJ Abrams Trek and how Trek connects to Judaism. Nimoy, who had retired from acting, said that photography was the major love of his creative live but that the new film was “something special.” More from Nimoy below…
On JJ Abrams and his decision to do Trek again
[he is] a really special guy with a wonderful script and a great production…. He’s the real deal. And I feel I owe it to ‘Star Trek’; it’s been a big, positive factor in my life. I do think this is a very serious chance for the entire franchise to become reinvigorated.
Regarding Trek’s connection to Judaism, the article states:
There’s always been a curiosity about Judaism in ‘Star Trek,’” he said, not only about adopting the Kohanim’s split-fingered blessing gesture as the Vulcan salute but also about “the trail of Jewish experiences that I’ve had in my acting life,” dating back to his childhood as the son of Yiddish-speaking Russian Jewish immigrants in Boston and to his first big performance role, in Clifford Odets’s “Awake and Sing,” at age 17.
“I’ve had a wonderful time connecting my Judaism and my acting and directing work,” he said.
For more, read the full interview at Jewish Daily.
If you missed it, last Yom Kippur, we linked to a video of Leonard Nimoy talking about Trek and Jewish tradition
(click to see video at YouTube)
UPDATE: Jews in Space?
The Jewish/Trek connections are many, but (as many commenters below point out) we area all still waiting for Mel Brooks promised Jewish Space Opera….
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Comments»
…interesting.
does this man ever sit still?
Judaism in Star Trek. Now, that would be an interesting “easter egg” for JJ to play with, indeed.
Shalom!
He’s an interesting guy. I like the way he has embraced the impact that Trek has for what it is.
I wish he’d bring his Full Body Project to a gallery here in Atlanta. I’d like to see it in that type of setting.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Hey! Lookit the background! It’s light!
It’s great to see this guy back in the spotlight again. I can’t wait to see him doing interviews on Leno and Letterman later in the year.
JJ, be a bubbala & add a certain mensch to the cast.
#6
and one of the photos is titled ‘hidden agenda’
‘crash’
Vulcanista, agreed — Full Body Project would be better in a gallery. It’s got a certain smirk factor when considered on late night talk shows.
That light in the background is God telling Leonard to tell JJ to put a yamulke on the bridge.
Spock is back indeed…”Captain, I am forced to agree with the doctor.”
#11
No, I mean the comments section background is lighter, not the same gray it’s always been! I mean, it is on my ‘puter.
Your mileage may vary.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Wasn’t it also Nimoy who suggested to Lenard in Journey to Babel that Sarek and Amanda merely touch fingers as a sign of affection aswell?
Mt:19:30: “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”
Judaism in Star Trek is not like Catholicism in the Lord of the Rings. While we hear about education, social justice, tolerance, charity, and compassion - these are simply natural law/things that can be known without express revelation from God. While I like the idea of the salute being a blessing of God via the first character in God’s name, there is no symbolic reference to the passover or true use of God - in fact, Star Trek seems to promote atheistic materialism. Star Trek offers no explination for concepts like love or imagination or the hunger for knowledge. In fact, the Q Continuum seems to say that if you could take the Federation to its goal of all-knowledge and all-powerful technology, you will be left with a group of people bored out of their minds, seeking death… How hopeful a future! So you could say that Star Trek in some sense offers education, social justice, tolerance, charity, and compassion without any real hope of objective purpose or fulfillment.
But Trek still rocks!
Nimoy seems really convinced STXI is the real deal. Wish I could say my mind is now slightly opened to giving the movie a chance, but I don’t want Garovorkin to faint in disbelief : )
…Aw, c’mon Leonard! We all know Vulcan was settled by at least two of the Ten Lost Tribes! :)
cue up Mel Brooks’ Jews in Space…
As an aside, I loved the names of the Sindereen in the first Imzadi book. My dad calls that a 2%er. Since around 2% of the US population is Jewish, I guess that is accurate.
arrrr…
- Wasn’t that there M5 episode saying “laws of God and Man” a few times?
- That be the one thing I hated (one?) about STV- Kirkie saying some thing like “maybe God is us” to sum it all up…
uh.. oh next we’ll be discussing politics…
Nimoy has me excited about the film, no doubt… as well as about his pics…
harrrr….
Shalom Mr.Nimoy ,
Can’t wait to see you don the ears once more . Live Long and Prosper!
yeah, don’t everyone cut and paste at once…
ok, this just seems appropriate to this string:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9cAVJyBshh0
#23
that video wont load :(
24 - Enc — The link works. Just click on it. Or take your computer to Cygnet XIV, dear.
Nope! The video won’t load.
And the background is still gray!! And the sidebars are extra faint today!
Okay. Now it’s gray again, and the font is teeny tiny. All the other pages are loading fine.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Spaceballs was a riot, but if Mel blasted a ST parody into the theaters after De. 25th, much fun would be had by all.
17 Moogie Ah there is hope for you yet. Saints be praised!!
love the Nimoy- i want to meet him but he wont travel to Australia so i never will- we had Quinto for a May convention but he had to cancel! maybe we can get one of the Star Trek III Spocks…
Does anyone have any Nimoy stories? people who have met him ect ect- may be the closest i will get…
Spockboi wannabe
#25
oh id dint say the link was broken just the video. the link to youtube works fine but the video aint loading. i even ported that link out of aol same result, other youtube videos play thru aol.
Have to back everyone else, that YouTube video won’t load. It’s not my flash player or YouTube because everything else if playing just fine.
This one should work though
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qdjEPqWjTeU
All I can say is Nimoy Rules!!!
dunno what to tell ya.
try
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e1a_1180670049
Funny thing –
I am right-handed but I can only do the Vulcan salute with my left hand. Can’t pull the baby finger over to the next finger if I split in the middle. Anyone able to do the salute with both hands?
kg
#32
that worked :D
#35
right handed and salute with both hands
thanks Anthony!!!! It does seem to fit, doesn’t it?
#34
that works
>>Anyone able to do the salute with both hands?
Piece of cake. Been doing it since I first saw it on Star Trek back in the ’60s.
But then…I’m Vulcan! ;-)
I’m glad to see Nimoy proud of his participation in this film. I’ve not noticed him to be one to pimp something he doesn’t stand behind.
In that top picture, he looks like Steve Jobs at the Apple keynote! Well, they do say that the iPhone is more advanced than the TOS communicator…
Katie:
Look, Ma, both hands!
But then, again, it’s only natural for me … :)
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
LOL, “retired from acting”?
But…he was only Spock in Star Trek. And that’s all.
That’s like saying the guy that plays Ronald McDonald in the commercials “retired from acting”.
It’s not acting if you only ever played one role. And that’s what 90% of his work in the last 20 years has been.
I can do the Vulcan salute with both hands…I had to “train” my left hand many years ago…(when I was a kid)…
the Vulcan salute comes easy to me…
with both hands
i think it runs in the family :)
#43
Here’s Mr. Nimoy’s IMDB listing:
http://tinyurl.com/2jj6ve
Care to rethink that statement?
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
#46 edited to add:
And that doesn’t even include his stage work.
42 - et all:
Vulcans unite!
:)
Bizarre…
Mine loaded okay, but I waited a while. Maybe too many tried to access it at once.
Well, like Bones once said to Spock “and don’t say ‘fascinating’ “. Spock says, “no, but it is… interesting.” And btw, who is the creator of that clip?
kg
Uh, I think I just fed a troll at #43 in my replies. That’s the same poster who can’t wait for all of us “old Trek fans to die off.”
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Anthony, you might try the link I posted for the Mel Brooks clip. The one you have up there says ‘This Video Is No Longer Available’.
#43… wow, a Trekker so dyed-in-the-wool they never watched anything but TOS and never knew Nimoy did anything else!
As the Shat said… get a life!
Or at least that’s what is says for me.
#46
After looking at that link, No I wouldn’t care to rethink my statement.
As I said in my post which you obviously had problems reading - “It’s not acting if you only ever played one role. And that’s what 90% of his work in the last 20 years has been.”
Voicework for TV shows & video games is not acting (half of which he was playing - surprise - Spock), so yeah around 90% of his movie & TV work over the past 20 years - 25 years now that I look at it - has been Spock.
I always thought Mr Nimoy’s work on the tv film “Never Forget” about a holocaust survivor was quite powerful. It seemed to be very heartfelt and is among his best work.
Re:
#37. Enc
#40. Jorg Sacul
#42. The Vulcanista
#44. richpit
#45. Go Spock!
Thanks. Thanks a lot!! ;-D
Gotta go make dinner and work on my right-handed Vulcan salute.
Sigh…………
kg
I’ve always seen certain aspects of Judaism is Vulcan society; especially secular diaspora Judaism, where tikkun olam (healing the world) and emphasis on education are still in the foreground, and behind them a deep ritualistic tradition.
Shalom Aleicham
Z
At the risk of causing havoc by bringing up William Shatner, I wonder if Nimoy has read “The Ashes of Eden.” In that book Shatner has Kirk get married in a Jewish-style ceremony, revealing non-canonically that Kirk, like Shatner, is Jewish — something that has always added an interesting bit of shading to the Kirk character for me.
#55
My reading skills are just fine.
Your math skills are, however, questionable. Seven Trek-related projects out of 25 (since 1986, 22 years) is hardly 90 percent.
Whether Nimoy played only one role, which he didn’t, or a thousand, it’s still called acting. Voice talent is also a recognized form of acting. Otherwise, sites like IMDB wouldn’t include it in an actor’s body of work
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Poida#55- Poida, you might want to think about taking your attitude to the mechanic for an adjustment. Anthony has insisted in no uncertain terms that he will have no flaming, trolling, insults or name-calling on this site. You are just about as close as close can be, and while you’re at it, we all love The Big N here, so don’t think you’ll find any hating buddies while you’re trying and failing to throw you-know-what.
Vulcanista- I’ve had a couple experiences with Poida myself… doesn’t Leonardo look hot in his pictures today?
Thanks for providing a link to the youtube video in the article. It works great for mobile. The connections Nimoy makes between Judaism and Star Trek gives me a better perspective of what I respect about Star Trek.
Katie, don’ fret. Remember Leonard’s story about some chick at a stop light? (This was soon after Amok Time aired) She flashed him the Vulcan salute. He asked her, “Can you do it with your other hand?” She got it to look like a claw (his words) and told him, “I speak it with an accent.”
Oh, and about that religion and Trek–there were some subjects that were taboo, religion being I think #1. That is, taboo unless it was any other culture than Earth. Remember the Klingon priests? (The had the coolest vestments!) Bajor’s Kais and the Vedeks?
Re: #64. ster j
Yes, I do remember that incident. I have the VHS tape of Nimoy explaining that and other Star Trek phenom. Thanks for reminding me! I’ll just staple the two fingers together…
:-)
Have a good night!
kg
I do agree that Star Trek(secular humanism) have link to Judeo-Christian beliefs thou i think its wrong saying that Judaism have stronger ties to Star Trek then Christianity.
p.s. when are we going to have f.e. Stephen Collins talking about Christianity & Star Trek
Having seen Mr. Nimoy in several different roles over the years, I appreciate his talent all the more. Despite my fondness for the Spock character, I believe my favorite experience of his acting ability was as Samuel in David. He took my breath away in that role. I had to purchase the DVD when it came out because of the spot-on performance he gave.
Here’s a question I’ve long wanted to ask him that maybe some one here can answer since those Creation conventions don’t afford you any luxuries, like actually talking to the person you’ve paid to see. . . .
I remember reading in Nimoy’s book “I Am Spock”, about his habit of eating a spoon full of honey to keep his energy up during those long days of shooting on the set of Star Trek (a habit I adopted during the long days of teaching school) I’ve always wanted to ask him about that. Not being Jewish, is honey one of the seven Jewish spices I’ve heard about? I believe horseraddish it. That’s the question I’d ask him if I ever met him. Anyone here know anything about that?
#68
I think you’re mixing up a couple different Jewish traditions.
Honey has two references, from the term ‘Land of Milk and Honey’ to describe Eretz Israel, and a traditional food eaten on Rosh Hashannah (Jewish New Year). I would imagine any personal habit Nimoy has is his own, and not from Judaism.
Horsraddish - you might be thinking of the Seder plate, displayed during pesach (passover). Doesn’t actually have to be horseraddish, just a bitter herb. North American jewry tend to use horseraddish since it is readily available.
7 Jewish spices - I’m 90% you’re thinking of the 7 Fruits of Israel (although, some of them are what we would now call grains, not fruits) they are:
1. wheat (chitah)
2. barley (se’orah)
3. grapes (gefen)
4. fig (te’enah)
5. pomegranate (rimon)
6. olive (zayit)
7. date (tamar)
Hope that helps
Yes. Interesting. I always wondered if Nimoy chose this, not just because of it’s natural sugars, but because we often go with comfort foods that have familiar roots to us. Guess I know now. Interesting. Maybe I could be Jewish. I like all those things. Especially dates and pomegranates.
#43, 55—Before I even looked at the list, I could recall Mission:Impossible, Gunsmoke, Dragnet, Perry Mason and Colombo.
Throw out the voice/narration credits, and I still counted 50 non-Trek roles before I was even halfway down the list. He has had a more-than-respectable acting career in television and television movies. There is nothing funny about him using the phrase, “retired from acting”.
If I were you, I would reconsider that statement—or suffer the consequences of foot-in-mouth disease…
Andy#68- You can meet Mr. Nimoy at a Creation convention - just don’t plan on having more than 30seconds to a minute to say anything. He gives autographs and will also pose with you for a picture (both must be arranged through Creation ahead of time). If you are interested in more info, their website is creationent.com
I’ve done the Creation thing and got my picture, but perhaps because of the size and significance of the one I went to (the 40th anniversary one in Chicago), or whatever the reason, that was not allowed. I didn’t expect to start up a lasting relationship but I remember being cautioned against that type of interaction and being pretty much treated like cattle. I was told by others there,(more experienced conventioneers), that that is pretty much the norm, That’s why that will probably be my last one.
Nimoy should do a documentary on this project…it would of course have to be in WIDESCREENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. ;)
NOTE: if you are wondering where you ginormous post is…it was deleted. We do not like copy paste posts from other sites and other sites dont like it either
post a link and not something 10 pages long please
Re: #75 — Anthony!!
I was wondering… Sorry Anthony. Just wanted everyone to see it. Guess it was a bit of overkill. I get the point. Hope this one’s okay.
Anyway,
Re: Poida, #’s 43+55
Maybe Mr. Nimoy wasn’t “officially” in as many long-running, more well-known roles as Shatner (Kirk, T.J. Hooker, Denny Crane). However, perhaps we should look up the word “acting” etc.
Acting — the art, profession, or performance of an actor.
Actor — somebody who acts in plays, movies, or television
To act — play a role: transitive and intransitive verb — to play the part of a character in a dramatic performance (doesn’t say animation doesn’t count…)
Or — intransitive verb to pursue a career in movies or drama.
Guess we could say if he had, at one point, stopped doing the above, then it’s okay for him to say that he had “retired” from “acting”. Oh — by the way everyone, here is what Vulcanista (and #71. Closet-Trekker) were referring to:
http://tinyurl.com/2jj6ve
Under the “Actor” category there are 109 entries. (That’s why Anthony deleted my previous post.) He has further credits for directing, writing and producing. Maybe you think Mr. Nimoy should have said that he was retiring from Hollywood or movie-making or something like that.
I don’t know but that’s a lot of acting for someone who… doesn’t do much acting, if you catch my drift.
Nuff said.
kg
‘Vulcan’ kind of plays like a cult,where one’s personal value/status is determined by their devotion to logic and intellect.
#77
If that’s true (and I think it is), I wonder what happens to those full-blooded Vulcans who fall short of the mark. A Vulcan underclass?
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
#65
Katie, no stapling of fingers! Duct tape will do quite nicely, I think.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Katie#76- Go Katie, go! I experience a loss of self-control when a Nimoy hater finds their way in here. Why are they here to begin with if they, for whatever incredible reason, do not appreciate my man’s talent, intelligence and generosity of spirit? Thank goodness it doesn’t happen very often or Anthony would be giving me warnings every 4.73 minutes.
Okay, Vulcanista. Or should I say “Red”? (Duct tape reference for Canuck’s — don’t worry, “Yanks”. It’s a private joke). I was just going to try electric tape. I really like the colour black.
Hey — the “Cans” and the “Yanks”. Sound familiar? A TOS episode maybe?
Thanks, Denise. Didn’t want to cause trouble because everyone is entitled to their opinion but when it’s wrong, it’s wrong. By all means say “I don’t like his acting” or “he doesn’t do anything for me” but don’t say he hasn’t done anything even after looking up the site. Ooh it’s hard not to run to that dictionary…
How’s that go…
“Look THAT up in your Funk and Wagnall’s” !!!!!!!! :-)
kg
#81 Katie
Duct tape, Red, I don’t care what it’s called. I can’t seem to live my life without it. Hell, I bet even Scotty’s got a couple caseloads in Engineering and down in Cargo Bay 3, just in case.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Re: #82. Vulcanista
Sorry, guess you haven’t seen “The Red Green Show”. A Canadian comedian named Steve Smith has a show (sort of like Tim Allen has “Home Improvement”) where he’s a (dunno what he is) a redneck or a “hoser” as Bob (Rick Moranis) and Doug (Dave Thomas) McKenzie say (SCTV fame).
He has a lodge and the members are all really strange (that’s putting it mildly). I believe it’s totally made up of Canadian actors but I could be wrong. Steve Smith and his wife are from Hamilton, Ontario. They had a comedy show called “Smith & Smith”. I didn’t really watch it. Too busy watching STAR TREK!!!!
Where was I? Oh yeah — he uses duct tape (the silver brand) to fix EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING. It’s hilarious (those parts, anyway). I don’t see it very much but it has had some funny moments. Of course now the joke is so over because I didn’t explain it well and I’m off to sleep.
kg
#83
Oh! Now I get it! I remember Red Green. Wow, *that’s* been a long time!
Sleep well.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|