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….
…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