To make the release of the new Star Trek movie, the L.A. Jewish Journal has put together a Top 5 list of Jewish moments in the science fiction saga — plus a bonus: Frasier speaking Klingon. (Coming up with Jewish athletes is easy compared to this):
Jewish themes abound in such “Trek” novels as “Well of Souls,” “The Wounded Sky” and “Spock’s World.” Biblical figures like Moses and David are mentioned explicitly while Jewish themes are intimated in the movie franchise and the various television series. But despite Jewish writers (David Gerrold, Harlan Ellison to name a few) and numerous Jewish stars (William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Walter Koenig, Brent Spiner, Armin Shimerman) Jewish imagery and mentions of Jews as a people tend to be fleeting or covered up in “Trek” films and shows.
Finding individual Jewish moments in a 43-year-old goyishe sci-fi series is no easy task.
Our personal favorite… finding out that in the 24th century Jews like to adopt Klingon babies. (Jump ahead to the 6-minute mark — yes, that’s Theodore Bikel and Georgia Brown playing Worf’s adopted parent
