People who follow this blog and my posts on Facebook and Twitter know that I regret that many of my brothers and sisters in the House of Israel can’t resist always playing the victim card:  How can civilization’s favorite punching bag ever be guilty of persecuting others?  

That said, there can be no denying that when it comes intolerance and persecution, Jews have had more than their fair share of being political and cultural oppression.

The fact that today, Jews have enjoy remarkable success in those countries that have given them equality does not erase or discount their painful history and it does not give anyone, Jew or Gentile alike the right to suggest that Jewish culture is a celebration of martyrdom. 

In this week’s CW episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, an imaginary hora at a Bar Mitzvah is portrayed as a rabbinically led orgy of Jewish people celebrating victimhood. 

Nights like these are filled with glee
Noshing, dancing, singing, wee!
But we sing in a minor key
To remember that we suffered!

The sweet and the bitter!
Remember that we suffered!
Streisand and Hitler!
Remember that we suffered!

When I say we, you say suffer!
We!
Suffer!
We!
Suffer!

No one is more prepared or willing to have a bit of fun with self-deprecating Jewish humor than I am.  I can’t get enough of  Jewish comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Mel Brooks or Woody Allen who have this uncanny ability to highlight and satirize distinctly Jewish perspectives on everyday life.  

But Jewish people celebrating their suffering in song and dance?

That’s not acceptable; that’s over the line and distasteful;  the scene portrayed in this episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is offensive in its suggestion that we choose to suffer, that we like to suffer, that we celebrate our suffering.  No we don’t.

Would the writers and producers of  Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ever present an African American celebration in which members of that community celebrate their social and political struggles as something wonderful that they relish?   Why are Jewish people treated differently in that regard?

The writers, producers and yes, the actors also of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend owe the Jewish community an apology.