January 21, 2009, - 11:42 pm

Anti-Semitic Broadcasting Company: ABC’s “View” Hags, Comedienne Attack Lubavitch Chassidic Jews

By Debbie Schlussel

The attacks on Jews–especially Orthodox Chassidic Jews–don’t just take place in Mumbai, India, or during a late-night anonymous act of vandalism on a synagogue in North Carolina.

The attacks on Jews have spread to ABC daytime talk shows, watched by millions of mindless, easily propagandized women.

On today’s edition of the anti-male hag-fest, “The View,” Barbara Walters and her fellow co-hostesses engaged in a vile, anti-Semitic discussion with actress/comedienne Susie Essman. The stuff they said about Chassidic Jews–calling the women ugly, saying they have bad taste in clothing, have “weird,” “bizarre” customs–would never be tolerated if they substituted the word “Muslim” or “Black” for “Chassidic Jew.” I am not a Chassidic Jew–but since most Chassidic Jews do not own TVs and don’t waste their time watching this mindless garbage, I am the only one who noticed apparently.
Here is the video (“shul” is yiddish for synagogue):

theview2.jpgsusieessman2.jpg

Actress Susie Essman, “View” Hags

Engage in Blatant Anti-Semitic Discussion on ABC
The discussion took place in a segment featuring unfunny comedienne and actress Susie Essman, who appears in HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” She was on the show to promote her appearance in an upcoming CBS movie, “Loving Leah,” about a Lubavitch Chassidic Jewish woman who marries her late husband’s brother, a handsome cardiologist. (It stars Ricki Lake, so you know it’s gonna be awful.)
Essman–who is nominally Jewish, like Sarah Silverman–began the discussion by saying that being in the movie she learned that Chassidic Jewish women have terrible taste in clothing, that they’re “weird” and practice “bizarre” old religious customs, and that they cover up and they’re ugly. “Have you seen what these women look like?”
Resident Alzheimer’s patient, Barbra Walters said, “The way they dress, that’s related to Islam, right?” Hilarious. Um, the Jewish religion was around for centuries before Islam ripped off its rules from Judaism and Christianity. I suppose we got the Bible from the Koran, too. What a dummy. Remember this, the next time she does another one of her cockamamie religion specials (in which she sympathizes with HAMAS homicide bombers).
Sherri Shepherd, Whoopi Goldberg, and airhead Elisabeth Hasselbeck laughed at her comments and agreed with them, saying nothing like, “Hey, stop your bigotry.” Walters didn’t object either.
To her credit, the only one who kinda sorta defended Chassidic Jewish women was Joy Behar, though she calls them “wacky.” “Well, they’re just like every other group of women–some aren’t pretty and some are.” To this, Susie Essman responded with a face and a noise indicating she thought they were all ugly. Look at the picture of Susie Essman, above. I’m sure you’ll agree that she’s not exactly in a position to call anyone else “ugly” or accuse them of poor taste in fashion.
While it’s ridiculous to judge these righteous women by their looks and fashions the way this “meiskite” (yiddish for “ugly”) does, I know several Lubavitch Chassidic women who are stunningly beautiful, such as my lifelong friend, Marcy. She looks and dresses like a classy supermodel. Most people who are Lubavitch Chassidic Jews dedicate their lives to service–they help the poor and provide free Thanksgiving dinners for the (non-Jewish) homeless in Los Angeles. (What has this self-hating Jewish Essman creep-ette ever done for anyone?) They’re not rich, and don’t focus on worldly things like fashion.
But can you imagine if some actress said on national network TV that all Muslim women were ugly and had terrible taste in clothing? CAIR would be all over it, and “The View” hags would be doing a full hour show apologizing. In this case, they were laughing and went along with this outrageous discussion.
And don’t kid yourself. This was about Judaism and Jewish women who observe the religion. Although I’m not as religious as Chassidic Jewish women, I was extremely offended for them and for myself.
This is one of those times I wish I had the equipment to download video from my TV. ABC just began posting whole episodes of “The View,” but strangely only certain segments (not the anti-Semitic one) of Wednesday’s “The View” at ABC’s site.
E-mail “The View” to let them know what you think of their vile anti-Semitism. And contact Brian Frons, President, Daytime, Disney-ABC Television Group at 77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023. Phone: 212-456-7777. Let him know that anti-Semitism is unacceptable on his airwaves.
Incidentally, the movie is a “Hallmark Hall of Fame” movie. Might not hurt to also contact Hallmark Cards to complain.
**** UPDATE 1/22/09: Reader Rick writes:

I just went back to that picture of the tortured and slain wife of the [Luibavitch] rabbi in last year’s attack in Bombay (that’s what they called it last time I was there, I’m not changing).That lady had more beauty and taste in fashion than any of the overpaid overstuffed hagfest broads. It says a lot about the monsters that could murder someone like that, and about the hags that diss people like her.






38 Responses

Just read this and the first thing that came to my mind was the last scene in the movie “Cabaret”, where Joel Grey sang “If You Could See Her”:
Spoken: Meine Damen und Herren, Mesdames and Messieurs
Ladies and Gentleman
Is it a crime to fall in love?
Can we ever tell where the heart truly leads us?
All we are asking is eine bisschen Verstandnis
Why can’t the world leben und leben lassen?
‘Live and let live….’
I understand your objection
I grant you the problem’s not small
But if you could see her through my eyes
She wouldn’t look Jewish at all.
At the end of that scene in the movie, the camera pans across the Berlin night club audience, showing a multitude of grinning Nazi officers at many of the tables.
Debbie, have you ever spotted this:
I have noticed that the word “Jewish” in the original song’s last line has been replaced with the German word “me’eskite”, meaning “disgusting”. After all, why should anyone bother any more to convey the story’s original warning of how the atrocities began.

Shy Guy on January 22, 2009 at 1:04 am

I forgot to mention, for those that aren’t familiar with the scene above, the context of the song.
Grey is singing to someone in a dress-clad gorilla suit, meant to portray a Jewess to the amused Berlin club patrons.

Shy Guy on January 22, 2009 at 1:07 am

[Anti-Semitic Broadcasting Company: ABC’s “View” HAGS, UGLY Jewish Comedienne Attack Lubavitch Chassidic Jews]
Oooooo, the irony!!!
[The stuff they said about Chassidic Jews–calling the women ugly, saying they have bad taste in clothing, have “weird,” “bizarre” customs–would never be tolerated if they substituted the word “Muslim” or “Black” for “Chassidic Jew.” ]
And yet you do that all time with Muslims, Blacks and Women of the WNBA. Sorry Deb, but freedom of speech ain’t a one way street. But thanks for the e-mail though. I’ll let ABC know that they must stand up for freedom of speech and of course what a great show ‘The View’ is.
Just remember Deb, it ain’t antisemitism if the criticism comes from a fellow Jew or Jewess in this case.
Bwwarrrrrrrrrr!!!
Oooooo, the irony!!!

Norman Blitzer on January 22, 2009 at 1:12 am

ShyGuy… are you the ShyGuy who posts on Israel Matzav? I don’t look Jewish at all… but I had German as well Jewish ancestors. The stereotypes about Chassidic women aren’t true. Orthodox Jewish women do contribute to Jewish life and they are truly men’s equals. Unlike Muslim women who are chattels and are neither heard from or seen. Let’s keep that in mind the next time someone makes disparaging observations about Jews. If they aren’t ignorant, then they are anti-Semites.

NormanF on January 22, 2009 at 1:27 am

NormanF, I am one and the same.

Shy Guy on January 22, 2009 at 1:50 am

She plays a very nasty bitch on Larry Davids Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO. Was funny like many sit coms the first year or so then the libtard stuff becomes more and more in your face. Funny his wife left him after being portrayed better looking and nicer than she really was(her take on it).

samurai on January 22, 2009 at 1:53 am

I’m getting tired of Jews who put down other Jews because they are too frightened to mock any other groups. Much of American Jewry has become a pathetic, self-loathing, cowardly, obsequeous and despicable, and pitiable mess.
My son and many of his friends are proud and strong Jews, not like the pathetic so-called (adult) Jews who hate themselves and all their fellow Jews. Ms. Essman is a disgrace.

sonomaca on January 22, 2009 at 1:58 am

They are the ugly ones! They are destroying this country.

Photoman on January 22, 2009 at 2:00 am

Has anyone noticed Barbara isn’t aging so well?
http://monkey-plus-robot-reviews.blogspot.com/comicsstash/0sleestack1.jpg

californiascreaming on January 22, 2009 at 2:11 am

Memory correction, for the record. In the movie Cabaret, the song “If You Could See Her” is not the last song in the movie, which concludes with the camera pan of the Nazi filled nightclub audience.

Shy Guy on January 22, 2009 at 2:12 am

Witless Essman probably wasn’t happy either about the fact that Chassidic Jews are farther to the right than she, or the other nitwits on The View are. She also probably isn’t happy either about the fact that they have higher standards of morality and personal conduct than she does. She would feel put in a straitjacket if she had to follow the standards of personal behavior that built the United Statesbefore abortion on demand, gay marriage, and all the rest of it, started tearing it apart. Aisd from the obnoxious identification with the aggressor. Helps show that nitwits like her who vote for Obama think little about Jewish concerns. It is all about their own personal advancement, opportunism and narcissism.
I know the Jewish defense organizations like the ADL will be in the forefront of the fight to defend Chassidic Jews against these slanders.

c f on January 22, 2009 at 2:28 am

I know the Rebbetzin (sp) of a dynmic, Chasidic Rabbi who restored Jewish life in Metro West, Massachussets.
His wife is very beautiful and is regarded as part of the Mayflower descendants of the American Chasidic community.

Underzog on January 22, 2009 at 6:04 am

An ex-sitcom star tells off a couple of hecklers in a nightclub or a radio host echoes a glib joke about a basketball team and the nation erupts into crisis. There are news headlines and TV stories about it for weeks. Men are ostracized from society for life over it.
A bunch of overpaid Hollywood libs launch into a prolonged anti-Semitic orgy of hate on network TV, the mass media say nothing.
We’ve just begun an era where a 20-year member of a racist, anti-Semitic church has been ushered into the Oval Office on a golden chariot so I suppose we can’t be surprised by things like this anymore.

Crusty on January 22, 2009 at 8:43 am

I always thoguht that some “Jews” make the best anti Semites. There are times when I almost think that my father was better off not being alive to see what is happening in this country.

Ripper on January 22, 2009 at 9:44 am

Curb Your Enthusiasm although it has its funny moments, is one of the most misanthropic shows around.

Ripper on January 22, 2009 at 9:51 am

All I know is, I have no right to comment on anyone’s “looks.”
At beauty I know I’m no star.
For others are fairer by far.
My face, I don’t mind it
Cause I am behind it.
‘Tis the folks out in front that I jar!

greenlynn on January 22, 2009 at 10:53 am

At beauty, I know I’m no star,
For others are fairer by far.
My face? I don’t mind it
Cause I am behind it.
‘Tis the folks out in front that I jar!

greenlynn on January 22, 2009 at 10:55 am

sorry about the 2nd post, nervous fingers I guess

greenlynn on January 22, 2009 at 10:56 am

Years ago i was a rep in the NY metroplex and I called on several clients who were Chassidic Jews. I remember thinking that these men and women were strong, determined and gracious.
After reading what is on the video (cannot watch it as these lowlifes make my skin crawl) I realize how far we have fallen.
It seems that more offensive you are the more airtime you get. Susie, ugly is as ugly does…and you are one ugly broad.

kaps on January 22, 2009 at 11:06 am

Is spitting on the “View” hostesses and guests halal?

Independent Conservative on January 22, 2009 at 11:22 am

I refuse to watch the view-makes me sick

mindy1 on January 22, 2009 at 3:17 pm

According to Susie Essman the worst thing for her would be if she had a daughter who was involved with a “right wing Republican”. What a classless bitch! Notice she did not say that it would be terrible for her (step) daughter to be involved with “Abdullah Psycho”.

Ripper on January 22, 2009 at 3:26 pm

Debbie:
I love your writing, always. However, I need to point out something you wrote (perhaps inadvertently). You write “The attacks on Jews–especially Orthodox Chassidic Jews–don’t just take place in Mumbai, India,…..”. I am sure you know that this attack was by Pakistani Muslim terrorists as part of their attack on infidel Hindus, Jews, and Christians. Jews have lived in India for nearly 3000 years and have NEVER (I repeat NEVER) been attacked by Hindus who form the majority. Many Jews left for Israel after 1948 but those that remain co-exist peacefully with non-Muslims in India. Except for Islamists and their leftist comarades, Indians respect Jews.
[IT: YOU MUST BE A NEW READER. IN THE PAST I’VE NOTED THAT I KNOW THE MUSLIMS IN INDIA ARE THE PROBLEM AND THAT THE HINDUS AND SIKHS ARE THE GOOD GUYS. DS]

IndianTiger on January 22, 2009 at 3:28 pm

Jews are now being de-legitmized on one of the most popular daytime TV shows. What’s next?
chsw

chsw on January 22, 2009 at 5:48 pm

The Torah says that any Jew who denounces the Almighty deserves contempt and condemnation.Essman will get hers, G-d sees everything.
I personally would not cry if she got cancer or something of that sort.4 illegitimate children? Something to be proud of, for sure! What a pile of feces,she is.
I am in the process of making teshuva and even though I have some disagreements with Hasidim, I have deep respect for them and Chabad movement in general.
Self-hating Jews are common, remember Trotsky?

jdemon519 on January 22, 2009 at 5:49 pm

Debbie, I have met a handful of beautiful Orthodox Jewish women, including Lubavitch. Unfortunately, as a group they do not compare well to secular women, Jewish or otherwise. I suppose they’re less vain or less willing to work-out, go vegan, get plastic surgery, dye their hair, etc. While SE is ugly inside and out, unfortunately I can’t completely disagree with her evaluation.

Anonymous1 on January 22, 2009 at 8:07 pm

Debbie, I don’t post very often because my computer seems to have trouble signing in sometimes, but I just want you to know that I regularly read your blog. 🙂
I want to thank you for writing this entry. I am not Chassidic but I am an Orthodox woman (hey, I’ve been told I’m beautiful, by the way). I thought I’d suspend tzniut (modesty) for a moment just to make a point. 🙂 Anyway, I’ve spent some time in Crown Heights, which is the epicenter of Chabad Lubavitch, and there are MANY beautiful Lubavitch women. I also lived in Israel for 4 years and plan to return soon, and again, many, many beautiful chassidic and haredi (very Orthodox) women. The most beautiful Orthodox women can be found in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where a lot of them are also wealthy.
I just cannot believe that this “zona” would say such horrible things on national television about her own people, or that the hags would engage in such insipid lies, but mostly I can’t believe that the public lets them get away with it. How this program can be so popular is beyond me.
I think the most important thing to note, however, is that physical beauty is NOT valued in Orthodox Judaism, because these women have more important things to do and to think about. In fact, a very beautiful girl might even have a hard time finding a marriage partner, unless it can be verified that she is not vain and that she has good character. Orthodox girls aren’t trolling the malls after school looking for boys; they are home helping their mothers or else they are out collecting food for the poor. Young girls are trained early in the concept of charity and service. It just so happens that some of them are born beautiful by the world’s standards, in addition to being beautiful inside.
Shame on the Hags and on this Essman figure.

BanishThem on January 23, 2009 at 1:18 am

Anonymous1, I am not sure where you are hanging out. I am a Lubavitcher woman. I want you all to know that the shaitels (wigs) the women are wearing in the movie are hideous. No frum woman would wear one that looks like. Most of us spend a lot of money on them to look as natural as possible. The shaitels often start at around $1,500 and go up to over $3000. Many, many, many of my friends work out. You also have to remember that many of us have large families. After 5 or 6 babies your body is a lot harder to get into shape. But many of us do dress very nicely. You have to realize that we are not going to imitate these ladies. Brittany Spears leaves nothing to the imagination. A frum woman is proud that her beauty is found within, and doesn’t need to be flaunting it for everyone to see.
BTW, these ignorant Jewish women who know nothing of their heritage have no idea why an Orthodox woman covers her hair. It has more to do with the relationship between her and her husband. Her hair becomes holy when she gets married, and is special for only her husband. It isn’t that MY hair is going to drive other men wild and they are suddenly going to want to ravage me. Rather, it becomes private, something that I share ONLY with MY husband. Maybe if they would LEARN about the laws they would APPRECIATE them.
And finally, the whole premise of the movie is flawed as Carl pointed out on the Israel Matzav. The idea of marrying the dead husband’s brother can be avoided by performing chalitza. (I have never seen it done and I do not know enough about it to explain.) Thanks so much Debbie for pointing this all out.

Leah on January 23, 2009 at 2:13 am

Thanks Leah–I learned much from your post. I am well read on the Torah–but not on practical application by orthodox Jews on some things–such as the head covering traditions and so forth. Is Levirate marriage practiced very often these days? Isn’t the basis for it, the idea that in the Genesis command/blessing to “be fruitful and multiply,” the brother of the dead husband has the “honor” of fulfilling this command and keeping his brother’s line going–with the same genes?
In my opinion, the world is a much better place becuase of the contribution of the Lubavitchers–Debbie is right on this.

BB on January 23, 2009 at 11:06 am

I’m a secular Jew and I have non-Lubavitch elderly family members that live in Crown Heights. Their Lubavitch neighbors are great people – always willing to help – even if my relatives are sometimes difficult. They have been very helpful to me too. While they don’t proseltyze, they do try to bring Jews back into Judaism and for me that’s meant explaining different holidays, customs or rituals as they occur. This has had a profound effect on me as I have become a practicing Jews (I joined a shul for the first time in my life!).
Under the leadership of the late Rebbe Rabbi Schneerson) Chabad is unlike other Hassidic sects. They go out into the world wherever there is a Jew and willingly help their fellow Jews (including the most secular).
While I’ll never be Hassidic and I disagree with some of their customs and practices that’s okay. I’m sure they don’t agree with me on everything (even though I’m always right! 🙂
As the late Rebbe Rabbi Schneerson once said “a Jew is a Jew” and these ‘open (close)minded (in)toleratant liberals’ need to remember that.

sandy on January 23, 2009 at 11:43 am

As far as I can see, Whoopie is not laughing with the others. Especially when “they dress ugly” comment comes, she is just sitting there hardly moving.
For what it’s worth Whoopie didn’t say anything to stop it, but she didn’t laugh either.

sandy on January 23, 2009 at 12:46 pm

I want to make one more point. Not only are many Orthodox and Chassidic women beautiful, or at least attractively groomed and dressed with gracious manners, but almost all of them achieve this while at the same time:
1) rearing upwards of 5 children
2) working fulltime or partime outside the home so the husband can pursue his Talmudic studies
3) preparing and serving 2 to 3 formal meals on the sabbath for a dozen or more guests, EVERY WEEK, plus holy days, which number about 20 per year
4) teaching Torah classes in the community
5) providing community service work
6) engaging in formal prayers 3 times a day
They don’t have a team of servants, either. Show me a celebrity who can do that and still look good. Brittney crumbled after two children, and she had loads of resources. Angelina Jolie employs hundreds of helpers.
I came to Orthodoxy later in life, along with my husband, and while I try to be a good sabbath hostess (sans children, by the way), I can’t possibly do all the things that I have seen women in my community do routinely. I guess it’s like training your whole life for a marathon and those of us who joined late just do the best we can!
This movie sounds like slander of the worst kind, because the victims are not aware of it (they do not attend movies) so they can’t even defend themselves.
I tip my hat to Haredi and Chassidic women but to the Lubavitcher women, I say, “Many have done excellently, but you exceed them all.”

BanishThem on January 23, 2009 at 12:59 pm

These “View”-b*thces must be the worst mental flatliners America ever produced. Hair-raising stupidity from beginning to end. I always wondered what Hasselbeck is doing among them, she is not quite as dumbed down as the rest, but give it time, she’ll get there!
Now, somebody mentioned beautiful. Anybody ever been to Melbourne? The Chabad community in Australia has the most beautiful, intelligent, stunning girls I have ever seen. But, hey, I already been around the block a few times and my 20-year old son is quick to call me a pedo for just looking. WTF is wrong with keeping an open mind?

sheik yer'mami on January 25, 2009 at 1:01 am

As Christians, it is our obligation to stand against anti-semitism and religious bigiotry. The comments by members of The View are disgraceful. We condemn and repudiate their bigotry against the Lubavitch community.
The View should tape a show with Chabad in Long Island so they can see how stupid their comments really are.

Nassau County Civic Association, Inc. on January 25, 2009 at 2:16 pm

i am a lubavitch woman and i have been told by many people that i am quite good looking. most of the women in my family, immediate and extended are beautiful! i wear a wig and have been complimented on it by many people who are quite unaware that it is a wig. we spend thousands of dollars on our wigs to make them look as beautiful as possible. as leah pointed out, we wear wigs only after we are married because our natural hair is special between us and our husbands. the custom of marrying your dead husband’s brother is not an archaic custom. it was made to perpetuate his legacy and is not practiced in this day and age. thank you debbie for your article. it touched me so much that there are wonderful people, unlike susie essman and the women on the view, who would stand up for a sect that they do not belong to. i am also most curious as to where the producers and susie herself did their research on lubavitch women as the portrayal of us in the movie was grossly inaccurate

estea on January 26, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Hit them where it hurts right in their bank accounts just BOYCOTT ABC,NBC and CBS finder a better network

PESTO THE PSYCOPATHIC PIGEON on December 22, 2009 at 3:01 am

I can’t fall asleep after looking at her face *shudder*.
Took the opportunity to write a haiku and post it on cafepress http://www.cafepress.com/essman

Ookamikun on June 5, 2011 at 4:26 am

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