Rabbi’s Update 8/29/2025

Dear Friends:

I finally found a concise definition of the particular approach to Judaism which makes the most sense to me: “a progressive egalitarian Conservative Judaism with an emphasis on ritual and community over faith and blind practice.” What’s a little odd is that this definition doesn’t come from a modern Conservative Jewish thinker like Arnold Eisen or Neil Gillman, a contemporary Conservative rabbi like David Wolpe or Elliot Cosgrove, one of the great Conservative idealogues of the prior generation like Abraham Joshua Heschel, or the builder of American Conservative institutions, Solomon Schechter. It comes from a cartoon character, Naomi Schwartz, the matriarch of the Schwooper family (the name Schwooper is a portmanteau of Naomi’s surname Schwartz and that of her husband, Elliott Cooper), in the brilliant new Netflix adult cartoon “Long Story Short.”

This series premiered on Netflix a week ago today and Keleigh and I finished watching the ten episodes within a couple of days (it has already been renewed for a second season). I plan to re-watch it over the Labor Day weekend. I loved it but I also know that there are moments that I probably missed, since the series is quite rich. It is also Talmudic in a way, since it is non-linear and one episode will refer to incidents about which we will find out only in subsequent episodes; the Talmud is sometimes referred to as “an infinite book” since every tractate refers to every other tractate.

I believe this series is not only worth your time, assuming that you have access to Netflix,  but also deeply significant for us as Conservative Jews. Too often, depictions of Jewish life in popular media are either overly secular and focused on cultural identity alone, or they stereotype the Orthodox community. This show, however, presents something refreshing and, for many of us, profoundly recognizable. The central family, the Schwoopers, are explicitly described as being raised in a "progressive egalitarian Conservative" tradition, which makes their journey a mirror of our own. It's a rare chance to see a mainstream show grapple with the nuances of our movement, from the value of tradition and ritual over unquestioning faith, to the complexities of intermarriage and evolving observance.

The series' non-linear storytelling is particularly powerful. It jumps through time, showing the characters at different stages of their lives, from childhood to adulthood. This structure beautifully illustrates how our Jewish upbringing, even when seemingly rejected or modified, continues to shape our decisions and identities. For instance, we see a son who becomes an atheist and marries outside the faith, yet he still grapples with his Jewishness in a way that is informed by his Conservative upbringing. We also see a child who finds deep meaning in a more traditionally observant, Orthodox path. The show doesn't judge these choices; rather, it explores how they are all part of a continuous, sometimes messy, conversation with our heritage. It reminds us that our Jewish story is not a single, straight line, but a rich, multi-threaded tapestry woven over time.

Ultimately, "Long Story Short" can serve as a call to reflection. It asks us to consider what Judaism means to us in our own lives, and it affirms that there is no single "right way" to be Jewish. It celebrates the diversity within our own community and the human capacity to find meaning and connection, even when we deviate from our parents' path. It's a show that sparks important conversations about family, faith, and identity—conversations that we need to be having. Watching it can help us understand our own journeys and those of our children and grandchildren, reminding us that no matter where we are on our path, our tradition is a vital part of who we are. Particularly as we near the Days of Awe, the conversations that “Long Story Short” might spark are important for us to engage in. If you watch or have watched the series, I would love to know your reactions to it.

As a reminder, I am having drop-in hours on Thursday afternoons from 2 to 4 at the shul. For my drop-in hours, you do not need to make an appointment -- that would negate the whole point of drop-in hours -- but I’d urge you to check and make sure I am there regardless as sometimes there are unavoidable pastoral or other emergencies which might take me away from the building.

As always, if I can do anything for you or you need to talk, please contact me at rabbi@kehilatshalom.org or 301-977-0768 rather than through the synagogue office. I am happy to meet you at the synagogue by appointment; if you want to speak with me it’s best to make an appointment rather than assuming I will be there when you stop by. 

Additionally, if you know of a Kehilat Shalom congregant or another member of our Jewish community who could use a phone call, please let me know.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Charles L. Arian