A Television Comedy about a Hip Young Muslim Breaks the Mold by Taking Religion Seriously

The new television program Ramy has the familiar theme of a twentysomething trying to make his way in the world. Yet although the title character is a Muslim, writes Gabe Friedman, observant Jews may find him surprisingly easy to relate to:

Ramy Hassan, the show’s protagonist, is . . . a religious Muslim who prays regularly, observes holidays somewhat strictly, and doesn’t drink alcohol. During Ramadan, he even surprises his family and friends with his religiosity when he digs his childhood thobe out of the closet. He does, however, have plenty of premarital sex, something he’s constantly conflicted about.

In addition to the groundbreaking portrayal of Muslims on screen, this is what makes the show stand out: its hip millennial character engages deeply with religion—not just the “spiritual” side, but also the day-to-day lifestyle and ritual choices—in a way that makes for a compelling combination rarely, if ever, seen on television.

In [contemporary] TV shows featuring obviously Jewish characters—such as Transparent, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, or Broad City—the protagonists telegraph their Jewishness through comedy and constant cultural references. Only sometimes will the Jewish characters dip their feet into Judaism [as a religion]. In the case of Mrs. Maisel, the characters are almost all Jews, but Judaism rarely intrudes in a meaningful way. These characters never engage very deeply with any tenets of Jewish practice, worship or thought, especially the ritual strictures—such as keeping kosher and observing Shabbat—that define the daily religious aspect of Jewish observance. . . .

Ramy’s life, on the other hand, is very directly affected by his religious choices. . . .

Read more at Times of Israel

More about: American Muslims, Islam, Judaism, Religion, Television

What a Strategic Victory in Gaza Can and Can’t Achieve

On Tuesday, the Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant met in Washington with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Gallant says that he told the former that only “a decisive victory will bring this war to an end.” Shay Shabtai tries to outline what exactly this would entail, arguing that the IDF can and must attain a “strategic” victory, as opposed to merely a tactical or operational one. Yet even after a such a victory Israelis can’t expect to start beating their rifles into plowshares:

Strategic victory is the removal of the enemy’s ability to pose a military threat in the operational arena for many years to come. . . . This means the Israeli military will continue to fight guerrilla and terrorist operatives in the Strip alongside extensive activity by a local civilian government with an effective police force and international and regional economic and civil backing. This should lead in the coming years to the stabilization of the Gaza Strip without Hamas control over it.

In such a scenario, it will be possible to ensure relative quiet for a decade or more. However, it will not be possible to ensure quiet beyond that, since the absence of a fundamental change in the situation on the ground is likely to lead to a long-term erosion of security quiet and the re-creation of challenges to Israel. This is what happened in the West Bank after a decade of relative quiet, and in relatively stable Iraq after the withdrawal of the United States at the end of 2011.

Read more at BESA Center

More about: Gaza War 2023, Hamas, IDF