Religious Dilemma

Tinseltown rabbi saves a prayer for primetime show, 'Grey's Anatomy.

JENNIFER SIEGEL

The Forward

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5/12

2005

72

ichelle Missaghieh is a rabbi.
And she plays one on TV.
On May 15, viewers of
ABC's hit medical "dramedy" Grey's
Anatomy will be introduced to
Missaghieh on an episode titled "Save
Me," in which a newly Orthodox 17-
year-old girl struggles with her faith
when faced with-a potentially fatal
heart condition.
The decision to cast Missaghieh as
herself in the rabbi's role may reflect,
to some degree, the changing face of
the American rabbinate in both life
and art. But the decision to have her
counsel an Orthodox girl, who has
indeed become so observant that she
balks at receiving a lifesaving heart
valve from a pig, is sure to leave
knowledgeable viewers with an "only
in Hollywood" feeling.
How did such a religious patient
end up in the operating room with a
woman rabbi ordained by the liberal
Reform movement?
It's a good question, Missaghieh
acknowledged. And one she raised in
her role as a consultant for the episode
before being asked to play the role.
Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl and Patrick Dempsey, Isaiah Washington star in "Grey's Anatomy"
The writer, Mimi Schmir, insisted
that the rabbi be female.
"Whenever there is a story that has a
formance, female rabbis have been featured promi-
In later years, the synagogue's rabbi, Max
rabbi, I never see a woman, I just see old men,"
nently in three new novels this past year —
Nussbaum, officiated at the wedding of Elizabeth
Schmir explained. "I wanted to clash with the
Jonathan Rosen's Joy Comes in the Morning, Amy
Taylor and Eddie Fisher, among other Hollywood
stereotype a bit."
Sohn's My Old Man and Julius Lester's The
glitterati, and served as spiritual adviser to Sammy
To make the plot more realistic, Missaghieh sug-
Autobiography of God.
Davis Jr.
gested that the woman rabbi be identified as the
In fact, Missaghieh, ordained by HUC-JIR in
Missaghieh's star turn, the Grey's Anatomy gig fell
girl's childhood rabbi, but to Missaghieh's surprise,
1996 and the associate rabbi at Los Angeles'
into her lap when Ann Kindberg, a congregant at
the proposed scene establishing the connection was
Temple Israel of Hollywood, was herself the inspi- Temple Israel and a past producer of the show,
not included.
ration for a character on HBO's hit show Six Feet
needed a rabbinical consultant for the episode.
Despite what many would describe as a far-
Under several seasons ago — a young, sexy rabbi
Missaghieh's participation ensured that the
fetched pairing, the decision to cast a woman rabbi
who develops a flirtation with dashing undertaker
Orthodox character's jean skirt was the right length
does shine a national spotlight on the demographic
Nate Fisher.
(long), that she prayed in the right direction (east)
shift in the rabbinate.
and that any confusion about whether rabbis typi-
Nearly 60 percent of students at Hebrew Union
cally bless heart valves was dispelled (no, emphati-
Hollywood Congregants
College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the training
cally). Still, when Missaghieh finally agreed to play a
Missaghieh's involvement in television could be said
ground for Reforril rabbis, are now female. The
rabbi in front of the camera, not everyone was in on
to uphold the tradition of a congregation that has
Conservative movement, which celebrates its 20th
the joke.
grown up alongside the entertainment industry.
anniversary of ordaining women this year, recently
"At first, they thought I was just another actress,"
Several of Temple Israel's founders were in the busi-
saw its first woman become senior rabbi of a syna-
Missaghiehsaid of her cast mates in a recent inter-
ness, including Sol Wurtzel, a producer who popu-
gogue with more than 500 families.
view with the Forward. "They said, 'Well how did
lated films for the Fox Film Corporation with stars
Lately, this gender revolution has begun to perco-
you learn all that?' I'm like, CI am a rabbi. I'm play-
like Shirley Temple, Will Rogers and Spencer Tracey.
late up into culture; in addition to Missaghieh's per-
ing me.'"