#I know I'm just an RP blog but I figured I'd put my 2 cents in

[godoutcast]

I probably should keep my mouth shut...but I've seen some negativity about the Jewish rep, even after today's episode, in Moon Knight and I wanna address it as someone born and raised Jewish and, even more than that, someone who struggled with my faith. Further disclaimer, I'm no longer religiously Jewish, but consider it part of my heritage. This will have episode 5 spoilers and it's gonna be a long one so putting it under the cut. Hopefully I won’t regret posting this but I had so many thoughts. Please note the triggers in the tags and that this is a dark episode, okay?

First, let's look at the representation Moon Knight has given us. Early on, just a couple small things: a mezuzah on the apartment door, wearing a star of David necklace. These were nice little touches in my opinion. I have a star of David necklace from my nana I still wear sometimes. Considering how we see him struggle this last episode, I wouldn't be surprised if the necklace is an heirloom, a sentimental piece, rather than a simple symbol of faith. I usually see mezuzahs on doors of older or more orthodox Jews (possibly because they're more likely to own a home where they can nail it into the door, but anyway), and I was on the conservative to reform side, so it gave me a sense of where his family may have landed on the spectrum of orthodoxy if he's used to having one to the point he put one up himself (or, since I think it’s said at some point the flat is his “Mum’s”, this was another way of Marc reinforcing that idea for Steven).

Now, for those not aware, Judaism is a matriarchal religion. Traditionally, your mother has to be Jewish for you to be born Jewish. Doesn't matter what religion your dad is. Anyway, that puts the mother as pretty important.

So, then we have this episode where we find out about Marc and Steven's mother. I can't really generalize all Jewish moms and the following is not that, but like how there are stereotypes about Chinese, Indian, or Jamaican parents, Jewish parents have some key traits too that are why we have the stereotypes. This is likely because it's another ancestor and family-centered culture. Jewish guilt is a real thing and can affect people long past their childhood. Generally, Jewish moms love to dote and spoil their kids so we love them and never want to disappoint them. There's a passage somewhere in the Torah about mothers loving unconditionally and fathers loving conditionally. Not necessarily true in practice, but dads are often a little more hands off in child rearing and even discipline than mothers. Whether they realize what they're doing or not, some moms use this to get us to do what they want. 

I always believed my mother was perfect and it actually really screwed with my own view of myself for many years as a kid because I didn't know I had ADHD, so I had problems doing my homework and brushing my teeth while my mom was a teacher and always got mad when I had cavities at the dentist. My nana had to show me my mom's old report card where she got a D in homeroom for talking in class for me to finally realize my mom wasn't some perfect being. Plenty of kids put their parents on a pedestal, but I think Jewish kids do this a lot more with their mom. Jewish moms want to be your best friend, but you have to do what you're told too. They love you, but they learn to use emotional manipulation because they "worry" "love you so much" "don't want to see you get hurt" etc. Bad actions, good intentions. Well-adjusted people usually stop this once their kids are old enough to articulate why this is not okay or they see for themselves the consequences of it.

Back to Moon Knight, at a young age, Marc was still experiencing best friend mom. Doting, I'll make you matzah ball soup and tuck you in when you're sick and fuss over you kind of mom. Now, one unrealistic thing is my mother would've never let me go off on my own...but my dad lived in Philly as a kid and I believe this was probably how it was for him in the era of not locking your doors and all that. All moms are protective. Jewish moms can be even more so (and their kids are often just as protective of them). As the younger sibling, I can also say, often the youngest they consider their special baby, favor them, sometimes to the detriment or at least annoyance to the older siblings. Having Marc looking after his brother is probably why my brother never wanted to go with my mom and me on outings, lol. He didn't, and shouldn't have had to be, responsible for me. 

I once slipped in the shower and got a bruise on my chest. My mom saw the bruise and immediately went after my brother thinking he'd hurt me. Jewish moms do not fuck around and find out. They simply fuck up whoever hurts their kids. So Marc's mom blaming and guilting him for his brother's death? Actually, very sadly Jewish but to the emotional extreme. The belt was a product of the times combined with the mom never getting therapy or grief counseling, though my mother spanked me as a kid when I misbehaved and that certainly wasn't fun either. Again, well-adjusted people stop disciplining kids like this when they realize this isn’t the way, but I certainly would’ve liked to go someplace else in those moments too.

As for the shiva for his mom (which is actually a seven-day affair of mourning). I felt that in my soul. I'm sure many people did regardless of religion, for varied reasons. My mother is still alive and not abusive, so for me, it's the kippah throw and then cradling. After my nana got cancer and especially after she died, I questioned Adonai. I questioned Judaism. How could a righteous God have taken a good Jewish woman and make her suffer and call that okay? I felt that energy in this scene. Kippahs are not meant to touch the ground, so the action probably felt wrong the moment he did it despite the anguish he was in. Whatever was in Marc's head at that moment, about how could this be the way it's supposed to go in a good and righteous world of God, he still picked up that kippah he's probably had since his bar mitzvah at 13 (assuming he got one since he was young when his brother died, perhaps he’s had it since his brother’s shiva) and held it close because what else does he have but his faith and heritage? What's left but your memories, whether good or awful, after someone dies? His faith, maybe the only good thing his mother gave him that he still has. The only part of his family he still has left is his faith, but his family has hurt him so much that he loves it still but he's apart from it. Jews often consider their religion their connection to their family, but, whatever your faith may be, many people can relate to that. 

So, no, I didn't need Oscar Isaac doing a prayer or showing him going to synagogue or Hebrew school for Jewish representation. The show isn't about him being Jewish (and for those upset Moon Knight is not played by a Jewish actor, there are way more underrepresented things in the acting sphere and Jews aren't what I'm concerned about, and I'm actually thrilled to see a POC Jew rep because not all of us are white New Yorkers). It's about Moon Knight and his trauma. (And no...I didn't need the original comic origin story and I'm glad they didn't use it tbh. That would've been horrific to watch.)

With all that said, other Jews who feel differently? Y’all do you. You can feel it wasn’t good enough and that’s valid, but I’m happy with how it’s gone so far myself. Anyway, enjoy this episode responsibly my friends, it’s a hard one in many ways.

#✑ no one is ever truly good // ooc post #moon knight spoilers #moon knight episode 5 spoilers #moon knight episode 5 #jew talks about moon knight #cw // cancer mention #tw // abuse mention #tw // jewish guilt #I know I'm just an RP blog but I figured I'd put my 2 cents in #I just want to hold Marc and tell him he's good #let me give the moon knight system matzah ball soup and gelt