The Two Faces of Jerry Seinfeld: A Biblical Perspective

January 16, 2025
Jerusalem's Old City walls (Shutterstock.com)
Jerusalem's Old City walls (Shutterstock.com)

It was a simple moment at a baseball game that revealed everything. There stood Jerry Seinfeld at Citi Field, wearing his New York Mets gear, when a Jewish fan called out to him. The fan’s brother was serving on the Gaza border, and he asked for a quick video message. Instead of a casual “Go Mets!” Seinfeld raised his fist and declared firmly: “Let’s go IDF!” In that instant, we saw a different Seinfeld than the one America had known for decades – not just the king of comedy who had made millions laugh with a “show about nothing,” but a Jew standing proudly with his people in their hour of need.

This striking transformation, as Rabbi Meir Soloveichik observed, reveals something deeper about Jewish identity in our time. We’ve witnessed two sides of Jerry Seinfeld emerge: the cultural icon who turned his New York Jewish neuroses into universal humor that captivated millions, and the man who, after October 7th, wept openly when discussing Israel and fearlessly faced down antisemitism.

This duality – between the public figure and the proud Jew – reflects a deeper truth found in the Bible. In Genesis 32:25, we encounter our forefather Jacob preparing to meet his brother Esau. The verse tells us:

“And Jacob was left alone.” This moment of solitude was transformative. In that solitude, he wrestled with an angel and emerged transformed, receiving the name Israel. Sometimes our greatest moments of growth come precisely when we have the courage to stand alone.

This brings us back to Jerry Seinfeld. For years, he was the ultimate assimilated Jewish success story – the comedian who made it big by making his Jewishness palatable to mainstream America. But when crisis struck, something deeper emerged. Like Jacob wrestling in the night, Seinfeld confronted his identity and chose to stand with his people, regardless of the cost to his mainstream appeal.

Think about that moment at Citifield again. Seinfeld could have played it safe. He could have given a generic “Go Mets!” and moved on. Instead, he chose to stand with Israel, with the IDF, with his people. In doing so, he exemplified the lesson of Jacob’s solitude – that our truest strength emerges not when we conform, but when we embrace who we are meant to be.

This message resonates deeply for both Jews and Christians today. We live in a world that increasingly demands we choose between our faith and cultural acceptance. The easy path is to blend in, to keep our beliefs private, to avoid taking stands that might make others uncomfortable. But the Bible shows us a different way. It shows us Jacob, standing alone yet emerging stronger. It shows us Moses, leaving the comfort of Pharaoh’s palace to stand with his people. And now, in our own time, it shows us figures like Seinfeld, choosing to be counted among their people when it matters most.

The transformation of Jerry Seinfeld from a successful entertainer to a proud Jewish voice reminds us that we all have this capacity within us. Like Jacob becoming Israel, like a comedian becoming a defender of his people, we too can find the courage to stand for truth even when it means standing alone.

As we face the challenges of our time, let us remember that true greatness often emerges not in moments of comfort, but in moments of choice. Will we blend in or stand out? Will we choose the path of least resistance or the path of truth? When we are brave enough to stand alone – like Jacob and Jerry – we discover reserves of strength we never knew we had.

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Rabbi Elie Mischel

Rabbi Elie Mischel is the Director of Education at Israel365. Before making Aliyah in 2021, he served as the Rabbi of Congregation Suburban Torah in Livingston, NJ. He also worked for several years as a corporate attorney at Day Pitney, LLP. Rabbi Mischel received rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva Universityā€™s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Rabbi Mischel also holds a J.D. from the Cardozo School of Law and an M.A. in Modern Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. He is also the editor of HaMizrachi Magazine.

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