It’s funny to think about finding an answer to antisemitism in a half-century-old (oof!) sitcom about the nation’s biggest lovable bigot.
And yet, back in 1971, the same year Richard Nixon made his infamous “Jew Count” — demoting Jewish employees at the Bureau of Labor Statistics whom he accused of being part of a “Jewish cabal” out to get him — Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” gave us a perfect clapback to antisemitism.
If that wasn’t enough, it also offered a bit of wonderfully accurate Orthodox Jewish representation.
It all happened in one scene in episode 11 of the hit sitcom’s second season, titled “The Man in the Street.” Archie Bunker is trying to watch a Walter Cronkite man-on-the-street segment in which he was interviewed, only for his TV set to stop working. Archie scrambles to find someone to fix his TV when he discovers that his next-door neighbor has a technician at her house.
In walks Levy, a working-class Jewish man played by Neil J. Schwartz (whom you might know as Bag Zombroski from “Happy Days”). As Levy looks at the TV, he puzzles over why Archie Bunker would be on Walter Cronkite.
“Walter Cronkite wanted your opinion?!” he asks incredulously.
“Didn’t you recognize Archie Bunker. He’s a very important man. He just lives here to be close to the people,” Bunker’s son-in-law, Michael “Meathead” Stivic jokes.
And while Bunker complains about Meathead distracting Levy, the proficient technician finds the problem instantly: “a line fuse blown and one B3 tube is out.”
It’s an easy fix, one that should only take “15-20 minutes.” Bunker seems overjoyed that he’ll be able to watch his five minutes of fame, but then Levy bursts his bubble, saying that he will fix the TV first thing Monday morning.
“First thing Monday morning,” because, Levy explains, “It’s Friday, and I’m not allowed to drive the truck after sundown.”
Any Jewish person watching the show at this point probably knows the reason, but Meathead, played by the cast’s only Jewish member, Rob Reiner of blessed memory, explains it to Archie and to the viewers at home who might not know: “I think what Mr. Levy is trying to tell you is that he’s Orthodox.”
“Orthodox what?” Archie asks, still not getting it.
“Jewish,” Levy says plainly.
“C’mon, don’t tell me that! Orthodox, a clean-cut kid like you!” Bunker replies in disbelief, saying that he knows what Orthodox Jews look like, with their “long black coats and hats and beards.”
“You’re no more Orthodox than me!” Bunker asserts, only for Levy to reply, “I think I am!”
“It’s a question of dough — how much?” Bunker then resorts to antisemitic stereotypes.
“It has nothing to do with money, Mr. Bunker. The job will only cost you a few dollars — on Monday,” Levy responds, giving Bunker the benefit of the doubt and apologizing for not being able to help sooner. “I’m sorry, believe me, but I’ve got to go to temple for services, and it’s forbidden for me to drive after dark.”
When Archie points out that it’s not dark yet, Levy then shares the calculation many Orthodox Jews make before Shabbat. “My shop is 20 minutes away, and sunset is at 6:12,” and Archie then refuses to believe that people run around on Fridays knowing exactly when sunset is. But, again, it’s the lived experience of observant Jews across the world.
“Do the job now, say three hail Moses tomorrow!” a desperate Archie then suggests nonsensically.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t go against my religion,” Levy says, once again drawing the line in the sand.
“Turning down money, that’s against your religion,” a desperate Archie then returns to a classic antisemitic insult.
Levy, a formidable opponent, replies with: “Tzun a leben in a hoyz mit a toyznt tsimers, ayes zol hobn a boykhveytik un yeder tsimer,” which in Yiddish means, “May you live in a house with a thousand rooms, and may you get a stomachache in every room, ” an excellent curse that goes right over Bunker’s head.
“What the hell does that mean?” Bunker then asks.
And Levy gets the final word: “You’ll never know, but believe me, I got even.” And he sure did.
Over 50 years ago, this episode of “All in the Family” stood proudly against antisemitism by showing us a principled, working-class Jewish American who stood up to Archie Bunker without blinking. It wasn’t the first show to do that — Gertrude Berg’s Molly Goldberg showed America similar courage decades earlier.
Yet, “All In the Family” did also offer a reminder that in our arsenal, we have a pretty great weapon to help us stand strong against antisemites. We have a treasure trove full of Yiddish (and yes, Hebrew and Ladino) curses.
