NBC Pulls Nurses Episode Following Backlash over Its Portrayal of Orthodox Jews
NBC Removes ‘Nurses’ Episode From Digital Platforms Following Backlash Over Orthodox Jewish Storyline https://t.co/u3KKFkqe1S
- Variety (@Variety) February 24, 2021
NBC has removed the “Nurses” (Canadian drama) episode “Achilles Heel” from digital platforms and future airings following backlash over a storyline involving a man from the Orthodox Jewish community. NBC has no plans to issue a statement condemning the episode.
In Orthodox Judaism, there are no specific restrictions regarding using a transplant from a cadaver in a medical situation.
A global Jewish human rights organization, responded to the episode in a statement.
“The writers of this scene check all the boxes of ignorance and pernicious negative stereotypes, right down to the name of the patient, Israel-paiyous and all. In one scene, NBC has insulted and demonized religious Jews and Judaism. Orthodox Jews are targeted for violent hate crimes - in the city of New York, Jews are number one target of hate crimes in US; this is no slip of the tongue. It was a vile, cheap attack masquerading as TV drama. What’s NBC going to do about it?”
[Description of the scene]
The scene :
A young Orthodox Jewish man named Israel is hospitalized for a shattered leg. A doctor informs Israel and his father, who insists that “the Creator” will heal him, that Israel will require a bone graft (part of a cadaver’s leg would be surgically inserted into his leg).
“You want to put a dead leg inside of me?” Israel asks the doctor. “A dead goyim leg - from anyone. An Arab, a woman,” his father replies. Then, a nurse chimes in: “Or God forbid an Arab woman.” Israel ultimately refuses the bone graft, saying that “It’s God who heals what he creates.”
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