Is there really such a thing as an archetypal Jewish mother? Films and tv shows would have us think not – as each one portrayed so differently. From Barbra Streisand’s smothering mother in Meet The Fockers to Midge Maisel’s ditsy style queen in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel they feature all manner of idiosyncrasies, nuances and personalities.
Miriam Maisel, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Rachel Brosnahan’s portrayal of the 1950s comedienne embraces all things Jewish, from getting good seats on Rosh Hashanah to cooking a mouthwatering brisket. Midge is outspoken, outrageous, stylish, silly and intrinsically Jewish.
Maura Pfefferman, Transparent
The first trans matriarch to hit television, Jeffrey Tambor’s portrayal of Maura humanised transgender people while rooting her realism in the sunny neuroticism of Los Angeles Jewish culture. Maura is a woman of sacrifice. When her daughter is born with a medical condition, she chooses to shelve exploring her gender identity to prioritize parenting.
Charlotte York, Sex and the City
Charlotte (played by Kristin Davis) is not Jewish but when she falls for her bald chunky divorce attorney she has to convert to Judaism to marry him and becomes more passionate about Judaism than he is.
Frankie, Grace & Frankie
Lily Tomlin’s Frankie is more at home smoking cannabis and praying to an Indian goddess than at Yom Kippur services. However, she leads her family in lighting Shabbat candles to remind them that even as their lives become profoundly disrupted, they will always be part of a Jewish home.
Sam Fox, Better Things
Pamela Adlon pays a single Jewish mother and working actress raising three daughters in Los Angeles, one of whom is played by Oscar winner Mikey Madison.
Bobbie Adler, Will & Grace
Debbie Reynold’s portrayal of Grace’s bubbly Jewish mother shines in its relatability. Bobbie drops in on her daughter to ensure she is celebrating Jewish holidays and sends out a monthly mailer to her family “with three colors and a Yiddish word jumble.” Her dying wishes include for her daughter to finally get breast implants. What could be more ‘Jewish mother’ than making demands from the grave?
Naomi Bunch, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Tovah Feldshuh plays Naomi — the hilarious, overbearing matriarch in Rachel Bloom’s musical world. Naomi’s numbers establish her as a Jewish mom icon from “Where’s the Bathroom?” to “Remember That We Suffered”.
And not forgetting… Michelle Williams as Leah Adler in Steven Spielberg’s mother in his ode to his parents, The Fabelmans. Plus Barbra Streisand as Ben Stiller’s overbearing mother in Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers.
