Star Trek: 60 years to the most gloriously nerdy enterprise

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

This month marks the 60th anniversary of the pioneering sci-fi series, Star Trek. Expert in all things Trekky, Hoffman, when he's not schmoozing with Borschel-Dan, also hosts the STARLOG podcast and co-wrote The Star Trek Book of Friendship.

So this week, the duo nerd out on all things Jewish behind the beloved franchise -- Spock's famous hand gesture is adapted from the Priestly Blessing, in one notable example. Eventually, we laser in on two episodes that illustrate the show's ethos.

From the original Star Trek television series, Hoffman chose "The City on the Edge of Forever." We hear about how, when time-traveling to 1930s New York, Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock faced a tough decision to stave off a potential global Nazi takeover.

And in Deep Space Nine's "In the Hands of the Prophets," we see how the program deals with themes of religious extremism versus science.

Let’s hear who gave this series an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

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