When asked about his faith, Detective John Munch (Richard Belzer) says, “The only thing Judaism and I have in common is we both don’t like to work on Saturdays.” Quipping aside, Munch—a cynical, sarcastic, four-times-divorced conspiracy nut—actually has a rich and nuanced, though largely secular, relationship to Judaism.
The character of John Munch is the longest-running one on television to be played by the same actor. He began as a lead on Homicide: Life On The Street as a detective in the Baltimore Police Department and then moved to New York as a Sex Crimes cop on Law And Order: SVU (which occupies the same universe), racking up a current total of 19 seasons of television. Belzer has also appeared as Munch on more series than any other television character, including the original Law And Order and its spinoff Trial By Jury, short-lived UPN cop drama The Beat, The Wire, and The X-Files, comedies 30 Rock and Arrested Development (where Munch helps the FBI run the “scrapbooking sting” on Tobias), and Sesame Street.
But for a character with such longevity, Munch’s complicated relationship to his religion has been sparingly explored. Like Jerry Seinfeld, his Judaism is cultural—he’s oversensitive to perceived anti-Semitism but completely fine with joking about Judaism himself. His sensitivity to personal slights, whether against his religion or not, reaches its logical conclusion in paranoia and an obsession with conspiracy theories. This aspect of the character became less prominent as he moved from Homicide to SVU, but a forensic psychologist in the first season of SVU still pegs Munch as able to “smell a conspiracy theory at a five-year-old’s lemonade stand.”
One of his many crossover appearances suggests Munch might not be so off the mark with his theories. The framing device of “Unusual Suspects,” a Season 5 episode of The X-Files, sees Munch interrogating John Fitzgerald Byers (Bruce Harwood), the leader of the Lone Gunmen—a group of conspiracy nuts more paranoid than Fox Mulder (David Duchovney), another Jew. Within The X-Files, “Unusual Suspects” provides the origins of both the Lone Gunmen and Mulder’s overwhelming fear of the government, but it also helps situate Munch’s persecution complex and surprisingly well-justified distrust of authority.
Still, as much as his attitude reflects a Jewish upbringing, Munch isn’t particularly religious. Homicide’s episode “Kaddish,” the most in-depth exploration of Munch’s faith, makes it clear that although he knows the details of Jewish burial laws, some Yiddish, and a substantial amount of prayer, he wants nothing to do with Judaism. During the episode, Munch refuses to participate in a minyan, a group of 10 Jewish adults required for certain prayers, at a shiva for Helen Rosenthal, a victim whose murder he is investigating who also happens to be his high school crush. At the minyan, Munch claims (while obviously lying) that he doesn’t remember the Mourner’s Kaddish, the hymn of praise to God said by those grieving for a loved one.
Throughout “Kaddish,” we trace young Johnny Munch’s infatuation with Helen. That relationship is important by itself to understanding the adult Munch, but it also lets us peek at his nerdy childhood in the heavily Jewish Baltimore suburb of Pikesville, where he ran a paper route and dreamt of being a detective, “like Johnny Staccato.” Growing up in the suburbs in front of a television, afraid of bullies, it’s easy to trace a line between Johnny Munch and the cynical Sex Crimes cop.
As someone connected to Judaism more through a sort of worldview than through faith, or even rituals, Munch seems to be a kindred spirit of Homeland’s Saul Berenson, another Jewish law-enforcement official who may not be exceedingly religious but takes Judaism as crucial and constitutive of his personality.
Both Munch and Saul experience similar moments confirming their inherent Judaism. Saul says kaddish over Asfal Hamid, a terrorist who has committed suicide, as a way of expressing the compassion that makes him such an effective CIA operative. Likewise, at the end of “Kaddish,” Munch returns to Helen’s shiva, dons a yarmulke, and joins the minyan, the sound of the Mourner’s Kaddish providing the grace note of the episode.
Before he heads back to the shiva, Munch asks his partner why people forget the simple pleasure of holding another person’s hand, clearly pining for the pure love he felt for Helen. The contradiction at the heart of John Munch—the cynical, paranoiac bastard with four ex wives who still believes deeply in true love—is less a signal of the hard-bitten cop’s rejection of Judaism and more a representation of the reluctant Jewish hero, a tradition as old as Moses.
Previously on Network Jews
Dr. John Zoidberg, the Klutzy Jewish Crustacean on Futurama
Jean-Ralphio, the status-obsessed sidekick on Parks and Recreation.
Shoshanna, the scene-stealing afterthought on Girls.
Biroq, ular tezda o’sishni to’xtatadilar va balog’at yoshida sog’lom balog’at yoshida pubik va qo’ltiq ostidagi
sochlarning erta paydo bo’lishi.
Telefon Numaram: 43. 00:00. 00:00. Editör: porno. aile ve travesti porno aile içi erotik konulu
sex films 4k film izle full hd türkçe porno izle aile ıcı uzun porn aile, içi,
erotik, konulu, sex, films, 4k, film, izle, full,
hd, türkçe sex video aile ıcı uzun porn.
Fabulous, what a weblog it is! This webpage gives valuable facts
to us, keep it up.
We stumbled over here different web address and thought
I may as well check things out. I like what I see so now i am following you.
Look forward to looking at your web page repeatedly.
Hey there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any problems with hackers?
My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing a
few months of hard work due to no backup. Do you
have any solutions to stop hackers?
I visited multiple sites but the audio quality for audio songs
present at this web page is actually superb.
Also visit my page – coupon
Thanks very interesting blog!
Does your blog have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to send you an email.
I’ve got some ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing.
Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.
I pay a visit each day a few web pages and blogs to read posts, except this webpage
presents quality based posts.
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I
appreciate you penning this write-up and the
rest of the site is extremely good.
Appreciate this post. Let me try it out.
Wonderful site. A lot of useful information here. I am sending it to several friends ans additionally sharing in delicious.
And of course, thanks for your effort!
Check out my web site raycon
Wonderful post! We will be linking to this particularly
great content on our site. Keep up the good writing.
Feel free to visit my site … coupon
Great article.
Hey there fantastic website! Does running a blog such as this require a massive amount work?
I have no knowledge of coding but I had been hoping to start my own blog in the near future.
Anyway, should you have any recommendations or techniques for new blog
owners please share. I understand this is off topic however I just
wanted to ask. Thanks!
What’s Taking place i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It absolutely helpful
and it has aided me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & aid other users
like its helped me. Great job.
I’ll immediately take hold of your rss feed as I can’t
in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or
e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly permit me recognise in order that I could subscribe.
Thanks.
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It actually was a amusement account
it. Glance complex to more brought agreeable from you! By the way, how could we
be in contact?
Hey exceptional website! Does running a blog similar to this take a great
deal of work? I’ve very little expertise in coding however I had been hoping to start my own blog in the near future.
Anyway, if you have any ideas or techniques for new blog owners please share.
I understand this is off subject nevertheless I
just needed to ask. Many thanks!
Thanks on your marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed reading it, you can be a great
author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will often come back in the foreseeable future.
I want to encourage continue your great job,
have a nice afternoon!
I’ll right away clutch your rss feed as I can’t in finding your e-mail
subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service.
Do you’ve any? Kindly let me understand so that I could subscribe.
Thanks.
Kanada’daki En İyi Forex Brokerleri. Yazar?: Lucas Değirmeni.
Derinlemesine inceleme ve sıralama sürecimizin ardından, burada en iyi forex brokerleri Kanada’da; İçindekiler.
Kanada’daki En İyi Forex Brokerleri; 1. IG; 2.
CMC Piyasaları.
Wow! This blog looks exactly like my old
one! It’s on a completely different subject but it has pretty much the same layout and
design. Great choice of colors!
Good web site you have here.. It’s difficult to find quality writing like yours nowadays.
I seriously appreciate individuals like you!
Take care!!
Şeker hastalığının yaşattığı tahribat, kilo alımı
nedeniyle Tip 2 diyabet hastaları için yapılabilen şeker ameliyatları uygun bir seçenek.
Highly energetic blog, I loved that bit. Will there be a part 2?
Everything is very open with a really clear explanation of the
issues. It was really informative. Your site is very helpful.
Thank you for sharing!
Every weekend i used to pay a quick visit this web site, because i wish for enjoyment, for the reason that this this site
conations truly nice funny material too.
Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really loved browsing your blog posts.
After all I will be subscribing on your rss feed and I am hoping you write again very soon!
Very good info. Lucky me I found your site by chance (stumbleupon).
I’ve bookmarked it for later!
I really like and appreciate your blog post.Really thank you! Really Great.
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after browsing through some of the post
I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely happy I found it and
I’ll be bookmarking and checking back frequently!
Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to assert that I
get in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.
I pay a quick visit every day some blogs and
information sites to read articles, however this webpage gives quality based writing.
Hi to all, the contents existing at this website are in fact
awesome for people knowledge, well, keep up the good work fellows.
Hi there mates, good article and pleasant arguments commented here,
I am really enjoying by these.
I do consider all of the concepts you have offered for your post.
They’re really convincing and can certainly work.
Nonetheless, the posts are too brief for newbies. Could you please extend them a little from subsequent time?
Thanks for the post.
you’re in reality a good webmaster. The website loading pace is amazing.
It kind of feels that you’re doing any unique trick.
Moreover, The contents are masterpiece. you have performed a wonderful task on this subject!
This is my first time go to see at here and i am actually happy to read everthing at alone place.
Spot on with this write-up, I actually feel this web site needs far more attention. I’ll probably be back again to
read through more, thanks for the information!
Hello mates, its fantastic piece of writing on the topic of teachingand entirely explained, keep it
up all the time.
You ought to take part in a contest for one of the finest websites on the net.
I am going to recommend this blog!
The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a 25 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My
iPad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is entirely off topic but I had
to share it with someone!
Why users still make use of to read news papers when in this technological globe everything is existing on net?
I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as with the
layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you
customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to
see a great blog like this one these days.
Hey! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my old room mate!
He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this write-up
to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read.
Thank you for sharing!
Greetings, There’s no doubt that your blog may be having web browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your web site in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in I.E., it has some overlapping
issues. I simply wanted to give you a quick heads up!
Other than that, fantastic site!
Quality posts is the secret to invite the viewers to visit
the website, that’s what this web page is providing.
Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with Search Engine Optimization?
I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords
but I’m not seeing very good success. If you know of any please share.
Appreciate it!
I have been browsing online greater than 3 hours as of late, but I by no means found any fascinating article like yours.
It’s beautiful value enough for me. In my opinion, if all web owners
and bloggers made good content material as you probably did, the web
will be a lot more helpful than ever before.
Hi, Neat post. There is a problem along with your website in web explorer, may test this?
IE nonetheless is the market leader and a large element of other folks will
leave out your fantastic writing because of this problem.
Howdy! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 4!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look
forward to all your posts! Keep up the fantastic work!
Everything is very open with a precise clarification of the issues.
It was truly informative. Your website is very helpful.
Many thanks for sharing!
Whats up very cool blog!! Man .. Beautiful .. Amazing
.. I’ll bookmark your site and take the feeds also?
I’m glad to search out so many useful info here
in the publish, we want work out more strategies in this regard, thanks for sharing.
. . . . .
Hello! I just want to give you a huge thumbs up
for the excellent info you have here on this post.
I’ll be returning to your web site for more soon.
Hey there, I think your website might be having browser
compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks
fine but when opening in Internet Explorer,
it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!
Other then that, superb blog!
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as
though you relied on the video to make your point.
You clearly know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just
posting videos to your weblog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
This paragraph will assist the internet people for creating new
blog or even a blog from start to end.
I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here.
The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter
stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an impatience
over that you wish be delivering the following.
unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same
nearly very often inside case you shield this hike.
Howdy! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog.
Is it very hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I
can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about making my
own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any
points or suggestions? With thanks
Hello! This is my 1st comment here so I just
wanted to give a quick shout out and say I really
enjoy reading through your posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics?
Many thanks!
Good day! I know this is kinda off topic however I’d figured I’d ask.
Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest writing a blog article or
vice-versa? My site goes over a lot of the same topics as yours and I think we could
greatly benefit from each other. If you happen to be interested feel
free to shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!
Terrific blog by the way!
I visited many web sites except the audio feature for audio songs present at this
website is actually fabulous.
I blog quite often and I seriously appreciate your information. This great article has
truly peaked my interest. I will bookmark your website and keep checking for new
information about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed
as well.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a
amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you!
However, how could we communicate?