It’s been well established that Schitt’s Creek is one of the funniest — and most heartwarming — shows to watch right now. Centered on the Rose family – Johnny (Eugene Levy), Moira (Catherine O’Hara), David (Dan Levy), and Alexis (Annie Murphy) — the show just finished its fifth season, with a final season coming next year.
The Roses are Jewish (well, Johnny is Jewish, Moira is who knows what), and the show’s holiday special leaned into their interfaith identity. (Which featured the line “I’m a delightful half-half situation” from David, which is the best way to describe being raised interfaith.) Season five, however, has been the show’s Jewiest, at least when it comes to the humor.
There are jokes about bat mitzvahs, Birthright, Hebrew school, and more. So, we had to rank our favorite Jewish jokes from the season (obviously).
Before we begin, an honorable mention: Alexis’s hamsa necklace (season 5, episode 10):
In this episode, David leaves Alexis in charge of his store for the day. As he gets frustrated at her for killing off his Tamagachis when they were younger, Alexis waves him goodbye with her middle finger (iconic). Throughout this whole episode, Alexis wears a hamsa necklace. This small detail makes the character’s Jewishness a part of her identity without being too hitting-you-on-the-head with it. She wears jewelry all the time, and as a Jewish woman, of course a hamsa necklace would be in her rotation.
Also, this is our new favorite gif:
She’s the best. Okay, now onto the top 5 Jewish jokes…
5. Barbra Streisand’s vocal coach (season 5, episode 8)
In episode 8, Moira and Jocelyn are trying to figure out the lead for her musical. Alexis volunteers, and Johnny recounts, “Well Moira, I’d consider it. I mean, we did spend all that money flying in Barbara Streisand’s vocal coach that summer Alexis wanted to be the next Jessica Simpson.”
Because obviously they got Babs’ vocal coach. Later in the episode, we find out this was a disastrous pairing. Moira says, “No, Babs Streisand’s vocal coach quit the business after just two lessons with our sweet Alexis.” (This episode also gives us the gift of “A Little Bit Alexis.” Thank you, Schitt’s Creek.)
4. Passover seder for hawks (season 5, episode 10)
Johnny and Moira are driving to the spa when Johnny accidentally runs over a cat. Moira is unbothered. “It’s the circle of life, John,” she says. “You’ve just provided a nice Passover seder for a family of hawks.” The use of Passover seder is so weird in this context, but also so Moira, so Jewish, so funny. A+, Schitt’s Creek writers.
3. Birthright virgin (season 5, episode 1)
In the season opener, Alexis, Ted, David, and Patrick do a ropes course. Before they start, Patrick tells Ted that David has never done anything like this before. Ted, jokingly, calls David a virgin.
David, offended, responds: “You might wanna talk to half my Birthright trip about that.”
Again, like Alexis’ hamsa necklace, this builds Jewishness into the character’s backstory in a subtle yet wonderful way. It makes sense that David went on Birthright, and that he hooked up with half his trip. It’s the perfect little detail and a small throwaway line that works so well.
2. The Flying Latkes (season 5, episode 9)
Okay, this was the best bit of the season: finding out that Johnny played baseball for his Hebrew school team called “The Flying Latkes.”
Read that again: A Hebrew school baseball team called the Flying Latkes. How amazing is that!?!
“I used to play a little ball in my day. I was the star left fielder from my school team,” Johnny tells Ronnie and Roland.
“You played college ball?” She asks him.
“No, Hebrew school. There were seven of us, surprisingly, not a big turn-out, but the Flying Latkes ended up in fourth place.”
His deadpan delivery is perfect, and so is the vision of a young Johnny Rose playing baseball with six other Hebrew school kids.
Bonus, when he leaves: “I had a pretty strong arm in the outfield. The rabbi used to call me ‘Popeye.'”
A perfect scene.
1. Alexis’s bat mitzvah tiara (season 5, episode 2)
This takes the top Jewish joke of the season for three reasons: one, Alexis, the best character. Two, obviously Alexis wore a tiara to her bat mitzvah, and obviously she’s kept it since then!! Three, the face journeys that everyone goes on in this scene are perfect.
David’s reaction to seeing Twyla, Johnny’s confusion, Alexis’s embarrassment… it’s a masterclass in acting and humor, and it’s centered on the ridiculous notion of a bat mitzvah tiara.
Mazel tov on an incredible season, Schitt’s Creek. We can’t wait to see how it all wraps up.
