NBC’s “Nurses” Criticized for Orthodox Jews Scene

The NBC show “Nurses” is being accused of anti-Semitism as a result of a scene involving Orthodox Jews.

The scene, which came from an episode that aired on February 9, shows a young Hasidic patient being told he needs a bone graft from a deceased donor to heal his leg. The patient gets emotional and shakes his head at the idea, while his dad points out that the leg could be “a goyim leg. From anyone. An Arab. A woman.” A female nurse then chimes in, “God forbid an Arab woman!” Ultimately, the patient chooses not to get the surgery.

First @nbcsnl now @nbc 'Nurses' airs a viciously antisemitic episode filled with lies about Orthodox Jews.

"A dead goyim leg … from an arab, a woman, G-d forbid an Arab women … Israel … without this next step you won't walk again".

Lies and libels lead to VIOLENCE! pic.twitter.com/BvRA4Xiq9e

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) February 23, 2021

The scene was roundly condemned by Jewish groups.

“First we heard Michael Che’s antisemitic falsehood on @NBCSNL,” the American Jewish Committee tweeted. “Now ‘Nurses’ employs this disgusting depiction of Orthodox Jews. Continuous, negative portrayal of Jews invites antisemitism to flourish. This must stop.”

Twice in one week, @NBC?

First we heard Michael Che’s antisemitic falsehood on @NBCSNL.

Now 'Nurses' employs this disgusting depiction of Orthodox Jews.

Continuous, negative portrayal of Jews invites antisemitism to flourish.

This must stop. https://t.co/fYv2bP4Aa9

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) February 24, 2021

The Simon Wiesenthal Center similarly tweeted, “Insulting, demonizing religious Jews & Judaism. Overreaction? Orthodox Jews are targeted for violent hate crimes in #NewYork, Jews #1 target of hate crimes in US. What’s @NBC going to do about it?”

Insulting, demonizing religious Jews & Judaism. Overreaction? Orthodox Jews are targeted for violent hate crimes in #NewYork, Jews #1 target of hate crimes in US. What’s @NBC going to do about it? https://t.co/c9iV3HHrDY

— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) February 24, 2021

George Mason University Law Professor Eugene Kontorovich tweeted that a friend of his, who is a nurse at an Israeli hospital, told him, “We care for Gazans, Eritreans, Jews, women; people receive blood transfusions, and no one asks if it’s Arab, or ‘G-d forbid,’ woman’s blood. This is just unbelievable.”

My friend, a real nurse at a major Israeli hospital, on the stupid and anti-semitic segment on @nbc "Nurses": "We care for Gazans, Eritreans, Jews, women; people receive blood transfusions, and no one asks if it's Arab, or 'G-d forbid', woman's blood. This is just unbelievable." https://t.co/fFyTFTtmEh

— Eugene Kontorovich (@EVKontorovich) February 24, 2021

So they didn't get this idea on "Nurses" from actual nurses… the question is which anti-Semitic "human rights" or progressive group did they get it from?

— Eugene Kontorovich (@EVKontorovich) February 24, 2021

Allison Josephs of the “Jew in the City” blog, who first broke the story, wrote that a surgically infused dead leg is compatible with Jewish law, even if it’s from an Arab or a woman.

“Are there Orthodox Jews who look down on non-Jews and Arabs? You betcha,” she wrote. “And are there Orthodox Jews who are misogynists? Unfortunately, yes for that one too. But the idea that such a surgery would be problematic in general or problematic because of where the bone came from not only is categorically false according to Jewish law, it is a vicious lie that endangers men who walk around with curled side locks and black hats.”

UPDATE: NBC removed the episode from its streaming platforms on February 24, Deadline reported. The episode also won’t be replaying on NBC’s cable programming.