Mayim Bialik a Frum Jewish Actress Highlights Hollywood’s Rejection Of Religious Celebrities

Mayim Bialik, 39, the nerdy yet witty character from the Big Bang Theory, recently spoke out about Hollywood and her dedication to being an Orthodox Jewish woman.

According to US Magazine, Bialik told Fox news that she feels Hollywood isn’t as friendly to celebrities who are candid about their dedication to their religious beliefs.

“I think in general it’s never going to be trendy to be observant or religious in Hollywood circles,” she told FOX411. “There are people I know of faith and we tend to congregate together. I study Jewish texts weekly. That’s something positive to me when you’re a person of faith, it stays with you all the time.”

Bialik is not only a devote Orthodox Jew, but she is also openly supportive of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Jewish state altogether. In the past when she had visited a friend in the IDF she received some rather hateful and anti-Semitic “fan mail.”

“I’ve gotten a lot of negative attention for visiting Israel,” she said. “That’s what’s amazing … simply by going to Israel this summer and saying nothing more than, ‘I’ve gone to Israel,’ I got the same amount of hatred and threats and anti-Semitism for actually making a statement trying to support people whether I like it or not are serving in an army.”

In addition to visiting her loved ones serving in the Israeli army, she also donated money to IDF last year for bulletproof vests,and enthusiastically supported the first Jewish Legos created by Minnesota man Yitzy Kasowitz.

“Am I dreaming? Jewish-themed Lego sets? I can get behind this Jewcer campaign 1000% and can’t wait for my incentives to come: an IDF Lego man and a Lego tzedakah box! (there’s also a Lego Seder plate!),” she wrote on her Facebook page.

Not only does she just support Israel, but she is also a practicing Jew who prides herself on her modest views. Last September, Bialik took to her blog to criticize Ariana Grande for being skimpy attire on a billboard.

The Big Bang Theory actress may be facing some opposition from anti-Israel fans and liberal Hollywood, but she won’t be going off the derech any time soon, making sure her liberal yet modest opinions are heard.

Hate mail won’t stop Mayim Bialik: ‘Coming to Israel is a political act’

Mayim Bialik

Actress Mayim Bialik is known for many things, among them old and current TV shows Blossom and The Big Bang Theory, her PHD in neuroscience, and her love for Israel. 

Last week she combined her passion for the holy land and her successful acting gig as the Big Bang Theory’s Amy Farrah Fowler, drawing an international CBS team to Israel for a photo shoot.

Mayim Bialik

"I went with them to Paris two years ago and when they asked me where I wanted to do it this time, I said Israel." She tells The Jerusalem Post."I was amazed they took me up on it." A large portion of her crew came from France, Italy and England, had never visited Israel before and came exclusively to work. "I think that's kind of amazing," Bialik enthuses. She describes the crew's response to Israel as “overwhelmingly positive.”

"The country is far more complicated and fantastic than they had imagined and they can go back and report that Israel is a beautiful place that people can tour and take children to and it has great food and nightlife...that's an amazing outcome," she states.

Bialik notes that the only thing that slightly marred the trip was a stream of hateful messages on social media regarding the very fact that she was in Israel. She says she has received many messages over the years on her social media accounts with language as strong as "Hitler should come and finish the job.” Bialik tends to block the people behind these messages, saying she doesn't like her social media account to be a platform for fighting and disinformation.    "Me coming to Israel is a political act simply because there are people who don't believe in Israel's right to exist," she remarks, adding that this reality is "sobering" for her as an American Jew. "The fact that I'm visiting is enough for people to call for the destruction of the Jewish people." Bialik emphasizes that this type of sentiment is not connected to her politics, but her simple presence in Israel. "I'm very clear on what anti-Semitism looks like."

Mayim Bialik inside house of relative and famous poet Hayim Bialik

Bialik is not new to backlash over her status as an Israel supporter in Hollywood, having been subject to calls for boycotts against her and to have her fired. She also faced criticism for donating to the IDF during last summer’s Operation Protective Edge in Gaza, which she says triggered a similar dialogue.

Bialik, however, puts politics aside on her regular trips to Israel, particularly when visiting family who live in the West Bank.  'I don't consider it a political statement to visit the West Bank and I avoid talking politics with them," Bialik clarifies. The LA inhabitant who also has family in Kibbutz Gezer, revels in the safety and comfort she feels when she brings her two sons to Israel. Referring to the small size of the country and the relaxed and warm culture, she feels she can give her children more independence when visiting Israel. "I've been asked to watch other people's kids while they run into the supermarket - it's like one big family," she says by way of explanation.

The family oriented actress says she shares more than a science degree with her character Amy Farrah Fowler. “I’m pretty socially awkward,” she laughs, answering in the affirmative when asked if she would be friends with the fictional scientist in real life. “She’s honest, and I gravitate toward interesting people who are intelligent rather than trendy.”

As for Farrah Fowler’s romantic future, Bialik isn’t giving anything away concerning last season’s dramatic ending which saw her breaking up with boyfriend Sheldon Cooper before he revealed an engagement ring to the audience. Claiming she knows nothing of the writers' future plans, she anticipates "whatever works with the strangeness that is Sheldon and Amy - it's clear that neither of them will ever have a conventional relationship."