Swear To God 3x9

Swear To God

 

A teacher I don't think we've ever seen before is calling role. I guess this is to show all the different nationalities that are in the class. He gets to Amanda and says he's surprised she's in school that day because it's Yom Kippur. Amanda explains that her family are not practicing Jews. Even so, he asks her to explain the meaning of the holiday to the class. Amanda stammers around until finally admitting she knows nothing about it. An Asian girl stands up and answers the question. Busy is asked if there are any similar holidays in the Catholic religion, and she talks about the Holy days. A Muslim kid also adds to the conversation and Amanda feels embarrassed about not knowing about her own religion.

 

 

Amanda asks Busy to take her to her church. Busy immediately kneels and crosses herself upon entrance. A lady comes out of confessional and Amanda is eager for Busy to go or to try it out herself. Busy tells her she can't because she is Jewish. She assures Amanda that church is boring and she isn't missing out on anything. Amanda is still in awe of the traditions of the Catholic religion.

 

 

From looking at something cooking on the stove, Amanda can tell that someone named Bubby is there. Bubby turns out to be a tiny old lady and Amanda's grandmother. Unlike the Zimms, Bubby is a typical Jewish woman who observes the holidays. Kind of coincidental she would show up just now. As Amanda is almost thirteen, Bubby brings up the fact that she would be having a bat mitzvah, which irritates Amanda's mother.

 

 

Busy's parents are letting her build a studio. At this point I don't remember if we ever hear about it again. Amanda can't help on Saturday because she's doing some Jewish thing with Bubby and Busy is busy on Sunday with Catholic stuff.

 

 

Amanda goes to synagogue with Bubby and catches the eye of a boy there. Monkey Ears also attends this synagogue and comes over to say hello to Amanda, obviously still crushing on her. Rather insensitive to his feelings, Amanda asks the name of the boy she saw before. His name is Brent Green and he's conceited. Partially because of the cute boy, Amanda decides she wants to be full on Jewish and have a bat mitzvah.

 

 

Busy thinks going to Hebrew school sounds really boring and warns Amanda not to become a religious fanatic.

 

 

Amanda and her parents meet with a rabbi, who explains catching up on all the Hebrew she's missed will be a big commitment. Amanda recommends Brent to be her Hebrew tutor. The rabbi kind of laughs like he's on to he boy crazy ways.

 

 

At her tutoring session, Amanda is doodling Brent's name on her papers when Monkey Ears walks in. It seems that he was chosen to be her tutor, not Brent. Amanda is disappointed, showing us that she's not in this for the right reasons.

 

 

Amanda, Monkey Ears and some other kids emerge from the synagogue to find anti-Semitic graffiti spray painted on the building. Just then, some random passerby in a car throws an egg at Amanda, yelling about dirty Jews stinking up the city. Does it really happen like that? The actor who voices the racist isn't very convincing. Amanda tells Busy she's never going back to the synagogue because it's too dangerous.

 

 

Bubby goes in to say goodnight to Amanda and to talk about what happened that day. She gives Amanda some candle holders that have been in the family for generations. She says she wanted to give them to Amanda for her bat mitzvah but couldn't wait. Spoiler: Amanda doesn't have a bat mitzvah, so I guess Bubby was pretty disappointed. Amanda says some kids are going to hate her if she acts more Jewish, but Bubby says Amanda is still Jewish no matter what choices she makes about how to express her faith.

 

 

After Bubby has left, Amanda lights candles and recites Hebrew as she and Bubby did earlier in the episode. Amanda's mother comes in and begins singing with her.

 

Next episode: Busy likes Jamie (a boy) who likes Amanda who likes Alex.