May is here. We’re counting the Omer, and also a number of really great and fascinating Jewish shows and specials that are premiering this month across streaming platforms. There are two fairly big new Jewish shows, including a Holocaust drama that aired just days before Yom Hashoah, and an incredible story of a Jewish film producer’s allyship that feels more timely than ever.
Here’s what you can look forward to watching this May:
May 2: “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” premiers on Peacock
This moving and dark show, based on the best-selling novel of the same name, tells the story of Lali Sokolov, who met the love of his life, Gita Furman, in Auschwitz. Jonah Hauer-King plays young Lali, while Harvey Keitel plays Lali in his last months of life, as he retells his story to author Heather Morris, played by Melanie Lynskey. The six episodes of this limited series, directed by Israeli filmmaker Tali Shalom-Ezer, are full of incredibly graphic and hard to watch scenes, but also of moving moments of humanity and joy and, yes, even love. The show also does an impressive job at exploring the way the trauma of the Holocaust stays with survivors and impacts their mental health for years.
Also on May 2: “Hacks” season three premieres on Max, staring Jewish comedian Hannah Einbinder; new episodes of “Unsilenced” (Izzy, read more here) and “Dinner With the Family” (Amazon Freevee) come out.
May 3: “Unfrosted” on Netflix
Is there anything truly Jewish about this pop-tart centered movie, directed by Jerry Seinfeld? Not really, but it is Jerry Seinfeld’s directorial debut, making it at least Jew-ish. Other Jewish stars in it include Amy Schumer, Dan Levy, Max Greenfield and Alex Edelman.
May 9: “Eurovision” Song Contest semi-final on Peacock
Israeli singer Eden Golan will be coming to the incredibly popular televised song contest with her song “Hurricane.” Israel’s presence in the song competition has already swept up quite a storm, with critics saying that Israel should not take the space as the Israel-Hamas War rages on. Golan’s songwriting team had to revise the song twice, because of its supposed references to Hamas’ October 7 attack (the songs in the competition are not supposed to be political), though the song still evokes sentiments of grief and resilience. Israel will be one of 19 countries whose singer will take the stage that night, where Golan will shoot her shot at being one of the 10 finalists to go on to the Eurovision final.
Also on May 2: New episodes of “Unsilenced” (Izzy) and “Dinner with the Parents” (Amazon Freevee).
May 11: “Eurovision” Song Contest final on Peacock
Whether or not Eden Golan and her magical voice takes the stage at the final (odds are looking in her favor), one Jewish contestant with Israeli roots will definitely be on stage — Tali Gorlegant, who represents Luxembourg, has qualified to sing in the final of the Eurovision with her delightful French and English tune “Fighter.”
May 17: “The Big Cigar” premieres on Apple TV+
This show tells the story of how celebrated film producer Bert Schneider helped Huey P. Newton, the founder of the Black Panther Party, played by the ever winning André Holland (“Selma,” “Moonlight,” “The Knick,”), to escape to Cuba by producing a fake movie called “The Big Cigar.” Tiffany Boone (“Hunters”) plays Newton’s girlfriend, Gwen Fontaine, while P.J. Bryne plays Schneider’s filmmaking collaborator Stephen Blauner. In the trailer of the series, you can see Blauner with a prominent Jewish star necklace around his neck. Alessandro Nivolna, who plays Schneider, also has Jewish roots — the actor is the grandson of a German Jewish refugee, Ruth Nivolna, née Guggenheim. The series is based on a 2012 Playboy story by Jewish journalist Joshua Bearman, who also wrote the 2007 article that the film “Argo” was based on. The first two episodes of the show were directed by Don Cheadle.
May 21: “Rachel Feinstein: Big Guy” premieres on Netflix
Jewish comedian Rachel Feinstein’s comedy special “Big Guy,” which is what her firefighter husband calls her (aw), is coming out this May. You may know her from “Last Comic Standing,” “Crashing,” “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Life and Beth” (Amy Schumer was her maid of honor IRL!) or one of her many standup stints on late-night TV. In this comedy special she talks about her husband and her Jewish mother’s accessory game.
@rachelfeinstein_ Does anyone else’s husband talk to them like a longshoreman or another deeply heinous nick name? Ill be in Jersey next week! @Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club Connecticut next! Tix in my bio! #standup #bigguy
May 31: “Couples Therapy” season 4 on Showtime
Is there a more comforting and wonderful TV therapist than Orna Guralnik? The Jewish couple’s therapist has illuminated our world with her compassion, professionalism and consummate care for the couples that she sees in the show, and the relationships she tries to salvage — be it marriages or relationships with their own traumas and psyches. Even though the cameras are on, Guralnik fosters an aura of reverence and seriousness. She can be tough, but she is always caring, and the TV show never feels salacious or exploitative — which is quite a feat.
May 31: “Frog and Toad” new season on Apple TV+
Are Frog and Toad Jewish? Not really, but also, not not really? One thing’s for sure: Arnold Lobel, who created the characters for his classic children’s book series, which we love so much that we can’t not add this animated adaptation to this list.
