, reknowned for his portrayal of the Vul­ Moment: I've heard that the famous Vulcan can Mr. Spock on the original Star Trek television series, greeting came straight from Judaism. Is this so? set aside a highly acclaimed career as an actor and direc­ NlMOY: In 1966 Star Trek went on the air and I'm tor to pursue the latest segment of his "Jewish journey? playing a Vulcan. Late in the season we get litis won­ For nearly a decade Nimoy, now 70, has photographed and derful script by a very talented poetic writer named developed images of the feminine presence of God, culmi­ Theodore Sturgeon called Amok Time, burl Tinn nating in a book of controversial photographs titled was a story where we discovered that my character • Shekhina. The son of a barber, Nimoy grew up in an Spock—had been betrothed as a child ami had u> p.> Orthodox family in Boston and once thought of pursuing back to his home planet of Vulcan to fulfill the mar­ a full-time career as a photographer. The Jewish Muse­ riage contract. We go to the planet, the fj irvc i if us— um in New York recently purchased one of his photographs William Shatner as Captain Kirk, De Fiirvsf Ki-lla for its permanent collection, and on February 10, 2004, as Dr. McCoy and myself. We are met liv ,1 proces­ "Shekhina," a dance based on Nimoy sphotographs, will sion led by several men who are can \ inn von rcg.il be performed at the Joyce Theater in New York City. lady in a sedan chair who is the ninii.Trch ni the planet. She's played by a wondei ml \ iciinc-n. .uiot named Celia Lofsky who was mar! ioI m IVn r I xirrc. She says something like "Welcomi1 hinw. Spock" Moment; You are famous for playing an alien—a and I'm supposed to say whnu wi I s.ml, "Nice m I* Vulcan—on Star Trek. Have you ever played a Jew? here." (Laughter) NlMOY: I was asked to play Morris Meyerson in the television movie, A Woman Called Golda, and to go to to act in this film. I did some research and read the script and I discovered that Morris Meyerson was a person that I couldn't identify with, at least I thought not. He was a schlep-along kind of guy, a nice man I'm sure. He and Golda were married in Milwaukee but she decided that she wanted to go to Palestine for this great new venture to help found a country and he said, I'd rather stay in Milwaukee, and she said, well I'm going to Palestine. He said, OK, if you're going to Palestine, I'll go to Palestine. But he never was in awe of her mission and she left him behind eventual­ ly. I said to the producer, I don't think I could do a good job here. I don't think I could find a way to enter this character and he said it's too bad, because you'd be playing opposite who's gonna play . Ingrid Bergman. INGRID BERGMAN! With Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, my favorite movie of all time. So I thought. Weeeell, maybe I could find a way to do this. (Laughter) And I went Anyway, I was looking for opportunities to build (Left) Actor-author- and I met the director there who I discovered later photographer something into the mythology of the Vulcan people. Leonard Nimoy had not wanted me for the role. He thought I was not We're seeing other Vulcan people for the first time speaks to the right person for this character. He came from on the show. We've never seen them interact with journalists prior to his appearance at London to Israel. I went from Los Angeles to Israel. each other before. So I said to the director, "Would­ the Indianapolis We met there and we began to work and one day I n't it be good if I do something special that Vulcans Hebrew Center. had a question in a scene we were about to shoot and do when they greet?" And he said, "Well, what do he blurted out "What's the difference? You're wrong you have in mind?" And I said "Humans shake hands for this role anyway. They should have sent me a Jew­ when they meet and military people salute each other ish actor." (Laughter) I think the shlemiel thought that and Asian people bow to each other." And he said Ingrid Bergman was Jewish. (Laughter) "Well, OK, what do Vulcans do?"

FEBRUARY 2004 / MOMENT 3T Their fingers were splayed. I had no idea what they were doing. But it made an enormous impression on me...I learned later that this is the shape of the letter shin in the Hebrew alphabet. The letter shin is the first letter in the word ShaJJai, the name of the Almighty. So I reached back into my Orthodox childhood the window and I said to her, "Can you do it with and I remembered an experience that I had when I your left hand?" (Laughter) People do it these days- was eight years old. Sitting in shul, in the Orthodox to me on the street—cab drivers, truck drivers, kids shul with my family, the women sitting upstairs, the on the street. The other night my wife and I were in. • men downstairs doing the serious work of praying, a restaurant in New York and on our wa\ our se\er- my grandfather, my father and my older brother and al of the waiters had lined up like that It's gieaf. myself. There comes a moment in the service when They don't necessarily know what it is, but it|s> a the kohanim—the descendants of Aaron, the mem­ wonderful thing. bers of the priestly tribe—get up to bless the con­ Moment: So why do we cover our eyes? gregation. They said a prayer which translates into, "May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Nimoy: About eight or nine years ago our rabbi Lord cause his countenance to shine upon you. May explained to me that the belief is chat during that the Lord turn his graciousness unto you and grant benediction the Shekhina comes into the sandtuaty ,' you peace. Yevarechechah Adonai veyishmerechah, ya'eyr to bless the congregation, and the sight of the Adonai panav eylecbah vichunekah, yisa Adonai panav Shekhina would be dangerous because the awesome eylechah veyaseym lecha shalom, vesamu et shim, al beney light of God she radiates could be damaging or Sad Ytsrael, va'aniavaracheym." to a human. So you protect yourself by Gjvenne your My father said to me, "Don't look." In fact the eyes. And when I heard that sto I n i't'i t«l jrt [members of the] congregation had their heads cov­ to begin to try to do a photographic essay on the subl ered with their tallit. Or their hands covered their ject.. .1 began to study it, read about it, ask questions eyes. I was an obedient kid, but I peeked. And I'm about it, research it, and do some work with it...the going to try to give you some sense of what I saw. first thing I did was to take a symbol of the shin and Gentlemen were passionate, they were ecstatic, they introduce it into some of the work that I already had were theatrical. There were about five or six and they shot of the female figure. were standing right in front of me, their heads cov­ ered with tallit. Their fingers were splayed. I'll never forget that. I was awestruck. I had no idea what they were doing. But it made an enormous impression on me. It was so deeply felt. I didn't know why you were supposed to cover your eyes, not to look I learned later that this is the shape of the letter shin in the Hebrew alphabet. The letter shin is the first letter in the word shin which is the name of the almighty. The kohanim use this symbol for the Almighty's name when they bless the congregation. So I said to the director, "How about if Vulcans do that? He said "OK," As I approached Celia Lof- sky, I raised my hand. She had some trouble with it, she hadn't had as much practice as I had. We had to help her. What she did was, she held her right hand Moment: When did you first start taking photos? Leonard Nimoy in position with her left, hidden from the camera, so holds a copy of his when I raised my hand she was ready and she raised NlMOY: Photography has been an important part autobiography hers and that's how we got it into the show. And it I Am Spock.lba of my life since I was 13 years old, when a neigh­ photograph on the worked. In an artistic, creative sense it worked. Peo­ borhood friend showed me how you could go to a cover of the book portrays Nimoy as ple didn't necessarily know what it was, but they were local camera shop and for a few cents, you could Mr. Spock and his intrigued with it. In fact, about three days after that buy the chemicals that were necessary to develop famous "Vulcan episode aired, I was traveling in Cleveland. We your own film and make your own prints. I became greeting." stopped at a traffic light and a young lady pulled up enamored with the idea of being able to do that for beside me and she recognized me and she [gave me yourself. To go to a dark place, literally a dark the Vulcan greeting]. I was delighted. I was delight­ room. In my case it was the family bathroom. I've ed to see it come back at me so fast. So I rolled down been doing it ever since.

FEBRUARY 2004 / MOMENT 39 Sexuality in Judaism was there long before I came onto the scene. I decided that I was not going to hide the fact that Shehhina was a woman, but to make a point of the fact that the Shehhina is a woman.

40 MOMENT / FEBRUARY 2004 Moment: Have you ever felt as if you have seen subject to criminal prosecution and can be jailed up the Shekhina physically or spiritually? to seven years.

NlMOY: You asked me a very interesting question. MOMENT: What about the veils the women in My Shekhina in my book is an artistic vision, my your photographs wear? artistic interpretation. I'm not claiming to actually NlMOY: The word veil to me means misieii It see or be in the physical presence of Shekhina. I have means something not quite visible. It nicins some a spiritual sense of what a Shekhina is all about for thing between the viewer and die object tluc can bx me. And I have experienced that at times, at various sometimes seen through, sometimes rumore'd times in my life. sometimes obscured. It has to do with lhc nvjstip MOMENT: What does it feel like to spiritually of the Shekhina. experience the Shekhina? MOMENT: How have your photographs been! NlMOY: I think—I hope—that most people at one accepted? time or another in their lives have a feeling of being NlMOY: You know, when this book li i -t can*, out, the in a state of grace for a moment or two, feeling that very first signing that I did was at i hnok and photo all has come together for them, that they have a sense fair in San Francisco. I was sitting u i table sjgmnjj of harmony, a sense of inner peace, a sense of suc­ books and a lady came through with si\ copies I w \s cessful combining of instinct and will. It's the coinci­ intrigued. I asked her why she was buying six topics. I dence of events that makes one feel that you're in the And she said that she was with the ICC in San F i m- right place at the right time and doing the right thing. cisco. And she said we're always looking, tor gifts for MOMENT: Many Jews seem unaware of the our volunteers, and these will make great gifts. Of Shekhina. Do you hope that your photographs course I was delighted, I thought that's a lovely idea. will make them more aware? Then about two weeks later I was disinvited from an event where I was supposed to speak and talk about NlMOY: I think it is true that a lot of Jews are not Shekhina and show my slides at a Jewish Federation familiar with the idea, the concept It is after all a Kab- dinner in Seattle. So within a two-week period, 1 had balistic concept. It was the Kabbalists in the 1600s experienced the extremes of acceptance and rejection who taught in what is now Safed in Israel who were for the concept of the book. very energetic about their belief in mysticism and Shekhina. Not a lot of people read or study Kabbal­ MOMENT: What do you mean you were disinvited? ah. It's a narrow field. The word Shekhina does pop NlMOY: At the Federation dinner, I was going to up in the texts here and there, particularly in Reform show slides from the book and talk about the book. and Conservative texts. It's a very interesting issue to They were concerned that their audience was going me because it grew out of an Orthodox experience, to be a cross-section of Orthodox, Conservative: and yet it is a feminist idea that is not particularly wel­ and Reform Jews, and that the Orthodox in the come to Orthodox people. I find it, right or wrong, a audience might take exception to what I was show­ very interesting and strange mixture of spirituality, ing. They didn't want to expose them to the images i religion and contemporary culture. or the book. And they asked me not to come. MOMENT: Tell us why you photograph women Shortly after it was announced in the newspapers wearing tcfillin. that I was not coming,! got a call from the local Reform rabbi who invited me to come and do my NlMOY: Tefillin are typically associated with men... presentation at his temple for his congregation, Now, this is not the first time that this thought has open to the public. An audience of about six or been presented. There is reason to believe that King seven hundred people showed up. Saul's daughters laid on tefillin to pray and Rashi's Now in Detroit, I was scheduled to appear at a daughter wore tefillin to pray. My sense is that Jewish Community Center at one of the largest Jew­ Shekhina can wear tefillin if she wants. (Laughter) I ish book fairs in the country. Again; I was disinvited. wonder if you're at all aware that in Israel there's a In this particular case, there was very, very unfortu­ law that says that a woman standing at the Western nate pressure brought to bear by an Orthodox rabbi Wall to pray in and wearing tefillin is Continued on page 58 Nimoy continued from page 41 who said that if I was allowed to come and These are personal issues. I understand as fully female. I was disturbed by that. I think show this work at this Jewish Community that completely. What is troublesome is some of that found its way into my work Center—where they had a kosher restau­ when people set up rules about what other MOMENT: How has this project affected rant—the kosher certification would be people can see. That's censorship. your Judaism? withdrawn. MOMENT: To what do you attribute the There have been a number of Orthodox negative reaction? NlMOY: I tell you very frankly, my Judaism people who welcome the book, who have had gone flat before I discovered the seen the work and are willing to discuss it Nimoy: My feeling finally is that it is a male Shekhina story and began to explore it. By on the basis of the spiritual aspects, rather dominance issue. I'm quite convinced that that I mean that I have always been affiliat­ than concerns about the feminist or cultur­ because the book elevates women in the ed with a temple or a synagogue but a lot al aspects. hierarchy of Judaism, certain Jewish males of my Judaism had to do with going To take the point one step further, I are disturbed by it. Or let me put it the through the motions. That meant going to received a wonderful e-mail from an Ortho­ other way: those who are disturbed by it are the service, knowing when to stand up, dox rabbi who said, I'm paraphrasing now, I disturbed by the fact that it elevates women knowing when to sit down. I know what the can understand why your images might be in the hierarchy of Judaism. prayers are all about. And I listen to the ser­ disturbing to some in the Orthodox sector mon and sometimes it's terrific and some­ MOMENT: Have people said your photos of our people. But, he said, there's a legend times it's not great. We've all had that are too sexual? that when two students study Talmud, the experience. You come away thinking, did I Shekhina comes and sits between them. And NlMOY: My approach to this project for the really get what I was supposed to get out of he said, having seen your images, perhaps last eight years is totally reverential. I feel that experience? And maybe you did and more young men would be encouraged to deeply about my Judaism. I have not invent­ maybe you didn't. You certainly got some study Talmud in the hopes that your Shekhi­ ed sexuality in Judaism. It has been there for quiet time; you're away from the phones na would come and sit between them. centuries. There's a wonderful Kabbalistic and the faxes and the e-mails and so forth So we have some interesting cases to talk story that tells us that Moses, in the later but did you really get what you were sup­ about here, some interesting attitudes to years of his life lived apart from his wife in posed out get from that experience? Often I would ask myself that question and the talk about. These are all Jews. They all order to be pure in case the Shekhina answer was not always yes. I realized that a come under the umbrella of Judaism, but should come to him. And that in fact she lot of the time I was going to these servic­ there's a very strong conflict of ideas about did and they lived together as husband and es because I should. I'm connected to my what is acceptable and what is not. wife until he died and that when he died it was a kiss from her hps to his that released Judaism, I'm connected to my community. his soul to heaven and she then bore him I believe very strongly in the congregation on her wings to his final burial place. A very as a social force in the community. And I'm beautiful, very touching story...And there a good role model for my children and for has long been an understanding that it is a my grandchildren. It's good that they see Read mitzvah for Jewish couples to meet sexual­ Dad and Grandpa going to services. ly to usher in the Sabbath. "Come let us meet the Sabbath Bride," this theme of the Moment: How does the Shekhina relate excerpts Sabbath bride is found in the writing of the to your creative work? Kabbalists, that God and his mate come NlMOY: I don't go about my creative work from the together sexually to usher in the Sabbath thinking I'll bring the Shekhina out of the Friday night.. .These are elements of sexu­ closet here and have her stand beside me. I Geneva ality that were there long before I came on just happen to believe that there is a femi­ the scene, and I decided that I was going nine aspect to creativity that is very impor­ not to hide the fact that Shekhina was a tant to me. I'm sure that there are people Initiative woman, but to make a point of the fact that who would decry any sense of a ferninine Shekhina is a woman. aspect to their work people who are great I think I had a reaction to a photograph artists and great creators. That's probably that I saw sometime ago, I don't remember true. It's just that for me, the feminine what the context was, but it was a group of aspect is useful, helpful and important. women being ordained as rabbis. They were Moment: Do you think that your book covered from neck to toe in robes and tal­ will help elevate the role of women in lit and hair done up in such a way as to de- Judaism? feminize themselves. I found it kind of sad. I thought this is an interesting cultural issue NlMOY: I can't honestly tell you that I did here. We seem to be worried about the idea the book in order to further a cause. It's my that people will realize that these rabbis are personal experiences, my pergonal vision. If women. They took pains to disguise their it is helpful in broadening the idea, or help­ sex, to disguise their gender, as though they ing people, that's important to me. If it cre­ would be less acceptable if people saw them ates conversation and discussion, that's

58 MOMENT / FEBRUARY 2004 important to me. I think anytime anybody MOMENT: Do you feel that it is impor­ working in the arts can create conversation tant to inject this feminine presence of and illumination, that's a blessing. That's the Shekhina into organized Judaism? Jewish what we try to do in the arts, to create illu­ mination, to throw light on a subject. NlMOY: There is a very strong feminist movement in Judaism and I welcome it. My Book MOMENT: Do you think that women are wife and I were married by a woman rabbi. more naturally spiritual than men? And On the other hand we are members of a if so, what makes them more spiritual? temple, with a male rabbi; he happens to be World my wife's cousin. Nimoy: (Laughs) The "Publishers Weekly" Moment: Do you think that making of the Jewish World MOMENT: A loaded question? people more aware of the presence of Nimoy: That's a good one. (Laughs) Well, the Shekhina is important because there Jewish Book World you know, I'm laughing because that's the is more evil in the world today? is the magazine claim of the Orthodox. If you ask some NlMOY: Let me put it this way. The world that brings you the very latest Orthodox people why the women sit sepa­ today as I see it is in chaos. I would like to in Jewish Books. rate from the men, they'll tell you that it is think, in fact I believe, that if there were Includes updates on new books, because the men are too easily distracted by more of a ferninine aspect in the daily func­ with annotations and reviews! the presence of the women, and that they tions of various nations around the world, need to be able to focus exclusively on the For your one-year subscription (3 issues), perhaps some of this chaos could be avoid­ work at hand, which is the praying. They'll send $25.00 to: ed or relieved. We are out of balance. The say that women are not so easily dissuaded world, the universe is out of balance. We are Jewish Book Council from what they are doing, because they in the chaos of darkness. People all over the 15 East 26th St. need less of the spiritual experience because New York, NY 10010 world, in various ways, are suffering as a it's innate in women, and that the men are result. And I have a strong belief that this lack or call: 212-532-4949 X297 more in need of the spiritual experience of of balance has to do with the preponderance fax:212-481-4174 the prayer. So, (Laughs) I've heard very e-mail: [email protected] of the power of the male in making the deci­ interesting rationales for the reason that in sions about how to go about our business Orthodox synagogues, the women sit dealing with each other in this world. I have special price when you mention upstairs in the balcony while the men sit Moment magazine a strong belief that if there were more of a downstairs doing the serious job of praying. feminine presence, more of a feminine con­ Which begs the question: Why then not sciousness in these processes, we'd have a bet­ reverse the order? If the women are more Oy Vey! Wilkes-Barre PA! ter chance of being in balance. ® spiritual and less distractJble, why not have Nesded in the foothills of the Poconos, them come downstairs and do the praying, Temple Israel in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. is Minority and let the men sit upstairs where they can continuedfr&m page 47 just 2 hours from NYC & Phila. be distracted? And the answer is "Well, that "My grandfather was in the Border Our beautiful synagogue is home to won't solve any of the problems." I find that Guard, my father was in the Border a warm and friendly congregation hilarious." (Laughs) Guard, I am in the Border Guard, my waiting to welcome you to our active brothers and cousins are in the Border Jewish community. Moment: So, are women more spiritual? Guard, my sons are in the Border Guard, Our JCC has more activities & pro­ and their cousins and nephews all serve in NlMOY: I think there's some credibility to grams than you can shake a lulav at! the Border Guard," proclaims Chief- the argument that women are more natu­ Fitness Center • Family Programs Superintendent S., as he enjoys a cup of rally spiritual. I don't take that as license to Reference Library • Senior Programs Bedouin-style coffee laced with car­ make them sit upstairs in the balcony. Sports Leagues • Kosher Day Camp damom. He has just finished a grueling (Laughs) But I think there may be some Community Activities • Concerts truth to it. I personally am much more 20-hour pursuit of Egyptian drug smug­ glers along Israel's border with Egypt. Speakers • Early childhood, comfortable with the idea of relating to the youth & after-school programs feminine aspect of God, through the "We look at service in the Border Guard If affordable living in a safe Shekhina, than to the wrathful God, the as our professional careers and our way of Northeast PA community calls to you, God of vengeance, the god of destruction, contributing to the safety of our homes. I you should call us! Ask for Debbie at the God of fear and trembling... As a kid, I live in the north, near the Lebanese-bor­ (570) 824-8927 or e-mail her at was given the impression that God was der," S. explains, "but I know that I am something that you had to be afraid of. If protecting my home when I stop the mar­ [email protected]. you did the wrong thing, God'U get you. ijuana smuggler from bringing his poison God is watching, and knows what you're into Israel. And, I know that my efforts to doing, so be careful. For me, the Shekhina keep the Hamas or al-Aqsa Brigade is a nurturing, supportive entity, not a bomber from coming across the border judgmental entity. helps to save lives."

FEBRUARY 2004 / MOMENT 59