Mayim Bialik, a Jewish actress known for her role as “Blossom” in the self-titled NBC sitcom and for her role on the hit show The Big Bang Theory, has told Fox that she has received hate mail and anti-semitic messages because of her faith.
The latest flare-up came after she went to visit a friend in Israel.
“I’ve gotten a lot of negative attention for visiting Israel,” she told FOX411. She was visiting a friend in the Israel Defense Forces. “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.”
“That reveals the truth. It really doesn’t matter what I support or believe the fact that I’m Jewish and go there is enough – that should be alarming to most people.”
And while the majority of the comments came from fans, she says Hollywood is not welcoming to people who have a strong faith.
“I think in general it’s never going to be trendy to be observant or religious in Hollywood circles,” she said candidly. “There are people I know of faith and we tend to congregate together. I study Jewish texts weekly. That’s something really positive to me when you’re a person of faith, it stays with you all the time.”
Bialik, who has a degree in neuroscience, is often challenged by her Hollywood peers about how she can be a scientist and a person of faith.
“Being a scientist and a person of faith, people want to know how that is. It leads to a lot of interesting conversations that I welcome, but a lot of people want to open up a conversation just to tell you, you’re wrong.”
She has also received condemnation for her stance on modesty.
“Being a modest dresser, that for me is a certain amount of my religious faith — privacy and chastity. Just because I have a body, doesn’t mean it means to be on display.”
“It’s important, especially for children and men and my sons to hear I’m not ashamed of my body, I just don’t feel the need to display it with two tiny pieces of fabric when I want to go swimming.”
This is WONDERFUL! I’m so glad to hear of a modern day “woman of G-D”! Mayim Bialik, thank you for standing for your faith! I’m a Christian, but we, at my church, have gotten back to our Hebraic Faith and we have Torah study on the Sabbath and then regular church service, in which the portion for the week is also shared, on Sunday morning. My our Father bless you, keep you, cause HIS face to shine upon you and grant you HIS shalom.
I am so blessed to hear this about “Amy” on Big Bang. I watched her on “Blossom” when my children were younger. I am so pleased to hear that there is one young woman in Hollywood taking a stand for her faith and for chastity and modesty.