London based TV Producer/Presenter Simon Atkins seemed to have put the Catholicism of his childhood in Ireland on the back boiler when he met his boyfriend Matthew . Two years into their relationship Atkins starts to get more interested in Matthew’s Jewish faith, and although the two of them are not at a marrying stage yet, Atkins decides to seriously considering converting to Judaism.
This documentary made for the UK’s BBC is of Atkin’s journey to find out the pros and cons of becoming a Jew. The biggest con is even in a North London Reform Synagogue the very amenable Rabbi would not be swayed from the fact that conversion would necessitate a circumcision. A fact that doesn’t sit well with Atkins who appears immensely fond of his own foreskin.
Not content with what he has learnt in London, Atkins jumps on a plane to the birthplace of Jews : Israel. As a gay man he chooses well by landing first in Tel Aviv one of the most out-and-proud LGBTQ friendly cities in the world these days. There the beaches are packed with hot young Jews in the skimpiest of speedos which is almost enticing enough for Atkins to convert there and then.
However by now we have realised that the talkative Atkins wants to keep challenging himself by asking (too many?) opinions to help him reach a conclusion. So he is off again, first to the Left Bank to a Yeshiva to meet with a Rabbi who with a great deal of charm, tells Atkins emphatically that the Jewish Faith is not negotiable. If you are of the faith, you cannot be gay ….. well, more specifically, have anal sex. For Atkins that is a bigger no-no than circumcision.
So its back in the Uber and straight to the holy of holiest places : Jerusalem. When he’s in the rather overwhelming Orthodox Religious sector of the city, it’s hard to believe that this is in the same country as Tel Aviv. Atkins has trouble getting anyone to talk to about being gay, and there are times where even bringing the subject up seems downright dangerous and foolhardy.
It’s always clear that in a film lasting 47 minutes there is no real opportunity to do any more than scrape the surface of Atkin’s search for answers. When you are an openly gay man there are obstacles to being your true self whilst following any God it’s rare that the two are ever compatible. At least whilst Atkins journey may not have solved the dilemma , it did however make for entertaining viewing.
Whilst we have no wish to add any spoilers, we can reassure you that no-one in the making of the documentary had their penises tampered with by a Rabbi.
Labels: 2020, documentary, religiaon
