Hot Rabbi is back and Erin Foster is the woman behind the show

Just when you thought the Hot Rabbi was up for grabs, back comes Joanne in more Nobody Wants This.

It turns out we all wanted ‘This’ and the return of the series about “prophet” Noah (Adam Brody) and his will she/won’t she convert girlfriend (Kristen Bell), means a welcome break from politicking and doom scrolling for 28 minutes x 10 episodes. Phew! Ten extremely enjoyable episodes actually, which I told the show’s creator Erin Foster fulsomely.

Given access to Erin yourselves, I’m sure some might have raised the question about the paucity of rabbis who have ‘married out’. If there are any in the UK, please identify yourselves. But picking holes isn’t the way to start a nice chat about this intensely Jewish series that has managed to bypass the Hollywood haters and hurdle the anti-Jewish/Zionist blockade without being cancelled. Mazel tov!

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I raised this with Erin who focused on the positives.

“This show was born out of my love for Judaism when I started converting, and my fascination with two people coming from different worlds and making it work,” she tells me. “The intensity of antisemitism really began after the show was already in development. There was a period of time where I worried about how it would be received, but the show itself shouldn’t be controversial — we don’t talk about world issues. For me, the best way I can share how I feel is by shining a positive light on Jewish people without underlining it too heavily. Everything in the show is based on what I’ve experienced and the beauty of Judaism.”

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And that’s the charm of Nobody Wants This. Foster’s world of rabbis, podcasts, and romantic misfires doesn’t pretend to represent all Jewish life; it simply reflects one lived, loving, funny corner of it.

The first series ended, as you will recall, with Joanne intending to sacrifice her own loving feelings for the sake of Hot Rabbi’s career. A noble gesture that would have meant no season 2, but there will be no spoilers from me and place a figurative hand over the mouths of friends who have seen it. Suffice to say, Joanne is still cute, stroppy and just Jew-curious enough to be considering conversion. Or is she? Brody’s Noah is still tender, tortured and earnest , so it’s hard to imagine any woman not racing to pick up a Torah for him. But this is TV faith, and as the good book says: no delay, no play. Around the couple returns the flawless ensemble: Justine Lupe as confrontational sister Morgan, Timothy Simons as Noah’s tall nebbish brother Sasha who is married to my fave, Esther (Jackie Tohn), forever judged by formidable matriarch Bina (Tovah Feldshuh) – “No phones at the Shabbat table Joanne!” Is Esther about to get a reprieve?

The series is, in many ways, an extension of Erin Foster’s own life. Like Joanne she co-hosts the hit podcast The World’s First Podcast with sister Sara and Erin converted to marry Jewish husband Simon Tikhman in 2019. Earlier this year she gave birth to a baby girl, Noa.

“It’s extremely self-indulgent sitting in a writers’ room talking about my own marriage and my life,” says Erin “But for the writers, it’s helpful — a North Star. They’ll ask, did this really happen? If the room goes quiet, it’s not resonating. But if it explodes into debate — usually men on one side and women on the other — that’s a good sign. There’s a secret language women share, and when the men in the room look completely lost, that’s when I know it’s a topic worth exploring.”

That is what gives Nobody Wants This its bite, makes it real and, when Noah gets all spiritual, unexpectedly moving. “For me, not growing up Jewish, the prayers don’t have nostalgic meaning,” says Erin, “but the habit of slowing down, lighting candles, showing gratitude — that’s what fills you up. It doesn’t feel religious; it feels grounding.”

There was never going to be a good time to raise the crush we all have on Noah – but I did and the daughter of acclaimed musician, songwriter and composer David Foster burst out laughing.

“Oh, I get it. I mean, who doesn’t? He’s thoughtful, handsome, emotionally available — and he’s a rabbi!” Our crush convo was fun and continued. “My first crush was Boyz II Men,” she chirped.” I honestly thought I was going to end up with one of them. It could’ve been any of them, really. My first Jewish crush, though, that was my husband, Simon. And I’ll admit, Andy Samberg is very cute… and Adam Brody? Pretty cute too.”

As our chat evolved into a scene from Nobody Wants This I longed for it to continue, but I was on borrowed Netflix time and a queue was forming in the press waiting area. “Thanks for giving us something so Jewish and joyful,” I said with goodbye.

“Oh my God, thank you!” beamed Erin. “That’s honestly all I wanted — to make something that people actually enjoy and maybe even feel seen by. I didn’t think it would connect the way it has, but it’s been really meaningful to hear that.”