The role of Orthodox knish seller and aspiring writer Seth Konig in “The Sabbath Girl” is one of the many Jewish roles that the actor Max Wolkowitz portrayed over the years, including in “The Chosen” and “My Name is Asher Lev.”

However, “The Sabbath Girl” is different from many other productions with Jewish representation. The well-received off-Broadway musical is one of the few shows to explore interfaith relationships, particularly an Orthodox love story.

“The Sabbath Girl” runs until September 1st at the 59E59 theaters and is a romantic comedy about the Italian-American gallery owner Angie (Marilyn Caserta)who is asked by her new neighbor Seth to be his “Shabbos Goy.”

As the months go by, Angie helps Seth by turning on his air conditioning, turning on the lights, and answering his phone. A love story develops between the two that could only develop in New York City.

Unpacked spoke with Wolkowitz about his experience working on “The Sabbath Girl,” his Jewish identity, and why he believes there should be more diverse Jewish representation in theater.

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Max Wolkowitz wanted to portray a differentiated Jewish character

About a year and a half ago, director Joe Brancato approached Wolkowitz about doing a reading of the production. At the time, “The Sabbath Girl” was still a play that premiered in upstate New York before the pandemic in early 2020. It has since evolved into a musical with the addition of a lyricist. Neil Berg to the creative team.

Wolkowitz was immediately drawn to the role of Seth and the story of The Sabbath Girl as a whole. He particularly appreciated the romantic lead character’s journey of self-discovery over the course of the show.

“Seth had a lot of depth and nuance. It was an opportunity to play someone who is a little bit stuck, but has a lot of desires that are a little unguided,” he told Unpacked.

Seth, who left Riverdale years ago after his divorce and moved to the Upper West Side, struggles with pressure from his community to fit in and return to his old life. He also wrestles with his dream of writing short stories, which conflicts with the expectations placed on him to carry on the family knish business.

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Wolkowitz, who identifies as a Reform Jew, has enjoyed exploring his cultural heritage through Jewish theater. His work has allowed him to immerse himself in Ashkenazi culture, Orthodox customs, and even Israeli and Mizrahi traditions.

“I’ve had the pleasure of learning about these worlds that are outside of my experience,” he said. “The gift of this career is learning more about people. Since I’ve been able to work on all these Jewish plays, I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about my heritage and expand my understanding of who belongs to this community.”

“The Sabbath Girl” puts Jews at the center of a love story

Fans fell in love with Seth and Angie’s sweet meeting, and the contemporary storyline about a star-crossed couple was one of the character’s main attractions for Wolkowitz.

“It’s exciting to have a Jewish character at the center of a love story because that’s not always the story that gets told. Sure, there are, but to make it so explicit was exciting for me.”

The interfaith romance is inspired by the playwright Cary Grate‘s family. Gitter, who grew up in a Reform Jewish household, has an Italian-American mother and a Jewish father.

Although love stories of different religions have been addressed in productions such as “Harmony,” which premiered on Broadway in 2023, and the latest production of “Cabaret,” such stories are still relatively rare—even as the number of Jewish families of different religions increases every year.

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In “The Sabbath Girl,” the cultural differences between Angie and Seth initially prevent them from entering into a relationship. Both must overcome their prejudices before they can be together. Once their relationship begins, Seth’s older sister Rachel (Lauren Singerman) disapproves of the couple and constantly pressures him to return to Riverdale and marry an Orthodox woman.

Wolkowitz liked how “The Sabbath Girl” highlights the commonalities between Seth’s religious and Angie’s secular communities, showing that they are more similar than they first appear. He believes that because the musical is set outside the Orthodox community, it allows audiences to see religious Jews through a relatable lens.

“The production demystifies an Orthodox Jew by seeing him through the eyes of Angie, this gallery owner who is fully integrated into the modern world. The audience gets to see Seth through her eyes, which I think is a really humanizing lens,” Wolkowitz said.

Some viewers criticized the romance between Seth and Angie as improbable, pointing out that certain aspects of the show regarding Orthodox Jewish customs are not factual. However, Wolkowitz argues that while “The Sabbath Girl” is not entirely realistic, this does not detract from its overall message of acceptance and love. He also noted that the musical follows in the tradition of many romantic comedies that are not entirely based in reality.

“There is a mythical, almost magical realist element to the narrative of ‘The Sabbath Girl’. Yes, it is improbable, but as with all great romantic comedies, it is the unlikely pairing that draws us in and makes us feel that maybe it could happen anywhere,” he said.

Creating Jewish theatre that does not focus on trauma

When people think of “Jewish theater,” they often think of shows like “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Cabaret,” or “Parade.” While these productions showcase the love and resilience of the Jewish community, they focus on anti-Semitism and Jewish suffering.

Wolkowitz believes “The Sabbath Girl” will resonate with many viewers because it tells a positive story of Jewish joy. By centering Seth’s Jewish identity, the show allows audiences to experience the full spectrum of humanity of a marginalized group.

“As with all underrepresented communities, there is a symbolization and mythification that comes with the focus on trauma in Jewish stories,” he said. “We may dress differently, we may look different, but we all have the same needs, wants and desires. To exclude any part of that is to underestimate the humanity of a community.”

He added that Jewish theater is thriving again as a new generation of Jewish playwrights seek to tell their stories. With anti-Semitism on the rise in the last decade, Wolkowitz believes these authentic Jewish works need to be seen.

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Wolkowitz reiterated his belief that theatre can be an effective tool for promoting change and acceptance.

“Theater is a medium that is unique in that to experience theatre, as an audience member you have to share the air with the people who are making the art. For me, there is something magical about this community of people in the space.

“It’s really important that we continue to expand the kind of stories we tell because it’s a privilege to tell stories live and that privilege should not be taken lightly. Telling the same stories in the same way is a missed opportunity because there are so many stories of people who have not been in the spotlight and remain untold.”