# Less Than Kosher

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{{Infobox television
| director             = Daniel Am Rosenberg
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* Shaina Silver-Baird
* [David Reale](/source/David_Reale)
* [David Eisner](/source/David_Eisner_(actor))
}}
| music                = [Ari Posner](/source/Ari_Posner)
| country              = Canada
| num_seasons          = 1
| num_episodes         = 7
| executive_producer   =  {{Plainlist|
* [Avi Federgreen](/source/Avi_Federgreen)
* Michael Goldlist
* Shaina Silver-Baird
}}
| producer             =  {{Plainlist|
* Emily Andrews
* Laura Nordin
}}
| editor               = Ben Lee Allan
}}

'''''Less Than Kosher''''' is Canadian comedy web series, which premiered in 2023 on [Highball TV](/source/Highball_TV).<ref name=cj>[https://thecjn.ca/podcasts/less-than-kosher-is-a-surprisingly-heartfelt-story-of-spiritual-discovery/ "'Less Than Kosher' is a surprisingly heartfelt story of spiritual discovery"]. ''[Canadian Jewish News](/source/Canadian_Jewish_News)'', 2023.</ref> The series stars Shaina Silver-Baird as Viv, a self-professed "bad Jew" who moves back into her parents' home after failing to make it as a pop singer, and unexpectedly ends up working as a [cantor](/source/cantor) at her local [synagogue](/source/synagogue).<ref name=cjn>{{Cite web |date=June 1, 2023 |title=Toronto Musical Less than Kosher Drawn from Real Life |url=https://www.original-cin.ca/posts/2023/6/1/original-cin-qampa-toronto-musical-less-than-kosher-drawn-from-real-life |author=Liam Lacey |website=Original Cin}}</ref>

The series was screened theatrically as a film at a number of Jewish film festivals,<ref>Victoria Ahearn, [https://playbackonline.ca/2023/05/08/less-than-kosher-to-world-bow-at-toronto-jewish-film-festival/ "Less Than Kosher to world bow at Toronto Jewish Film Festival"]. ''[Playback](/source/Playback_(magazine))'', May 8, 2023.</ref> before premiering on Highball in web series format.<ref name=cjn/>

==Plot summary==
Viv (Silver-Baird) is stuck in a rut. Her once-promising pop career is failing, her gigs are drying up and she's had to move back to her family home in [Toronto](/source/Toronto), where she occupies the basement.<ref name=cj/> She has distanced herself from the local Jewish community and [Judaism](/source/Judaism) and her mother hasn't forgiven her for walking out on her own [Bat Mitzvah](/source/Bat_Mitzvah).<ref name=cj/> The household is strained by the death of Viv's father several years earlier, and Viv's lack of interest in embracing her mother's second husband,  Rajit (Varughese), an Indian [Hindu](/source/Hindu), as her [stepdad](/source/stepdad). 

Against her inclination, she agrees to attend a [Yom Kippur](/source/Yom_Kippur) service with her family. Her singing impresses the congregation, including Rabbi Morris (Eisner). At the synagogue, she also establishes a flirtation with Asher (Reale), the Rabbi's son. Impressed by her vocal skills, Rabbi Morris offers Viv a role at the synagogue as substitute [cantor](/source/cantor). A reluctant Viv agrees and excels, connecting closer to her Jewish identity.<ref name=cj/>

The growing chemistry between Viv and Asher is complicated by the revelation that Asher is married. Asher's marriage is strained and at his father-in-law's [shiva](/source/shiva), Viv and Asher kiss. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Viv, her younger sister, Gabbi (Halili) has been taking [TikTok](/source/TikTok) videos of Viv singing Jewish liturgical songs. The videos have gained major traction and Viv is offered an important meeting with a record label in [New York City](/source/New_York_City). Viv realises that she has to miss Gabbi's Bat Mitzvah to attend the meeting and she plans to travel to New York with Asher. However, at the airport, she realises that has to be at her sister's side and she arrives unexpectedly at the synagogue and reads the third Aliyah as originally agreed.<ref name=cj/>

==Cast==
*Shaina Silver-Baird as Viv, a singer that has distanced herself from Judaism and community 
*[David Reale](/source/David_Reale) as Asher, the married son of Rabbi Morris, who develops an attraction towards Viv
*[David Eisner](/source/David_Eisner_(actor)) as Rabbi Morris, who hires a reluctant Shaina to be a substitute [cantor](/source/cantor) at the synagogue
*Sarah Orenstein as Lillian, Viv's mother
*[Sugith Varughese](/source/Sugith_Varughese) as Rajit, Viv's [stepfather](/source/stepfather), an Indian [Hindu](/source/Hindu)
*Arielle Halili as Gabbi, Viv's half-sister
*Vanessa Smythe as Rachel, Asher's wife
*Nadine Djoury as Danielle
*[Aisha Evelyna](/source/Aisha_Evelyna) as Billie
*Michael Goldlist as Aaron
*Claire Acott as Melinda 
*Tamar Ilanna as Ancestor
==Reception==
===Awards===
The series won four awards at the 2023 T.O. Webfest, including the Grand Prize for Best Web Series and the awards for Best Comedy, Best Writing, and Best Actor in a Canadian Web Series (Silver-Baird).<ref>Taimur Sikander Mirza, [https://playbackonline.ca/2023/09/22/less-than-kosher-tops-t-o-webfest/ "Less Than Kosher tops T.O. Webfest"]. ''[Playback](/source/Playback_(magazine))'', September 22, 2023.</ref>

The series received two [Canadian Screen Award](/source/Canadian_Screen_Award) nominations at the [12th Canadian Screen Awards](/source/12th_Canadian_Screen_Awards) in 2024, for Best Original Program or Series, Fiction (Michael Goldlist, Shaina Silver-Baird, Laura Nordin, Emily Andrews) and Best Picture Editing in a Web Program or Series (Ben Lee Allan).<ref>Pat Mullen, [https://povmagazine.com/canadian-screen-award-nominees-in-digital-and-factual-categories/ "Canadian Screen Award Nominees in Documentary and Factual Categories"]. ''[Point of View](/source/Point_of_View_(magazine))'', March 6, 2024.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|15792140}}

Category:2023 web series debuts
Category:Canadian comedy web series
Category:2023 Canadian television series debuts
Category:2020s Canadian comedy television series
Category:Jewish Canadian television series
Category:Television shows filmed in Toronto
Category:Television shows set in Toronto
Category:Films about bar and bat mitzvahs
Category:Jewish Canadian films
Category:Films shot in Toronto
Category:Films about Jews and Judaism
Category:Television series about Jews and Judaism

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Less Than Kosher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Less_Than_Kosher) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Less_Than_Kosher?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.