'Raising Hope' Season 3, Episode 21: 'Burt Mitzvah: The Musical' Recap

“Raising Hope”, season 3, episode 21, “Burt Mitzvah: The Musical”

It’s Easter time at the Chance residence. Burt and Virginia prepare for a visit from Burt’s parents (played by Shirley Jones and Lee Majors). When they arrive, they tell Burt they have big news, and they should all sit down. She tells Burt that she went to a bar mitzvah and realized that they had a cousin in common with the family, which means that, according the Jewish tradition, that Burt is Jewish.

His mom urges him to embrace his newfound heritage and be bar mitzvahed. When he says he doesn’t want to, his mom gives him a very passive aggressive routine and guilts him into it. Virginia says that they have a wonderful Easter dinner planned, but the mother says that they don’t celebrate Easter anymore.

Burt and Jimmy visit a Kosher deli, and seems completely out of his element. When he asks the cashier what it means to be a Jew, the customers and staff burst out into song, explaining what makes a Jew a Jew.

Burt recounts the experience to Virginia, who doesn’t seem to buy the whole musical thing. Burt explains that the Jews are very creative people. Then he says that he’s learned everything he needed to know about the Jewish culture, and that he needs to get bar mitzvahed so he can become a man. He tells his parents, and they are excited for him.

Burt joins a class of other young boys in hopes of learning all he needs to know for his bar mitzvah, including speaking and reading Hebrew. The teacher excuses the other boys, and tells Burt it’s time to get down to business.

Virginia and Maw Maw take Burt’s mom shopping with them in preparation for the Passover Seder. Virginia doesn’t know the first thing about it… Luckily Barney is there to help guide her along via song.

Virginia tells Burt about the song, and he doesn’t believe her. Then his parents tell him that all of their friends have RSVP’d for his bar mitzvah, and they’re all very excited. Burt has a mini-meltdown, worried that he’ll never be ready. He wants to hide in the attic until it’s over, but Jimmy gives him a pep talk, saying that if he lets Burt quit, then he’ll never become a man, so Jimmy will never become a man. He uses a song to help encourage him.

The day of his bar mitzvah, motivated by the song from before, Burt is amazed to find that people are giving him money on his bar mitzvah. Burt sees his parents pocket some of his gift money, and he confronts them. They reveal that Burt isn’t really Jewish, and that they made it all up to get money for a cruise. They tell Burt that he owes them because he’s never done anything for them.

Virginia tells Burt to blow the cover on what his parents are doing, but he says that this is the only bar mitzvah he’ll have. He gives a speech on how he’s doing it because he loves his parents, and that they’re even now. He begins reading in Hebrew. Once he finishes, after tremendous effort, Sabrina jokingly points out that he did all that and he’s not even Jewish. The Rabbi hears her, and isn’t too happy. Burt, trying to smooth things over, tries to sing a song, but he cuts him off and storms out.

They all decide to head home and have some ham.