Mayim's Spiritual Visit To Israel

The Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik opens up on faith, family and finding her bliss.

- Joanna Della-Ragione

MAYIM BIALIK STANDS ON A SUNNY HILLTOP IN ISRAEL, surrounded by blooming bougainvilleas, clad in a chic gown. The midday heat radiates from the sandy cobbled pavement, while the sky is a clear azure. This could be any Mediterranean landscape, but it’s not just the sheer beauty of the location that makes this Watch! shoot special for The Big Bang Theory star.

“I feel a spiritual connection to Israel; it’s a really holy place even if you’re not religious,” says the actress, who is enjoying her sixth season on the top-rated comedy. “Even if you’re an atheist, there’s a power to a place that everyone’s been coming to for thousands of years because of their beliefs. There’s something bigger than politics and religious distinctions. I passed religious Christian sites today that don’t resonate with me spiritually, but they’re so powerful. That kind of collective energy is amazing, and being here can give you an experience that you can’t really describe.”

Bialik hadn’t been sure that this shoot would even be possible. “I said that I wanted to do a shoot in Israel and I was sure it would be too complicated to organize and too political—but here we are,” she says with a smile. “It’s amazing to use the country as a backdrop separate from religion and politics. And I think it’s really special that several of our crew members— Jewish and non-Jewish—have never been here, so they’re getting an experience they might not have ever had.”