Jews, an ethnic and religious group, are a significant part of Seinfeld's background and episodic themes. The show's creators, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, are both Jews. Seinfeld's character on the show is also a Jew, though George Costanza is not, despite being based on Larry David and played by Jewish actor Jason Alexander. The show's recurring characters include a rabbi and a convert to Judaism. Though Jewish religious beliefs are rarely mentioned on Seinfeld, cultural institutions and stereotypes of Jews are frequently part of the show, and even non-Jewish characters at times make Jewish references, such as George exclaiming "Sweet fancy Moses!" in "The Little Kicks". NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff once said he feared Seinfeld could never attain mainstream popularity because it was "Too New York, too Jewish".
Episodes with prominent Jewish themes include "The Bris" (in which Jerry and Elaine participate in a circumcision ceremony), "The Serenity Now" (in which Elaine discovers she has an irresistible sexual appeal for Jewish men), and "The Yada Yada" (in which Jerry is repeatedly accused of being an "anti-dentite", a play on "anti-semite").