Orthodox Jews Get Their Own ‘Shark Tank’

from the JTA:

At the opening of the most recent season finale of “Shark Tank,” the ABC reality show about startup entrepreneurs, a man posed in front of a group of investors, showcasing a business that combines drinking wine and painting pictures.

At the beginning of a takeoff of “Shark Tank” in Brooklyn, an Israeli in a beige kippah, gray blazer, pink shirt and blue jeans stood before a panel of five investors — two with black kippahs and beards, one in an ankle-length dress with long sleeves. Before the show, a woman in a wig had discussed camera work in Yiddish with one of her employees. Now the cameras were rolling and the Israeli entrepreneur pitched his product, which allows real estate brokers to virtually tour interactive, 3-D renderings of their properties.

Welcome to BizTank, the haredi Orthodox version of “Shark Tank.”

At their core, “Shark Tank” and BizTank are the same: Entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to investors, who fire off a round of questions and then decide whether or not to invest. But there are two big differences: Almost everyone on BizTank is Orthodox Jewish, and the program is a lot more heimish.

Click here to continue reading at the JTA.