I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve been rediscovering my affinity for Israel through the unlikeliest of activities — by bingeing on Netflix.
That may sound kind of odd or trivial, but I’ve recently found myself absolutely addicted to shows imported from Israel that have reminded me of why I fell hard for the Jewish state as a young guy. Shows like “Fauda,” “Hostages,” “Mossad 101,” “When Heroes Fly” and “Shtisel” offer fascinating and engaging glimpses into one of the most complex cultures that humanity has ever known. (BTW, Hulu recently announced it has acquired the rights to stream the popular Israeli vampire series “Juda.”)
Those Israelis know how to make a damned good television show. In fact, I’d argue we’re living in the golden age of Israeli TV.
And since I assume the entertainment industry over there is fairly small, you get to see a lot of the same wonderful actors playing vastly different roles in these shows. (Sometimes I wonder if Tomer Kapon and Ayelet Zurer are the only working thespians in the Holy Land.)
While “Fauda,” “Mossad 101,” “Hostages” and “When Heroes Fly” offer the type of suspense and action drama fare you might expect from a technologically advanced society compelled by security concerns, “Shtisel” provides a rare glimpse into the world of ultra-Orthodox Jews living in Jerusalem’s Haredi enclaves. Although the sectarian divide between the Orthodox and the not-so-Orthodox remains wide in Israel and over here, “Shtisel” forces you to recognize its characters as typical, fallible human beings consumed by the personal dramas and events going on in their lives.
The viewer, regardless of their prejudices or preconceived notions, sees that these people with their side curls and sheitels are really no different than the rest of us trying to get through our day-to-day lives.
And that’s the show’s true genius. A story well told is just that, regardless of where or who or what the characters look like and believe.
Recently, I mentioned to an Orthodox friend that I was watching “Shtisel” religiously (pardon the pun) and was stunned to discover that she and all of her friends in the frum community are also binge-watching the show on Netflix. I asked if folks in her circles are in any way offended by the program, since the characters are frequently depicted with all of their foibles and flaws. She said not at all, and that she feels the show presents a fairly accurate and entertaining depiction of Orthodox life in the Israeli capital.
Maybe bingeing isn’t such a bad thing after all, especially when it can bring us closer together and help us understand each other a tad better. We could actually use a little more empathy and understanding in the world these days.
Last night, I watched with my wife and 16-year-old son a different kind of Israeli program on TV. With the launching of the robotic lander Beresheet, I felt like I was viewing more than a century of the Zionist Dream soaring into the heavens. In eight weeks, Israel will become the fourth nation ever to land a spacecraft on the moon. When you consider the magnitude of that statement – following in the footsteps of the United States, the former Soviet Union and China – it has to simply boggle the mind.
After all, how could a nation as small, young, vulnerable and embattled as Israel pull off a feat that more than 99 percent of the world couldn’t? Of course, there are plenty of reasons, including the financial resources of a few billionaires and the unquestionable brilliance of Israeli scientists, but that still doesn’t diminish the enormity of this staggering achievement.
I admit I haven’t always been an unabashed cheerleader for Israel, and like a lot of American Jews, the politics of the Middle East have often turned me off in recent years. I still believe that a two-state solution is the only pathway to true peace over there, and I refuse to believe that Israel is always in the right about everything.
But with the moon landing and the Netflix bingeing, I can’t help but feel something for Israel that I haven’t felt in a while. And I’m hoping that feeling will stick around for a long time to come.
Now when did you say the next season of “Fauda” starts?
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