What To Watch: ‘Shtisel’ takes you into another world

By Movie Walla | OPINION  |

The men spot beards and have headgears. Many of then have sidelocks. The women cover their hair and dress modestly. No, this is not a scene from Punjab.

Israeli television drama series “Shtisel” will acquaint you with the way of life of a fictional ultra-Orthodox Jewish family living in Jerusalem. If you’re curious about how different religious communities live, then this three-season drama will get your hooked.

There is no sex and very little violence. Instead, the series provides you a window into the life of these ultra-Orthodox Jews – their ways and their struggles.

The power of “Shtisel” is in demystifying religious orthodoxy as we follow the lives of Shulem Shtisel (Doval’e Glickman), a bearded, pious yeshiva teacher, and his artistic, disappointing and unwed son, Akiva (Michael Aloni). Theirs is a black-hatted world of matchmakers, holy men, strong women, crowded apartments, prying neighbors, adultery, pride and the sense that the temptations and moral equivocations of the larger world are encroaching, observed Los Angeles Times.

The show’s center of gravity is the father-son relationship between Shulem and Akiva, who are usually seen sitting around their cramped kitchen table, with its waxy tablecloth, eating sliced vegetables in their shirtsleeves and prayer shawls, captures another review of the series now available at Netflix.

The show also introduces us to many facets of the Ultra-Orthodox community known as Haredi. This includes a group that does nothing else but pray and study the Torah. These are adults who don’t engage in full time work other than attending religious classes. The yeshiva (seminary) going students are exempted from compulsory military service. They are like most Haredis: poor and reliant on government subsidies. You can imagine the potential political impact of these issues. But the show is not about Israeli politics.

Catch the little things they do. That will be part of the fun in watching this series.

For example, you will find them touching reverently something at the door when they enter a home or walk into a room. That’s a mezuzah, a small case affixed to the doorframe of each room in Jewish homes and workplaces. It contains a tiny scroll of parchment inscribed with a prayer. It is customary for religious Jews to touch the mezuzah every time they pass through a door and kiss the fingers that touched it. Some secular Jews treat the mezuzah as a good luck charm.

There are a number of other interesting actions that may attract your attention. So, keep your eyes open. But do mind the billowing smoke. A number of the central characters are heavy smokers. Beyond the smoke, Shtisel is definitely going to be worth your time.

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