FORWARD
I left the Satmar Hasidic community. ‘Unorthodox’ is a grossly inaccurate depiction of that world.
by Frieda Vizel
March 31, 2020

…It’s okay to show the dark side of Hasidism, but the portrayal still needs to be human. The characters in Unorthodox are othered. They are cartoonishly evil. Their kind moments seem out of character and are unconvincing. They are not like any humans I have met ever, Hasidic or otherwise. Shtissel provides a good contrast to Unorthodox. Unlike Unorthodox, the human story in Shtissel comes to the fore, and the particulars of the culture are only the setting in which they unfold. Rituals like an eruv are not heavy-handedly emphasized. Shtissel makes the watcher feel drawn inside the world. READ MORE

HAARETZ Top Israeli TV Shows and Films to Binge-watch During the Coronavirus Lockdown From classics like ‘Fauda’ and ‘Shtisel’ to little-known gems like ‘Off White Lies’ and ‘Dancing in Jaffa,’ here are over 20 Israeli works to keep you entertained