From Seinfeld to The Goldbergs, there is no shortage of Jewish presence on our televisions. Expanding my horizons beyond Jewish-American content, there is a treasure trove of TV when you look into what Israel has to offer. Here are my top 3 Israeli shows to binge as summer approaches.

1- Shtisel

Watching Shtisel as a Reform Jew, I found this show nothing short of culture shock. This show focuses on a Haredi, strictly Orthodox community. I used to think that Haredis had to acclimate themselves to the modern world we live in, but their strict commitment to traditional values is shocking. This is ever more present in the show with the implementation of older practices, such as matchmaking. This show centers around characters that have kept themselves away from anything secular and also shows what it’s like for one of them to be exposed to anything secular. This show is full of spectacular acting, and I highly recommend this for anyone interested in taking a peek at what an Orthodox lifestyle is like.  

2- Kupa Rashit (Checkout)

Behind the ChaiFlicks paywall, or available through the Kan 11 YouTube, or the app, is one of the funniest shows I have ever watched, Checkout. This show chronicles the daily shifts of people working at a supermarket. When explaining this to non-Hebrew-speaking people, my best way of explaining this show is that you could consider this the Israeli version of The Office. You can almost see the characters from Checkout emanate the same vibes as The Office characters. From Shira resembling Michael, and Ramzi being incredibly similar to Dwight, this show has similar vibes, set in different places. With witty humor and a mix of polarizing personalities, this show is for anyone who adores comedies. 

3- Tiyul Acharei Tzava (A Trip After The Army)

This show is a fun one as it follows an IDF tradition that once a soldier completes their mandated service, they can take a long sabbatical abroad. A Trip After The Army follows two friends, Gal and Pablo, as they travel to different places around the world, seeing the sights, and immersing themselves deep into the culture. As someone who loves culture, I found it incredibly fun and interesting to see and experience what they saw through a screen, almost imagining the screen wasn’t even there. I would highly recommend this show to anyone who loves traveling, and those who love cultures. By watching this show, not only are you immersing yourself in the culture that the duo is learning about, but you’re also seeing an Israeli viewpoint on other cultures and countries. 

I hope you all watch these shows!

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