You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy the thoroughly entertaining award-winning Israeli award winning series The New Black , but it does help. Set in an upscale Yeshiva in Jerusalem, the story is about four young ‘shababnicks’. This we soon learn is a term for a young ultra-Orthodox person who leaves his or her faith in some regards but not in others. Shababnikim don’t leave the religious community, but bend the boundaries of what is acceptable behavior in Jewish law.
These four very unorthodox men present a new face of Haridim, an orthodox sect of Judaism, who try desperately (and somewhat comically) adhere to all old traditions in the reality of a very contemporary secular world.
Led by stubble-cheeked, too-cute-for-words Avinoam (Daniel Gad) who has a certain arrogance that he uses to even defy his Government Minister father. Plus the unpredictable Dov Lazar (Omer Perelman Striks) whose family wealth will help buy their way out of any scrapes they get into; handsome Meir (Israel Atias) with his piercing eyes and a bit of an outsider as he is a Mizrahi Jew that evidently Haridi look down on; and finally Gedaliah. (Ori Laizerouvich) who wants to study 24/7 to stop him thinking about all the temptations of the flesh.
The antics of the four as they take on the the malevolent leadership of the Yeshiva whilst at the same time trying to persuade (or not) the Matchmaker for good hook ups with potential brides. All four are strict virgins in every sense of the world.
True we didn’t understand many of the religious and historical references , or were even familiar with any of the traditional ideology. However we could still relate to the journeys of these disarmingly charming young men desperate to make their way in the new world without causing too much upset in the old one.
Kudos to the writers for appreciating that there are not only different levels of religious piety, but it shouldn’t stop you having fun. These four young men, played by a very talented cast, had this infectious sense of good humor and created such engaging bro-romances which were a joy to watch unfold on the screen.
When the series launched in 2017 it won rightly won three awards Award of the Israeli Television Academy. Now its available to view in the US on a new Israeli/Jewish screening platform https://www.chaiflicks.com/. Sign up as you will so want to binge watch this series asap.. And then go out and buy yourself a big black Borsalino.
