Schtisel – starring Doval’e Glickman, Michael Aloni, Neta Riskin, Created and written by Ori Elon and Yehonatan Indursky

Shtisel is an Israeli drama series depicting the lives of a fictional Haredi family living in Geula, Jerusalem.

For anyone who enjoyed the fabulous Unorthodox, inspired by Deborah Feldman‘s 2012 autobiography, this series is an absolute gem. Unlike Unorthodox, though, it is somewhat gentler and doesn’t try to portray the strict Haredi traditions as over-stifling or evil.

It is an honest insight into any traditions we all hold dear that can sometimes wear us down if stuck to by the letter and is beautiful in the way, like life, it drags us in and out of love with the characters, showing their flaws and misgivings and, for me at least, helped me to consider my own.

Although the first episode takes getting used to as many of us are accustomed to faster paced TV, once you get into the gentle ride that is Schtisel’s gentle glide, I think you’ll grow to love it.

Verdict: A light and enlightening ride with generous insights into a world beyond our own. ****