Srugim and Haolim – 2 new Israeli TV shows that I can relate to
Lately, I don’t relate much to the characters in TV shows – doctors with tough decisions to make (Grey’s Anatomy), moms that sell pot to support their kids (Weeds), a secret call girl in London (Secret Diary of a Call Girl), etc.
As Esther points out, Sex and the City comes closest in its understanding of the ups and downs of being single in a city but obviously does not touch on the Jewish scene. Yes, Charlotte converts to Judaism, but it’s not quite telling of the singles scene on the Upper West Side in NYC or the German Colony in Jerusalem.
In contrast, Srugim, a new Israeli drama on Yes!, focuses on the singles scene in the Katamon area in Jerusalem so accurately I feel like I’ll be invited to their next Shabbat meal and end up on the set. The show included shots of Burgers Bar and Coffee Mill on Emek Refaim, so I was even looking for myself in the background somewhere. On top of that, I even knew one of the actresses, Shira Katz, who plays Stacy, the American neighbor. A little too close for comfort? Maybe, but I really got a kick out of it and couldn’t turn away, and I’m definitely waiting for the next episode. You can watch the show online in Hebrew with Hebrew subtitles. Explorer and Safari only. [Update: Available in Israel only]
I first heard about the show from a Twitter friend, and have enjoyed reading everyone’s take on the new show.
- Srugim Show
- Srugim Rave Reviews
- Singles in Jerusalem continued
- Sex and the Holy City – Ynet
- Sex and the Holy City – Israelity
- Sirugim – new online television show
- Katamon drama: Not just for new olim anymore.
The other show, which hasn’t aired yet, but looks promising, is HaOlim – The Reality of Aliyah in Israel, which I first read about on Jewlicious. HaOlim plans to pick 8 people from around the world who are planning to make Aliyah. They’re going to live on a kibbutz, go on crazy adventures around Israel, and the winner gets a pimped out Tel Aviv apartment, car, and their dream job.
I think it should be called Real World Israel, since it looks like it’s more about how 8 people get along, than how they will interact with Israelis. As Molly and I have decided, a real HaOlim show should include missions like a dreaded visit to Misrad Hapnim, BItuach Leumi, and Mas Hachnasa. And all in one day! That’s where the real fun begins and your true character begins to show.
I wonder if this show will touch on the less than glamorous hassles that every Oleh needs to go through. Although, I can only imagine a camera being allowed in to one of these government institutions(yeah right), so I guess it wouldn’t make for very good TV. Although, movie producer extraordinnaire, Molly, did get an inside look at the Misrad Haklita / TV Tax Authority at quite a critical moment…
But I think I’ll definitely be able to relate to arriving in Israel and trying to figure out the language, the culture, and community living.
Here’s the trailer for HaOlim:
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
- Watch Season 2 of Srugim ONLINE (Israel only) | the big felafel pingbacked on 13 years, 5 months ago
The Big Felafel 
Thanks for the link…I’m becoming obsessed with Serugim, very quickly…and I’m afraid to try to watch Haolim, too, for fear of the same fate!
And I think one thing is clear: everyone knows Shira!
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoThanks for the link!
BTW, you can’t watch the show via the internet unless you live in Israel…(Though its only a matter of time I guess before the show appears on bit-torrent or youtube)
Last night’s episode was great. The guys’ empty fridge brought back many memories.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months ago@Jameel – good to know, I’ll make sure to add the bit about only being able to watch it in Israel. How the tables have turned, since some sites block international users. I’ll have to watch the most recent.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months ago@Esther – I wonder when HaOlim will air.. I’m getting impatient already.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoHi,
I have been trying to watch HaShir Shelanu online now for quite some time. I have tried the Yes TV station, but all I get when I click on individual episodes is a blank black screen.
If anyone speaks Hebrew well enough to help me with this I would be greatly indebted to you.
Someone mentioned you can only watch online if you live in Israel…maybe this holds true for hashir shelanu as well??
Thank you thank you for your help in advance
| Posted 14 years, 11 months ago@Eli: I think it only works in Israel. sorry
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoIs there any way I can buy the show then and have it shipped here? I haven’t been able to find it even to buy anywhere.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoI watched the first show (with subtitles) and it was great. But the second one has no subtitiles. I have trouble understanding shows in Hebrew unless I can read the subtitles too. Any idea why the second show has no subtitles?
| Posted 14 years, 11 months ago@Annette Friedman: I know! I noticed that too. I have no idea why they took off the subtitles. If I don’t catch something though, I just rewind it and play it again until I get it.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoI can’t rewind either! So frustrating – is it just me or do the actors really mumble?
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoDoes anyone know if the real show (that airs tonight) will have subtitles? I hope so!
are there any good israeli shows that air on hot? I wasn’t able to get yes tv in my apt. building, let me know if you have any recommendations
| Posted 14 years, 9 months agoRebecca: Sorry I can’t be of more help in the TV arena – because I watch all my TV on the computer since I don’t have a tv. I like the Reshet video machine online which I wrote about – http://www.thebigfelafel.com/so-you-think-you-know-hebrew-watch-this/
| Posted 14 years, 9 months agohey there guys,
| Posted 13 years, 10 months agoif youre looking for good israeli shows that u can watch online
then here is a brilliant site with all the episodes of srugim and many other tv shows
doesnt have haolim though
israeli tv shows
Hey guys! If anyone of you knows if whats the real names of the two leading girls (shira & teri)in israeli show “hasufim” .
| Posted 12 years, 7 months agoPlease….
ALL THE BEST ISRAEL TV SHOWS AND LIVE ISRAEL TV CHANNELS WHICH INCLUDES NANA10 MAKO AROUTZ 2 HOT3 AND MORE
| Posted 11 years, 10 months agoYou can watch anything on yes! If you have an apple product download the app and watch without registration on there!!
| Posted 11 years, 4 months agoHey Jenni (#16) How did you get the app to work? Every time I try to run a video on the app it says that there is an “Error Loading Video.”
| Posted 11 years, 3 months agoMike, I can only get it to work when i get to the videos by first going on videos then kids and youths then scroling down to Hashir shelanu not by typing it into the search!! sometimes it takes a few trys to get th videos up!! they only have season 4 now 😦
| Posted 11 years, 1 month ago