TV Jews

Here in North America we marvel at the presence of Jewish characters on our TV programs. The Entourage's Ari Gold, The Simpson's Krusty the Clown, Grace from Will and Grace and Seinfeld all add an additional dimension to our television viewing.

In Israel, of course, it comes as no surprise that most of the figures on both fictional and reality programs are Jewish. This gives us the opportunity to get more specific: are they religious or secular, Ashkenazi or Sephardi, Labor or Likud….

Cue one of Israel's newest television gems, Srugim. Think Sex in the City meets Emek Refaim. This very popular program gives a bird's eye view of the young, observant dating scene in Jerusalem. In one episode, a male character is confronted with the decision of whether or not to borrow tefillin from his female next door neighbor. In another, a young woman deals with her crisis of faith following the hitnatkut, the disengagement from Gaza.

In an era of reality TV which feels anything but real, a little dose of relevance is more than welcome.

You can read more about Srugim here, and if your Hebrew is up to the test, it's worth your while to make a stop here as well.

[Posted 7/21/09]