Before Shtisel there was Kugel.
Shtisel, the award-winning Israeli television series that enjoyed a three-year run from 2013 onward, was about the trials, tribulations and joyous interludes of an ultra-Orthodox family in Jerusalem. Although it was laser focused on haredi Jews, a cloistered sect, it exuded universal appeal, drawing in a secular Jewish audience as well.
Its prequel, Kugel, set in the Belgian city of Antwerp, is written by the co-creator of Shtisel, Yehonatan Indursky. Its first eight episodes will be broadcast on Izzy — the global streaming platform available in more than 110 countries — starting on February 28.
The central characters are Nuchum Shtisel (Sasson Gabay), a rabbi and jeweller who cycles around the city on a bicycle; his discontented wife Yides (Mili Avital), and their lovely adult daughter, Libi (Hadas Yaron).
The Shtisels live in a quarter of Antwep — a hub of the international diamond trade — inhabited by ultra-Orthodox Jews. Their lingua franca is Yiddish, but they also communicate in Hebrew and Flemish. The males in this highly insular, tight-knit community are instantly recognizable by their black garments, beards and distinctive sidecurls.
From the moment the camera pans on him, Nuchum is cast as a wheeler dealer. He is struggling to become a gvir, the Yiddish word for a rich person of consequence.
Nuchum’s ambition for wealth and status leads him into the realm of unethical behavior. He parlays a friend’s sudden death to consummate a fast and profitable sale, informing his bereaved widow that she owns him 5,000 euros for a diamond ring that her late husband apparently bought but for which he did not pay.
As Nuchum, Gabay is perfect in the role. Cunning yet direct, he is traditional but modern. He and his wife have had a stormy relationship that is still on the rocks.
Libi, a 22-year-old teacher, dreams of being a famous author, but her parents’ fondest dream is to marry her off to a dedicated yeshiva scholar. Unbeknownst to them, Libi already has her eye on a seemingly suitable candidate, an ultra-Orthodox commuter she runs into on a streetcar. They exchange a few hasty words after she pays for his fare.
Kugel is interesting inasmuch as it exposes the rigid class structure of the haredi community. One scene encapsulates this theme. Eager to associate with its movers and shakers, Nuchum tries entering an exclusive sauna, but is turned away by the haughty reception clerk on the grounds that he is not a member. Its proprietor, a renowned rabbi, informs him that he can acquire membership if he donates a substantial sum of money to his personal charity.
Keen on complying with the rabbi’s condition, he commits a petty crime and profits handsomely from it. Yides finds out and demands amends from Nuchum. She also notifies him that she seeks a divorce.
Kugel’s romantic undercurrents rise to the surface when Libi tells Nuchum that the man she met on the tram seems like a worthy catch. Dismissing Libi’s enthusiasm with a wave of the hand, he promises to find her Mr. Right after he and his wife have settled their marital dispute.
In scenes that follow, a prominent local family offers their son to Libi in an arranged marriage. Nuchim meets the prospective groom and is impressed. In the meantime, Libi finally converses with the stranger on the tram. In a sign of what may follow, their animated conversation brings a smile to her face.
Judging by the first two episodes, Kugel is engaging and well worth watching. Driven by a strong story line, credible performances, and sharp cinematography, it sets the stage for Shtisel, which enjoyed stunning popularity.