Shtisel tells a slice of life family story set among ultra orthodox (haredim) Jews in Jerusalem, centered on the Shtisel family headed by patriarch Rabbi Shtisel. Romance, forbidden love, friendship, and family relations are shown in a society with very strict rules about everything.

It’s really good at showing the values and strengths, as well as the limits and weaknesses, of such strict way of living. The show gave me a better understanding of why people follow religions and what we might have lost in modern secular society. Even if the rules fail, are broken, or cause harm, they always come from a deep sense of love for humans and their condition.

These very religious Jews use technology as sparingly as possible, which is also a good contrast to how most people live nowadays. It makes their lives slower, but also more immediate, aware, and direct.

The meaning of life, family, humans, our relations with each other, daily struggles, and similar themes are approached in a thoughtful way.

If you know of a show that gives insights into Islam in a similar way, I would love to hear about it.

Available on arte.tv for free in Hebrew (and some Yiddish) with German and French subtitles. Might require VPN.