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This show is a four episode limited series. Etsy is a wife in an ultra orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn who runs aways from home to Germany. It's a deep dive into what an Orthodox community can be like. And maybe why somebody would want to escape it. I was fortunate to have tQ with me to explain some of the nuances of the community that would have otherwise escaped me. It's a fascinating peak into a world I had never experienced.
It's not all homogenous in the Orthodox world either. There are problems. Etsy for one. But the man looking for her to bring her back to Brooklyn seems to have a dark past as well and is trying to get back into the community. There are all sorts of tensions going on.
It's very well done, but you'd really want to explore this environment to watch this show.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
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S1 Ep2. So much sadness. All is sadness. They keep flashing back and forth in time. The majority of the past is about Esty wedding to Yanky which just seemed like a scary affair. But there are hints about Etsy's parent's problems. Both appear at the wedding. And in Germany Etsy explores her new found freedom only for her dreams to be crushed. Again, there is more exploration of Orthodox Jewish life that I had never witnessed. If you are a fan of the big furry hats, this could be the show for you.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
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S1 Ep3 Just a brief glimmer of respite from the unleavened sadness that is Esty's life. Yanky is given a prostitute by Moishe which is funny. But it's mostly about Yanky and Esty exploring sex as two virgins. Esty is not a fan because of the pain it causes her. Meanwhile Yanky blabs to all his female relatives about the problems he is having with his wife who then go and talk to Esty. There's lots of embarrassment. Meanwhile in Berlin, Esty learns about computers and punk rock.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
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S1 Ep4 The finale. Things finally come around for Etsy despite the interventions of Moishe and Yanky. Although Brother in law Moishe has lots of problems that are never clearly defined. There is a lot of closure in this episode but there are still a lot of questions left to be answered. Overall the show was well done, but the whole show oozed sadness. I constantly asked myself why the orthodox jewish community would put up with all the restrictions they put on their lives. Maybe they don't see it that way, but that is the way it is portrayed in the show.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
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My wife has a fascination with the bizarreness of the ultra-orthodox, so we watched this. And they are bizarre. I enjoyed it. There's a short documentary after the last episode about the making, and it's also quite good.
There's another show about orthodox Jews, this time the Haredi in Israel - "Shtisel" also I think on Netflix. It's focused on a young guy who wants to be an artist and maybe wants to leave. Left on a cliffhanger when they stopped production. Some good acting. All in Hebrew with subtititles.
the hands that guide me are invisible
