If you were a huge fan of “Shtisel,” the Israeli drama from Yes Studios about a Haredi family of the same name based in Jerusalem’s Mea She’arim neighborhood — which was a Netflix sensation and is now streaming on ChaiFlicks and Izzy — you might know that there’s a spinoff in the works.
We’ve known about “Kugel,” which follows Nuchem, played by Sasson Gabbai, the brother of Shtisel patriarch Shulem, and Libbi, his daughter, played by “We Were the Lucky Ones” star Hadas Yaron, since March of last year. We knew the show was on Yes TV’s 2024 slate, but now, we know when the show is actually coming, at least according to the cinematographer, Guy Raz, who said the show will air in Israel in December of 2024.
When we meet Libbi and Nuchem in the second season of “Shtisel,” they’ve come to Israel from Antwerp, Belgium, where a big Jewish Orthodox community lives and mostly works in the diamond industry. That community is rarely shown on TV, though recently it was the subject of the excellent “Rough Diamonds,” streaming on Netflix. And now “Kugel” too will take us to Antwerp, walking us through the Flemish-speaking Belgian city where Nuchem works in the diamond industry and dreams of getting married while holding onto a secret that could dash those dreams.
On his website, Raz, who has worked on other amazing Israeli shows like “The Chef,” “Uri and Ella” and “On the Spectrum,” talks about some of the biggest challenges in creating the visual world of a spinoff of a show that is so iconic, one that many have argued is one of the best pieces of Israeli TV ever made. While “Kugel” was created and written by “Shtisel” co-creator Yehonatan Indursky, Raz didn’t work on “Shtisel,” and neither did “Kugel” director Erez Kavel. The show’s producer, Dikla Barkai, tasked them with creating a visual world that has some connection to the one of the original show, but according to Raz, creating the kind of bleak solemn cinematographic atmosphere of “Shtisel” in a European city like Antwerp might remind some of darker chapters of Jewish history in the region.
Raz created, instead, a world that is more darkly humorous, drawing inspiration from the Coen Brothers as well as the Steven Spielberg movie “Bridge of Spies.” Raz has shared stunning moody stills from the show, of mealtimes with the father and daughter, a first date between Libbi and Yoilish, played by actor Roy Nik (“Commandments,” “Normal”), a close-up of Libbi’s siddur and lots of scenes of the two in the city, biking, taking a bus and walking around the streets of Antwerp, which will be fascinating to visit through the eyes of these characters. The show was filmed on location, and wrapped shooting in May of this year.
חסדי השם! הסתיימו צילומי "קוגל", סדרת הבת של שטיסל שתעלה בקרוב לשידור אצלנו ב-yes! pic.twitter.com/85Wd0YSeQT
— yesTV (@yescoil) May 15, 2024
In “Kugel,” according to Raz, “Libbi writes herself into stories,” which are accompanied by her novelistic narration as a kind of fable, while Nuchem comforts widows with heartwarming tales of “gifts from the dead.” Gabbai is always wonderful at bringing humor to the screen, and Nuchem, who was at the center of some of the most humorous moments of “Shtisel,” especially in his contentious rapport with his brother, Shulem, will set that same funny tone in “Kugel,” it seems. His motto, according to Raz, is “the most important thing in life is to distinguish between ‘Important’ and ‘Trivial’ and always, always focus on the Trivial.”
Aside from Nik, Yaron and Gabbai, the show will feature a highly accomplished Israeli cast. Actress Mili Avital, an Academy Award-winner who has starred in movies like “Dead Man” and “Kissing a Fool” opposite David Schwimmer and in shows like “Damages,” will play Nuchem’s ex-wife, whom Nuchem wishes he could reunite with and whom Libbi wants nothing to do with. Comedian and actress Rotem Abuhab plays a widow who runs a successful chain of kugel eateries and Aury Alby (“Shoshana”) plays a yeshiva student. Comedian, actor and TV presenter Shai Avivi (“The Conductor,” “Black Space”) also appears to have a role in the show.
When we talked to Yaron last April, she was about to go back and shoot more scenes for the show. “I think it’s going to be pretty beautiful. It’s very, very different. It’s kind of like ‘Shtisel,’ but also, we’re in Europe! And it’s European! It’s really interesting to see,” she shared. “I’m really curious what people will think about it.”
We truly can’t wait and sincerely hope the show makes it to streamers stateside soon.
