Hit Israeli tv show: 'Dos'i dating do's and don't's' in Jerusalem

Fellow blogger and Jerusalemite, Brian Blum, comes up with an excellent look at a new Israeli tv program detailing social interactions among the young, knitted kipa crowd; from the "just hanging out together," to the "tefillin date," set.

In his take on the series Srugim (knitted kipas/yarmulkes), he says: " Imagine Melrose Place…with yarmulkes."

Having been a part of that scene at several periods over the years, and judging by the clips I viewed on their site -- it looks like a winner:

"A new TV show that debuted earlier this month on the Israeli satellite company YES is the talk of the town across certain sectors of southern Jerusalem. "Srugim" (in English: "knitted kippas") is an extraordinarily accurate depiction of the religious singles scene in Jerusalem.

"Set in our own neighborhood (Katamon and the German Colony in particular), the show chronicles the trials and tribulations of trying to find one's place in the grueling "swamp" that represents the modern Orthodox world in Jerusalem.

"Though the show is about Israel singles, Anglos in the city will easily recognize their own lives, between coffee dates at local cafes, shul hopping and the ubiquitous plastic bags containing quiches, humus and drinks that singles carry around on Shabbat as they head to a group meal with other like minded young people.

"Srugim is peppered with location shots of local hangouts. And the dumpy apartments with their tiny kitchens will be uncomfortably familiar to anyone who's ever been single in Jerusalem."

It must be a bit deja vu'ish living in the small neighborhood where it's filmed: Observant immigrants and many, many other Israeli singles that I know from the 'hood could very easily wander into a shot and be mistaken for the actors.

Worth a watch, even without the English since it's in Hebrew.

Great post, Brian.