Has the COVID-19 quarantine got you feeling bored out of your mind? Are you worried you may not be making the best use of your free time? Fear not, ChiTribe is here to provide options for enlightening Jewish entertainment ranked by bingeablilty. Our ancestors would be so proud!
Unorthodox
Streaming Service: Netflix
Bingeability: Easy, 1 season/4 episodes
Move over Tiger King, Unorthodox is the show is everyone is talking about! This four-episode miniseries follows the journey of Esther “Esty” Shapiro, a young Orthodox woman who escapes her oppressive life in Brooklyn and travels to Berlin for a new start.
Bonus: Unorthodox was loosely based on the autobiography Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman. You can purchase the book here.
Another Bonus: Netflix also released a behind the scenes special, “Making Unorthodox,” where you can hear from the actors, get insights about the filming process, and learn more about the costumes (like how they made those fuzzy hats called shtreimels).
The Plot Against America
Streaming Service: HBO
Bingeability: Easy, 1 season/6 episodes
Imagine that xenophobic populist Charles Lindbergh is the president of the United States of America. In this alternate history drama miniseries, this nightmare is a reality for the Levins, a working-class Jewish family in New Jersey.
Bonus: The Plot Against America is based on a novel written by Philip Roth. What would have happened if Franklin D. Roosevelt lost the election in 1940? Find out here.
Hunters
Streaming Service: Amazon Prime
Bingeability: Easy, 1 season/10 episodes
Inspired by real events, this American drama tv series tells the story of Nazi hunters. Set in 1977, this group of hunters discovers that the Neo-Nazis are recreating a Fourth Reich in the heart of NYC. As a result, they set out on a grueling quest for revenge and justice.
Shtisel
Streaming Service: Netflix
Bingeability: Medium, 2 season/24 episodes (3rd season coming out post-quarantine)
Shtisel is one of the most popular tv shows in the holy land! This Israeli television drama series is about an ultra-Orthodox family living in Jerusalem, and takes place in the present day. Learn about the Haredim (ultra-Orthodox) and buff up on your Hebrew/Yiddish knowledge as you get to know the Shtisel family in this captivating series.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Streaming Service: Amazon Prime
Bingeability: Medium, 3 seasons/26 episodes
Travel back in time to New York City in the late 1950s with Miriam “Midge” Maisel, a Jewish housewife who has her whole life turned upside down. If you are a fan of comedy (Mrs. Maisel discovers her knack for stand-up) or Gilmore Girls (same producer), this is a show you won’t want to miss!
Fauda
Streaming Service: Netflix
Bingeability: Medium, 3 seasons/36 episodes
Fauda, which means “chaos” in Arabic, perfectly describes this Israeli thriller series. When a top retired IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) agent finds out that an enemy he thought his troop killed is still very much alive, he goes undercover to finish what he started. However, things do not go as planned, setting off a neverending chaotic train of events.
Schitt’s Creek
Streaming Service: Netflix
Bingeability: Medium, 6 seasons/80 episodes (episodes are short!)
Follow the journey of the half Jewish Rose family as they go from riches to rags and are forced to relocate to Schitt’s Creek (a town in the middle of nowhere they bought as a joke). This sitcom is sure to make you laugh out loud, as the Roses try to navigate their new life without the luxuries they are so used to.
Seinfeld
Streaming Service: Hulu
Bingeability: Medium, 9 seasons/180 episodes
Arguably the most classic sitcom of all time, Seinfeld is ranked as a medium to binge (despite the number of episodes) because it is so clever and quotable! Relive the crazy misadventures of Jewish stand-up comedian Jerry along with Elaine, George and Kramer.
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