no struggle

there was one other issue that was discussed at the srugim  screening yesterday that i would like to share with you. one thing amos tamam suggested that there are two types of people who are modern orthodox. there are those who have the struggle to strike the balance between being secular and between being religious and then there are those who are at peace being part of both worlds and at peace with who they are and he suggested that this was a  better way to be. there does not have to be a struggle.
i found this concept profound because i never had thought of it like that before. i never thought that there would be a struggle even though i know that that struggle often pushes some off the derech. someone off the derech told me that they admired the struggle that modern orthodox people had over being part of the world and being frum. i had found it funny at the time because i never thought of it as a struggle at all because being orthodox and enjoying the world was always a part of my life . i never thought that i was missing anything by being religious because i was also always able part of the secular world as a frum person. i am used to being the different one at work yet able to be part of the chevra  , not the oddball.  i value being an observant jew. i do not think that life is all or nothing as many do. there is a lot of trief in the world , but not everything is trief . i could not be frum if i lived with blinders on and never enjoyed anything secular.that which is secular in my life enhances the religous side of my life . i feel secure enough to be my own person. those who don't respect you might not respect you even if you weren't frum.
i used the label modern orthodox here, but i include anyone who is orthodox regarding this issue. life is all about balance .

more on srugim season 3

 tonight i attended the jcc manhattan showing of the first two episodes of srugim season 3 which included the actor amos tamam who played amir on the show. it was so much fun. there was a mostly younger crowd in attendance  which was refreshing. it has been my observation that israeli films tend to draw in the young people much more than just jewish themed films.the israeli flim festival has more attendees under thirty five than the jewish film festival does. the jewish film festival is excellent and has films that younger attendees would like if only they'd bother to attend.. there is something about israeli films that interests the younger set.
needless to say watching the first two episodes of season 3 of srugim was a treat, but to meet one of the stars of srugim was an even bigger delight. after the screening the audience was treated to a 40 minute conversation with amos tamim the actor who played amir. he spoke in hebrew and translation was provided . fortunately i understand hebrew pretty well so it was especially fun.
though not religious, amos tamim grew up traditional and did know about torah and mitzvot even prior to playing amir on the show. he also always has had a respect for frumkeit and enjoys studying the parsha etc even though he is not dati. he is also a fabulous actor because he is nothing like amir, but when he plays amir he completely embodies his character so much so that israeli fans are totally convinced that he truly is like amir in real life.
what i learned tonight is that srugim has really impacted the secular israelis. they watched srugim and really enjoyed it. they saw men and women interacting in a  wholesome manner and they saw a tv show that was clean and they actually liked it.they saw religious jews as multi-faceted and that you could live a normal life and be religious.
srugim is a very realistic portrayal of modern orthodox single life in israel which is why it is so beloved even in here in america. the portrayal of the singles in srugim is the closest thing  to my world that i have ever seen on tv anywhere. laizy shapiro did not think that americans would relate this show so much because he did not realize how similar single modern orthodox life is in israel to moderen orthodox single life in the united states. in a way this makes us  feel closer to the israelis. which is amazing.
 amir was originally intended to be ashkenaz, but because laizy shapiro liked amos tamam so much and wanted him in the role he changed the script to make amir's character be a tunisan jew which amos tamam is. i am glad that they did this. i liked the interaction between the ashkenazim and the sephardim and how amir explored his feelings toward his heritage. it made the story richer.and heck amos tamam is  just so darn cute even in those dorky glasses that he wears when he plays amir .
 after the conversation with amos tamam the cell phone cameras and regular cameras came out and many of the female srugim fans took pictures with amos tamam. yes, i made sure to get a picture with him as well though i have not posted it here. he is just so adorable , who could resist?
the rest of season 3 will be shown at the jcc starting next monday and every monday  through april 23 , excluding the monday during pesach. there won't be any of the actors there in person, but the episodes are addictive must see tv.

srugim season 3

unless you have been living in a cave for the past year , you have heard about the israeli tv series srugim. srugim  is an israeli tv show about modern orthodox singles in their thirties living in jerusalem. i have watched the first two seasons . its a lot of fun to see jewish singles in israel dealing with the same issues their american jewish and single brethren are going through. the third season has recently ended on israeli tv  marking the end of the series. technology is amazing i remember how it took such a long time before movies and tv series would be on video. apparently the jcc of manhattan is will be screening the third season of srugim beginning on tuesday march 13 at 7:30 pm -9:30 pm. on march 13 amos tamam who plays amir will be present . after that the series will be screened five mondays  march 19, march 26 ,april 2, april 16 and april 23  from 7-9 pm. every screening will feature 2 episodes except for the last week which screens the last three episodes.  for more information  look at the jcc manhattan's website.

the series is in hebrew with english subtitles for those of us whose hebrew could be better. i can't wait to see the third season of srugim, but i am also kind of sad about seeing the third season because it is the last season of srugim. 

hooked on srugim

ever since i saw the first three episodes at the israeli film festival in november 2008 i fell in love with the israeli tv show srugim.                          srugim is about israeli orthodox singles in there late 20's early 30's living in  jerusalem . it is amazing to see a tv show that shows life as a single orthodox jew. though one of the characters is otd, the rest are not which is what makes this show unique. it is so cliche to chronicle someone who is otd. to chronicle someone who is frum and single and is sincere  is much more of  a challenge.
srugim has been shown on the jewish channel with subtitles and it is also on dvd. the only drawback of the dvds is that they are in the israeli format and not in the us format.
 between friends who have cable and friends who have the dvds i have managed to see all of the first season and most of the second season of srugim. 
i would love to elaborate more about the episodes, but i don't want to ruin it for you.