An impressive cast.
From "Madrasa" (photo: Kan Corporation, Jorge Novomansky, courtesy of Kan Educational)
The relationship between Jews and Arabs in the State of Israel is always a complex matter, steeped in prejudice, language barriers, mutual suspicion, power relations, occupation and a bloody history.
Within this system, the desire for partnership is a Sisyphean option, which undermines separatism.
In 2022 and 2023, more and more challenges are facing her.
One of the avenues that continue to bravely insist on meeting, getting to know each other and mutual respect is bilingual education - a system of several relatively young and relatively small institutions across the country, where Jews and Arabs study side by side, in both languages.
The very idea infuriates the violent and racist extremists: some of them, Lahava activists, tried to set fire to such a school in Jerusalem a few years ago, and left hateful inscriptions there. There is even a TV channel where one of them was interviewed with a smile. His lawyer, by the way, was the one who is today the minister The new for internal security.
And against this background, a new youth series that focuses on such a bilingual school, and is simply called "Madrasa", appeared last night at the same time here educationally and from here, the arm of the corporation in the Arabic language.
The comedy drama, written by Seyed Kashua, directed by Guri Alfi, and featuring top-notch Jewish and Arab actors and comedians, is conducted alternately in Hebrew and Arabic, like the institution at its center (in a country where at least 20% of its inhabitants speak Arabic, why aren't there more bilingual series on the screen?) .
The season opens in a new school year, and scans the students - in high school and elementary school - teachers and parents.
A rare love story on Israeli television.
From "Madrasah" (photo: Kan Corporation, courtesy of Kan Educational)
The genre of high school series is well-established and predictable, and they are all similar to each other.
First loves, frustrations from home, formation of identity in an environment that is not always accepting - all these are also in the "Madrasa", plus the elephant in the room - which is the main part of comedy and tragedy.
Although, the general spirit of the series is quite harmonious - and why not?
Is there anything simpler than teenagers hooking up with each other?
- But for each of the characters, in one way or another, the choice to study and work in a Jewish-Arab institution is not trivial, and entails a price and social judgment.
Among the students there are those who are tired of the small class and dream of the experience of a large high school, those who find the school's approach naive, and also those who are in a self-conflict - like Lubna (Lisa Bastoni), whose religious-Muslim identity is getting stronger, but she fears the reaction of her secular classmates , Jews and Arabs alike, for her desire to wear a head covering.
It's not entirely a bubble: the tensions and politics seep into the internal conversations, even at the level of jokes.
Keshua, who is a master of the tragic-comic description of the daily Jewish-Arab encounter, gently presses on all these embarrassments and internal struggles, which sometimes develop into a farce.
This is reflected, for example, in the caricaturistic Jewish parents, played very amusingly by Nelly Tager and Yrami Shik Blum, who all they care about is showing off their coexistence on Facebook and enjoying the food prepared by the Arab parents in the classroom.
In another case, in episode 6, when the students are forced to host German students in their home, Manar (singer Valerie Hamati in a surprising performance) is paired with a German girl who dreams of apologizing for the opportunity to apologize for the Holocaust on behalf of her grandfather, and to earn a few more points in the score the family members pretend to be Jews for an entire weekend.
These examples illustrate Madrasa's comedy - very aware, but not mean.
In their crooked way, everyone's intentions are good.
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Stealing the show.
Tagar and Chic Blum from "Madrasa" (photo: Kan Corporation, Jorge Novomansky, courtesy of Kan Educational)
In any case, the main focus of the series is an unexpected love story between a Jewish student, Shira (Shira Yosef), and an Arab student (Lir Issa), Khader.
It's an innocent, primal youthful love that doesn't ask for more than that.
The very presentation of a Jewish-Arab couple on television is not a common thing, and the naturalness with which this process unfolds is refreshing.
From the three short episodes sent to journalists it was difficult to identify a particularly striking performance, but the collection of characters leaves a positive impression.
The older cast includes, besides the names mentioned, well-known actors such as Alma Zak, Ruba Bilal Asfor, Sharon Teicher, Roi Bar Natan, Mona Hua, Dana Samo and others.
The young actors, of all ages, are also quite cute.
Indeed, they are all cute and lovable, the theme and the plot are important and the entire series is sensitive and pleasant to watch and is probably a more positive option than most options, but the trouble with "Madrasa", nevertheless, is that it has a hard time surpassing this lovability.
Perhaps because of the young target audience and the hostel, it suffers - similarly to other youth series of the channel, from the lack of subtext and excessive didacticism, and avoids a deeper dive or emotion.
Somehow, despite all the topics she touches on, she still feels too innocent.
These characters deserve to be wrapped in cotton wool, and allowed to age comfortably, but for viewers looking to be sucked in, it's not quite enough.
culture
TV
direct watch
Tags
Sayed Kashua
Guri Alfi
Alma Zak
Nelly Tagher
Valerie Hamati
