Synopsis

The New Jew is a four-part mini-series (45 min’ each), hosted by Israeli comedian and T.V. personality, Guri Alfi. In the summer of 2018, Guri and his family moved to the U.S. Like many Israelis abroad he found himself experiencing an identity crisis, questioning what his Jewishness looks like outside of the Jewish State. The series follows Alfi as he embarks on a journey across the North America, exposing viewers to some of the most vibrant and creative expressions of Jewishness today through the eyes of our protagonist.

Throughout the journey, Guri attempts to explore what is the core difference between the two epicentres of contemporary Jewish life and the two models of “New Jews” formed in the 20th Century- The Israeli sabra and the American Jew. Are we still one people? And if so- what can Israelis learn from American Jewry? Guri provides the lens through which other Israelis can share his perspective and become partners on this journey. As Guri evolves in his thinking, so does his audience.

As the relationship between American Jewry and the State of Israel has reached an unprecedented low, “The New Jew” attempts to address this rift by introducing Israelis to the varied facets of North American Jewish life and the multiplicity of identities within it, in a compelling and entertaining way. The series received raving reviews from T.V. critics across the Israeli press, and generated a public conversation on Israel’s relationship with pluralistic Judaism in the U.S. We strongly believe an American-Jewish audience will find it just as fascinating, as it will expose them to faces of local Jewish life that are unknown to them as well, and provide them with an opportunity to reflect on their own Jewishness and on their relationship with modern-day Israel.