Shtisel Season 3, Episode 4: Haredi Women Have Voices And Can Use Them

As I noted in my first review of Season 3, Episode 1, what I love about this season of Shtisel is that we get to see examples of better practices in the Haredi world pushing back against worse practices as well as examples of healthier Haredi Jews than we’ve seen in other seasons. In this season, there is a push towards increased safety, a push against racism, and people acting with agency. In Episode 4 (and we’ll see more examples of this later on), we see women in particular having their own voices and using their agency.

We rarely see ultra-orthodox women in media (outside of “Ushpizin” and “Fill the Void”) having opinions which they express and the ability to advocate for themselves. In truth, many haredi women have this and do this. Of course, there are some who feel voiceless and powerless. Such a phenomenon exists everywhere, but it’s almost the only thing we see in media concerning Hasidic and Haredi women.

SPOILER ALERT

Not only do women advocate for themselves in this episode, they advocate for the men in their lives as well. We see two examples of the latter – Giti, helping out Akiva, interfacing with the social workers after Devora’le is taken away. Then Racheli takes on a similar role later on in the episode, speaking more effectively than Akiva can for his own daughter. We see she not only has a voice but is a woman with an education and means. Sometimes Giti’s strong advocacy goes too far and turns into judgment and control and we’re happy to see pushback. But for now, in this episode, her voice is clear and helpful.

Ruchami uses her voice in this episode to tell Chananya that she doesn’t feel as if he sees her. This is a very current way of speaking. Part of me likes seeing the actress who played Esty in Unorthodox have a chance to have a voice, use her voices, and say “this isn’t working” and ultimately be able to reconcile with her husband instead of leaving.

Yes, Chananya uses his voice and has misplaced “holiness” guilting Ruchami into feeling badly about the surrogacy, after their rabbi told him it was OK. But while Chananya has the last word in the disagreement, Ruchami has the last word in her actions, when she gets her IUD removed. Both Chananya and Ruchami act foolishly in this episode – both going against Jewish law, and then leading to a dangerous situation. But we see Ruchami is no pushover.

Another woman in this episode who acts with agency is Rebbetzin Yoktan. She’s supposed to have a date with Shulem, but he oversleeps and stands her up in his own apartment. Clearly annoyed at how she’s been treated, Rebbetzin Yoktan takes a liking to Shulem’s brother Nuchem, and basically leaves her date with another man. I don’t know if all the secular women I know would have the guts to do this, but it was pretty cool to see a Haredi woman do this. It is woman who believe they are worth something that have the guts to stand up for themselves. And it was very refreshing to see a few examples of strong women in this episode.

If you found this content meaningful and want to help further our mission through our Keter, Makom, and Tikun branches, please consider becoming a Change Maker today.

1 comment

Sort by

gloria cohen says on April 30, 2021
The Orthodox women in Shtisel certainly have a voice. They’re demanding and manipulative. I don’t understand the need for control. Most of the women portrayed want their own way. Giti’s pain is so real
because she can’t communicate. She sees some ersatz therapist who tells her all is illusion and she must live with that. Her husband wants to talk, and she closes him off.

She uses Ruchami like a servant and forces her husband to lie to Ruchami’s husband. They’re all so screwed up, it’s very sad. Kive to marry his beloved is forced to give up his aspirations to satisfy the girl he wants to marry. It’s hard to call her a woman, she so underdeveloped emotionally. She just gives her
demands.

These are people that don’t seem to have evolved as mature beings. One son pretends illness to see if
his wife would sacrifice a kidney for him. What absolute foolishness.

I think the show is an embarrassment for Jews, religious or otherwise. The lying, the manipulation, the lack of love, of touching, holding, talking, joy. None of that is there. It’s a bit cold and devoid of ethics.
Reply

Allison Josephs

Allison Josephs is the founder and executive director of Jew in the City has been involved in the field of Jewish Outreach for over twenty years and is the Partner in Torah mentor to actress Mayim Bialik. She was named one of NJOP’s Top Ten Jewish Influencers and one of the Jewish Week’s 36 under 36. Allison has been quoted or written about in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, People Magazine, NYPost, Daily News, TMZ, The Daily Beast, and Hollywood Reporter. She has appeared on numerous television and radio networks including CBS, ABC, Fox5, TLC, Associate Press TV, and NPR; her articles have appeared in publications including The Washington Post, JTA, Jewish Week, Jerusalem Post, The Forward, and Kveller. Pearson Education, the largest textbook company in the world, produced a video segment on Allison’s life for the Judaism chapter of their textbook. She is a sought-after international lecturer whose corporate clients include Con-Edison and NYU Langone and hosts a weekly podcast on the Nachum Segal Network. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University in Philosophy and lives with her husband and four children minutes from the George Washington Bridge.