Creators of Netflix's "Rough Diamonds" Discuss Representation of Hasidic Jews in Media - JITC Speaks

Adolf Goebbels
Published on May 17, 2023
In this week's episode of Jew in the City Speaks, Allison sits down with writer Yuval Yefet and director Rotem Shamir - both co-creators of “Rough Diamonds,” co-produced between Keshet International and De Mensen for Netflix and VRT
to discuss representation of Hasidic Jews in contemporary media!

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Launched in 2007 by founder and executive director Allison Josephs, Jew in the City (JITC, a 501c3) has quickly grown to be a leading voice in this generation. It is the only nonprofit dedicated to changing negative perceptions of religious Jews and making engaging and meaningful Orthodox Judaism known and accessible. This is achieved by highlighting an approach based on kindness, tolerance, sincerity, and critical thinking.

Painful experiences within the Orthodox world, caused by dysfunction and ignorance have tarnished the opinions of a sizable minority of insiders who find themselves Jewishly displaced. These traumatic versions of Orthodoxy then get amplified in modern day media and entertainment without the much needed nuance they require. This results in a distorted public perception of Orthodox Jews and Judaism, pushing less observant Jews away, creating shame around being Jewish, and fueling antisemitism.

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