What happens when forbidden love meets culture shock in Israel's most religious neighborhood?
Season 1 • Episode 1
LatestA Touch Away is a 2006 Israeli television eight-episode mini-series set in Bnei Brak, a city to the east of Tel Aviv, within the larger Tel Aviv District, in Israel. It has been described as a kind of Romeo and Juliet story, focusing on the relationship of a young non-religious male Jewish immigrant from Russia who falls in love with a young woman who is part of the city's ultra-orthodox community. Using this relationship as the basis for the story, the series explores the lives of new immigrants and non-religious Jews in Israel.
Acting
Evgnya Dodina's raw immigrant vulnerability anchors everything
Production
Authentic Bnei Brak locations you rarely see on screen
Writing
Navigates religious complexity without judgment or caricature
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Bnei Brak is one of Israel's poorest cities and most densely ultra-Orthodox; filming there required extensive community negotiation and some scenes used hidden cameras.
The series sparked national debate about the 'Russian' immigrant experience versus religious Israeli identity, with critics noting it aired during peak tension around military draft exemptions for Haredi men.
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