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In Turkey, Orthodox drama ‘Shtisel’ is being adapted for a Muslim audience
ISTANBUL (JTA) — “Shtisel,” a TV series about haredi Orthodox Jews that became an international phenomenon after Netflix picked it up in 2018, is getting a Muslim makeover for Turkish audiences, according to Turkish media.
A new show titled “Ömer” has begun production and will premiere sometime in 2023 on Turkey’s STAR TV, Turkish media reported.
Not much is known about the show’s plot. A trailer depicts the protagonist Ömer, played by Selahattin Paşali, standing at the precipice of a mosque and seemingly stuck between the calls of an imam on one side and a woman — with uncovered hair — on the other, as the Islamic call to prayer, also sung by Paşali, sounds in the background.
Star TV has unveiled a first look at its upcoming drama, “Ömer.”
The OGM Pictures-produced series is reportedly based on the award-winning series “Shtisel,” which followed a religious family as they reckon with love, loss and the doldrums of daily life.
— Dizilah (@dizilah) December 23, 2022
In Islam, women are required to cover their hair in public, so the images suggest that the main theme of the show could involve Ömer choosing between religious tradition and secularism. That was not one of the central tensions in “Shtisel,” which debuted on Israeli TV in 2014 and was widely praised for depicting the everyday lives of characters based in Jerusalem’s haredi community.
Nonetheless, Paşali’s character is being compared to Michael Aloni’s character, Akiva in “Shtisel,” and an imam character is being compared to the patriarch of the Shtisel family, Shulem.
The series’ female lead, Gökçe Bahadir, may be recognized by some Jewish and Israeli audiences: Last year, she starred in the hit Turkish Netflix series “The Club” (“Kulüp”), which follows a Sephardic-Jewish family through the political turmoil of 1940s and 1950s Istanbul.
Turkish shows, often referred to by the Turkish term, “dizis,” have long been as popular in Israel as they are elsewhere in the Middle East. One show, “The Bride of Istanbul” (“Istanbullu Gelin”) — which was directed by the same director as “the Club,” Zeynep Gunay Tan, and produced by the same production company as “Ömer” — grew a passionate Israeli fanbase in 2018, according to Haaretz.
Over 600,000 Israelis visited Turkey this past summer, a record high, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Last year, it was reported that an American version of “Shtisel,” to be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan, was in the works.
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FBI Investigating Minnesota Fraud Scheme, Director Says
FBI Director Kash Patel attends the signing of an executive order by US President Donald Trump on a deal that would divest TikTok’s US operations from ByteDance from its Chinese owner ByteDance, at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Sept. 25, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
FBI Director Kash Patel said on Sunday the agency had deployed personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”
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Netanyahu Departs for Florida to Meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem, Aug. 10, 2025. Photo: ABIR SULTAN/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took off Sunday morning at 7:30 AM IST on the “Wings of Zion” aircraft to Florida ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump, set to take place at his private estate in Mar-a-Lago. In their meeting, the two are expected to discuss the transition to Phase B of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu is scheduled to land in Florida at 2:00 PM EST. His meeting with the US president is set to take place on Monday at 3:30 PM local time at Mar-a-Lago.
In addition to the Trump summit, Netanyahu is also expected to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as with members of the Jewish community in Miami and the Christian Evangelical community known for its support of Israel.
Netanyahu will attend a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio early Monday afternoon before meeting with Trump.
On Wednesday, the Israeli Prime Minister will meet with Evangelical leaders at 10:30 AM local time at his hotel and will then head to the Temple of Bal Harbour for an event with lawmakers, Jewish and community leaders, and local students.
He takes off for Israel on Thursday afternoon and is expected to land in Israel early Friday afternoon.
Netanyahu is expected to clarify Israel’s position to Trump, namely stating that the transition cannot take place before the completion of the first phase, which includes the return of the body of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili.
Netanyahu will also raise the issue of the Iranian threat and the concern in Israel about the possibility of the ceasefire being exploited on the other fronts where Israel has been fighting in the past two years, including Syria and Lebanon.
i24NEWS’s Weekend Edition reported Saturday evening that the “Wings of Zion” plane will fly on a route that passes over Canada, despite the international arrest warrant against the Prime Minister.
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Iron Beam: IDF’s First Operational High-Power Laser Defense System
The “Or Eitan” system. Photo: Spokesperson and Public Relations Division of the Ministry of Defense
i24 News – Israel has achieved a major technological breakthrough in defense with the delivery of its first operational high-power laser system, “Or Eitan” (Iron Beam), to the IDF. The handover took place Sunday at Rafael’s facility, with Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior military and industry officials in attendance.
Developed over several years, “Iron Beam” is the first interception laser of its kind in the world to reach operational maturity.
During extensive testing, the system successfully intercepted rockets, mortar shells, and drones under conditions simulating real combat scenarios.
The laser will be integrated into Israel’s multi-layered air defense network, complementing the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow systems. Operated by the Israeli Air Force, it offers a significant economic advantage: its marginal cost per interception is nearly zero, a major shift in the cost equation for missile defense.
The project was led by the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Research and Development in close cooperation with Rafael, Elbit Systems, responsible for the laser source, and other Israeli defense companies. Combining an advanced laser source with a unique electro-optical sight, the system provides maximum accuracy and efficiency at extended ranges.
The system’s name, “Or Eitan,” (Iron Beam) honors Captain Eitan Oster, who fell in battle in southern Lebanon.
Minister Katz described the milestone as a “game changer” that sends a strong message to Israel’s adversaries, from Tehran to Sanaa and Beirut. Rafael hailed the delivery as the beginning of the defensive laser era, placing Israel at the forefront of interception technology worldwide and reinforcing its strategic technological edge for future security challenges.