'Kugel': The Shtisel Family returns to us from Antwerp (& trailer)

"Kugel" is a series about storytellers. The series opens with an intimate scene of Libbi telling a story while writing it. Libbi is a seminary teacher who dreams of becoming a writer, trying to make her way in the Haredi literary world. Her father, Nuchem, is a jewelry merchant who yearns to be considered wealthy in the community, supporting himself not only by selling jewelry but also through the mayses (stories) he tells to wealthy women. In the next scene, Nuchem sits down to eat kugel, this time with a pickle – a small detail that echoes the opening of Shtisel, where Kive meets his late mother in the kugel restaurant and she complains about the missing pickle.

Sasson Gabai returns to play Nuchem Shtisel in a central role this time, a character we first met in the second season of Shtisel. He brings the same commanding presence of a man who believes everything is within his reach, even when he travels crooked paths.

Nuchem is at a crisis point – his marriage to Yides (Mili Avital) is ending, and they struggle to find a suitable match for their only daughter. When his beloved kugel restaurant closes following the sudden death of its owner, Arele Bombach, he finds himself growing closer to his widow Pnina (Rotem Abuhav), initially trying to help during the shiva, then with the restaurant business, and eventually beyond that.

The Shtisel family's attraction to widows is already tradition – in the original series, we saw Shulem finding comfort with a widow (Nitza Shaul) in the first season, and even getting engaged to a widow (Hana Laszlo) in the second season. In the third season, we even saw the brothers competing for the heart of widow Nechama Yoktan (Miki Kam).

Hadas Yaron plays Libbi, the daughter who in the third season of "Shtisel" was no longer among the living, and now we get to know her in all her vitality. She is the house princess who dreams of becoming a writer, and finds herself drawn to a mysterious and handsome young man she met on the tram (Roy Nick). While her parents protect her from suitors who aren't worthy enough, it turns out that same young man from the tram is Yoylish, son of a local wealthy man. But who's heard of a respectable Haredi couple meeting like that, randomly on public transportation?

The preoccupation with stories and storytelling is the thread that runs through Indursky's work. In "Driver," his previous film, the main character was fascinated by stories, and in "Kugel" he deepens this theme through two central characters – a father and daughter who share the same passion for stories, each in their own way. As Nuchem wisely defines it, they know how to distinguish between the essential and the trivial, and to remember always, but always, to focus on the trivial. This is expressed in every detail of the series – in the rich dialogues, in the intertwining subplots, and in the way each character carries their own story.

Jonathan Indursky proves again his exceptional ability to tell a story that touches the deepest points of the human soul. His writing is precise, sensitive, and manages to touch those small moments that transform entire lives. He knows how to turn a simple scene of a family dinner or a conversation between father and daughter into a dramatic moment etched in memory. His characters are real, complex, and never fall into clichés.

The series' Antwerp is not just a backdrop for the plot, it's a living, breathing soul. Director Erez Ko-El and cinematographer Guy Raz lead us on a journey between two worlds – the elegant European streets, with their glittering display windows and polished trams, and the warm, familiar world of the Jewish community. It's a journey that begins in the cold outside and always ends in the warmth of the interior – whether in the family kitchen or in the beloved kugel restaurant. Through their lens, we experience this delicate tension between being part of the big city and belonging to the small, protective community.

And like in "Shtisel," here too there's that rare ability to present the Haredi world through an intimate and loving gaze, without beautifying but also without judging. The characters' troubles are human troubles, and their aspirations – to be loved, to succeed, to find their place – are universal. We find ourselves identifying with Nuchem and Libbi, concerned for their fate, hoping they'll find their way between personal ambitions and community expectations.

Kugel, Jonathan Indursky's new creation (which unlike 'Shtisel' that he wrote together with Uri Alon, this time he is credited as the sole creator and writer), presents an ensemble of actors who succeed in capturing the delicacy and complexity of life in the Antwerp community. Alongside the performances of Sasson Gabai, Hadas Yaron, Roy Nick, Mili Avital and Rotem Abuhav, the series also stars Yigal Naor, Uri Albi, Shai Avivi, Yarden Bar Kochva, Niv Majar and Rivka Michaeli – together they create a rich and precise portrait of a family and community in all its shades and layers. The series was produced by Abot Hameiri Barkai in collaboration with international content company Fremantle, with the support of the Gesher, Avi Chai, Maimonides, and Boston Rose foundations.

"Kugel" is much more than just a spin-off or sequel series. It's a creation that stands on its own, while also enriching and deepening the world we knew and loved in "Shtisel." It does this with grace, wisdom, and above all with great love for its characters and the world they live in. It's a glimpse into a world where we almost envy its troubles, with characters we just want to see succeed and find contentment.

The series airs on Thursdays on Yes, and anyone who loved "Shtisel" needs to cancel all their Thursday plans for the next while. This is a creation that reminds us that in the end, we're all looking for the same things – love, meaning, and a warm plate of kugel to find comfort in.