‘Shababnikim’ Season 3, Episode 2: A Yeshiva in Chaos and Dreams of Rome

The yeshiva is in freefall after Rabbi Bloch quits, unable to handle the pressure from Leizer’s father. The Shababnikim, ever the opportunists, see a chance to chase their fantasy of becoming rabbis in Rome, though, let’s be real, they’re more excited about Italian adventures than spiritual duties.

But their plans hit a snag when Bloch, in a dramatic eand wholly unexpected exit, hands the yeshiva’s reins to them. Avinoam (Daniel Gad) is itching to bolt for Rome, his restless energy practically bouncing off the screen, while Meir (Israel Attias) digs in, determined to save the yeshiva.

Meir’s impassioned speech to the group, pleading for unity and purpose, is a standout moment, Attias nails the mix of sincerity and desperation, making you root for him even as you laugh at the absurdity of their predicament. When he asks who’s leaving, the tension is palpable, and the group’s divided loyalties set the stage for delicious conflict.

Meanwhile, Gedaliah (Ori Laizerouvitch) is juggling his new role as a government inspector tasked with ensuring the yeshiva’s students are studying, lest they lose funding, with his personal life spiraling. He’s hyped for mikvah night with his wife, Devorah (Maia Wertheimer), but her mysterious accident and subsequent excuses about missing her mikvah appointment leave him frustrated and unraveling.

Laizerouvitch is phenomenal, portraying Gedaliah as both pitiful and pompous, boasting about his new possessions while clearly out of his depth. His attempt to assert authority over the yeshiva is peak Gedaliah, tossing out Torah and Gemara quotes, not realizing that he's being played (spoiler alert).

When two rebellious students defiantly tell Meir they’re not davening, it’s a reminder of how fragile the Shababnikim’s grip on leadership is.

Leizer (Omer Perelman) gets his own gut-punch of a storyline. His conversation with his father (Shuli Rand, stealing every scene) starts warmly but quickly sours. His father disapproves of Leizer’s friends and directionless life, unveiling a rigid plan: a year in Lakewood, a shidduch, and a future working for him.

The parallel to Meir’s own struggle is heartbreaking: both are trapped by expectations they can’t meet. Perelman’s quiet devastation as Leizer processes this is a testament to his range. When the yeshiva’s cook quits, Leizer steps up, his reluctant shift to kitchen duty both funny and quietly tragic.

One of the saddest parts of the episode is the very ending, where Gedalia's father in law gives him a serious talking to about becoming more assertive. Gedaliah doesn't really have it in him (at this stage) to be any different than who he is, and that's what made him so lovable. The new Gedaliah, married, wealthy (or really, living on his father in law's dime) is frazzled over Devorah’s mikvah delays, and a little bit at a loss, unused to being in a position of power over his friends, unused to money, unused to marriage.

What makes this episode sing is its ability to weave the Shababnikim’s signature wit with deeper questions about duty, identity, and freedom. The Rome fantasy captures their youthful longing to escape, while Meir’s resolve grounds the story in the weight of responsibility.

Gedaliah’s desperate-to-remain-relevant streak, cloaked in religious rhetoric, is both infuriating and endearing, a reminder of why he’s the show’s chaotic heart. The writing is razor-sharp, and the cast’s chemistry, honed over years, makes every exchange crackle. If there’s a flaw, it’s that Devorah’s subplot feels slightly underdeveloped, but Wertheimer’s charm keeps it engaging.

Episode 2 is Shababnikim at its best: a riotous, poignant look at young men caught between their dreams and the world’s demands. Whether they’ll end up in Rome or stuck saving the yeshiva, this we know for sure: Season 3 is firing on all cylinders. Catch it on HOT, and brace for more brilliance.