KUGEL, SHTISEL and the Meaning of Life
Hosted By: The New York Jewish Week
Audiences across the world are finding “Kugel” — the new prequel to the acclaimed “Shtisel” — just as engaging and life-affirming as the beloved original show. Now, the Israeli stars from behind the scenes of “Kugel” are visiting New York to tell their story — for one night only.
The New York Jewish Week, 70 Faces Media, UJA-Federation of New York and Congregation Rodeph Sholom bring you an evening you won’t want to miss: a deep, searching, and provocative conversation with some of Israel’s biggest screen names: actor Sasson Gabay, actor Michael Aloni, and producer Dikla Barkai. They’ll tell the story of “Kugel,” how it connects to “Shtisel,” and how the two tales can change your perspective on life.
About “Kugel”: Years before her future husband, Akiva Shtisel, was even a twinkle in Libi’s eyes, she lived in Antwerp, Belgium with her father, Nuchem. Nuchem is a charming jewelry dealer, unafraid of bending the rules to make a sale. But when his wife Yides finally tires of his swindling and asks for a divorce, their family life is thrown into disarray. Nuchem spends his days trying to save his marriage and achieve his dream of one day being a mogul, and his nights courting Pnina Baumbach, a recently-widowed woman who inherited a restaurant that specializes in fine Jerusalem-style noodle kugels.
Told with the same authenticity, humor and delight that made “Shtisel” a worldwide hit, “Kugel” follows the pair as they navigate hijinks and heartbreak in Europe’s ultra-Orthodox community. The series celebrates how every person is as complex, individual, surprising, and addictive as a slice of delicious kugel.
Gabay, Aloni and Barkai will appear on stage in New York for one night only, in a conversation moderated by 70 Faces Media CEO Ami Eden.
