Original subtitles

Let's get engaged.

We don't have to get married if you don't want to.

PREVIOUSLY ON SHTISEL

We'll have six months to be together as much as we want,

no need to hide.

-And when the six months are over? -We'll see.

I'd like you to convey a message to the school's Board of Governors

that I, Shulem Shtisel,

am proposing myself as principal of the school.

Everything I told you about your father,

none of it really happened.

What?

Father went abroad, sent us money

and he's coming home soon.

Ruchami, sweetheart, it's been ages since I've heard your voice.

You listen to me, Lippe Weiss.

If you come back, the whole town will know what you did.

Abot Barkai Productions

Talisma Productions

Created by Ori Elon and Yehonatan Indursky

Dov Glickman

Michael Aloni

Ayelet Zurer

Neta Riskin

Shira Hass

Casting Hila Yuval

Executive Producer Eitan Abot

Line Producer Isca Gur-Luzon

Art Director Tamar Gadish

Music Avi Belleli

Cinematography Roey Roth

Editor Gilad Ariel

Screenplay Ori Elon and Yehonatan Indursky

Executive Producer Dikla Barkai

Executive Producer Jonathan Aroch

Director Alon Zingman

SHTISEL

Father!

Mother, Father's back!

It's Father!

Father.

-Welcome home, Father. -Bless you.

Hello, Giti.

-How was your flight? -Fine. It went quick this time.

That's wonderful. Thank God.

-Father, look what we made for you. -Yes.

What a nice scent, the scent of home.

-How is everyone? -Thank God, everyone's fine.

We're going to Akiva's engagement party.

-Akiva got engaged? -Yes, for the second time.

-I didn't know that. -Sure you did.

We told you in the letters.

-Father, did you buy us presents? -Of course I did.

Yosa'le, we're eating now.

Father, is it true that only Gentiles live abroad?

Yes.

-Where is she? -Give her time.

I will, but is she here?

-She's in her room. -In her room?

Rabbi Simcha Shmeltzer, on the side of the bride, may she live a long life,

undertakes to clothe the bride

in respectable clothes, on weekdays, Shabbas and on holidays

as is customary for important proprietors.

The blessed wedding will take place, with God's help, in the Jewish month of...

I don't know, write Elul.

-Yes, Elul. -Elul?

Groom, they asked you a question.

What?

I'm writing that the wedding will be in Elul. Is that agreeable?

Yes, that's fine.

Wait...

I didn't ask my bride, so...

Maybe it's best you keep it blank for now.

I'll write "within one year from today" and you can decide among you.

-A year? -A year? Two months.

-What's the problem? -No problem.

Gentlemen, what should I write?

Tishrei, no more than that.

Groom, is Tishrei agreeable?

Yes, Elul is fine too.

I'm writing it down.

In the coming month of Elul, on a day that both parties agree on.

Wonderful.

Soon, God

May there ever be heard In the cities of Judah

And in the streets of Jerusalem

Soon, God

May there ever be heard In the cities of Judah

And in the streets of Jerusalem...

Do you need to use the bathroom? Go.

Congratulations.

-What joy. -Thank you.

-May you build a faithful home in Israel. -Amen.

The voices of young people Feasting and singing...

I've never seen him so happy.

I know. Your little brother is a special man.

In the streets of Jerusalem

Soon, God

May there ever be heard In the cities of Judah

And in the streets of Jerusalem

Voices of groom and bride

Voices of groom and bride...

Lippe, come inside. You can smoke later.

Just half a cigarette. I'll be right in.

I want you to say hello.

All right, I'm coming.

Everyone's so nice to me.

-Thank you for not telling anyone... -There's nothing to tell.

Everyone's glad you finished working and are back home.

Yes.

-Giti, I want to apologize for... -It's okay, Lippe.

Come inside.

Remember what I was like, Kive, before my wedding?

When I was in the yeshiva?

Supposedly I was happy.

I could do whatever I wanted, I didn't answer to anyone.

I studied whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, but I was miserable.

I can't go on like this, Giti.

-What? -Ignoring what happened.

I'm tired, Lippe. You're tired too.

But we can't act as if nothing happened.

But nothing happened, don't you understand?

Nothing happened.

Goodnight, Lippe.

"God, the faithful King, Hear, Israel, the Lord is One.

Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom, forever and ever.

And you shall love your God with all your heart

and with all your soul and might."

"And these words that I command you shall be in your heart.

And you shall teach them to your children and speak of them when you sit at home,

when you walk along the way, when you lie down, when you rise.

Bind them as a sign on your hand, as frontlets between your eyes,

Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

-Get me Rabbi Sheinman. -Okay.

-Are you leaving? -I'm eating in the staff room.

I don't like eating in the office.

Of course, enjoy.

-Congratulations on Akiva's engagement. -Thank you.

Hello, Rabbi Shulem. May Akiva bring you joy.

Mrs. Gerlik, do you have a bag of sugar? We're all out in the staff room.

Zuntz, you're 15 minutes late to class.

It's all under control, Rabbi Shulem. Don't worry.

It will take some time, don't worry about it.

-What's there to worry about? -I meant, don't be nervous.

Everyone will respect you in the end, the students and the staff.

-I asked you to get Sheinman for me. -I'm trying.

-I'll eat in my office. -Enjoy.

Shulem, dear.

I'm so glad you came.

How are you?

Thank God.

Why are you sitting out here?

-I'm getting ready. -For what?

It's Independence Day in two days.

So?

I asked around,

I can sit here at eleven and watch the air show.

I've been waiting for this like a little girl.

Shame on you.

My late husband never watched their fireworks

nor their airplanes.

Nothing.

Why not?

My husband used to say,

whoever watches the Zionist celebrations and enjoys them,

is like someone who lights a cigarette off a burning Torah scroll.

It's exactly the same thing.

That's a load of rubbish.

Don't talk about my husband that way.

It's forbidden to watch, and that's that.

With all due respect to your husband, and I knew him well,

it's only a bunch of airplanes making nice shapes in the sky.

Kiss my ass!

Watch whatever you want.

For all I care, you can watch the women on your mother's TV.

See if I give a damn.

What a mouth.

Did she inherit that from her husband too?

Leave her alone.

She's just jealous because my son is the school principal.

Speaking of school, how's it going?

Just fine.

It's taking some getting used to. All beginnings are hard.

But the children love you.

That's the problem.

I'm still their beloved Rabbi Shtisel.

They think I'm their friend.

That's no way to run a school.

Maybe you should ask Rebbetzin Erblich to help you.

No thank you.

Shulem, dear, you're a smart boy.

You'll figure it out.

-Who is it? -Yosa'le.

-What is it? -We want to go to sleep

and you haven't read Hannah to us in ages.

We're in suspense.

I'm sorry, I don't feel like it tonight.

I'll read to you some other time.

You don't care anymore ever since you got your own room.

LIPPE WEISS CRIMINAL

Little girl, don't stand here.

I want to print some posters.

What posters?

Sweetheart, I don't have time for this. Purim is over.

I need a hundred copies.

-This size? -Yes, as is.

-How much is that? -A hundred and forty shekels.

When will they be ready?

I'll do it now, I'm just finishing something up.

-Yes, Shulem? -Aliza, prepare your writing pad.

What?

With the school letterhead.

I'll dictate it to you and you'll type exactly what I say.

-Yes, just a second. -I'm waiting.

Yes?

Dear teachers,

in recent years an indecent custom has taken root in our school

whereby on the Zionist's Independence Day,

our students are dismissed from class...

Should I go slower?

-No, that's okay. -Good.

Our students are dismissed from class

to watch their airplanes celebrating the heresy of their leaders

and their belief in the use of military might.

From this year on, that custom is null and void.

The time the students used to spend watching the air show

will now be spent in the classrooms as usual.

Teachers are not authorized to take the children out to the yard

to watch the air show.

Yours truly, Shulem Shtisel, Principal.

Rabbi Shulem, I'll have you know that this is a major amendment.

It's like lighting a cigarette off a burning Torah scroll.

-We can't abide by that. -You're absolutely right.

Gentlemen, recess is over. The children are waiting in class.

I want to paint you in this light. We don't have much time.

You can read a book, so you won't be bored.

-Wait, have you started? -Not really.

Then wait, I'll be right back.

Is something wrong?

I want to get something from home. I'll be right back.

Okay.

I'll take a cab. It'll only take a few minutes.

Wait for me here.

Mother?

You're here.

Mother, what happened?

Nothing, my lamb.

-Then why are you crying? -Can't you see? I'm slicing carrots.

Mother, onions make you cry.

In Heaven, everything makes you cry.

Is it because of me?

You, your siblings, your father.

But I won't lie.

A lot of it is because of you.

What can I do, Mother? I love her.

I never told you what to do, Akiva.

I trust you.

Then why are you crying?

You'll never understand until you become a father.

-Can I have a taste? -It's not ready yet.

What...

A Russian seamstress sewed it for me for my first wedding.

Did you walk outside like that?

Yes.

I'm kidding.

Luckily you were sleeping.

-Do you want to paint me or not? -Of course I do.

Don't do that.

Why not? It's yours.

Shall we begin?

I can't. I'm sorry.

It's too...

Never mind.

We'll continue tomorrow.

Not now. Tomorrow, okay?

I'll wait outside while you get dressed.

LIPPE WEISS A CRIMINAL, LEFT HIS FAMILY

-Now we don't need any more favors. -You found it? Yay!

Let's find an interesting story. There are so many.

That's strange... Her name isn't Hannah.

-It says Anna Karenina. -It must be a mistake.

A mistake in the name of the book?

Oh well, let's read it.

"Anna held his hand in hers and pulled it towards her waist

without taking her eyes off him.

'I'm glad', said Vronsky, and studied her with a chilly look,

while the same scorn that Anna feared so much

hardened on his face.

'I'm pleased.'

'Are you healthy?', he asked as he wiped his wet beard and kissed her hand."

Why does she let him kiss her hand?

I don't know. I think I took the wrong book.

Come on, let's go to bed.

Goodnight.

-But we didn't recite the Shema. -Say it yourself.

Where could she have been at this time of night?

Don't worry, Lippe. I trust her.

Giti, I have to talk to you.

What's there to talk about?

About what happened.

I owe you an apology. I...

I can't stand not talking about what I did.

You didn't do anything, Lippe.

You went away to work, you sent us money,

you wrote beautiful letters to the children

and now you're back.

Why should you apologize?

Have pity on me, Giti.

I made a terrible mistake and I want to repent.

Are you trying to get back at me? Is that it?

Heaven forbid.

Lippe, we all have to repent.

You have to repent, I have to repent.

It's everyone for themselves.

-But all I'm asking is that we talk. -I don't want to talk about it!

Lippe,

maybe you had a strange dream.

It was a strange dream that I don't want to talk about.

A bad dream.

-Ruchami. -Yosa'le.

-What are you doing up at this hour? -You're a liar and I know everything.

What?

Did Father tell you?

I'm not a little boy, you know. You think I can't read?

You're a liar, I never want to talk to you again.

-Did you read everything? -How could you tell us that story?

She's a Gentile, her name isn't Hannah. Her name is Anna.

At the end, she jumps off a train and kills herself.

-Are you going to jump off a train too? -No! How could you think that?

Then where are you going in the middle of the night?

I couldn't sleep, so I was going to take a walk.

I don't believe you anymore.

You know what?

I promise that from now on, I'll never lie to you again.

-Do you know why I'm going? -Why?

Promise you won't laugh.

I thought it was morning.

I'm so dumb.

So what's the pail for?

It belongs to a friend. I can't show you what's in it.

Goodnight, Yosa'le.

WORLD OF FASHION

Black, not so nice.

No, it's just like Agustina's.

Yes, it's over.

How should I know? Yes, exactly...

Shiksa!

Shiksa! Shiksa swine!

Pig!

Get this shiksa out of here! Get her out of here!

Get her out of here!

Yes, Yosa'le, you can come in.

Can you listen to me?

Just for a minute.

What's this?

Who did this?

If I didn't pity my brothers, who aren't to blame for your deeds,

I'd do exactly what I said I would do.

So everyone would know where you've been.

I do what I do for your brothers.

Yeah, right...

You're right, I am evil

and I know that I'm going to hell.

But neither you nor your brothers nor your righteous mother

deserve to be without a father.

That's the only reason why I decided to come back.

I was only 19 when you were born.

All of a sudden, I had a wife and family to take care of.

All of a sudden I found myself in a frenzy to make money,

to care, to listen, to embrace.

To love.

I'll tell you something else about myself, Ruchami.

You're a smart girl, you'll understand.

I always dreamed of...

being alone.

Free, with no parents, no siblings, no aunts, no uncles,

no one.

You understand, don't you?

That's my dream.

I want to walk down the street knowing that no one cares about me

and not caring about anyone.

You have to sweep up flour with a broom.

That's okay, I'm almost done.

Thank you for listening, Ruchami. I needed that.

Goodnight.

Listen up.

These are worksheets from the beginning of the term.

I suggest you study this well

for the exam at the beginning of the month.

Yes, Weinstock?

-Rabbi, it's almost 11 a.m. -So?

It's not fair that we're not allowed to watch the air show.

The non-religious get the day off and we're not allowed to watch the planes.

He's right!

Quiet.

Quiet, quiet.

Too bad, Weinstock.

You're in school, the school has a principal,

and the principal decided that...

You know what?

-You can look out the windows. -Yay!

But quietly, not a word.

And no climbing on the windows.

Your Rabbi

is leaving the class for a few minutes,

and in the meantime...

-Elisheva. -Kive.

I have to tell you something.

I know that...

I said...

we'd be engaged forever.

I can't hear you.

Elisheva,

I can't do this!

I can't keep longing for you.

I want to marry you, I want to live with you.

I want to live with you.

Elisheva?

Look at the planes.

Shoshana, admit it. It's beautiful, isn't it?