Editor’s Note
This analysis explores the surprising resonance of contemporary dramas about ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, using the Netflix hit “Rough Diamonds” as a focal point. It examines why these stories of faith, family, and friction are captivating global audiences.
Netflix’s ‘Rough Diamonds’ is celebrating major success.
Kevin Janssens (left) as Noah and Robby Cleiren as Eli.
Photo: De Mensen / Netflix
Why series about ultra-Orthodox Jews are finding such great resonance.
By Christiane Laudage
Antwerp has been the diamond capital of the world since 1447 – that’s what the city advertises. Here, rough diamonds are traded and polished. For a long time, the diamond trade was heavily dominated by the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Yiddish was spoken, and the diamond exchange was closed on Shabbat. Meanwhile, Indian companies have captured a large share of the business.
The diamond trade in Antwerp now forms the backdrop for the series ‘Rough Diamonds’ by the streaming portal Netflix, which has already generated large viewer numbers in a short time. At the center of the Israeli-Belgian series is the strictly Orthodox Wolfson family, who are proud to be among the founding families of the Antwerp diamond trade. However, their company, Wolfson Diamonds, has suffered greatly under globalization.
On one hand, the eight-part crime series delves into the criminal underworld of the diamond city. On the other hand, it portrays the life of an ultra-Orthodox family living in a closed-off community. When it comes to series with Orthodox Jewish families, Netflix can be sure of success.
And the series ‘Unorthodox’ was also a great success.
‘Rough Diamonds’ begins with the funeral of the youngest son Yanki, who committed suicide due to his gambling debts and had apparently gotten involved with people he should have avoided. The brother Noah, who left the family and the ultra-Orthodox community 15 years ago, also attends the funeral. In the meantime, he has built a new life for himself in London and become the father of a son, Tommy. Noah feels obligated to protect the family’s honor and save the family business from ruin.
The two Israeli directors Rotem Shamir and Yuval Yefet, who previously worked together on the very popular series ‘Fauda’, are responsible. For ‘Rough Diamonds’, they sought contact with the ultra-Orthodox community of Antwerp, hiring a Yiddish coach and a cultural advisor to portray the community as realistically and accurately as possible.
In fact, some from this community participated in small roles. Several main actors are Jewish, such as Dudu Fisher as family patriarch Ezra Wolfson or Yona Elian as his wife Sarah.
Netflix offers viewers various languages – however, describing the original as Flemish is insufficient. As befits an ultra-Orthodox family, everyone speaks Yiddish with each other. Noah and his siblings Eli and Adina also switch to Flemish, not only when they are in contact with other people. They speak French because Belgium is bilingual, and of course English – so the series is actually quadrilingual. In this way, it reflects the multilingualism of Antwerp’s Orthodox community.
In the series revolving around ultra-Orthodox families, the very big questions of life are addressed – family, love, freedom. How does one position oneself towards the prescribed rules? How much freedom is possible or necessary?