TELEVISION

Commandments - Season 1

Series: Commandments

3.6

(14)

Episodes

Rating

TV14

Year

2017

About

Inspired by the real-life young adults who choose to defy the strict conventions of their closed orthodox societies and join the army, this powerful character-driven drama delivers a compelling story focusing on the dilemmas of personal and religious identity, and the desire to belong alongside the need to express oneself and one's values.
In Israel, 18 year olds must join the army by law - but 9% of Israelis are Orthodox Jews, and they are exempt from service due to their religious beliefs. Some choose to disobey, and for these orthodox teens on the brink of manhood, their decision will leave them torn between an aggressive military system, an equally strict religious world and the forbidden temptations of secular life.
Four months of tough basic training in the Orthodox Brigade will force these young recruits and the secular military to discover one another. These teens may all look the same to their army commanders - but the platoon is actually made up of a multitude of nationalities and beliefs. For the soldiers, the challenge is twofold: they must face the secular world and they must face each other. As they confront the grueling demands of military training, they quickly discover that their commanders think very little of them. And back home, amid their deeply religious families and neighborhoods, they are met with hatred and are forced to conceal their identities.
As their relentless training continues, soon enough, these young recruits will realize they are on their own. But it will be these same strict systems that afford the orthodox soldiers the chance to turn over a new leaf in life and their shared hardships will force them to bond with one another. But, just as this collection of loners finally starts to form into a tightknit group, it looks like it could all come crashing down...
As this disparate group of teens swap their strictly closed society for the realities and temptations of the army and secular life, we soon find that, underneath the skullcaps and the green uniforms, there will always be the inevitable clash of passions, faith, friendship and love.

Related Subjects

Drama

Episodes

1. City of Refuge

46m

Orthodox soldiers decide to enlist in the army despite their families' objections, and find themselves on a military boot camp base. They're all running away from something. AMRAM, an at-risk youth, is hiding from criminals. YA'AKOV, the Yeshiva student, is trying to make a better future for himself.

Ya'akov talks to a girl for the first time in his life on the bases' military communication net and starts falling in love. Amram, who has a rebellious nature, comes across the beautiful welfare officer ELISHEBA, who motivates him to put in the effort to stay on the base.
The soldiers face derision both in the army and back home, but they discover that the unit is their new family.

2. The Lord is a God Who Avenges

39m

Ya'akov and Amram, beaten and bruised, try to get back the weapon that was snatched away from them during the attack. Amram pressures Ya'akov to turn in the weapon-snatchers, but Ya'akov is scared of hurting his brother Nahman and his family.
At a bus stop, Ya'akov sees Tamar and a friend of hers. Amram hitches a ride to the base with Elisheba and learns some interesting details about her.
Sephi from the Shin-Bet tries to recruit Gur-Arye as an informant in the orthodox brigade, and threatens to expose a secret from his past if he does not cooperate.

3. Those Who Piss on the Army

39m

Amram and Ya'akov are frustrated that the army did nothing to the orthodox guys who snatched their weapon and attacked them. Amram encourages Ya'akov to take revenge against the guys who hurt them.
Ya'akov keeps talking to Tamar over the bases' military communication net, and asks permission from his rabbi to speak to a "secular friend."

Sephi continues to pressure Gur-Arye to reveal secrets about his fellow soldiers. Gur-Arye becomes unhinged, and drops a grenade at his post. Amram has a change of attitude and decides to give up on his revenge, but the police are already on his tail.

4. A Royal Mutiny

45m

Amram is in military prison for stealing stun grenades. No one believes him that he was going to put them back, and not go through with his revenge plan.
The only person willing to hear him out is Elisheba.

Ya'akov fights to free Amram, and unites the brigade in a mutiny. Tamar helps him plan the action.
The orthodox brigade prepares for the General's visit. They learn how to sing the national anthem, all the while planning their mutiny. Alexei visits his father, and learns an important lesson about obedience.

5. The PFT

45m

Alexei gets in trouble with the commander for joining the mutiny and taking a stand on Amram's behalf. The brigade trains for the PFT - the physical fitness test - while everybody tries to find out who ratted on the mutiny.
Amram gives everything he has for Alexei's sake, but an unexpected phone call from Shimi sabotages his plans. He uses everything he's learned from the army to escape the criminals that are after him.
Ya'akov goes home and discovers he has no home to come back to; the army is now his home.

6. Who Can Find a Virtuous Woman?

43m

The soldiers of the orthodox brigade are excited about their upcoming leave. Amram heads out to meet with Elisheba, and spends a tense and sweet Sabbath with her. Gur-Arye goes home, tries to get his fiancée back, and confronts Rabbi Marom over their past. Ya'akov is the only one to remain on the base; his family is ostracizing him, so he has nowhere to go back to. He is treated to a surprising visit from Rabbi Arbelich.