TELEVISION

Commandments - Season 2

Series: Commandments

3.1

(8)

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. Yes Sergeant Sir!

40m

Yakov Anilevitz is now the proud unit commander of the IDF's Haredi basic training unit. Despite the painful price of severing the ties with his family, he considers his military service a calling, especially when his unit is joined by Eliahu, a young trainee who, like Yakov, grew up in the Vizhnitz Hassidic community. Yakov takes him under his wing, but to his disappointment, Eliahu tells him he has decided to leave the Haredi world. Yakov persuades him to reconsider, and they arrange to have a private prayer meeting on Saturday afternoon, in hopes that Eliahu will change his mind.
Amram Elkayam, Yakov's former best friend, is unexpectedly released from jail after serving time for stealing weapons, and is sent directly to the unit commanded by Yakov, his best friend who is now his commander. The new hierarchy is not easy for Amram, who is repeatedly punished for undermining Yakov. In a heart-to-heart talk, Amram confesses to Yakov that he is a Shin Bet agent and his role is to report any extreme right-wing activity he identifies inside the platoon.
Elisheva, Amram's former girlfriend, is still at the base, but unlike him, she seems to have moved on. She has a new boyfriend - Benayah, the charming platoon commander - and they are already planning a trip to the Far East together.
Yakov arrives at the meeting place for his meeting with Eliahu, but is astonished to find Eliahu unconscious on the ground. Before he can even go to him, someone hits him on the head from behind.

2. Missing

41m

Yakov regains consciousness and is horrified to discover that he is imprisoned in a bunker. He does not know where he is or who has brought him here.
Benayah is about to propose to Elisheva, but the search for his men Yakov and Eliahu ruin his plans. The rumor about their disappearance spreads quickly, and the assumption is that the Vizhnitz Hassidic community was behind the abduction, in an attempt to rescue Benayah from the claws of the army. Amram refuses to accept this theory and starts an investigation of his own.
In the base kitchen, Elisheva makes a cake for her younger brother Yonatan's eighteenth birthday. He is a trainee in the Haredi unit. Amram goes to the kitchen to apologize to Elisheva for lashing out at her. Elisheva is startled by her feelings for Amram, which prompts her to rashly accept Benayah's marriage proposal.
Investigators go to Yakov's parents' home and tell them about their suspicions that the community is involved. Yakov's mother Hana is angry and in pain, she vows that when Yakov is found alive, he will come home unconditionally. Meanwhile, in prison, the hungry Yakov receives a piece of cake wrapped in a napkin imprinted with the IDF logo. He realizes with certainty that someone in the platoon was involved in his abduction.

3. Bloodhounds

39m

The IDF refutes the initial assumption that the Hassidic community is involved in the disappearance of Yakov and Eliahu, and increases the search efforts in the base. Yonatan and his good friend Hillel are stressed out - their time is running out and their involvement in the men's disappearance will soon be exposed. They try to think of a solution that will save them from the mess they're in and push the blame on someone else. But everything goes awry when Yonatan brings Yakov some water, and Yakov recognizes Yonatan as his abductor. Yakov forces Yonatan to explain the series of events, which is how he realizes for the first time that Eliahu is dead.
Leah Minkovsky remains faithful to her beloved Yakov, and refuses to be matched with another man. She comes to see Hana Anilevitz, Yakov's mother, and tells her she saw Yakov before he disappeared, and they became independently engaged. Hana gives her some good advice on how to get rid of the "shidduch" (the match) that has been imposed on her.
Elisheva discovers that she wasn't summoned to an interview with the Department Commander at the base because of her own skills, but because Benayah set it up. Furious, she calls off the engagement.

4. Yakov's Dream

37m

At the request of the concerned Elisheva, Amram follows Yonatan and discovers that he and Hillel are connected to the disappearance of Yakov and Eliahu. Before he has time to tell Elisheva, the Military Police arrive at the base and take all of the trainees for interrogation. Hillel paints Amram as a suspect by describing his bitter conflict with Yakov. The pressure on Amram increases, but although he has information that could clear his name, he does not reveal it. Eventually his Shin Bet operator Joe gives him an alibi and he is released. When he tells Elisheva what he has discovered, she begs him not to say anything to anyone until she has an opportunity to talk to Yonatan herself.
Eliahu's body is found at the remote end of the base and the Hassidic community prepares for the funeral. Hana Anilevitz participates in the funeral despite the horrifying speculation that her son is the one who killed Eliahu because of an argument. Much to her disappointment, at the end of the funeral, Leah Minkovsky's mother returns the scarf Yakov bought Leah as testimony to their betrothal.
Amram is relieved after he manages to interrogate Yonatan and get the information that Yakov is alive. He forces Yonatan to take him to his prison, and simultaneously, Hillel plots to fake Yakov's abduction by Arabs.

5. Chocolate

39m

Amram is determined to free Yakov immediately. After Elisheva begs him to do so, he plays along with Hillel's grandiose plan and makes Yakov swear that he too will cooperate. But a short while later he has second thoughts, as he is afraid that Yakov may not make it out alive. Amram is torn between his loyalty to Elisheva and to his friend Yakov.
As Amram's father is about to die, Amram's operator Joe suggests he go visit him one last time. Amram thinks it over and eventually decides that it's the right thing to do despite the past. But as he is on his way to the hospital, he is told that his father has passed away. Amram searches his soul and tells Joe everything.
Meanwhile, Yonatan and Hillel carry out their plan and Yakov is taken out of his cell, blindfolded and unconscious. During the drive Hillel finds out that Yakov knows that he and Yonatan are the ones who abducted him, which makes their fake plan pointless. Joe surprises them on the way, and Hillel freaks out and shoots him. Amram calls for backup and Hillel and Yonatan are caught. It's all over.
Epilogue: Yakov goes back to his unit as commander of the trainees, including Amram, and Elisheva, who has been transferred to another base, visits Amram to apologize for the pressure she put on him. She understands that he did the right thing, but something has gone wrong between them and they cannot be together... maybe someday...