Welcome to Times Will Tell, the weekly podcast from The Times of Israel. This week we’re speaking with the brains and brawn behind the hit web series “YidLife Crisis,” Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman.
In a love letter to their hometown of Montreal, the two secular Jews schmooze and nosh their way in and out of uncomfortable situations born of their own twisted minds (think: gay Chabad tefillin pushers).
The very modern, very Jewish series is filmed mostly in Yiddish and filled with food, sex, atheism, and a dash of parental guilt. Guest stars have included Mayim Bialik and Howie Mandel.
The series premiered in 2014 and so far includes three seasons in the life of nebbish Leizer (played by Batalion) and more mainstreamed Chaimie (Elman). It’s not for the faint of heart and includes raunchy scenarios. As the guys put it, “YidLife Crisis is the world’s first 18 and over/Chai+ Yiddish web series.”
We caught up with Elman and Batalion in an intercontinental Zoom to find out what they’re up to now. Check out their site here.
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