Still Life in Israel: Avi Issacharoff on the pain and power of ‘Fauda’ after Oct. 7
In the third episode of our new podcast series, the popular TV series creator discusses the challenges of bringing the Hamas terrorist attack to Netflix viewers
Welcome to “Still Life in Israel with Jessica Steinberg,” a weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel’s arts and culture editor explores what life in Israel looks and feels like right now, through conversations with the artists, writers, musicians, and other voices helping us make sense of this moment.
In the third episode of “Still Life in Israel,” Jessica Steinberg speaks with ‘Fauda’ co-creator Avi Issacharoff about the challenges of bringing the trauma of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack to the screen in the fifth season of the hit Israeli series currently on Netflix.
WATCH the full episode here:
Issacharoff discusses the decision to scrap the season’s original storyline following the October 7, 2023 attack, and the enormous responsibility of depicting the atrocities in the popular TV series.
He also shares his own experiences in the immediate aftermath of October 7, evacuating residents of Sderot alongside ‘Fauda’ co-creator Lior Raz, dealing with personal losses among the show’s cast and crew and returning to writing while the war was still raging.
Issacharoff reflects on his concerns for the future of Israeli democracy and his hopes for major reforms that will help repair the country’s relationship with the US.
At the end of the podcast, Steinberg presents the Still Life calendar, a brief listing of upcoming arts and culture events over the next week.
Still Life in Israel podcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.