Israeli Series 'Etty' Disappoints with Vague Setting Despite Strong Performance

The series 'Etty,' based on the diaries of Dutch-Jewish writer Etty Hillesum, is now available on Israeli platforms Hot VOD, Hot Drama, Next TV, and Yes Binge. The show dramatizes Hillesum's spiritual journey during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, a period that ultimately led to her and her family's murder in Auschwitz.

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I was even more annoyed that Levi chose to set it in a kind of vaguely updated, generic netherworld in which everyone dresses as if they just pulled their tasteful monochromatic sweaters and shirts off the shelf of a chic European boutique.

Rather than a traditional biopic, the series attempts to bring Hillesum's diaries and philosophical explorations to life, featuring Austrian actress Julia Windischbauer in the lead role. Much of the narrative centers on the solace Hillesum found through her unconventional therapy with Julius Spier, a psychologist trained by Carl Jung. Spier, also Jewish, became her lover, and he helped her overcome suicidal impulses as the Nazi regime tightened its grip.

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Levi said that he wanted to charge it with “universal, contemporary relevance” and to tell it “in a new language.”

Hagai Levi, known for the Israeli series 'BeTipul' (remade as 'In Treatment'), directed 'Etty.' However, the production has drawn criticism for its artistic decision to set the story in a vaguely contemporary, generic setting. This choice, intended by Levi to imbue the narrative with "universal, contemporary relevance," omits key historical markers like the yellow stars Jews were forced to wear and clearly identifying the menacing officials as Nazis. Critics argue this omission is a significant misstep, potentially undermining the story's historical weight and the audience's understanding of why Hillesum and her family were targeted.

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This omission at the heart of the story is distracting to say the least, and I think it’s a huge mistake to think that her story would not have “universal, contemporary relevance” if it were to show clearly that the Nazis killed Hillesum and her family because they were Jews.