From the very first moment I read the book, I felt a deep connection—this was a story I had to turn into a television series and share with a wide audience, both in Israel and around the world. The character of Kimerling - an Orthodox Jewish detective in the closed world of Mea Shearim, an insular ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem - immediately captivated me. He’s a stranger in the neighborhood, but also a stranger to himself. His journey to solve mysteries is, at its core, a journey of self-discovery.
The series blends suspense, sharp Jewish humor, emotional longing, and a combination of a detective story and a love story.
But Kimerling is not just about the character—it's also about the world he inhabits.
Jerusalem, as portrayed in this series, will be captured in a noir-inspired visual style we've never seen before: its winter light, narrow alleys, reflections in puddles, warm hidden synagogues, and the colorful figures that fill the screen. Every detail turns the city into a living character, the very soul of the series. Ziv Berkovich, my incredible DOP (who shot for Natalie Portman, Netflix, and more) will join me in bringing this vision to life.
While the story is indeed a detective mystery, it is equally an intimate journey in search of truth, justice, meaning, and love. Kimerling (Jewish-American) is profoundly local and strikingly universal, touching on the questions we all ask ourselves: Where do I belong? And how far will I go for the truth?
We officially acquired the rights to adapt the novel for television. I want to turn Kimerling into a successful series, because I believe deeply in its cinematic and emotional power, and because I truly feel it can—and should—resonate with audiences both in Israel and around the world, especially in these complex times.