Kipat Barzel

The series is a mesmerizing examination of the highly publicized tension between secular Israelis and Heredi Israelis. For those willing to learn about other cultures, it is a fly on.the wall view of Israel, both rural and urban. The mesmerizing setting of the Israeli countryside, at which the basic training camp is set I found very beautiful, but I have always loved both desert and forest.

Reviewers criticized "mental health days" but even the US army has mellowed quite a bit in past decades. Post traumatic stress disorder due to exposure to death and violence is a very real global phenomenon among soldiers, and mental health days are now known to be real.

If you are interested in learning about Israeli culture, Judaism, and current Israeli social problems, grab a seat and enjoy! If you prefer the familiar, don't bother to watch.

For me it was an adventure.