Netflix Snags Meshi Zahav Docuseries That Rocked the Ultra-Orthodox World
Netflix acquires 'Meshi Zahav', a groundbreaking Israeli docuseries exposing Yehuda Meshi-Zahav’s abuse scandal, after it drew nearly 2 million viewers and sparked arrests in the ultra-Orthodox community.
Israel’s public broadcaster scored a big win by selling the buzzworthy docuseries *Meshi Zahav* to Netflix Israel. The four-part series, diving into the scandal of Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, former ZAKA chairman, will hit the streaming platform on August 22.
Produced by Beyond Creative for Kan 11, *Meshi Zahav* has already racked up nearly 2 million views and sparked a real shift in the ultra-Orthodox community. Its careful take on a tough topic opened up conversations, giving survivors a voice to share long-buried secrets. After the series aired, more sexual offenders in the community were arrested.
Directed by Sharon Yaish and crafted by Yoav Leshem, Sharon Yaish, and Bat Dor Ojalvo, the docuseries peels back the layers of Meshi-Zahav’s double life, a man who was publicly praised, led an incredible organization, bagged awards, and lit a ceremonial torch, all while hiding a dark history of systematically abusing kids and adults, ruining countless lives in the process.
The series builds on a major 2021 investigation by *Haaretz* reporters Shira Elk and Aaron Rabinowitz, who first broke the story. Three years later, *Meshi Zahav* has reignited a crucial public conversation, pushing the ultra-Orthodox community to face issues that were swept under the rug for too long.
Landing on Netflix is a nod to the series’ powerful storytelling and its ability to make a difference, giving this game-changing content a shot at reaching an even bigger audience.