Natalie Marcus & Asaf Beiser: Humor Across the Divide

With a growing divide between Israeli Jews and American Jews, can we utilize humor to find something compelling and deep about our shared experience?

Natalie Marcus is a highly-acclaimed, award-winning, screenwriter based in Tel Aviv. For the past 10 years, Marcus has been in charge of some of Israel’s top-rated shows. She is the creator and head writer of the acclaimed historically-themed sketch show, The Jews are Coming, winner of the Israeli Academy Award for the best entertainment show. Marcus is also the creator and head writer of the TV show, Crowded, that won the “Best Kids’ Comedy” award in the Israeli Kid’s Choice Awards and a special award for contribution to the public discussion from the Minister of Communication. 

Marcus is currently writing and show running a new comedy called The Estate for Keshet 12, due to air in 2019, as well as writing a new fourth season of The Jews are Coming.

Marcus teaches comedy writing and lectures about writing and Jewish history all over the world.  She lives in Tel Aviv with her husband and two kids.

Asaf Beiser is a screenwriter based in Tel Aviv. For the past 15 years, Beiser has been a writer and showrunner in Israel’s highest-rated comedy, satire and drama shows. Beiser is the co-creator and head writer of Israeli Academy of Film and Television award winning show (best satire and entertainment show) The Jews are Coming,  and a  writer in the acclaimed Israeli Academy of Film and Television award winning show (best drama) Fauda, currently airing on Netflix. The children’s sitcom Beiser created, Elisha, has won The Israeli Academy of Film and Television award for best children’s program for three years in a row.    

Beiser had a writing role in many other acclaimed shows, including The Good Cop, a comedy recently remade by Netflix, and the psychological thriller The Gordin Cell (titled “Allegiance” in the NBC remake). He also was a staff writer in ERETZ NEHEDERRET (“What a Wonderful Country”, the Israeli version of SNL), and the co-creator and showrunner of the sitcom Crowded.

A recipient of a personal Israeli Academy award for best screenplay, Beiser was also awarded the generous British BI-Arts scholarship, with a winning script for a 40-minute comedy film.

A Captain (ret.) in the Israeli Defense Forces, Beiser served as a military attorney in the IDF Military Advocate General’s Unit, and holds an LLB degree from Tel Aviv University.