The series, which tells about the lives, loves and heroism of the young people who served in the Palmah starting in 1946, will broadcast its second season to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the elite fighting force of the Hagana, which served as Israel’s army before the establishment of the state.
Orly Atlas-Katz, CEO Ananey EVP ViacomCBS Israel, a producer of the show said, “We are especially excited that the esteemed president honored us by participating in a scene from our successful series Palmah.
“The series is designed to connect today’s youth to the Palmah generation and the important and treasured part it played in the history and heritage of all of us.
“President Rivlin (in a guest role) plays the first president of the state, Chaim Weizmann, and in this role represented the symbolic connection between the past and the present. This casting is the essence of the idea behind the project, and we thank him for his willingness to participate in the series.
“We are looking forward to the new season that is expected to air this summer on the TeenNick Yes channel, which will be especially suspenseful and exciting.”
The writers of the show had Rivlin in mind for the part of Weizmann when they wrote it. The show features many real-life figures, including prime ministers David Ben-Gurion, Yitzhak Rabin and Golda Meir.
Earlier this month, the President’s Residence in Jerusalem became the location for a day of shooting, as Dina Sanderson (who plays Meir) and Avraham Arenson (who portrays an illegal immigrant who comes from the Netherlands to Palestine after the war) acted alongside Rivlin.
The president and the actor discovered that Arenson’s grandfather, the late Avi Aharonson, was the president’s second cousin, and it was Rivlin who fixed up the actor’s grandparents. Arenson’s grandmother, Sarah, was present at the day’s shooting.
A classic car, a Chrysler 300 from 1962, was refurbished to look as though it were from the ’40s for the scene, and a vintage-style pair of glasses was created especially for the president.
The series was created by Yonatan Bar-Ilan and Eden Gurion, and the cast features Yael Shelbia, an actress/model who was named the most beautiful face in the world by the TC CANDLER website in 2020, singer Yuval Dayan, who portrays Shoshana Damari, and Alona Saar, currently starring in the series Dismissed.