Archives

Unmistaken Child

A journey of five years to find the reincarnation of one of the great Tibetan masters of the 20th century, Geshe Lama Konghog, told from the perspective of his devoted servant, Tenzin Zopa.

Gut Shabbes Vietnam

A clash of cultures is at the core of this uplifting documentary. A young Israeli couple who are emissaries of the Chabad Movement are sent to Vietnam – on a one-way ticket- to encourage and create a Jewish community in this Communist country.

The Rabbi’s Daughter and the Midwife

Adina Bar – Shalom, eldest daughter of the revered, Rabbi Ovadia Yossef, established the first academic institution of higher education for the ultra orthodox community in Israel. Rachel Chalkowski (Bambi), legendary head nurse and senior midwife, established a charitable foundation for impoverished ultra orthodox families. Each woman, probes deeply into ultra orthodox society with brave, feminine resourcefulness.

Settlers

Tension mounts to the boiling point as Jewish “settlers” encroach upon the formerly exclusive Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem. On the other end of the Israeli political spectrum, the state complies with international demands to relinquish territory to the Palestinians. Such schizophrenic splits only fuel the flames. In the intense heat of these conflicts, the camera captures two unforgettable subjects: Ali and Dov. Ali is a Palestinian parolee–convicted of planting a bomb during the Six Day War–who leads radical anti-Zionist tours of former “terrorist sites” throughout the land. Dov is an expatriated American Hassidic zealot and talk-radio host, who provides his former Brooklyn neighbors with the news from Hebron, broadcast live via cell phone. The fragmented Israeli/Palestinian society is mirrored by the emotional unraveling of both men, as their personal demons threaten to destabilize the fragile truce they have made for themselves. While both Ali and Dov hope for peace, reminders of war echo in their voices and in the streets.

Partly Private

A witty take on male circumcision and how people of the western world generally feel about it. Both comic and informative, the film questions how an ancient rite became normal medical practice in North America and other parts of the world. The film goes beyond the questions of right or wrong and takes us into a contemporary universe of purported paganism, tribal and family heritage. From New York to Jerusalem to Italy to Turkey, we follow the filmmaker’s personal journey where she is forced to ask: to circumcise or not to circumcise: Partly Private is a story about the bondage of loyalties that drive our lives and the necessary compromise that leads a family to stay together.

Qassam

Qassam is the story of people who live in Sderot, a small city in the southern part of Israel that has been attacked by thousands of Palestinian Qassam rockets.

The Marquiz of Bnei Brak

The film follows Micha Frenkel, a 67 year old translator of French literature to Hebrew, on his quest to find a man – a soul mate – to share the rest of his life with.