Episode 10: Hodaya bathes in the mikveh, even though she is an unmarried woman and she continues to question her relationship; Yifat takes a leap of faith and moves away from Jerusalem to Ma’ale Elisha, and Nati tries to make different plans for Shabbat.
A lavish romantic drama that charts the lives of three women who escape the gloom of post-WWII Holland for what they hope will be a better life in New Zealand. Ada, the shy but sensual farm girl, Marjorie, who dreams of a big family, and Esther, a Holocaust survivor who aspires to be a fashion designer, become fast friends during the long flight taking them to their waiting husbands, who have already settled in Christchurch.
Poland, 1962. Anna is about to take her vows as a nun when she learns from her only relative that she is Jewish. Both women embark on a journey to discover their family story and where they belong.
Oma and Bella is an intimate glimpse into the life of two dynamic elderly Jewish women in Berlin. The film follows them as make elaborate dishes recalled from their childhoods, before the Holocaust. Through the cooking of the sumptuous meals, they retain a part of their past past while remaining very much engaged in the present.
In 1942, the Nazi propaganda machine was hard at work. 70 years later, the deceit is finally unmasked.
Yael Hersonski’s powerful documentary achieves a remarkable feat through its penetrating look at another film: the now-infamous Nazi-produced film about the Warsaw Ghetto. Discovered after the war, the unfinished work—with no soundtrack—quickly became a resource for historians seeking an authentic record, despite its elaborate propagandistic construction. The later discovery of a long-missing reel complicated earlier readings, showing the manipulations of camera crews in these “everyday” scenes. Well-heeled Jews attending elegant dinners and theatricals (while callously stepping over the dead bodies of compatriots) now appeared as unwilling, but complicit, actors, alternately fearful and in denial of their looming fate.
Kabbalah Me follows a personal journey into the titular spiritual phenomenon of ancient tradition. Rooted in the Torah and Talmud, Kabbalah has been studied by leading Judaic scholars for many centuries. However, many Jews are unaware or uninformed about Kabbalah and its significance. The film tells the story of how co-director Steven Bram, feeling a spiritual void in his life, immerses himself into the world of Kabbalah.
Raised in New York as a secular Jew without much interest in organized religion, Steven grew up to lead a conventional life marrying a nice Jewish woman from the suburbs, fathering two beautiful daughters, living on the Upper West Side, and working at a sports/entertainment company. But after 9/11, he felt a longing for a deeper and more fulfilling spiritual life. This longing leads Steven on a five year journey that includes reconnecting with his Hasidic family members, studying with Judaic scholars, and a eventual pilgrimage to Israel – where he immerses himself in the history and traditions of the Holy Land and meets with charismatic Rabbis, Talmudic scholars and spiritual leaders.
As Steven’s spiritual journey progresses, the mystical and complex world of Kabbalah, with its varying interpretations and myriad rituals and lessons, slowly unfolds – which leads to profound changes in all aspects of his life.
When best-selling author Joshua Foer (Moonwalking With Einstein) began to build his first sukkah—a small hut that Jews build and dwell in every fall for the holiday of Sukkot—he wanted to move beyond the generic plywood boxes and canvas tents that have become the unimaginative status quo. He discovered that while the bible outlines the basic parameters for what a sukkah should look like and how it should function, it leaves plenty of room for variation and interpretation. It is here Foer asks: what if contemporary architects and designers were challenged to design and construct twelve radical sukkahs? What would they come up with? Hence the design competition and exhibition known as “Sukkah City” was born.
In the vein of the Maysles Brothers documentation of architects Christo & Jean Claude, Sukkah City tracks the process of the competition and the minds behind it—from the start of jury day, which includes an all-star cast of architects, academics and critics (Thom Mayne, Paul Goldberger, Ron Arad) that debate the merits of the 600 submissions; to the construction, installation and exhibition of the twelve winning structures in New York City. The two-day exhibition drew a critical and popular response from some of the 200,000 attendees.
The film explores the artistic process of the architects, documenting how an ancient traditions can be reinvented for the 21st Century, and revealing the meaningful tale behind the innovative architecture.
Rabbi Kuni Lemel has just finished a Torah and is going to donate it to a congregation in Cairo. In exchange for the Torah scroll, the congregation in Cairo will give Kuni’s congregation some antique coins valued at a million dollars. Kuni’s twin brother’s bosses hear about it and they make Muni dress up as Kuni so that he will get the coins instead.
Yifat’s brother comes to visit and complicates things for Hodaya. Ruet once again finds herself helping Azaria on the financial front.
Hodaya feels rebellious at work. Nati scares Tehila with an unwelcome medical opinion. Yifat feels the pressure of being the breadwinner.
