We are two HUC rabbinical students living in Jerusalem for the year on a street that happens to rhyme with our names - a match made in heaven? We think so.
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27
Apr
Today was our last movie day of the year. We watched “The Troupe”, a film about an entertainment troupe in the Israeli army just after the Yom Kippur War. Lots of singing, entertainment, and practical jokes! Great movie!
16
Mar
MOVIE DAY! Today we watched Lemon Tree, a film about complicated human relationships and what you do when life gives you lemons…sue the Israeli Defense Minister (or at least when he tries to take your lemons)!
26
Jan
It’s יום שלישי סרט - movie day! Today we watched The Syrian Bride, a movie focusing on the family dynamics of a Druze family living in the Golan Heights.
21
Dec
Guest blogger, Jeremy Leigh, has been working on his top six Israeli films for at least a month. We wanted to explain the difference between Top Five Lists and Top Six Lists, but he’s a professor at HUC, so we figure he knows best…
Here is Jeremy Leigh’s Top Six List of Israeli Films:
1. אביבה אהובתי / Aviva Ahuvati (2007)
The ultimate ‘centre / periphery’ film, with a stunning performance by Assi Levi as a aspirant writer / low paid cook in a mass production kitchen, all the time holding her dysfunctional family together. From poverty stricken Tiberius she seeks affirmation of her talents as a writer from her teacher in Tel Aviv, a journey fraught with challenges. This film celebrates the underdog, but more importantly subverts the idea that the periphery cannot be the centre for culture.
2. שנת אפס / Shnat Efes (2004)
Israeli cinema finally succeeds in making a complex film that is not about being Israeli.
3. אבנתי פופולו / Avanti Popolo (1987)
Just hours after the ceasefire that ended the 6 Day War, two drunken Egyptians and three power drunk Israelis encounter each other in the Sinai desert. Given the fact this was made in 1986 and thus classified as a post Lebanon War I film, the significance of Rafi Boukaee’s film is all the more significant. The ‘other’ is not only exposed as human but also a moral challenger to the self confidence of the victorious Israeli.
4. ביקור התזמורת / Band’s Visit (2007)
Almost an Oscar nominee for Foreign Film category but too much English apparently. Strange really since Israelis and Egyptians, the stars of this superb film would hardly speak Hebrew to each other. This is a class A performance by acclaimed actors Ronit Alkabetz and Sasson Gabbai as a slightly lost soul (Alkabetz) and Egyptian band leader (Gabbai). Thankfully not allowed to be a cliched Arab – Israeli conflict film, it is an optimistic celebration of human solidarity.
5. כנפיים שבורות / Broken Wings (2002)
Nir Bergman’s touching and life affirming story of a family ‘on the edge’, struggling to cope with the death of the father / husband, whose senseless and avoidable death from a bee sting, is a powerful commentary on the nature of ‘Israeli death’. Stripped of any heroism, this backdrop to the film’s drama is made more powerful when one considers that it was made as suicide bombers were blowing themselves up in Israel’s cities.
6. עבודה / Avoda (1935)
Admittedly this entry may be a rather geeky addition from an over keen Israel Studies teacher but it is a superb showcase for Zionist sweat and dedication. Made in 1935, this is a pioneer film that has superb production and camera work. One has to love a film whose ‘happy ending’ is the success of completion of an irrigation project.
13
Dec
Movie Day at HUC-JIR! Today we watched “Sipur Hatzi-Russi”, a story about a family in Ashdod; the mother is a Russian immigrant, the father is Israeli, and their son, Chen, is stuck in the middle (and also starts ballroom dancing).
17
Nov
You know how much we love movie days! Today we watched Sallah Shabati, a classic movie from the 60s starring the beloved Topol!
21
Oct
It’s hard to tell from the movie trailer what “Mrs. Moskowitz & The Cats” is actually about, because we didn’t see any cats. A little upsetting if you ask us, but we’re still intrigued. Looks like IsraeliFilms beat us to the chase here, but we call dibs on an animated film about Jerusalem cats.
Thanks Rabbi Lewis Mintz for sharing this film with us!
20
Oct
Time to break out the popcorn - today was another movie day in Hebrew. “Kadosh” was a fairly depressing movie about two sisters living in Meah Shearim, our favorite ultra-orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem.
There were some loose ends to the plot, so we now present our Top 5 Unanswered Questions (Spoiler Alert! Our unanswered questions give away the plot):
1. How did Rivka die? Some say from sleeping pills; Ally Tick says from a broken heart.
2. Where exactly was Meir’s wife in the last scene?
3. Why didn’t Rivka tell anyone what the doctor said?
4. Okay fine, she didn’t want to tell anyone she went to the doctor. Why didn’t she take care of business (artificial insemination) and just not tell anyone?
5. Was Malka pregnant? And if so…who’s the father?
So many questions…we may never know the answers.
29
Sep
It’s been a while since we’ve watched a movie in our Hebrew class, but the fun of summer lives on. Today we watched Ushpizin, a film about a religious couple’s (the wife’s name happens to be Mali…) faith being tested by a pair of unexpected guests for Sukkot.
True, our main character Moshe is no Shlomi, and Mali does all the baking, but it kept Bess on the edge of her seat (even though this was the third time she saw the movie).
Visit My Jewish Learning to learn more about the tradition of ushpizin, welcoming guests into your Sukkah for the upcoming holiday of Sukkot. This information might be useful to our faithful readers in a few days. Just saying…
19
Aug
Today was our second “Movie Day” in Ulpan and we watched Jellyfish. If you understand what it’s about, please get back to us.
Directed by Shira Geffen and Etgar Keret, which should explain a lot….
04
Aug
Today in ulpan we watched a super cute movie about a 16 year old boy, Shlomi. We laughed, we cried, and if nothing else, it made us want to eat baked goods. real bad.
If you have Netflix, you should add this movie to your queue immediately.
