Celebrate With Us Through Ritual, Art, Magic, Music, And Good Company Under The Stars As We Celebrate A World That Honors All Life!

Schedule Of Events:

October 26, 2024

In-Theater (OFJCC): The Performance
Based on a short story by Arthur Miller, The Performance is set in 1937 as the fascist atmosphere in Germany is nearing its brutal pinnacle. Harold May (Jeremy Piven) is an American Jew and gifted tap dancer. Though he is nearly past his prime, he still longs for the success and status that have eluded him. While on tour in Europe, Harold and his troupe are scouted by Damian Fugler, a German attache. Not Knowing the blond-haired May is Jewish, Fugler offers them a huge sum to perform one show in Berlin. Once in Germany, the troupe discovers that the show is an exclusive performance for Hitler himself. As Fugler, Harold, and the troupe's lives become intertwined, Harold is faced with a choice: either keep his Jewish identity a secret for the sake of his dreams or, ironically, own up to who he really is in order to escape.

October 27, 2024

12:00PM
In-Theater (AMC 14): Shari and Lamb Chop
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"FamilyView all films tagged "Family"In-TheaterView all films tagged "In-Theater"
Enter the enchanting world of a groundbreaking artist and her beloved sock puppet companion, where boundless creativity and timeless joy have left an indelible mark on children's entertainment. Hailing from a Jewish Bronx family, Shari Lewis rose from playful beginnings in the ‘50s with her engaging children's variety shows, leading to the debut of iconic Lamb Chop on Captain Kangaroo. Over the course of her extraordinary career, she amassed an impressive collection of accolades, including 13 Emmys and a Peabody, and authored 60+ children's books, becoming an adored star recognized for her sundry talents as a ventriloquist, singer, dancer, and even a magician. In a male-dominated industry, Lewis, a spunky perfectionist, transformed children's television with an innovative, empowering style, and through Lamb Chop, voiced new notions for the women of her time. Despite setbacks, including the cancellation of her NBC shows and health challenges, Lewis demonstrated resilience and enduring relevance.

2:30 PM
Tormented by his role in a 1950s Gaza assassination, Geizi Tsafrir, an elderly Israeli agent, seeks redemption. Reflecting on his time with Shin Bet (The Israeli Security Services) and the killing of an Egyptian lieutenant colonel, he decides to confront his past. He contacts the colonel's daughter, Nonie Darwish, once intent on avenging her father's death but now a prominent voice against radical Islam and a supporter of Israel. The mysterious email from Tsafrir sets Darwish on an emotional journey into her past, culminating in a meeting with him in Los Angeles. This winner of the Haifa International Film Festival's Best Israeli Documentary explores intricate emotions, history's complexities, and the bumpy path toward mutual understanding and forgiveness.

5:00PM
In-Theater (AMC 14): Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"In-TheaterView all films tagged "In-Theater"
In 1858 Bologna, a 6-year-old named Edgardo Mortara was seized by authorities of the papal state, taken away from his Jewish parents, and placed in the care of the Church. Believed to have been baptized in the cradle under odd circumstances, the child would be claimed as a Catholic. His mind erased of his family's religious heritage and beliefs, Edgardo was, unbeknownst to him, at the center of an international firestorm that led directly to the Italian people's rejection of the Pope's rule amidst the tumultuous Risorgimento. In this sumptuously mounted film from treasured octogenarian director Marco Bellocchio, the Mortara case becomes an extraordinary, nearly operatic historical drama. Kidnapped is at once a personal, human-scale narrative of a family in crisis, following parents who will do anything to retrieve their child from the clutches of a ruthless theocratic government, and a wide-scope portrait of a country on the cusp of revolution.

In-Theater (AMC 14): Running on Sand
Aumari, a young Eritrean refugee who lives in Israel, is caught by the immigration police and deported. At the last moment he manages to escape at the airport and runs straight into the hands of Maccabi Netanya's football fans that mistake him for the new, Nigerian striker who was supposed to land that day. Aumari turns from a transparent refugee into the big star. He has no football talent, He does,however, have a talent to make friends, to make people laugh and come together. It is through these skills that he manages to make big changes in the team and even find love. However, when Aumari goes back to being a refugee will someone stand by his side, and will he manage, for the first time in his life, to stop running?


October 28, 2024
Avenue of the Giants
6:00PM
Beautiful performances from Stephen Lang (Avatar) and Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) anchor a tale of personal strength and sacrifice in this cinematic masterpiece inspired by true events about a man harboring a haunting secret as a Holocaust survivor. Set in locations as disparate as Terezín, Prague, and the Avenue of the Giants drive in California's Humboldt Redwoods State Park, this is an inspiring story about the transformative power of friendship and healing. For more than 50 years, Auschwitz survivor Herbert Heller (Stephen Lang) kept his memories of the Holocaust secret — even from his wife and children. But when he meets Abbey (Elsie Fisher), a troubled teen dealing with her own unspoken pain, Herbert decides it's time to talk and finally open his heart. Through sharing their personal traumas, Herbert and Abbey become the unlikeliest of friends, allies in healing whose bond brings them a previously undiscovered sense of purpose. With stunning reenactments of Herbert's struggles to survive during WWII, this touching film demonstrates that hope and redemption can come from anywhere if we're open to it.

8:30PM
Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
A Holocaust survivor's daughter becomes Canada's first female Jewish Supreme Court judge, reshaping the legal world with landmark decisions on inclusivity, diversity, and equity. Rosalie Abella studied law in Toronto, achieving success as an attorney before being appointed as a judge at the age of 29 in 1976. Her historic appointment to Canada's highest court came in 2004, capping off a long and distinguished career. Her remarkable journey, marked by intelligence, accessibility, and a spirited nature, established her not only as a respected jurist but as a national treasure, often compared to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This edifying, inspiring profile provides candid insights into both her arc from refugee child to profoundly impacting Canadian human rights, and her marriage to famed historian Irving Abella, featuring interviews with a diverse array of admirers who celebrate her lasting legacy.

October 29, 2024

Arugam Bay
6:00PM
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"
In this touching and inspiring film, three Israeli surfers set out on a soul-searching journey to the magical southeast coast of Sri Lanka after completing their military service, seeking solace and closure after the tragic loss of a friend during a mission in Beirut. As they navigate their way through the tropical paradise of Arugam Bay, a revered haven for surfers, their expedition takes unexpected turns. Along the way, they encounter locals embracing a serene, unhurried life, and even forge connections with Iranian surfers vacationing at this unforgettable beach destination. Against the backdrop of this transformative adventure, the unbreakable bonds of their friendship are put to the test, as long-suppressed emotions and buried traumas resurface.

8:30PM
Rabbi on the Block
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
Tamar Manasseh, the charismatic rabbi and community activist from the south side of Chicago, wants African Americans and Jews to become closer allies. With one foot firmly in each of these two communities, Black Jews like Tamar are the natural bridge to help overcome decades offear, misunderstanding, and lack of communication. ?Rabbi on the Block is a feature-length documentary film that will show how Manasseh brings together Jews of all colors and is building bridges that will serve as the foundation for a revitalized alliance of African Americans and Jews while creating a new style of activist Judaism that takes the religion out of the synagogue and into the streets.

October 30, 2024

6:00PM
Supernova
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
Piecing together dramatic eyewitness accounts from survivors and first responders, with real time footage collated from multiple sources, "Supernova" provides a harrowing and detailed rundown of the massacre carried out by Hamas that took place at the Nova music festival in Re'im, a few kilometers from the Gaza Strip on the morning of October 7th: In this moving film, festival attendees and first responders take us through their harrowing stories of survival, the indescribable horrors they witnessed, and their struggle to find their way back to life. Captured in the almost immediate aftermath - their trauma and raw emotions are clearly visiblE

7:00PM
Screams Before Silence
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
Screams Before Silence presents testimony from October 7th survivors, first responders, eyewitnesses, released hostages, forensic experts and advocates. Despite the indisputable evidence of sexual violence committed by Hamas, these atrocities have received little scrutiny from human rights groups and international organizations. This documentary from Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta and founder of LeanIn.org, exposes both the brutality and the silence around this tragedy.

8:30PM
Shattered
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"
A terrorist attack on a Jewish community centre in Argentina not only has tragic consequences for those affected, but also brings to light a family secret that had been swept under the carpet for 22 years. In her latest thriller, ultra-orthodox director Dina Perlstein skilfully combines secret service investigations with personal research, politics with family drama, and high tension with melodrama.

October 31, 2024

6:00PM
Home
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"
A young and recently married Orthodox man's dream to open a computer store in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem turns into a violent nightmare when the entire neighborhood sees him as an existential threat. Turning his whole world upside down, the threat enters his home and puts his marriage to the test, as he faces the reality of his own free will within a predetermined world.

8:30PM
How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer explores the rollercoaster life of America's most controversial and bestselling author of the 20th Century, Norman Mailer. Propelled by his tremendous ego and contrarian spirit, Mailer's ceaseless visibility in the public eye lasted 6 decades, during which he had 6 tumultuous marriages, 9 beloved children, 11 bestsellers, 3 arrests, and 2 Pulitzer Prizes. Prophet, hedonist, violent criminal, literary outlaw, and social provocateur, Mailer's ideas about love, anger, fear, and courage cut to the core of human nature, are more relevant than ever today, and point to a prescription for waking ourselves up, shaking free of society's expectations, and coming alive as a people. The first project with full access to Mailer's family and their archive, the film unearths a treasure trove of intimate and never-before-seen footage, outtakes, audio recordings, and interviews from throughout his life. Mailer lays himself bare, foibles and all. As a lover, fighter, rabble-rouser, and perhaps the last true American public intellectual, he seeks most of all to become a bolder, better human being and encourages us to do the same —to think adventurously, speak fearlessly, and care less about the response... or risk a doomed future.

November 1, 2024

1:00PM
Less Than Kosher
Musical ComedyView all films tagged "Musical Comedy"
At 20, Viv was a promising young singer. At 30, her failing music career has forced her back into her mother's basement. But when this self-proclaimed "Bad Jew" lands ***-backwards into a job as a Cantor at her family's synagogue, she's thrown into a wild ride of illicit affairs, drug trips, tense family drama, self-discovery and some serious Jewish bops.


3:00PM
Generation 1.5
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
The massive Aliyah from the former USSR left an indelible mark on Israeli society. However, their integration into Israeli society was not without challenges and sacrifices. The film captures the profound narrative of the monumental exodus from the Soviet Union to Israel during the 1990s, as seen through the eyes of the "Generation 1.5": those who were born in the USSR and immigrated to Israel as children or teenagers. Now, three decades later, fully assimilated adults, they grapple with their identity and sense of belonging in their adopted homeland. They contemplate the discrimination and racism experienced, the compromises made by them and their parents for assimilation, and question whether the profound life-altering shift was indeed worthwhile.

November 2, 2024

6:00PM
No Name Restaurant
ComedyView all films tagged "Comedy"
In this spirited and absurdist culture-clash comedy, two men of different strict religious faiths must work together to survive in the Sinai Desert. One is the lost and befuddled Ben (Luzer Twersky, Castles in the Sky; Felix and Meira), an ultra-Orthodox Jew from Brooklyn who has missed his flight to Alexandria, where he is to help the ever-dwindling Jewish community in need of a 10th man for its Passover celebration. The other is the dyspeptic Adel (Hitham Omari), a Bedouin man driving a Renault 4 trying to track down his runaway camel. After Adel's car breaks down, the men must travel on foot, giving them a chance to get to know one another's personal lives (and love of food) better, and giving their plans—which end up including a night in a Greek monastery—a chance to go increasingly haywire.

8:30PM
Let the Party Begin
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"ComedyView all films tagged "Comedy"
"Let the Party Begin" is the story of the country's greatest film producer whose film wins at the Cannes Film festival. However, after two years of struggling through the coronavirus crisis, difficulties with investors wanting their money back, films not distributed and a difficult divorce settlement, Jonathan must sell his company with all its assets. Unaware of the situation his new wife decides to throw him a surprise party to celebrate his win at Cannes, inviting all the heads of the local film industry, colleagues and family. When Jonathan finds out about it he decides to wire the whole house with cameras. Who among us wouldn't want to be a fly on the wall at his own party, to listen in to his guests' conversations and to really hear what people think about him before his collapse. Jonathan watches the party and all that goes on through the monitors while at the same time liaising with his lawyer to save his business

November 3, 2024

1:00PM
My Father's Secrets
AnimationView all films tagged "Animation"DramaView all films tagged "Drama"ComedyView all films tagged "Comedy"FamilyView all films tagged "Family"
My Father's Secrets is an intimate, funny and thought-provoking film that focuses on a family's journey to reconciliation after facing the trauma of the Holocaust.

Based on the autobiographical novel by Israeli author and cartoonist Michel Kichka, My Father's Secrets is an intimate, funny and thought-provoking animated documentary that focuses on a family's journey to reconciliation. Michel's father Henri (voiced by Elliott Gould) was the sole survivor of his family decimated by the Holocaust. At 20 years old, Henri returned to his native Belgium, marrying and fathering four children. This is the story of Michel's family, who must try to understand their father's mysterious past and forge their own future.

4:00PM
Golda's War Diaries
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, Israel's National Archive has released the official protocols of Prime Minister Golda Meir's office from the time of the Yom Kippur War, documents unknown to the public until now. Dozens of stenograms and other documents describe what took place in Israel's seat of power at the time, including accounts of the minor moments that led to major decisions during the war. These documents leave no room for doubt. Despite the conventional image of "Golda" and the myth of her shortcomings during the war, what these documents show is that she actually managed the war effort vigorously and assertively; she convinced the U.S. to send military aid, saving Israel from the clutches of defeat, and bringing about its victory. Despite the war's steep cost, the facts show that Golda did not fail. In fact, Israel's achievements resulting from the war made it possible, five years later, to reach a peace agreement with Egypt.

6:30PM
The Shadow of the Day
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"
A thoroughly gripping tale of love against odds set in Italy of the late 1930s, The Shadow of the Day follows provincial restaurant owner Luciano (Riccardo Scamarcio, Where Life Begins), a veteran wounded in World War I and a fascist sympathizer who has cut himself off from the world and his own emotions. Soon, a mysterious, penniless young woman, Anna (Benedetta Porcaroli), arrives at his doorstep looking for a job; gradually her presence begins to open him up to the possibility of human connection. At the same time, the dangerous antisemitism and political realities of Europe are creeping into their daily lives, leading to a reckoning that will force Luciano to question everything he thinks he knows about the world and his own heart. Filmed in the picturesque town of Ascoli Piceno in central Italy, Giuseppe Piccioni's beautifully mounted human drama demonstrates the possibility of redemption in the darkest times.


8:30PM
The Milky Way
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"ComedyView all films tagged "Comedy"
Tala, 33, an Israeli offbeat musician, just had her first baby. Desperate to make a living and support her kid with no father in the picture, she takes up a job at the "Milky Way". In this dairy for breast milk, you can get the best newly mothers can offer: vegan, high-rate of protein, with top-quality essential nutrients milk. In this dystopic dark comedy, Tala embarks on a journey navigating the complexities of motherhood, while taking a glimpse into the wealthy lives she is supplying.

November 4, 2024

6:00PM
The Goldman Case
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"
One of the most acclaimed films from the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, this gripping courtroom drama from widely admired French filmmaker Cédric Kahn (Red Lights) delves into the sensationalized 1976 trial of Pierre Goldman, a left-wing activist defending himself against multiple charges, including murder during an armed robbery. Arieh Worthalter is mesmerizing as the accused, a revolutionary and the son of Polish Jewish refugees who steadfastly maintained his innocence, while the facts of his case became a flash point for a generation, raising questions of antisemitism and political ideology. Directed with vérité realism and pinpoint historical precision, The Goldman Case is a focused, distilled dramatization that's both subdued and electrifying, communicating so much about the complexity of Jewish identity in recent European history.

8:30 PM
Shoshana
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"
Inspired by real events, Shoshana is a political thriller set in the 1930s in Tel Aviv, a brand new European, Jewish city being built on the shores of the Mediterranean. Thomas Wilkin (Douglas Booth) is in love with the city and with Shoshana Borochov (Irina Starshenbaum). Through their relationship the film explores the way extremism and violence pushes people apart, forcing people to choose one side or the other. A terrorist attack on a Jewish community centre in Argentina not only has tragic consequences for those affected, but also brings to light a family secret that had been swept under the carpet for 22 years. In her latest thriller, ultra-orthodox director Dina Perlstein skillfully combines secret service investigations with personal research, politics with family drama, and high tension with melodrama.

November 5, 2024

6:00PM
Yerusalem
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
"Yerusalem, a new feature documentary (based on the Israeli documentary series) brings to life the story of a long, dramatic and tumultuous journey as the Jewish Ethiopian community, also known as "Beta-Israel", finally find their way back to the heart of the Jewish people after centuries – Jerusalem. "Yerusalem" is the story of an isolated Jewish tribe who kept its faith for thousands of years even though they lived in a hostile Christian environment. This is the story of ancient Jewish traditions, of heroic actions and daring covert operations. But mainly, this is the story of a powerful religious yearning that has been passed down from father to son for countless generations. A desire for a "Yerusalem" tied with gold threads. In one of several clandestine operations in the Ethiopian Exodus, Israeli Mossad, the US administration and world Jewry collaborated to rescue thousands of Ethiopian Jews from the hellhole refugee camps in Sudan. The London Times wrote: "The airlift was in its way as inspiring a story as the Biblical Exodus".

8:30PM
All About the Levkoviches
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"ComedyView all films tagged "Comedy"
Told with delightfully mordant humor and a genuine warmth, this appealing domestic story from Hungarian filmmaker Adam Breier follows a Jewish family on the winding path toward reconciliation. Tamas (a gruff but tender Bezerédi Zoltán) is an aging boxing coach in present-day Budapest whose relationship with his son, Ivan (Szabó Kimmel Tamás), has frayed to the point of estrangement. After converting to Orthodox Judaism, Ivan moved to Israel, where he had a son, Ariel (Leo Gagel), whom Tamas has never met. Now, Ivan and Ariel have come back to Budapest for the funeral of Tamas's wife, forcing father and son to face one another. Breier's film is masterfully acted and directed, maintaining a perfectly balanced tone between comedy and pathos.

November 6, 2024

6:00PM
Converts: The Journey of Becoming Jewish
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
Converts: The Journey of Becoming Jewish is a documentary series that follows several non-Jews from around the world as they go through the conversion process to Judaism. The series explores the motivations and experiences of these individuals as they learn about andembrace Jewish culture, history, and religion. Diana from Costa Rica found out about her Spanish-Portuguese Jewish roots from a high school genealogy project. She had always felt a connection to Judaism, and after learning about her heritage, she decided to convert. Adam from Toronto was raised as a Pentecostal Christian, but he began to question his beliefs as a teenager. He was drawn to Judaism's intellectual rigor and its emphasis on social justice. Bianka from Warsaw was looking for a community and asense of belonging. She found both in Judaism, which she says has given her a new sense of purpose in life.All of the individuals featured in the series are on a journey of self-discovery. They are negotiating their relationships with family, friends, and significant others as they embrace their new faith. They are also searching for identity and connection, and they find both in Judaism. Through following the conversion process of these individuals, we are vicariously exposed to arrange of Jewish ideas and practices. We learn about the history of Judaism, its sacred texts, and its rituals. We also meet the teachers and guides who help these individuals along their journey.

8:30PM
Children of Nobody
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"
Living on the fringes of Israeli society, troubled boys must band together to save the shelter for at-risk youth that has kept them off the streets. For generations, altruistic surrogate mother, Margalit (Tiki Dayan), provided loving refuge to victims of neglect and violence in a shabby house on Tel Aviv's outskirts. When tragedy strikes, it's up to right-hand man Jackie (Roy Assaf) to keep the home from corrupt property developers, and assuage a social worker's scrutiny. With tough love from "big brother" Jackie, the young men must now be accountable for their own lives, and save their refuge from a dire fate. Inspired by a true story, this compassionate drama gives voice to those on the periphery, often unnoticed and uncared for.

November 7,2024

6:00PM
The Catskills
DocumentaryView all films tagged "Documentary"
Evoking the golden era of the Borscht Belt, this affectionate and nostalgic homage vibrantly showcases the humor, heritage, and spirit of the Jewish-American saga at the iconic Catskills summer resorts. Over the 20th century, the mountains north of New York City became lively havens for Jewish families, both working-class and affluent, famed for lavish buffets and nightclubs that fostered rising comic and musical talent. Entertaining anecdotes from performers, waiters, and resort guests, plus a wealth of archival material, evoke the vintage spirit of these iconic retreats, symbols of Yiddishkeit heritage and refuges from antisemitism. This delightful time capsule highlights the Catskills as a cultural touchstone and a crucible of the Jewish-American saga.

8:30PM
Irena's Vow
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"
Through the eyes of a strong-willed woman comes the remarkable true story of Irena Gut Opdyke and the triumphs of the human spirit over devastating tragedy. 19-year-old Irena Gut is promoted to housekeeper in the home of a highly respected Nazi officer when she finds out that the Jewish ghetto is about to be liquidated. Determined to help twelve Jewish workers, she decides to shelter them in the safest place she can think of: the basement of the German commandant's house. Over the next two years, Irena uses her wit, humor, and courage to hide her friends until the end of the German occupation, concealing them in the midst of countless Nazi parties, a blackmail scheme, and even the birth of a child. Her story is one of the most inspiring of our time.

November 10, 2024

7:00PM
In-Theater (OFJCC): Call Me Dancer
DramaView all films tagged "Drama"In-TheaterView all films tagged "In-Theater"
Charismatic, athletic Manish is a young and talented street dancer from a poor Mumbai family. As an only son expected to support his parents, he struggles against their insistence that he follow a traditional path and take up his father's profession as a cab driver. When he secretly attends an inner-city dance school and tries a ballet class, he meets Yehuda, a curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli teacher, and a hunger develops within Manish. Ambitious and passionate, Manish is determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked against him. Call Me Dancer chronicles his hope, heartache, and hard work. Together, Manish and Yehuda transform each other's lives. Yehuda seeks a purpose and a place to call home while Manish dreams of dancing on the world-stage against all odds. This documentary is an audience favorite wherever it screens.

Date: October 6 - November 10, 2024

Location: Various Venues

Click here for more Information