recommend two Israeli-made films-"Ushpizin" and "Walk on Water"

[Hamantashen]

I recommend two Israeli-made films, both available at Blockbuster, not on the internet:
1) Ushpizin- in Hebrew with English subtitles-  Excellent- Religious themes around pregnancy
2) Walk On Water- in English- not as good but entertaining- deals with holocaust issues and uses German actors but they are all sympathetic
I would be interested in anyone who saw them or is renting them and would like to comment on them.

[muman613]

I recommend two Israeli-made films, both available at Blockbuster, not on the internet:
1) Ushpizin- in Hebrew with English subtitles-  Excellent- Religious themes around pregnancy
2) Walk On Water- in English- not as good but entertaining- deals with holocaust issues and uses German actors but they are all sympathetic
I would be interested in anyone who saw them and would like to comment on them.

I love Ushpizin.... It is actually the story of a miracle which occurs for a couple on the holiday of Sukkot. The Ushpizin are the seven guests who are supposed to visit us in the Sukkot. In this story the 'guests' happen to be two old buddies of the protaganist who are escaped criminals... It is a very excellent story, and the music by Adi Ran is awesome {Ata Kadosh}




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushpizin

Moshe and Mali Bellanga are an impoverished, childless, Hasidic baal teshuva ("returnees to Judaism") couple in the Breslov community in Jerusalem. After Moshe is passed over for a stipend he expected, they cannot pay their bills, much less prepare for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Moshe admires a particularly beautiful etrog, or citron, one of the four species required for the holiday observance. They console themselves by recalling a saying of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov that difficult times are a test of faith. After some anguished prayer, they receive an unexpected monetary gift on the eve of the holiday and Moshe buys the etrog for 1000 shekels, a large sum of money that is much more than he can afford. The couple is visited by a pair of escaped convicts, one of whom knew Moshe in his earlier, non-religious life. The convicts become their guests (ushpizin) in the sukkah, creating many conflicts and straining Moshe and Mali's relationship.

[muman613]

Some pictures from the movie Ushpizin:

[Zelhar]

I haven't watched Ushpizin.

I watched "Walk on Water" and I find it lacking. It has a very archetypal, unrealistic, and banal script, mediocre acting, and wicked morality.

[Dr. Dan]

Ushpizin: two thumbs up

[Debbie Shafer]

Thanks for the tip, both videos sound interesting.

[Ulli]

I watched yesterday Ushpizin. Great movie. Poor Moshe had really a hard test. But in the end he passes. For a moment I thought he would attack the guests after they made an expensive salad with the special lemon.

[muman613]

I watched yesterday Ushpizin. Great movie. Poor Moshe had really a hard test. But in the end he passes. For a moment I thought he would attack the guests after they made an expensive salad with the special lemon.

Yes, that was quite a moment in that movie, his Etrog was cut up and used in a salad, the one he used all the money to buy... He was so hurt by it... I love that movie..

[Ulli]

I watched yesterday Ushpizin. Great movie. Poor Moshe had really a hard test. But in the end he passes. For a moment I thought he would attack the guests after they made an expensive salad with the special lemon.

Yes, that was quite a moment in that movie, his Etrog was cut up and used in a salad, the one he used all the money to buy... He was so hurt by it... I love that movie..

What happens after sukkot with the Etrog?

[muman613]

I watched yesterday Ushpizin. Great movie. Poor Moshe had really a hard test. But in the end he passes. For a moment I thought he would attack the guests after they made an expensive salad with the special lemon.

Yes, that was quite a moment in that movie, his Etrog was cut up and used in a salad, the one he used all the money to buy... He was so hurt by it... I love that movie..

What happens after sukkot with the Etrog?

Excellent question... One which there is an answer for from aish.com... I will reprint it, and link it...

http://www.aish.com/h/su/wt4s/48970261.html

After the Sukkot holiday has ended, we are left with a variety of items that we used for mitzvot, but which no longer seem to serve any function. For example, the four species (Lulav, Etrog, etc.), the willow branches from Hoshana Rabba, and the s'chach which formed the roof of our Sukkah.

But we mustn't simply throw these mitzvah items out. Why not? The Torah says that after Abraham purchased a field for Sarah's burial, "the field rose up" (Genesis 23:17). In what way can a field ascend? Rashi explains that when a material object is used for a mitzvah, that object becomes elevated spiritually. The same applies to our elevated mitzvah objects which served to raise us up during the festival.

Items such as a used Lulav, torn Tzitzit, or broken Shofar -- though they no longer retain any intrinsic holiness -- must not be treated disrespectfully by discarding them in a filthy place such as a garbage bin (Mishna Brura 21:6). However it is permissible, according to the letter of the law, to leave the object in a clean place with full knowledge that someone else will come and dispose of it (Mishna Brura 21:7). People who demonstrate extra care take it upon themselves to bury such articles or put them into a geniza (Rama O.C. 21:1).

MITZVAH RECYCLING

There is a beautiful kabbalistic idea of "mitzvah recycling" -- which suggests that any item used for one mitzvah should be used for another (Shulchan Aruch HaRav §12). For example, many save their Lulav sets and extra willows until the eve of Passover, to use them for kindling a fire for the mitzvah of burning chometz (Maharshal responsum §77). Similarly, old Tzitzit once detached from the Tallit can be used as effective bookmarks (Maharil).

Another beautiful practice is to cover the surface of the Etrog with aromatic cloves and use this throughout the year as a spice holder for the Havdallah service. others have the custom to collect dozens of Etrogs and to candy their tart fruit. You can then serve it on Tu Bishvat -- the new year for fruit trees.

Whatever you decide to do with your used mitzvah-objects, remember the underlying principle: Mitzvot are for individuals to express their personal relationship to G-d, and to be creative within the boundaries of halacha (Jewish law).

[Moshe92]

I haven't watched Ushpizin.

I watched "Walk on Water" and I find it lacking. It has a very archetypal, unrealistic, and banal script, mediocre acting, and wicked morality.

Well maybe the plot is unrealistic, but the characters are not. I'm sure there are quite a lot of gay German guys who are attracted to Arabs. 

[Ulli]

I haven't watched Ushpizin.

I watched "Walk on Water" and I find it lacking. It has a very archetypal, unrealistic, and banal script, mediocre acting, and wicked morality.

Well maybe the plot is unrealistic, but the characters are not. I'm sure there are quite a lot of gay German guys who are attracted to Arabs. 

I thought it is a Jewish movie. Gay Germans and Arabs? 

[Zelhar]

I haven't watched Ushpizin.

I watched "Walk on Water" and I find it lacking. It has a very archetypal, unrealistic, and banal script, mediocre acting, and wicked morality.

Well maybe the plot is unrealistic, but the characters are not. I'm sure there are quite a lot of gay German guys who are attracted to Arabs. 

I thought it is a Jewish movie. Gay Germans and Arabs? 

Yes This movie is about a gay German whose grandfather is a Nazi, his sister lives in Israel (in a Kibbutz I think) and she hooks up with the gay guy's Israeli friend who is of course a mosad agent, and the German guy hooks up with an Arab from east Jerusalem. One big happy family.

[mord]

I just looked it up on youtube it appears to be                         

[Hamantashen]

What I started as an intelligent discussion of two Israeli-made movies, one fantastic and the other, watchable has degenerated into a discussion by immature people talking about gays which has nothing to do with either movie.  It is obvious that when a mature topic arises, JTFer's become extremely childish and undergo a Freudian regression to the oral stage of psychosexual development.

[Ulli]

What I started as an intelligent discussion of two Israeli-made movies, one fantastic and the other, watchable has degenerated into a discussion by immature people talking about gays which has nothing to do with either movie.  It is obvious that when a mature topic arises, JTFer's become extremely childish and undergo a Freudian regression to the oral stage of psychosexual development.

Do you believe in Freud's fairy tales?

[Zelhar]

What I started as an intelligent discussion of two Israeli-made movies, one fantastic and the other, watchable has degenerated into a discussion by immature people talking about gays which has nothing to do with either movie.  It is obvious that when a mature topic arises, JTFer's become extremely childish and undergo a Freudian regression to the oral stage of psychosexual development.

You have a nasty habit of locking threads and silencing discussion that you can't control. If anyone has issues look into your own compulsiveness.

"Walk on Water" is very much a gay movie- the director, the writer, the script, it is in fact a movie about gays more than it is a movie about Israel. therefore it is relevant to mention this. Since you brought up a subject like this , you ought to expect people will take note.