A Kosher Cinematic Look at a Cloistered Community

c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The Israeli import “Ushpizin” is a movie about faith, miracles and unity. The protagonists are Orthodox Jews, husband and wife who play host to less-than-pious visitors over the holiday of Sukkot _ a weeklong harvest celebration during which guests are traditionally housed in a thatched hut known as a […]

c. 2005 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) The Israeli import “Ushpizin” is a movie about faith, miracles and unity.

The protagonists are Orthodox Jews, husband and wife who play host to less-than-pious visitors over the holiday of Sukkot _ a weeklong harvest celebration during which guests are traditionally housed in a thatched hut known as a sukkah.


Over the course of the story, the divide between the religious and secular characters is bridged and a sense of mutual understanding prevails.

The movie itself crosses divides, offering audiences a window into Hasidic culture. The troubles the characters face ring familiar _ whether it’s marital discord or a shortage of money _ even if their customs and beliefs are outside your frame of reference.

Director Gidi Dar captures a community that has historically kept itself cloistered away from mainstream society. By keeping a kosher set and working under the guidance of a rabbi, Dar was granted access to Jerusalem neighborhoods that are normally off-limits to movie cameras.

While Dar is a secular filmmaker, lead performer and screenwriter Shuli Rand is a Hasidic Jew. Rand starred in Dar’s 1992 debut feature, “Eddie King,” but later quit acting to concentrate on Torah study.

The two wanted to collaborate again, so they agreed to tackle the challenge of shooting a movie that adheres to the laws of Orthodox Judaism. “Ushpizin,” which means “guests” in Aramaic, springs from Rand’s memories of a strange Sukkot during which his sukkah mysteriously vanished.

Religious custom prohibited Rand from performing opposite a fictional screen wife, so his real spouse, Michal Bat Sheva Rand, plays the role, despite a lack of professional acting experience. The casting works better than one might expect, with polished portrayals from both husband and wife.

As a piece of storytelling, the movie is flawed, but its observational qualities compensate for the occasional plot hole or overstated scene.

The central characters, Moshe (Shuli) and Malli (Michal), are facing hard times as the Sukkot holiday nears. They have fallen behind paying rent and building a commemorative sukkah is beyond their means.


It seems like their prayers have been answered when a stranger slips a gift of $1,000 under their door and Moshe finds an abandoned sukkah. They believe it’s another blessing when unexpected guests arrive in time for the holiday.

The visitors, however, are actually escaped convicts, one of whom shares a criminal past with Moshe and questions the legitimacy of his old friend’s religious turnaround. The unruly vagabonds cause a scandal in the neighborhood and the couple come to realize that their guests are more a test than a blessing.

Laughs, tears and mitzvahs ensue, as the deceptively simple story yields a generous amount of illumination and uplift.

(Rated PG-13. The film contains adult themes and alcohol abuse. In Hebrew with English subtitles.)

X X X

FILM CLIP:

“USHPIZIN” In this Israeli fable, unexpected guests arrive at the home of an Orthodox Jewish couple (real-life spouses Shuli Rand and Michal Bat Sheva Rand) over the holiday of Sukkot, a harvest celebration during which visitors are traditionally housed in thatched huts built to stand a week. The guests are less than pious, escaped convicts whose unruly behavior causes a scandal in the strictly religious neighborhood. The movie, shot in accordance with the rules and customs of Orthodox Judaism, vividly captures a community that has historically kept itself cloistered away from mainstream culture. In Hebrew with English subtitles. The film contains adult themes and alcohol abuse. Rated PG-13. Running time: 90 minutes. THREE STARS

(Lisa Rose is a staff writer for The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J.)

KRE/PH END ROSE

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!