“Family Time” (Trailer), 75 min 2012
@Siegal Building, 26500 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood

*Preview Night for Patrons. To become a patron click on me

Family time tells the story of an Israeli family of Yemenite descent. The film takes place during a transformative trip the family takes through the Grand Canyon in a small, crowded RV, and discloses the fractures and varying perspectives among the family members. It centers on the conservative father who wishes the best for his three children, but cannot reconcile the fact that he has no control over their futures. A father who’s worried about his youngest son, who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; a father who struggles with the differences between him and his middle son, who emigrated from the country years ago, and a father who refuses to accept the fact that his eldest son is gay, truly believing that being gay is a psychological disorder that should be fixed. Amongst them all stands the mother who is trying to keep the family together, functioning and united. The story of the family is woven together during the trip itself, integrated with 8 mm archival footage of the family members. Family Time is a universal story of a family, with children trying to find self-fulfillment vis-à-vis the dreams and hopes of their parents.

“Dolphin Boy” (Trailer), 72 min 2011. Registration
@Temple Emanu El, 4545 Brainard Rd  Chagrin Falls

Morad – a teenager from an Arab village in the north of Israel disconnects himself from humans following a violent attack that he experienced. As a last resort before hospitalization in a mental institution, he is taken by his devoted father to be treated with Dolphins in Eilat. Morad starts speaking again after months of silence, but he erases his past and refuses to go home to his awaiting mother. This documentary is about the devastating havoc that human violence can wreak upon the human soul, and about the healing powers of nature and of love. It was filmed over the course of the past four years. Hosted by NCJW, Hadassah, and Na-amat USA.

“Honorable Ambassador” (Trailer), 60 min 2012. Registration

@ Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, 2929 Richmond Rd  Beachwood

Mickey Arbel, the Israeli Ambassador in Cameroon, Africa, sets out on a long and exhausting journey into the deep jungles and arid deserts of Africa, to persuade the villagers of the need for drip irrigation, which would resolve once and for all the severe irrigation problems of this very underdeveloped country.

This is a frustrating journey, surreal, exciting, funny, full of events and action and most importantly–very cinematic. But no less–it is also the inner journey of Mickey deep into himself.

The Israelis in the Periphery – a Cult film

“Operation Grandma” (Trailer), 50 min 1999. Registration

@Negative Space Gallery, 3820 Superior Avenue East. Asian Town Center, 2nd Floor Cleveland 

Mivtza Savta (“Operation Grandma”) is a satirical comedy about the Israeli military and about kibbutz life.

The story revolves around three brothers: Alon (34), a no-nonsense army officer; Benny (30), a brilliant electrician; and Idan (22) a wimpy tour guide.  The story is told from Idan’s point of view.

The three brothers want to bury their beloved grandmother in the kibbutz cemetery. Because Alon has a secret security operation set for that same day, they have to work on a tight schedule so he plans the burial like a military operation – hence the title.  A series of mistakes and mishaps complicate things with hilarious results.

Since winning the Israeli Academy Award in 1999, “Operation Grandma” has become one of Israel’s biggest cult films.

“Kibbutz Gesher – The Battle for Home”, (Trailer) 37 min. 2008. Registration

@Jewish Federation of Cleveland, Mandel Building, 25701 Science Park Drive, Beachwood

The film tells the story of Kibbutz Gesher during one of the toughest tests in the history of settlements in  Eretz Yisrael and later the State of Israel, in the days between the 27th to the 29th of April, 1948, during the War of Independence.

This is an opportunity to watch one of the most fascinating and human stories in the war for the land and the wonderful legacy left by the founding generation of Kibbutz Gesher.

As stated by Dr. Meir Pa’il (historian) and reserve general Matan Vilnai: “This is one of the most amazing stories of heroism in the history of Eretz Yisrael.” “If Gesher had fallen, Arab armies would have raced all the way to Haifa …”

*This film will be screened again on Friday, April 19 12:30 PM @ R.H. Myers Apartments, 27200 Cedar Road in Beachwood

“The Land of Genesis” (Trailer), 87 min. 2010. Registration

@ Mandel JCC, 26001 S Woodland Rd  Beachwood

Throughout the entire world, Israel is presented through news broadcasts on television – a series of violent images of terror and war. “Land of Genesis” introduces a completely different Israel – an Israel of amazing landscapes and multitudes of plants and wildlife.

Israel is located at the meeting point of three continents. It hosts five distinctive climatic zones along its 540 Km of length and dozens of km of width. These different zones create a rich and diverse world of flora and fauna. As the seasons change, the colors countrywide shift and wildlife alters its behavior in accordance with the biological clock ticking within each species.

Throughout the year, a beautiful and sometimes amazing world of insects, reptiles, birds and mammals is presented here. Most of this world is unfamiliar and not always apparent even to the people who live here.

The film presents the “Experience of The Land of Genesis” by following three mammals in their respective geographic habitats, as the seasons change. Each of the animals – the wolves of the Golan Heights, the swamp cats of the Sea Of Galilee and the ibexes of the desert – will open a window to the world of plants and animals of the region, a world filled with amazing beauty, a world in which there is no hatred, and which is guided only by one urge – the urge for survival.

Utilizing the amazing landscape shots by the international awards winning cinematographer Moshe Alpert, and the magnificent ethnic-inspired music of Uri Ophir and internationally-acclaimed singer Noa, we managed to create a unique film, an uplifting experience of sound and color.

“Home Movie“ (Trailer), 62 min. 2012. Registration

@ Cedar Sinai Synagogue, 23749 Cedar Rd, Beachwood

The final chapter in the breakdown of the director’s family – one of many who did not survive the trials of immigration. The last thing that prevents the family’s collapse is a ground-level apartment in Jerusalem where they managed to strike some roots. When the father leaves as well, they are faced with a dilemma: should they rent it or hold on to it as a final anchor of stability? The decision is postponed until renovations are completed.

“Grandpa Shimon” (Trailer in Hebrew) 48 min. 2012. Registration

@ The Park Synagogue East, 27500 Shaker BLVD Pepper Pike

Matan is the drummer of the successful international Metal band “Orphaned Land.”  Matan lives in a small countryside in the north of Israel called “Beit Yosef”, where three generations reside under the same roof. Matan is building a recording studio in his house, His grandfather Shimon, who immigrated from Kurdistan in the 50′s, strictly opposes this because of the noise and the “Metalhead” visitors. Matan tries to bridge the culture gap and offers his grandfather to produce an album of Kurd songs. After agreeing, Matan takes his grandfather’s vocal channels to a tour in the USA and exposes the Metal fans to his grandfather’s songs. Shimon is invited to tour with “Orphaned Land” in Turkey. Shimon doesn’t come easy about this trip and changes his mind about joining the tour. Matan doesn’t give up and tries to get the recognition from his grandfather in different ways. This movie portrays a musical journey through which Matan tries to combine his professional world-wide life and his personal countryside life.

“The Pioneers“ (Trailer), 84 min. 2008. Registration

@ Jewish Federation of Cleveland, Mandel Building, 25701 Science Park Drive, Beachwood

The film depicts the establishment of the town of Sderot from the viewpoint of its first settlers – immigrants who were transported on trucks in the middle of the night to a desolate “ma’bara” (transit camp) somewhere in the desert. Despite the many challenges they faced, they stayed and developed an Israeli town with a unique character. 

@B’nai Jeshurun Congregation, 27501 Fairmount Blvd, Cleveland 

Festival of Flavors 2:30 PM. Registration

We invite the community to experience the flavors and spirit of Cleveland’s Partnership region in Israel, Beit Shean, through a unique interaction with 3 women from Beit Shean who will expose you, through their culinary expertise and rich Jewish heritage, to the tastes and culture of Beit Shean.

The event is family friendly, including samplings of Sephardic food, child friendly activities related to Israel, dancing and music. Parents are welcome to watch the screening while children participate in activities.

We invite the community to experience the flavors and spirit of Cleveland’s Partnership region in Israel, Beit Shean, through a unique interaction with 3 women from Beit Shean who will expose you, through their culinary expertise and rich Jewish heritage, to the tastes and culture of Beit Shean.

The event is family friendly, including samplings of Sephardic food; child friendly activities related to Israel, dancing and music. Parents are welcome to watch the screening while children participate in activities.

“The Sachne, My Home”, 3:30 PM

This film documents one of the most popular natural sites in Israel (in the Beit Shean Region) where Israelis families, Arab families, tourists, soldiers and immigrants visit year round to enjoy its beauty and to celebrate their lives.