Israel Film Festival online expands 4 films to nation-wide access, 5 more within all California

Regarding the Israel Film Festival in Southern California, the absence of in-person exposure to filmmakers and actors is made-up for by the convenience of watching the films with Zoom discussions of filmmakers at your leisure.

Viewer access that was originally limited to Los Angeles County has been expanded for some movies (as indicated below) to all of California, and nation-wide for others. Additionally, access has been extended through Sunday 27 Dec for 9 movies, with 4 of them reachable throughout the U.S.

I did enjoy the "Ophir Award"-winning, "Here we Are" which is followed by a discussion with Nir Bergman, director; Shai Avivi, lead actor, moderated by L.A. Times film critic, Kenneth Turan. (It's the non-Ophir winners, though, that are being extended access to).

Viewer access that was originally limited to Los Angeles County has been expanded for some movies (as indicated below) to all of California, and nation-wide for others. 

 

People of Jewish, Christian, and Israeli heritage benefit from seeing Israeli culture in documentary and drama, exported via the Israel Film Festival. Perhaps this year we can share it with new viewers beyond the movie theater. Please enjoy and share some of the celebrity remarks which JooTube has produced at the Israel Film Festival over the past decade. 

Resulting from video-computer difficulties and a family tragedy this year, JooTube has shifted its publishing focus to social-networks, Facebook,YouTube, and Twitter, at the expense of this website and email list. As the censorship of our work on those social-media channels gets worse, we'd like to shift to alternative outlets, including resuming publishing on over-the-top broadband to television (Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video). If you'd like to continue to see JooTube's brand of on-the-scene, independent, pro-Jewish combating anti-Israelism and anti-Semitism reporting, would you please contribute to this mission? Supporting the cause of educating and protecting the Jewish people earn you manifold blessings in this world and the next. May you merit good health and freedom from trouble in the coming year!

Replaying 3-years later: White House's Hanukah gift fortifies Israel & Am Yisrael morale; Local displays recharge pride; Get the mitzvah of contributing

Enjoy a replay of our 2017 story during public gatherings in D.C. and L.A.

National Menorah at The White House Ellipse

President Donald Trump dubbed December 7th evening's White House Hanukah party one that "will go down as especially special" and declared that this year's soiree was "all about Jerusalem." The holiday party came one day after the president's announcement that the U.S. embassy will be moved there from its current location in Tel Aviv. "Well, I know for a fact there are a lot of happy people in this room. (Applause.)  Jerusalem! Thank you! And Melania and I are thrilled to welcome you and so many wonderful friends to the White House. We wish you a very happy Hanukah, and I think this one will go down as especially special." (Applause.) 

		"The miracle of Hanukkah is the miracle of Israel. The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have endured unthinkable persecution and oppression. But no force has ever crushed your spirit, and no evil has ever extinguished your faith. And that is why the Jewish people shine as a light to all nations. And right now I’m thinking about what’s going on and the love that's all over Israel and all about Jerusalem. (Applause.) On behalf of all Americans, I also want to say how grateful I am for Jewish congregations throughout our country. You cherish your families, support your communities, and uplift our beloved country. Hanukkah is a time for Jewish families around the world to celebrate the miracles of the past and promises of the future. We are proud to stand with the people of Israel and to renew our enduring bond. This evening, we are blessed to have two very special Hanukkah lamps for this celebration. The menorah on my left has been lit every year since the earliest days of our nation. It comes from the First American Jewish Congregation, whose original members came to this land in the 1650s. That's a long time ago. It’s a symbol of the history and home the Jewish people made in the United States. Today, we are honored to have with us the congregation’s 10th spiritual leader since the American Revolution, Rabbi Soloveichik. (Applause.) That wasn’t bad. You think that's an easy one? It’s not. (Laughter.) Thank you, Rabbi, very much for being with us. Thank you, thank you for being with us. We're also -- but he’s so happy with yesterday, that he doesn't care if I get it exact. (Laughter and applause.) Thank you, Rabbi."

Unlike former Pres. Obama's Hanukah parties, Pres. Donald Trump mentioned G-d and Israel.

Rabbi Yossi Cunin feels that the ubiquity of religious Christmas 

decorations around L.A. makes Jewish families feel alienated 

Beverly Hills Gardens Park has both an illuminated Menorah on the left,

and a Christmas Tree on the right side of the sign

Adults, Mayor Lili Bosse, Mrs. Nechama and Rabbi Yossi Cunin
of Bev Hills Jewish Com'ty Chabad lit a more prominent menorah

which Chabad erected on private land fronting Santa Monica Blvd 

In 1973, the Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe Menachem M. Schneerson began a campaign: Help Jews across America light the menorah on Hanukah. Religious law commands Jews to light the menorah on Hanukkah, preferably in public. In addition to distributing tin candleholders, the organization orchestrated and sponsored menorah lightings in American parks, city halls, and village greens—on government-held land, in other words. By 1979, President Jimmy Carter was participating in a lighting ceremony. . . . 

Today, these giant menorahs are just a part of the American winter landscape. The White House menorah lighting is an annual tradition. No doubt, this public visibility has been one reason why Hanukkah has risen in prominence in American culture. (Source: "Hanukkah, Why?" by Emma Green in The Atlantic Dec 9, 2015)


Great Debates: The Public Menorah’s Legal Battle

In 1996, a federal appeals court ruled that (in 1986) the city of Beverly Hills violated the Constitution by allowing Chabad to erect a menorah in a public park, while prohibiting other groups from displaying their own symbols in the same park.

The suit challenging the city’s action in permitting the menorah display was filed by the local chapter of the American Jewish Congress and four Jewish residents of Beverly Hills, with the Anti-Defamation League filing a friend-of- the-court brief. The two Jewish organizations are opposed to religious displays on public property and have previously tangled with Chabad on the issue.

In 1989, the court said, Beverly Hills had denied one group the right to erect a cross in a park, and prevented another from mounting a winter solstice display.

In 2017, Beverly Hills Jewish Community Chabad supplanted Beverly Hills' city park menorah with other ones in more visible areas.  JooTube asked Mayor Lili Bosse and Rabbi Yosef Cunin's family about it.

Rabbi Yosef Cunin's brother, Rabbi Tsemach Cunin, of Chabad of Century City, (z'tz'l'b) led a public, family celebration at the Westfield Century City Mall, where the band and young daughters were included in the video above.

On December 17, 2017 Chabad of The (San Fernando) Valley held it's 16th annual Chanukah Concert at Universal CityWalk. Surprise guest stars, Eighth Day, peformed their hit "Miracle of Light" (introduced by Meir Kay) who jumped into the mosh-pit with students from the Jewish Educational Trade School, a technical, vocational high-school and college in Granada Hills, California.

For the final night's menorah lighting, Rabbi Yosef and Nechama Cunin welcomed her British WWI veteran grandfather, Mark Braham, 96, to light the large, electric-light menorah on private property for people passing-by a popular intersection on Sunset Boulevard. Mr. Braham is escorted by grandson-in-law Rabbi Yossi Cunin and great-grandson Tuvia, age 5.

JooTube.TV, North America's original, Jewish video-news chronicle attracts an average of 5,000 views every week, growing 29% over the prior year. Without forcing ads onto stories or video-plays, we rely on reader / viewer donations to continue bringing the news of the condition of Jewish identity against growing anti-Semitism. All donations you make go to cover the costs of online video and social-media publishing.

JooTube is a Kiddush Hashem, which ensures blessings when you contribute to sustain it. Please click here - as well as knowing that you're contributing to spreading the light about Israel and the survival of the Jewish nation, you'll be blessed! Happy holidays to you and yours for a safe, healthy 2018!

Southern Calif's Israel Film Festival adapts for Safer-at-Home with movies and celebrity interviews Dec 13-27

The 34th Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles, the largest showcase of Israeli cinema in North America, will be presented exclusively online this year. The Festival will screen movies from December 13^th – 27^th.  Each of the films will be available in southern California for streaming during the Festival; check the Festival website to learn which titles will be available in other regions.

Meir Fenigstein, founder and executive director of the Israel Film Festival announced that this year’s Festival edition will allow audiences to discover the best of new Israeli cinema and rediscover old gems, including award-winning features, documentaries, and past Ophir Award winners. You can also watch Q&A's from leading filmmakers and talent from each and every film.

To coincide with Fenigstein’s honor of receiving the IFF Lifetime Achievement Award and his 70^th birthday, a very special showing of the Kaveret / Poogy Reunion Concert Film, shot in 2013 at two sold-out performances in Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park with over 100,000 concert goers in attendance, will be screened at the Opening Night event on December 13th at 9pm.

Kaveret / Poogy 2013 Reunion Concert - 21:00 Sun 13 Dec

"Asia," will open on Sunday, the winner of nine Ophir Awards including Best Film, Best Director for Ruthy Pribar, and Best Supporting Actress for Shira Hass, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role in Netflix’s Unorthodox.  Asia has also been chosen as Israel’s official selection for the International Film Category at the 2021 Academy Awards. 

Sublet, directed and co-written by Eytan Fox, will have the coveted Festival Centerpiece position.  This is Mr. Fox’s first English speaking feature length film, starring John Benjamin Hickey (The Good Wife) and Israeli actor Niv Nissim. The Hollywood Reporter called Sublet “a visually seductive love letter to Tel Aviv and its vibrant street life” after its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Laila in Haifa, Amos Gitai’s latest feature film which premiered at the 2020 Venice Film Festival in the Official Competition, will close the Festival with a special screening followed by a Q&A with Mr. Gitai, hosted by Richard Peña, former program director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York.

"The Sublet" screens Sunday 20 Dec 8:30pm

To purchase tickets for all online screenings / Q&As visit www.israelfilmfestival.com starting November 30, 2020.

Ticket prices are as follows: $12 for one film streaming; $40 for a bundle of four separate streaming tickets; $54 for a bundle of six separate streaming tickets; $85 for a bundle of ten separate streaming tickets; $180 for a Festival all access pass to all films and Q&As. 

Among the highlights for this year’s 34^th Israel Film Festival are two U.S. Premieres, eight West Coast Premieres, four Los Angeles Premieres, a sneak preview and encore performances of seven former Ophir Award winners.  

Sky Raiders 3pm Sun 20 Dec

To connect with the 34^th Israel Film Festival on Facebook (The Israel Film Festival), Instagram @IsraelFilmFestival, and Twitter @IsraelFilmFest for festival news and highlights, and join the conversation with #IsraelFilmFestival.

The Board of Directors of the Israel Film Festival has selected one of their very own to receive the 2020 IFF Lifetime Achievement Award: Meir Fenigstein. As the Festival’s founder/executive director, and a highly respected member of the Israeli film community (known under his stage name Poogy, the drummer of the legendary Israeli musical rock band, Kaveret / Poogy), it was solely through Fenigstein’s dream, vision, dedication and commitment that the Festival was born and has thrived to bring Israeli cinema to audiences around the world.

“As the world faces enormous disruption and loss, we are humbled at the opportunity to bring the simple pleasure of films and entertainment into people’s lives,” noted Meir Fenigstein. “While theaters are closed, the movies of this year’s Israel Film Festival offer audiences watching at home a chance to escape for a brief time into the wonders of great storytelling and captivating characters, and to recapture some past favorites.”

All films will include an exclusive pre-recorded Festival interview Q&As with Israel’s most influential filmmakers and talent, each moderated by distinguished Israeli and American journalists:

• Africa - guests: Oren Gerner, director; Meir Gerner, lead actor; Maya Gerner, lead actress; moderator: Yair Raveh
• The Art of Waiting – guest: Erez Tadmor, director; moderator: Eran Polishuk
• Asia – guests: Ruthy Pribar, director; Shira Haas, supporting actress; Alena Yiv, lead actress; moderator: Annette Insdorf
• Aulcie - guests: Dani Menkin, director; Aulcie Perry, main subject; moderator: Tom Grater
• Baba Joon – guests: Yuval Dashland, director; Navid Negahban, main actor; moderator: Tom Grater
• The Band’s Visit – guests: Eran Kolirin, director; Sasson Gabbai, lead actor; moderator: Tom Grater
• The Cakemaker – guest: Ofir Raul Graizer, director; moderator: Michael Moshonov
• The Electrifiers – guests: Boaz Armoni, director; Zvika Nathan, producer and lead actor; Elisha Banai, supporting actor; moderator: Danielle Afori
• Footnote – guest: Joseph Cedar, director; moderator: Tim Greirson
• Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem – guest: Shlomi Elkabetz, director; moderator: Ruta Kupfer
• Golden Voices – guest: Evgeny Ruma, director; moderator: Katriel Schory
• Here We Are – guests: Nir Bergman, director; Shai Avivi, main actor; Noam Imber, supporting actor; Moderator: Kenneth Turan
• Honeymood – guest: Talya Lavie, director; Ran Danker, lead actor; moderator: Benjamin Freidenberg
• Incitement - guest: Yaron Zilberman, director; moderator: Yael Shuv
• Laila in Haifa – guest: Amos Gitai, director; moderator: Richard Peña
• Love in Suspenders – guest: Yohanan Veller, director; Michal Yanai, supporting actress; Nitza Shaul, main actress; moderator: Oded Grober
• Menachem Begin: Peace and War – guest: Levi Zini, director; moderator: Tim Greirson
• Murder at Cinema North – guests: Avida Livny, director; Yaron London, producer and legendary Israeli news anchor; moderator: Eran Polishuk
• Peaches and Cream – guest: Gur Bentwich, director; moderator: Oded Grober
• Poogy / Kaveret 2013 Reunion Concert – Meir Fenigstein, Poogy – drummer of the band; moderator: Dani Menkin
• The Prophet – guest: Ilan Rubin Fields, director; moderator: Oded Grober 
• Sky Raiders - guest: Lior Chefetz, director; moderator: Katriel Schory
• Sublet – guest: Eytan Fox, director; moderator: Hannah Brown

Scene from "Peaches and Cream" Wed 23 Dec - 7pm

The mission of the Israel Film Festival is to highlight Israel as the lively and innovative nation that it is, as well as to shine a spotlight on its thriving film and television industry, and enriching the American experience of Israel’s social and cultural diversity. As an international entertainment industry event, the festival has brought acclaim to both the films and participants and has opened new possibilities for cooperation and co-production between the U.S. and Israeli film and TV industries. Each year, the festival explores Israeli society by premiering Israeli features, documentaries and television dramas, and through conversations with visiting Israeli filmmakers. Since its inception thirty-four years ago, the festival has created an exciting and artistic platform for engaging diverse audiences with the richness of Israeli life and culture.

For four decades, the Festival has presented more than 1,000 feature films, documentaries, television dramas and short films to nearly one million filmgoers, and brought hundreds of Israeli filmmakers to the U.S. to share their art.  The Israel Film Festival is produced by IsraFest Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization created in 1982. Some of the sponsors for the 34th Israel Film Festival include: Insync PLUS, New Regency, Rabinovich Foundation, The Wrap, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, The Diane and Guilford Glazer Philanthropies, Deadline, Miller Ink, Hanna & Bernie Rubinstein, Lamar Advertising, LAMOTH, New Mandate Films, Israel Film Fund, The Adelson Family Foundation, O.L. Development, David Weiner and Family, KJAZZ, KSURF, and The Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, to name a few.

The Festival this year will honor beloved actor, producer, director and prankster Yehuda Barkan, who passed away in October at age 75 from complications of the COVID-19 virus, with a screening of his last acting role in Love in Suspenders, a romantic comedy that shows that love comes in many ages. Barkan was a stalwart of classic Israeli comedy films and a master of practical jokes whose penchant for prank calls helped establish his career 55 years ago.

For a full listing of all Israel Film Festival programming visit www.israelfilmfestival.com 

Prospects for a US-Israel mutual defense pact - Sen. Lindsey Graham and JINSA chief Michael Makovsky

In July, 2019 a working group run by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), under the leadership of former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Adm. (ret.) James Stavridis, issued a report making the strategic case for a U.S.-Israel mutual defense pact. JINSA drafted the text of a treaty that is similar to, but more narrowly defined than, existing U.S. arrangements with 50 countries, becoming the only organization to put out such a draft to date.

Since then, the organization said in recent a statement that various objections to a pact have been raised, “and we believe it now constructive to advance the policy conversation by elaborating the most salient counterarguments.” To that end, JINSA released a follow-up report addressing the main points of concern.

Michael Makovsky of JINSA at AIPAC 2020

In its new report, JINSA addressed six areas of criticism, beginning with freedom of action. It stated that “mutual defense pacts do not give allies a direct say in each other’s strategic decisions, nor do they obligate the parties to support or become involved in the others’ military activities.” The section on freedom of action added that the U.S.-Israel relationship “already features greater responsibilities than those officially contained in or required by a treaty alliance, without the extra deterrence provided by an explicit security guarantee.”

“We released that report because there’s been skepticism of the idea, even among many in Israel and some here in the United States who are pro-Israel. So we thought it was valuable to at least address some of the skepticism and objections head on,” Michael Makovsky, president and CEO of JINSA, told JNS.

“This is an issue we’ve been pushing—first quietly, then publicly—starting in the summer, when we released our own paper and draft treaty,” he added. “I would encourage anybody, if they have concerns, to at least read our draft first. If they have other suggestions of what a draft should look like, they should put forward those edits. But right now, that’s the draft that Senator Lindsey Graham [R-S.C.] is championing. The Israeli prime minister seems very supportive.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham discussed the plan with the Republican Jewish Coalition meeting in Las Vegas.



Mr. Makovsky acknowledged concerns among some in Israel over potential restrictions to Israeli freedom of action, saying, “Obviously, we wouldn’t support any such treaty either that constrained Israeli freedom of action. But we don’t think it should. The U.S. has mutual defense treaties with 50 other countries, and it hasn’t stopped the U.S. or these other countries from various military action.”

Any significant Israeli military action in the Middle East would likely be preceded by Israeli consultations with the United States in any case, and a mutual defense pact could add a level of deterrence for Israel, he argued.

“If a war breaks out, it could also mitigate the intensity and scope of the conflict,” said Makovsky. “I would say that since we put out our report in July, the Iranian threat has become more serious. What’s going on internally in Iran is encouraging, but one never knows how that’s going to play out, and it could even lead the regime to conduct more provocative action. The situation is more serious regarding Iran.”

Referring to the Sept. 14 Iranian drone and cruise-missile strike on Saudi energy sites, Makovsky noted that “provocations in the region have only intensified.”

“I think Israel is more exposed, and therefore, the importance of having a mutual defense pact has grown,” he said. “But I would add that it’s not the only thing that needs to be done. We put out another report recently, detailing the the need and options for accelerating the delivery of weapons to Israel under the 10-year Memorandum of Understanding [MOU]. It’s in Israel’s DNA to rely only on itself. So it’s incumbent on U.S. also give Israel the tools it needs to continue its countering of Iranian aggression, and ultimately, also to prepare for major war against Iran Hezbollah, if it comes about.”

Makovsky said that in terms of timing, “on the Israeli side, I think it’s unfortunate that it’s gotten caught up in the elections. Certainly, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s interest has nothing to do with elections. The Israelis were interested before this long before the elections. We raised this idea first a year-and-a-half ago.”

He continued: “On the U.S. side, I think it’s a good time to engage the issue. No one knows how the presidential elections are going to turn out in a year, but at least for now, it looks like President Trump has shown interest. It’s important to seize that opportunity as much as possible. For us, the impetus is purely to contribute to regional stability.” In its follow-up report, JINSA said that Iran’s growing regional aggression, including providing more than 130,000 rockets and missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and its now-revived nuclear program create the potential for higher-level conflict that Israel alone “might struggle to deter or defeat.”