Bit to Do

Tomorrow marks the end of the 14^th annual Jewish Film Festival. For the past two weeks, those interested in exploring the world of Jewish culture have had many opportunities to see films on the subject at Village 8 Theater, Adath Jeshurun Synagogue, and the Temple. The festival this year has focused on comedies, such as “The Yankles” and “This is Sodom,” and award winning Israeli films, such as “Restoration.” The closing event, a double feature of two short(ish) comedy films, is tomorrow evening at the Adath Jeshurun Synagogue.

“Lenin in October,” with a run time of 50 minutes, plays at 7:30 and tells the story of a man whose dream of opening his own restaurant seems unattainable. On the verge of despair, he suddenly finds himself the recipient of an inheritance from a rich uncle from Russia. There is one condition, however: the restaurant must be dedicated to the values of Communism. The film revolves specifically around Grisha’s attempt to find a statue of Lenin for his restaurant.

A screening of “Half a Ton of Bronze” (running 60 minutes) will immediately follow. In 1938, the Zionist Alexander Zaïd was commemorated with a statue on a hilltop overlooking the Jezreel Valley. The statue was toppled in 2007 by thieves presumably intending to steal it for scrap bronze. “Half a Ton of Bronze” is based on these real-life events; in the film, Zaïd’s grandson attempts to recover the statue and restore it to its rightful place.

The Adath Jeshurun Synagogue is located at 2401 Woodbourne Avenue in the Highlands. Admission to the event is $15 and includes a dessert reception immediately following the films. This is a fantastic last opportunity to explore Jewish culture through film and discuss the ideas presented with members of the faith or with other interested parties. More information can be found at the festival's website.

Image courtesy of the film festival’s website.