Ha-Ushpizin

This comedy which received Best Picture award from Israeli Critics in 2004 reveals a world that most of us don't know at all – the world of pious, ultra-Orthodox Jews in the Jerusalem courtyards that seem to be indifferent to what century or even millennium is passing by. On the eve of the Jewish harvest holiday of Succoth, Moshe and Mali, a devoutly religious but impoverished couple, pray fervently for a miracle that they desperately need – for money they need to build a Sukkah for holiday, for "ushpizin" ("holy guests") to share the holiday with, and for the most wonderful miracle of all, for a child they dream of but don't have. A series of unexpected events occur, including the appearance of two "unholy guests" – two escaped parolees from Moshe's wild past. Moshe and Mali invited the guests to share the holiday with them, and more unpredictable events would follow...

"Ushpizin" is the first collaborative effort between Israel's religious and secular communities and it features many non-professionals who gave very good performances in the movie. Shuli Rand, the writer-star of the movie and his real life wife, Michal Bat-Sheva Rand played Moshe and Mali, and their chemistry is palpable and real contributing to this thoroughly charming story of faith, love, and devotion.

"Sad to be all alone in the world" WIthout children there is no laughter.... so starts the struggle of a Baal Tshuvah (returnees to Judaisn) family in Israel in the huge Breslower chassidic community. Moshe Balanga is struggling to put food on the table, although it is never explained WHY he doesn't work, he comes home dejected on the eve of the holiday of Sucot only to be told by his wife that his faith is lacking and that he should pray harder. Ushpizen is a look at the guarded frum (religious) community from the inside. No compromises of nudity, sex, violence, foul language are needed to tell this sweet, fast paced, emotional story. I saw it with a mostly Jewish audience, but sat next to a non jew who enjoyed it as much as I did. For all ages, for all walks of life.... You will cry, and you will laugh, and you will cheer when it is over. I can't wait to see it again, I suggest you run to see it when it hits national release in September.

It's quite hard for me to speak about this film without referring to the context of the delicate balance of relations between religious and non-religious people in Israel. This film is made mostly by religious people, and the whole story is told from the perspective of the deep believers. Jewish religious Jerusalem looks beautiful in this film, and it's no better moment to put it on screen than the festival of Succot. Still, the world and life of the religious people in Israel is much more complicated, and the problems they face are quite different, but this is not what this story is about.

What this is indeed about is about what does influence our lives. The main characters are a born-again Jew and his wife, living at the brink of their resources a life of devotion and religious studies. Many things happen to them in the few days before and during the holiday, and these can be explained as miracles dictated by God, or by circumstances of hazard. Of course, the characters are true believers, they speak to God, and know that God rewards them or punishes them for their deeds, but is not this the result of their imagination derived from their deep belief? The director makes for most of the film no comment and lets the viewers decide by themselves. Only by the end, in the last minutes he decides to become explicit, and this is a mistake in my opinion. The kind of Hollywood style ending adopted by this film is sometimes called 'Deus ex machina' and never was the name more appropriate.

Acting is wonderful, both of the religious people looking like characters descending directly from Bashevis Singer's books, as well as the non-religious ones, although their characters are closer to stereotypes. The film was originally made for TV, I believe, with a small budget, it still is true and sincere and funny in many moments. I am looking forward to see how it will be received by the North American audiences.

Ushpizin is about a "chozer b'tshuva" (recently religious) Jerusalem couple whose faith is tested repeatedly during the Succot holiday. Will their faith hold as the tests get harder and harder? Will G-d send them the miracles they need? Familiar references spring to mind, from the biblical story of Avraham and Sarah, to traditional tales of shtetl life, to the stories of S.Y. Agnon. Yet the contemporary context makes it a highly original work. The film manages to retain and build dramatic tension. It successfully portrays strong emotions including anger, frustration, love, gratitude, and faith without becoming overly sentimental.

The main couple is played by actors who are married in real life and also religious in real life (he wrote the script). Their love, clearly visible, is one of the nicest parts of the story.

The criminals who come to stay as guests during the holiday ("Ushpizin" in Hebrew) are a bit too cartooned at times, but are not all bad.

It's nice to see a Jerusalem that really exists: a place of material poverty but spiritual wealth, home to an imperfect but caring community that finds meaning in the fulfillment of mitzvahs (commandments).

For someone unfamiliar with the culture, Ushpizin may be like visiting another planet full of strange people, unfamiliar rules, and absolutely opposite priorities. It quickly becomes a human fable with which all of us can connect deeply, however: the blessings and curses that come with wishes that are granted, the confusion of figuring out how the big picture will play out in our smallest choices, the warmth and pressure of belonging to a wider community of similarly confused and agitated people.

Some of the characters border on lovable stereotypes, and the picture painted is of a world in which good is absolutely guaranteed to conquer evil, but it is nonetheless believable and suspenseful. You really should see it.