The Long Way Home

Now, I will start by saying that I'm biased. I am Jewish AND an Israeli. But in the face of such a well-told story I could not remain unmoved. Obviously I know the story, the story of the Jewish people from the almost complete annihilation in Europe of the early 40's to the creation of a Jewish state in Israel, and from knowing it all your life you think you understand. Well, you DO, but it takes such a well-made documentary, in its very simple way of telling a telling story, to actually FEEL it. I cried at the end. Morgan Freeman's excellent narration, with voices of fine actors and especially with the participation of excellent witness who can tell their story in such an engaging way make this a gripping history lesson. Though made by "our team" Two Jews, one of them being a Rabbi...) it maintains a fair standing in the delicate issues of the Jewish-Arab conflict in Palestine. It tells a human story and when put as it outs the story in perspective it gives the simple unfolding of the historical events an epic depth. One cannot stop and wonder how the same story may look so trivial in a day-to-day life (as it looks to me normally). A movie like this simply makes it clearer. I actually got several insightful observations that were really new to me. Note Clark Clifford, a White House counsel at the time in the Truman administration. He hardly has a voice by now, but he is as vivid in his details as he would be telling the details of one of the most important story of his life. And perhaps it was for him.