Wedding DollPhoto by: Gabriel Baharlia

Houston Jewish

Film Festival

MARCH 5-20, 2016

erjcchouston.org/filmfest

Connect Magazine

EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JCC HOUSTON

See page 21 for Children’s Scholarship Balland other programs

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2 |Ticket Info and Venues3 |Letter from the Film Chair

5 | AFTERNOON OF SHORTS

COMEDY10 | Serial (Bad) Weddings12 | 10% My Child 13 | How to Win Enemies14 | A Night at the Opera15 | Closing Night: Dough

DOCUDRAMA13 | Sabena Hijacking: My Version

DOCUMENTARY6 | Very Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists

7 | A Nazi Legacy: What Our Fathers Did9 | Rosenwald10, 14 | The Muses of

Isaac Bashevis Singer11 | Carvalho’s Journey

DRAMA6 | The Kind Words6 | Phoenix7 | Apples from the Desert8 | Chair’s Choice: Everything is Illuminated9 | Fire Birds11 | Mountain11 | To Life!12 | Bulgarian Rhapsody12 | Baba Joon

13 | Women’s Night: A La Vie14 | Wedding Doll

9 | GET CULTURED: FOR 20s & 30sAtomic Falafel

THRILLER4 | Opening Night: The Man in the Wall10 | Remember15 | Fauda

16 | HJFF Calendar of Events17 | Committee Members and Staff17 | Sponsors and Community Partners18 | Editorial21 | Coming Up at the J

Houston Jewish Film Festival | At a Glance

TICKET INFORMATIONDon’t miss out! Films sell out. Buy individual tickets early to guarantee a seat.

VENUES

INDIVIDUAL TICKETSSee page 16 for individual ticket prices.

FESTIVAL PASS $80 Member | $110 Public$10 discount for Students and Seniors 60+Festival and Patron Passes provide entry for films only at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC.Patrons of the Arts and Festival Pass seats will be released 15 minutes prior to each film at the J. Make sure to arrive early to guarantee your seat.

To purchase tickets and passes, visit erjcchouston.org/filmfest.

Get member pricing to HJFF plus programs throughout the year!Membership starts as low as $180/year! For more detailed information on membership categories and rates,

please visit us online at erjcchouston.org/join or call 713.729.3200.

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Houston5601 South Braeswood Houston, TX 77096

713.551.7255 erjcchouston.org/filmfest

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston1001 Bissonnet St. Houston, TX 77005

713.639.7515 mfah.org/films

Holocaust Museum HoustonMorgan Family Center

5401 Caroline St. Houston, TX 77004713.942.8000 hmh.org

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LETTER FROM THE CHAIR Welcome to the 12th Houston Jewish Film Festival presented by the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC.

Our distinguished list of 26 features and documentaries includes 13 Israeli films. Isaac Zablocki, the Director of the Israel Film Center, describes this years’ crop of Israeli films as offering “a new development in Israeli cinematic language.” He cites our opening film, The Man in the Wall, for its “groundbreaking methods of presentation, taking innovation to a new level.” Our features include many Ophir (Israel’s version of the Academy Awards) winners and nominees, including Best Picture Winner Baba Joon and Best Actress Winner, Moran Rosenblatt in Wedding Doll (see cover). Additionally, films from Canada, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Denmark, Argentina, Great Britain, the U.S. and Hungary will be presented.

This is our second year to offer a Chairman’s Choice. Everything is Illuminated is one of those rare films as engaging as its critically acclaimed source material, a novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. It features humor, sadness, beauty and an unforgettable tour guide. Please join me in this journey of discovery of Jonathan (Elijah Wood) as he searches for his family’s history in the Ukraine.

Joel Dinkin, the J’s Executive Vice President, challenged me on more than one occasion to “offer some comedies.” I think Joel and our many viewers will enjoy some lighter fare: Very Semi Serious, Serial Bad Weddings, and our closing film, Dough. The icing on the comedy cake is one of my personal favorites, the Marx Brothers’ A Night at the Opera. I encourage you to get reacquainted with the Marx Brothers and to bring someone who is unfamiliar with them. This 80 year plus classic is a comedy they will not forget.

Thanks to the members of the film committee (see page 17) a tireless group of knowledgeable cinemaphiles including Festival Founders Doreen Joffe and Sharon Kagan plus former chairs Sue Goott, Diane Lee Kraitman and Helen Wils. My special appreciation goes to Miriam Pacht, Joyce Cramer and Nada Chandler for pre-screening more films than you can imagine. Finally, I would also like to personally thank the Amazing Amy Rahmani, Arts & Culture Program Coordinator, who makes it all happen. Finally the Festival would not be possible without the financial support of our Patrons of the Arts, underwriters, community and corporate sponsors. We appreciate your commitment and dedication to the Festival.

I look forward to seeing you again and again at the Festival.

John DreyfusFilm Committee Chair

The Man in the WallPhoto by: Ziv Berkovich

Baba Joon

A Night at the Opera

Dough

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Opening Night festivities begin at 7:00 PM.

Shir awakens one night to discover that her husband Rami is missing; his phone, his clothing, his wallet and all of his possessions are in their apartment. Shir panics. She calls his best friend; she calls the police. Rami’s whereabouts are unknown. And so begins a dark evening of revelations, half-truths and lies as unexpected guests, acquaintances, friends and relatives show up throughout the night, each with a different tale, each adding a dark layer to the mystery. This psychological thriller draws the audience into Shir’s crisis and her marriage until the twisted end.

For Opening Night only: all tickets are reserved seating. Buy your ticket early to ensure a seat. Patrons and Festival pass holders RSVP to jross@erjcchouston.org or call 713.551.7215.

Sponsored by June and Leonard Goldberg

Patron Sponsor: Joyce Cramer

Directed by Evgeny RumanIsrael, 2015, 92 minHebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereThriller

OPENING NIGHT

The Man in the WallSaturday, March 5 | 8:00 PMTuesday, March 15 | 5:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCC

Photo by: Ziv Berkovich

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Afternoon of ShortsSunday, March 6 | 1:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCC

Ave MariaDirected by Basil KhalilFrance, Germany, Palestine, 2015, 15 min

The silent routine of five nuns living in the West Bank is disturbed when an Israeli settler’s car breaks down outside their convent just before Shabbat. Ave Maria was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Oscars.

KapunkaDirected by Tal GreenbergIsrael, 2015, 12 min

When Israeli law pushes Shmulik’s back to the wall, he decides to take matters into his own hands. If only he knew how funny it would turn out.

IschlerDirected by Attila HartungHungary, 2014, 16 min

Evil comes from unexpected places as three Jewish sisters seek shelter in the Budapest apartment of a highly regarded doctor during the Holocaust.

LookoutDirected by Noa GusakovIsrael, 2014, 18 min

Serving as a lookout in the Israeli military, Timmy distracts herself from the tiring work by creating her own imaginary world. Then one day something happens in front of her eyes, shattering her protective bubble.

YidLife CrisisDirected by Eli Batalion & Jamie ElmanCanada, 2015, 6 min

Chaimie and Leizer, best friends and debating adversaries, tackle life, love, and lactose intolerance in this hilarious foodie-centric short series done entirely in their grandparents’ Yiddish.

Lost ParadiseDirected by Oded Binnun & Mihal BrezisFrance/Israel, 2009, 10 min

A man and a woman are making love in a one-star hotel room. A moment later, when both are dressed, the idyll that seemed authentic is now gone in this present-day Adam and Eve story.

Dear GodDirected by Erez Tadmor and Guy NattivIsrael, 2014, 13 min

Aaron cleans up the messages that people place into the historic Wailing Wall. One day a beautiful, mysterious woman leaves a note and Aaron decides to fulfill her deepest wish.

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Very Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker CartoonistsSunday, March 6 | 4:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCC

Sunday, March 13 | 6:00 PM*Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Some subscribers admit the first thing they do when a new issue of The New Yorker arrives is look at the cartoons which are always hilarious and topical. Very Semi-Serious, an offbeat meditation on humor, art, and the genius of the single panel comic, reveals the meticulous and often infuriating process of selecting and creating the magazine’s popular cartoons. The film follows cartoon editor Bob Mankoff as he reviews submissions from aspiring hopefuls as well as magazine icons including Roz Chast and Sam Gross.

The Kind Words(Hamilim Hatovot)Sunday, March 6 | 7:30 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCFollowing their mother’s death, three Israeli siblings learn that the Jewish man who raised them is not their biological father; their biological father is a Muslim. In turmoil, they set out for France in search of him. Dorona is angry and dissatisfied. Her brothers grapple with how to define themselves as men, fathers and Israeli Jews. Fast paced and wryly humorous, the film examines our ideas of identity and the tightrope that exists between truths and lies.

PhoenixMonday, March 7 | 5:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCGermany, mid 1940s. A figure appears in a vehicle, her face covered with blood-soaked bandages. Nelly is being transported to a plastic surgeon for facial reconstruction. So begins a tale of identity, illusion, and deception as Nelly, face rebuilt, similar but not identical to her disfigured one, tracks down her husband who may or may not have shopped her to the Nazis in this Hitchcock style modern masterpiece. Time Magazine and The A.V. Club ranked this film the 2nd best film of 2015.

Directed by Leah WolchokUSA, 2015, 83 minEnglishDocumentary

Directed by Shemi ZarhinIsrael/Canada, 2015, 118 minHebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

Directed by Christian PetzoldGermany, 2015, 99 minEnglish, German with English subtitlesDrama

* Festival and Patron Passes are not accepted.

Photo by: Kirsten Johnson

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A Nazi Legacy: What Our Fathers Did*

Tuesday, March 8 | 5:00 PM & 7:30 PMHolocaust Museum HoustonPhilippe Sands, a human rights lawyer, conducts conversations with two men whose fathers were indicted as Nazi war criminals. The two sons have starkly contrasting attitudes towards their fathers; one can’t bring himself to condemn his father while the other despises his father. The three men travel together across Europe on a challenging journey. For Sands, it means visiting the place where much of his own Jewish family was destroyed. In an emotional, psychological exploration, three men wrestle with their pasts and conflicting versions of the truth.

Directed by Arik Lubetzky and Matti HarariIsrael, 2014, 87 minHebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

Directed by David EvansUK, 2015, 92 minEnglishHouston PremiereDocumentary

Apples from the Desert (Tapuchim Min Hamidbar)Monday, March 7 | 7:30 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCThe only child of ultra-religious parents, Rebecca (Moran Rosenblatt from Wedding Doll) is controlled by her cold, iron-fisted father. Restricted to returning home at the end of the day, whereabouts checked, Rebecca breaks taboos and sneaks off to folk-dancing classes where she meets a secular kibbutznik. The conflict between Rebecca and her parents culminates in a moment of truth and forces each of them to confront their beliefs and one another. An adaptation of the award-winning Israeli play, Apples from the Desert poignantly explores themes of love and reconciliation.

Preceded by the short film, Dear God

Patron Sponsors: Helen Wils and Leonard Goldstein

* Festival and Patron Passes are not accepted.

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Join us for Everything is Illuminated, a favorite of our Film Chair, John Dreyfus. A young man takes a strange and unexpectedly funny journey in search of a family heroine he’s never known in this screen adaptation of the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. Jonathan (Elijah Wood) is a lifelong collector of any and all objects pertaining to his family who has become obsessed with a woman he’s never met. On his journey to Ukraine he encounters an unforgettable tour guide and his taciturn grandfather. Join us on this poignant road to discovery.

Patron Reception underwritten by

Patron Sponsors: Dreyfus Family in loving memory of Jane Dreyfus Lynn and Armand Shapiro

Directed by Liev SchreiberUSA, 2005, 106 minEnglishDrama

CHAIR’S CHOICE

Everything Is IlluminatedWednesday, March 9 | 7:30 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCC

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RosenwaldThursday, March 10 | 5:00 PM Evelyn Rubenstein JCCHe never finished high school but rose to become president of Sears. He believed in Jewish values: tikkun olam, repairing the world, and tzedakah. He built over 5,300 schools in the south in the early 20th century, joining forces with African American communities to educate youth and awarding fellowships to leading intellectuals and artists including Marian Anderson, James Baldwin, Julian Bond, Ralph Bunche, W.E.B. DuBois, Ralph Ellison, Langston Hughes and a host of others. Meet Julius Rosenwald: philanthropist, civil rights activist, Jewish idealist.

Film provided by The National Center for Jewish Film, www.jewishfilm.org

Fire BirdsThursday, March 10 | 7:30 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCStarring two legends of Israeli film, Gila Almagor and Oded Teomi, and nominated for 10 Ophir Awards, Fire Birds intertwines the tales of Amikon, an 80 year old whose body is found with three stab wounds to the chest and a number tattooed on his forearm, and Amnon, a police detective who reluctantly accepts the case. Fast paced and intriguing, moving between past and present, this film will keep you guessing until its final surprising moments.

Patron Sponsors: Doreen and Basil Joffe

Directed by Aviva KempnerUSA, 2014, 90 minEnglishDocumentary

Directed by Amir WolfIsrael, 2015, 112 minHebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

GET CULTURED: THE J’S ARTS & CULTURE EVENTS FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 20s AND 30s

Atomic FalafelExclusively for Ages 21 to Thirty-SomethingThursday, March 10 | 7:30 PMSundance Cinemas | 510 Texas Avenue$10 | Advanced purchase recommended | Cash only at the door

This hilarious satire has everything: intelligence and military personnel who sit around a sandbox planning war maneuvers while an assistant removes ever larger missiles from her purse; two teenaged girls, Israeli and Iranian, who spill their respective country’s valuable secrets on Facebook while trying to prevent a nuclear crisis; and the hottest falafel truck operator in the Middle East. She falls in love with the German inspector of nuclear plants and he breaks out in hives when he comes anywhere near enriched uranium.

Directed by Dror ShaulGermany/Israel/New Zealand, 2015, 93 minEnglish, Farsi, Hebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereComedy

Photo by: Merav Maroody

Photo credit:Courtesy Fisk University, John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library, Special Collections

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The Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer Friday, March 11 | 1:00 PM Saturday, March 19 | 6:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCIn the mid 1960’s, Nobel Prize winning Yiddish author Isaac Bashevis Singer established an army of more than forty female translators who were vital sources of creative inspiration and helped expose his work to the world. This enchanting documentary shows the complex life of one of the world’s most celebrated literary figures through the eyes of the women who knew him best. Combining interviews with nine of his translators alongside exclusive archival footage, the film provides an original and captivating look at the famous writer.

Remember*

Saturday, March 12 | 6:00 PMMuseum of Fine Arts, HoustonRemember, by critically acclaimed director Atom Egoyan, tells the story of Zev Guttman (Christopher Plummer), a 90-year-old struggling with memory loss. Following his wife’s death, Zev receives a surprising package from his close friend Max. Zev and Max are survivors of Auschwitz, and the same sadistic guard murdered both of their families –a guard who lives in the U.S. under an assumed identity. With Max’s guidance, Zev embarks on a journey to settle the score with the man who destroyed both their lives. Also starring Dean Morris (Breaking Bad).

Serial (Bad) Weddings* (Qu’est-Ce Qu’on a fait au Bon Dieu?)Saturday, March 12 | 8:00 PMMuseum of Fine Arts, HoustonIn this smash hit comedy, a conservative Parisian couple have their lives turned upside down when their three eldest daughters marry Jewish, Asian and Muslim men outside of their Catholic faith. When their youngest daughter announces her engagement to a Catholic man, the parents rejoice, but her fiancé’s father arrives from Africa with objections of his own. Back by popular demand, this movie sold out two screenings at the Museum in 2015’s Five Funny French Films series.

Directed by Shaul Betser and Asaf GalayIsrael, 2014, 72 minEnglish, Hebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDocumentary

Directed by Atom EgoyanCanada, 2015, 95 minEnglish, German with English subtitlesHouston PremiereThriller

Directed by Philippe de ChauveronFrance, 2014, 97 minFrench with English subtitlesComedy

Lunch and a Movie for Adults 60+Friday March 11 | 12:00 PM$8 Member | $12 Public | Price includes film and lunch

RSVP REQUIRED by Monday, March 7 to Esther Bethke at 713.595.8186.

* Festival and Patron Passes are not accepted.

Photo Credit: HRC

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Carvalho’s Journey* Sunday, March 13 | 1:00 PMMuseum of Fine Arts, HoustonIntroduced by Malcolm Daniel, Curator in Charge, MFAH Department of Photography and Special Projects and a Specialist in 19th Century Photography

This 19th-century American adventure story illuminates the extraordinary life and artistic career of Solomon Nunes Carvalho (1815-1897), a Sephardic Jew from Charleston, South Carolina whose family founded the first Reform

congregation in the U.S. Portrait artist Carvalho accompanied famed explorer Colonel John Fremont on his 1853 expedition. Traveling alongside pioneers, Native Americans and Mormons, Carvalho produced beautiful art: daguerreotypes that became the lens through which the world experienced the American West. Carvalho’s experience as a Jew on the western trail was unprecedented.

Directed by Steve RivoUSA, 2015, 85 minEnglishHouston PremiereDocumentary

Mountain* Sunday, March 13 | 3:00 PMMuseum of Fine Arts, HoustonWriter/director Yaelle Kayam sets her feature debut in a unique location: a family’s home in the middle of the cemetery on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives. Devout wife Tzvia (Shani Klein) spends her days cooking and cleaning while her teacher husband and young children are at school. Lonely and puzzled by her husband’s lack of affection, she takes walks at night, developing an unexpected connection with the prostitutes and drug dealers who use the cemetery to conduct business. Ultimately Tzvia resolves her inner turmoil with consequences that are quite shocking.

To Life! (Auf Das Leben!)Monday, March 14 | 5:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCRuth, an aging former cabaret singer and Holocaust survivor, has been evicted from her apartment. She sees no other way out except suicide. Jonas, a young man with a secret, a drifter fleeing from his future, arrives in Berlin and saves Ruth’s life. As Jonas discovers Ruth’s past, he helps Ruth find her way to life; she helps Jonas find the strength to tackle his fears. Enjoy terrific Yiddish musical performances and the superb acting of grande dame of German cinema, Hannelore Elsner.

Directed by Yaelle KayamDenmark/Israel, 2015, 83 minHebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

Directed by Uwe JansonGermany, 2016, 86 minGerman with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

* Festival and Patron Passes are not accepted.

HoursSaturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PMSunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

MFA Café

Photo Credit: Courtesy of The National Center for Jewish Film

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Bulgarian RhapsodyMonday, March 14 | 7:30 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCBulgarian Rhapsody recreates the vanished world of Bulgarian Jewish culture. A tale of lost innocence and first love set against the backdrop of WWII, the film deals with the friendship among three 17 year olds: Moni, a shy Jewish boy; Giogio, his worldly Bulgarian friend; and Shelly, a young woman whom both boys love. Complicating matters is Giogio’s father, an anti-semite working for a government department in charge of deportations. A warm and tender film, Bulgarian Rhapsody was Bulgaria’s entry into the 2015 Oscars.

Patron Sponsors: Ellen and Daniel Trachtenberg

Baba JoonTuesday, March 15 | 7:30 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCWinner of the 2015 Ophir Award (Israel’s Academy Awards) for best picture, Baba Joon tells the story of a traditional Iranian family living on a turkey farm in southern Israel. Almost entirely in Farsi, the film examines the generational conflicts between a dictatorial grandfather, his two sons, Yitzhak and Darius, and a grandson, Moti. Darius has escaped; Yitzhak runs the farm. To his father’s extreme displeasure, Moti wants nothing to do with it. Navid Negahban, a Muslim from Iran and Homeland’s Abu Nazir, plays Yitzhak.

Directed by Ivan NichevBulgaria/Israel, 2014, 108 minBulgarian, German, Ladino with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

Directed by Yuval DelshadIsrael, 2015, 91 minFarsi, Hebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

Directed by Uri Bar-onIsrael, 2014, 84 minHebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereComedy

10% My ChildWednesday, March 16 | 5:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCNico, a 26 year-old would-be film maker, awakens one morning in his girlfriend’s bed to discover her 7 year-old daughter Franny staring at him from the bedroom’s doorway. He jumps out of bed and out of the window, half dressed. So begins a love/hate relationship between the two as Nico becomes Franny’s sometime babysitter and attempts to find common ground with her in order to have a better chance with her mom. Winner of the Best Independent Film Award at the Ophirs, this sweet film is Uri Bar-on’s directorial debut.

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How To Win Enemies(Como Ganar Enemigos)Thursday, March 17 | 5:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCC

Lucas, a lawyer with a penchant for mystery writers Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith and his dog Sherlock, meets Barbara, an attractive bookish blonde

in a bar. The two hit it off but after a night together Lucas awakens to discover that Barbara has disappeared along with $50,000 he was saving for a house. Lucas is determined to solve the mystery and recoup his cash in this delightful film complete with lively dialogue and what initially had appeared to be a Jewish family comedy.

Sabena Hijacking: My VersionThursday, March 17 | 7:30 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCC

Captivating, fast-paced, and utterly suspenseful, Sabena Hijacking: My Version recounts the dramatic events of May 8, 1972. Sabena Captain Reginald Levy, a British Jew and war hero, addresses the passengers twenty minutes after takeoff: “As you can see, we have friends aboard.” Four Palestinian terrorists, members of Black September armed with two handguns, two hand grenades, and two explosion belts, are ready to take

down the plane if their demands are not met. Among the rescuers are two future Israeli prime ministers, Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu.

Supported by the Rosita and Albert Gaon Sephardic Heritage Program Endowment Fund

Directed by Rani Sa’arIsrael, 2014, 100 minHebrew, English, Arabic, French with English subtitles Houston PremiereDocudrama

Directed by Gabriel LichtmannArgentina, 2015, 78 minSpanish with English subtitlesHouston PremiereComedy

WOMEN’S NIGHTMake it dinner and a movie with your friends! Bring your dinner or buy from Laykie’s Gourmet Café at the J, and we’ll provide the French wine. RSVP for dinner by Sunday, March 13 to jross@erjcchouston.org or call 713.551.7215

A La Vie (To Life)Wednesday, March 16 | 7:30 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCVisually stunning and beautifully acted, this film tells the story of three women, Auschwitz survivors, who meet again in 1962 at a seaside resort in France. Helene (Julie Depardieu), organizer of the reunion, is trying to get back to normal and has married her childhood crush. Lily,

Helene’s fellow kitchen worker, arrives at the resort with Rose, whom Helene thought had died. Painting a clear portrait of three very different women, filmmaker Jean-Jacques Zilbermann focuses not only on what unites them but also on what separates them.

Patron Sponsors: Ilene and Larry Goldman

Directed by Jean-Jacques ZilbermannFrance, 2014, 104 minFrench with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

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A Night at the OperaSunday, March 20 | 1:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCThis classic 1935 Marx Brothers comedy has everything—romance, music, comedy, crazy antics, zany characters, an ocean voyage, real opera singers, and the incredible Groucho, Chico, and Harpo. The film contains some of comedy’s classic scenes. Written by George S. Kaufman, many Marx Brothers fans consider A Night at the Opera the team’s best film. Joins us for— a night at the opera!

Dress as your favorite Marx Brothers character for a free ticket to the film.

The Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer Director Asaf Galay in Attendance Saturday, March 19 | 6:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCC Co-sponsored by the Minter Chair in the Humanities, the Program in Jewish Studies, and the Humanities Research Center at Rice UniversitySee page 10 for description. Preceded by the short film, YidLife Crisis.

Pre Film Reception with Director | 5:15 PMSponsored by the Program in Jewish Studies at Rice University

Wedding Doll (Chatona Meniyar)Saturday, March 19 | 8:45 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCMoran Rosenblatt (Apples from the Desert) won the Israeli Academy Award for her stunning portrayal of an impossible dreamer who lives with her loving but overprotective mother in a Negev desert town. Socially alienated by a childhood brain injury, Hagit finds escape in designing bridal gowns and dolls out of leftover materials from the toilet paper factory where she works. Despite her disabilities, Hagit is determined to map out a future in this sensitive and poignant film.

Patron Sponsors: Joanne and Bruce Levy

Directed by Nitzan GiladyIsrael, 2015, 82 minHebrew with English subtitlesHouston PremiereDrama

Directed by Sam WoodUSA, 1935, 92 minEnglishComedy

Join us for drinks and snacks in the Joe Frank Theatre of the Arts. Relax in between the films: stay late after The Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer or come early before Wedding Doll. Lounge open 7:30 – 8:45 PM. Your film ticket or pass provides entry.

Photo Credit: HRC

Photo by: Uriel Sinai

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Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones) stars as Nat Dayan, an old Jewish baker whose business is faltering; widowed, with sons who have no interest in the business, and customers dying off, he strives to keep his business afloat. Enter Ayyash, a Muslim boy from Darfur who sells cannabis on the side to help his struggling mother make ends meet. One day, Ayyash accidently drops some product in the dough; the challah starts flying off the shelves and the two form an unlikely friendship. Dough is a warmhearted and humorous story about overcoming prejudice and finding redemption in unexpected places. You’ll get a rise out of Dough!

Closing Night reception follows film.

Sponsors: Kathy and Drew Berkman & Betsy and Ed Schreiber

Galveston Screening: DoughSunday, March 6 | 2:00 PMPresented with Congregation Beth JacobCongregation Beth Jacob | 2401 Avenue K | Galveston, TX 77550

Directed by John GoldschmidtUK, 2014, 94 minEnglishHouston PremiereComedy

CLOSING NIGHT

DoughSunday, March 20 | 7:30 PM

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC

FaudaSunday, March 20 | 4:00 PMEvelyn Rubenstein JCCBreaking TV viewership records in Israel, this mind-blowing action thriller has been compared to The Wire, Homeland and The Hurt Locker. Fauda, a faced-paced Israeli political action drama brings the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to TV. Treading a fine line between fiction and reality as it depicts the tensions of war and the frailty of human life, the show has gripped Israeli television audiences and has struck a chord with the Israeli public, both left and right. We will be screening the first three episodes.

Directed by Assaf BernsteinIsrael, 2015, 40 min eachHebrew, Arabic with English subtitlesHouston PremiereTV Series, Thriller

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

28 29 1 2 3 4 58:00 PMOPENING NIGHTThe Man in the Wall$15

61:00 PMAfternoon of Shorts$8 | $12

2:00 PMDough$8

4:00 PMVery Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists $8 | $12

7:30 PMThe Kind Words$8 | $12

75:00 PMPhoenix $6

7:30 PMApples from the Desert$8 | $12

85:00 PMA Nazi Legacy: What Our Fathers Did$8 | $10

7:30 PMA Nazi Legacy: What Our Fathers Did$8 | $10

97:30 PMCHAIR’S CHOICEEverything is Illuminated$8 | $12

105:00 PMRosenwald $6

7:30 PMFire Birds$8 | $12

7:30 PMGET CULTUREDAtomic FalafelExclusively for Ages 21 to Thirty-Something $10

111:00 PMThe Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer$8 | $12 With Lunch and a Movie for 60+

126:00 PMRemember$8 | $10

8:00 PM Serial Bad Weddings $8 | $10

131:00 PMCarvalho’s Journey $8 | $10

3:00 PMMountain$8 | $10

6:00 PMVery Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists $8 | $10

145:00 PMTo Life!$6

7:30 PMBulgarian Rhapsody $8 | $12

155:00 PMThe Man in the Wall $6

7:30 PMBaba Joon$8 | $12

165:00 PM10% My Child $6

WOMEN’S NIGHT6:30 PM Women’s Night Dinner7:30 PMA La Vie $8 | $12

175:00 PMHow to Make Enemies$6

7:30 PMSabena Hijacking: My Version $8 | $12

18 196:00 PMThe Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer $15 Director Asaf Galayin Attendance

7:30 PM–8:45 PMLounge Open

8:45 PMWedding Doll$15

20CLOSING DAY

1:00 PMA Night at the Opera$8 | $12

4:00 PMFauda$8 | $12

7:30 PMDough$8 | $12

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Price: Member | PublicMember price includes Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Member/Patron of the Arts/MFAH Film Buff/HMH Member/Students/Seniors 60+

Venues Legend Evelyn Rubenstein JCC, Kaplan Theatre

5601 South Braeswood Houston, TX 77096

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Brown Auditorium Theater

1001 Bissonnet Street Houston, TX 77005

Holocaust Museum Houston, Albert and Ethel Herzstein Theater

5401 Caroline Street Houston, TX 77004

Alternate LocationSee listing for address

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Calendar of Events

Houston Jewish Film Festival March 5-20, 2016

Every movie ticket from the J gets you 10% off at Laykie’s Gourmet Café at the J

Hours During Film FestivalMon-Thurs: 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PMSunday: 12:00 PM – 7:30 PM

on March 6 & 20

Holocaust Museum Houston, Albert and Ethel Herzstein Theater

5401 Caroline Street Houston, TX 77004

Alternate LocationSee listing for address

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2015-2016 Film CommitteeJohn Dreyfus, Chair

Doreen Joffe and Sharon Kagan, Founding Chairs

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston

Debbie KaplanPresident

Joel DinkinExecutive Vice President

Marilyn HassidAssistant Executive Director

Amy RahmaniArts & Culture Program

Coordinator

Supporters

Community Partners

Official Hotel of the ERJCC

Marc BronsweigNada ChandlerJoyce Cramer

Beverly FanarofSue Goott

Jerry GreenspanEllen Hamburg

Lindy KahnDiane KaplanMarisa Katz

Diane Lee KraitmanEve Lapin

Joanne LevyMiriam PachtEmory Skolkin

Stefani TwyfordJoyce Wilkenfeld

Helen Wils

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Patrons of the Arts

The Maurice Amado Foundation

AIPAC – American Israel Public Affairs Committee

Anti-Defamation League (ADL)American Jewish CommitteeCongregation Beth Israel’s Miriam

Browning Jewish Learning CenterCongregation Brith ShalomCongregation Shma Koleinu

Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest

Hebrew Speakers Professional Organization

Holocaust Museum HoustonHouston Chapter of HadassahHouston Congregation for Reform

JudaismJewish Family Service

Jewish Feminist Reading GroupJewish War Veterans – Post 547 National Council of Jewish Women

Greater Houston SectionSeven Acres Jewish Senior Care

ServicesUnited Orthodox Synagogues of

Houston

COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF

SPONSORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The Museum of Fine Arts, HoustonMarian Luntz

Curator, Film and Video

Holocaust Museum HoustonTamara Savage

Managing Director/Director of Public Programs

Jasmine RossArts & Culture Assistant

Maxine SilbersteinDance Director

Jerry Lynch and Lee SnyderProjectionists

Media Sponsor In-KindFleischer Wine: A Division of Mexcor

Jenny Tavor Custom Catering

DirectorBrian Gavin Diamonds

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rt creates a strong sense of community, bringing empathy, joy and satisfaction. It can help children with impulse control and problem solving and give adults a new sense of purpose.

Carolyn Catlos brings all these benefits to the J as the new Visual Arts Program Coordinator.

“Art, service and teaching are three things I am very passionate about,” said Carolyn. “Ever since I was a young girl I have found joy, appreciation and understanding through art. I love working in a field that allows me to develop relationships with others, by sharing with them the skills, experiences and activities that have been most meaningful in my life.”

Carolyn moved to Houston from Detroit two years ago. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Her major area of study was crafts, with a concentration in fiber design. Her work has been featured in national and regional group shows and solo exhibitions.

Among her many creative roles at the J, one of her goals is to position the J as a destination on the Houston arts scene. She will also coordinate exhibitions in the Deutser Art Gallery. But she is most excited about teaching and expanding art classes to children and teens.

“It’s has been several years since the J offered children’s art classes as an afterschool activity. We’re lucky to have found someone like Carolyn who has the experience and knowledge to re-imagine and rebuild the art program for children, teens and adults,” said Morgan Steinberg, Adult Program Director. “Art classes are for everyone regardless of age, ability and experience, which makes it that much more important that the J offers a vibrant, creative scene for our members to thrive in.”

Carolyn’s most recent professional experience includes serving as an instructor at M.E.C.A., Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts, in Houston. While residing in Michigan, she worked for the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and the Cranbrook Educational Community in Bloomfield Hills, teaching ceramics, metals, fiber, photography and sculpture.

“We’re so appreciative of the J’s support in expanding and upgrading the Arts program,” said Ellen Trachtenberg, chair of the J’s Adult committee and a participant in the ceramics class. “Carolyn is a wonderful teacher – organized, patient, accessible, innovative and motivating.”

Carolyn sees the true reward in watching her students grow in creativity, skills and confidence. She invites you to join a class and encourage your creativity to flourish.

Resident Artist Creates

Community through

Creativity

A

Carolyn Catlos

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For a decade, the J has enriched the lives of children with learning disabilities through the Karol Musher STARS program. The STARS classroom at the Bertha Alyce School is a self-contained therapeutic program for preschoolers with special needs. Now, to further develop the social needs of students, the staff is launching an initiative to include STARS students in

general education settings. The inclusion with nondisabled peers could be anywhere from 1-3 hours per school day, depending on the individual needs of the child and supported by STARS staff.

“The J’s commitment to incorporate a culture of inclusion has already had some positive effects. Seeing the students learn, play and build friendships together has been amazing,” said Michelle Muscat, STARS teacher. “Inclusion benefits both students and teachers, as we all benefit from interacting with different people.”

Inclusion is an evidence-based practice shown to have benefits for all children, with and without disabilities. In inclusive settings, children’s learning is individualized and nondisabled peers develop

greater compassion and an appreciation for each classmate’s contributions. Stigmas fade away. Plus, children receiving special education services benefit from learning in the least restrictive environment.

As an inclusive preschool, BAS is committed to the right of all children to be full members of their community, a place where children with disabilities and developmental delays are valued and welcomed. We use Jewish lenses to inform this vision of inclusion, including:

• B’tezelem Elohim: each child has something to contribute and teach our community

• Tikkun Olam: acts of kindness performed to repair the world• D’rash: teaching to reach a diversity of learners

“Inclusion is our truest commitment to children,” said Rebecca Weiner, a STARS teacher. “Our children are developing language with true communication partners, play skills with true friends and adaptability in real life.”

As the only inclusive Jewish preschool in Houston, and one of the only inclusive preschools in Houston, our program will serve as an exemplar in the region. Now, with the STARS inclusion program, all children can attend a Jewish preschool, receive therapy, special education services and develop friendships with peers. We invite community members and professionals to learn more about our program, contact Bonnie Kasner at bkasner@erjcchouston.org.

Is one life more important than another? That is the ethical question at the core of the Spring Scholars Series. The J’s Bobbi and Vic Samuels Center for Jewish Living and Learning presents Jewish Ethics & The Price of Life, April 3-10.

This year, the J invited three Houston scholars to lecture on contemporary ethical issues. Participants will explore the legal system and upholding its principals. The series includes discussion about reproductive rights and what the Torah says about the death penalty.

“I am excited about the spring Scholars series because the essence of Judaism is behavior, not belief,” says Joe Pryzant, CJLL Chair. “The series is an exploration of how one should act in challenging situations when the “right” course of action is not clear. This program will be both provocative and informative and may well challenge your conventional beliefs.”

The series opens Sunday, April 3, with Andrew Fastow, Enron’s former CFO, on “After Enron: What’s Legal & What’s Right in the Corporate Environment?” He will be followed by Rebecca Lunstroth, April 6, on “Reproductive Ethics: The Woman vs. the Fetus.” The series concludes with David Dow, April 10, on “Does the Texas Death Penalty Violate Jewish Law?”

Each presenter will thoughtfully consider how Jewish values are reflected in these important issues. Each lecture will take place at the J. For full class descriptions, presenter bios, or to register, please visit www.erjcchouston.org/ethics.

Judaism Today – What is a life worth?

Andrew Fastow

Helping All Children Reach for the STARS

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No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable. ― Socrates

A member of the J Fitness Center mentioned this quote as inspiration for his exercising. He takes time each day to do some form of fitness, whether it’s cardio, weightlifting, stretching or strength conditioning.

“Socrates might be on to something,” said Catherine Santamaria, Health & Fitness Coordinator. “We should nourish, challenge and rejuvenate our bodies like we do our minds because if you don’t use it, you lose it. And when you don’t have it, you miss it. Exercise is an amazing way to see your physique’s true beauty and strength, throughout your life.”

There is no better example than long-time member Ruby Getz. She is 85 years old and a regular in the Fitness Center. She engages in everything from pumping iron to personal training to core-strengthening.

“I want to be able to take care of myself,” said Ruby. “I also thought that at my age, I would have limitations, but the more I exercise, the more I keep up with my targeted physical activity, those limitations are extended. And a massage here and there certainly helps!”

No matter where you start from or what your goals are, there is a form of body nourishment right for you. If you are a new mother who is keen to get back into exercising, try our Abdominal Connections course. If you are an avid athlete who needs deep stretching and muscle elongation, try our Yamuna Body Rolling course. Perhaps you want to try our Defense Fitness course and learn how fitness can be a tool for empowerment. At the J, you can find your path to reach your physical potential.

Fitness doesn’t always mean you need gym equipment. Dancing can burn 400 calories an hour. That’s a good reason to step into our Cardio Dance class, or shimmy into one of our Zumba classes. You can also get a great workout and mental boost practicing Yoga, which tones the body and eases the mind. And for those exemplifying the old adage that age is just a number you can continue to build strength, flexibility, and coordination in our Prime Time Fitness 60+ exercise class.

Exercise is wise wherever you are in life. Try a new group fitness class and find out just how capable you are.

Live Up to Your Physical Potential

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COMING SOON AT THE J

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey SiegelClassics Go Pop!Sunday, February 21 | 4:00 PMExperience some of the most famous, beloved music ever written, melodies familiar to concert goers and non-concert goers alike.

Underwritten by the Barbara and Mark Paull Families

PalestinaMonday, February 29 | 7:30 PM

Palestina is an overture composed by Russian-Jewish composer Leo Zeitlin (1884-1930), a leading figure in 20th century Jewish art music, in 1929 for New York’s Capitol Theatre. Under the baton of Houston conductor Robert Linder, Palestina

will have its modern premiere in a concert that includes additional Zeitlin treasures.

From Manuscript Scores to Orchestral Performance: An Introduction to Leo ZeitlinPresented by Paula Eisenstein Baker and Robert S. NelsonWednesday, February 24 | 7:30 PMFREE

WiesenthalWritten by and starring Tom DuganDirected by Jenny Sullivan By Special Arrangement with Daryl Roth and Karyl Lynn BurnsCo-Presented with Holocaust Museum HoustonMarch 29–April 3

Filled with hope, humanity and humor, Wiesenthal is the riveting true story of Simon Wiesenthal, an ordinary man who did extraordinary things, devoting his life to bringing more than 1,100 Nazi war criminals to justice.

NobleMotion DanceL’Dor Vador: Poetry and Dance from Three Generations of a Jewish FamilyApril 9 & 10

Stars of David: Story to SongBased on the Best-Selling Book by Abigail PogrebinBy Special Arrangement with Daryl RothDirected by Luke WrobelIn Cooperation with Vital Arts Collaborative

May 11–22This new musical revue, based on the best-selling book by Abigail Pogrebin, celebrates the identity of some of the most well-known Jewish personalities, including Leonard Nimoy, Andy Cohen, Kenneth Cole, Fran Drescher, Ruth

Bader Ginsburg, Tony Kushner, Aaron Sorkin, and Gloria Steinem with songs by some of Broadway’s best composers.

NobleMotion DancePhoto by: Lynn Lane

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SAVE THE DATE

C H I L D R E N ’ S S C H O L A R S H I P B A L LB E N E F I T T I N G T H E I R V I N K A P L A N C H I L D R E N ’ S S C H O L A R S H I P F U N D

AT T H E E V E LY N R U B E N S T E I N J E W I S H C O M M U N I T Y C E N T E R O F H O U S TO N

ROYAL SONESTA HOUSTON

For more information, to make a contribution to pay tribute to our Honorees, or to purchase tickets visit jcchouston.org/csb

or contact Judy Weil at 713.551-7219

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2016 HONOREES

2016 HONORARY CHAIRS

2016 BALL CHAIRSLauren Straus Sorkin • Amira Grinberg Staller • Jennifer Haikin Zach

2016 AUCTION CHAIRSAbby Ackerman • Melissa Goodman

The Irvin Kaplan Children’s Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance for children from six week old infants to teenagers, from all backgrounds, and with different abilities, so they can participate in early

childhood care, educational activities, special needs programs and summer day camp at the J. The Evelyn Rubenstein JCC is committed to the needs of the family and provides childcare programs for

hundreds of Houston’s youth. The proceeds from the Children’s Scholarship Ball will ensure that no family is turned away due to financial hardship.

Ann & J. Kent Friedman

Marci Rosenberg & Ben Samuels

Joyce & Arthur Schechter Cyvia & Melvyn Wolff

Erica & Benjy Levit

erjcchouston.org/filmfestEverything is Illuminated

Non–Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 6217Houston, Texas

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Houston5601 S. Braeswood | Houston, TX 77096–3907713.729.3200 | erjcchouston.org

Houston Jewish

Film Festival

MARCH 5-20, 2016