I would give it 9 out of 10: though just like the other reviewer (dovsmith2000), I think the other side was not represented well. He meant the ultra orthodox community, while I mean the Jewish boy from ex-USSR. I think the other reviewer missed a key point: the disdain and the lack of acceptance by Ultra Orthodox community of their JEWISH neighbor as their equal, is the driving wedge in this whole entanglement. I think I have slightly more authority, as I experienced both sides of the story myself: I made aliya with my parents when I was a kid from USSR, and did end up going to UO yeshiva. This was a conscious decision of my parents, in part driven by the fact that both my grand parents were shovrei masoret (as conservative as it was possible under the conditions imposed by soviet authority), and my great-grandparents were very religious. It seems funny now, but it was quite annoying back in the day that folks in Israel thought we were poor, starved or were afraid for personal security, and that's why people ran. None of that was a truly represented picture, but that didn't matter as they were sure that was the case, no matter how many times you assured them of the opposite. Not one of them can even fathom the worst thing that was in USSR: lack of personal freedom and growth, both as an individual, as a community; spiritually and financially. And it didn't start in the 80's. A bit of history: in the 30' all yeshivas in USSR were closed. Jews were pitted against Jews, and local population. While there were no straight out pogroms like before, majority of rabbis (along with other religious leaders) were sent off to Siberia and almost all didn't survive until the mass-release in mid-50' (millions perished). Propaganda ensued for 70 years, and that was bound to weaken the Jewish identity of each following generation. Tens of thousands of Jewish kids became orphans, because their parents were killed or sent to Siberia. Many more as the WW2 came about. All religious practices were banned. Commercial trade (which was what most Jews used to do prior to Soviet Union), was heavy prosecuted. You had to work somewhere officially to support your family, which left few options to practice Judaism full time. There was no option to do anything kosher (shhita, and etc), buy kosher food, or even prepare kosher food. You couldn't even be self-employed or live off someone's generosity (and learn), as that meant you were considered a parasite, and that was guaranteed prison time. Teaching Torah 1x1 was condemned. Mass teaching was equal to propaganda, and meant jail time. You had to have education not to be forced for the most menial jobs. Jews were flat out denied acceptance to certain universities, and had to be 10 times better than any other gentile to get accepted at all. Few shuls here and there ran in outmost secret until mid-80', and were constantly under threat of being raided. The only working synagogue in Ukraine (Kiev) was heavily monitored by KGB. THAT is what my parents and Zorik's parents persevered - they managed to become best doctors, engineers, teachers, professors, and etc. This deserves respect and admiration, which none of the olim got when they came over. I'm not going to go into every aspect of antisemitism that generations of Jews were forced to endure because of their lineage, or the racial crap we got once we got to Israel, but suffice it to say that I know from personal experience that racists always attack in groups (be it in USSR because I was Jewish or in Israel because I somehow became Russian(never even been to Russia in my life)).
It was harder for my parents as they were driven into the secular lives by the highly intolerant society in USSR, but within the family, there was the respect towards traditions. And the paramount idea that we belong with other Jews, was very much tainted only in Israel and by the Israelis (both UO and not). Notice the condemning attitude Zorik and his parents are given by Samuel and others for not abiding religious practices. Boy, does that resonate with my personal experience, even though I wore kipa and observed as much as I could, as fast as I could learn. And even though friendship develops between the fathers and the mothers, yet, this would never be enough for the eda (religious following) which Rochale was part of. The cheating mother was a nice touch, which any UO watcher would immediately say "here, this is exactly why this is a bad family". Which is funny, as if UO community is immune to adultery - right...
The entire community (represented at times by Shmuel and his son) would not even consider Zorik as an option, despite him being 100% Jewish. I find THAT despicable. Even the guy who hazar b'tshuva, is still treated like a 3rd rate Jew by the community. What chance did Zorik have? None. If I was in Shmuel's place, I would trust my daughter, invite Zorik, sit them and ask them the tough questions for what happens tomorrow. That could have cooled their heads right there. I would ask whether they considered what's important to each of them. Another cold shower. I would ask them if they understand how each of them grew up, and whether they had enough time to understand the values of each other. And if all else failed, I would put stipulations to make sure it wasn't simply "falling in and out of love" - which means official courting (preferably away from the community to avoid condemnation), a promise to uphold the traditions that are important in each family (which means that Rochale would need to learn about his family values, and Zorik would have to learn and respect the UO traditions, even if he doesn't believe yet), and etc. And if the daughter is so in-love, support her, while insisting that the kids be raised according to UO tradition, with love to Ha'shem. I can tell you from personal experience that Zorik would agree, if that meant approval from Rochales parents. Who knows, maybe he would have choosen this life for real, and Rochale could be his guide to this new life... but no.
Shmuel didn't do any of this. He (and the community) flat out refused Zorik, shunned him, threatened him, beat him up, and destroyed his property. Aaron is the only guy in there to even try to condemn what those boys did. And even he was all about marrying off his niece to "anyone else".
This is an excellent story, and you can feel was described through the pain that most olim saw. Issues with locals, issues with language (it took many years for my parents to talk and understand as well as Zoriks parents did), disdain and attitude from locals (hutzpa), lack of money, issues with obtaining a job (Zorik's father, one of the top hospital doctors in USSR, couldn't get a job temping in a hospital until he passes an exam, and is forced to work as a minimum wage security guard). All of that was nearly ubiquitous for the olim, and certainly didn't help the integration.
The UO community is still very much introverted and holds themselves aloof. There are large sects within UO that literally can't stand each other. They only agree to work together when it comes to extorting funds for their community from the government. There is very little cognizance that they lost an opportunity for a mass mitzva: reaching out to the olim, offering to teach and help (not preaching or forcing the whole thing altogether). Instead, they ended up alienating vast majority of olim, calling and treating them as goyim, mamzerim, and etc. All under the guise that those "rusim" don't know "t'sniut" (humbleness), eat pork, and "mehalel shabat" (desecrate shabat). Surprise, surprise: those very same "rusim" who achieved very high standing by western standards in USSR, didn't exactly feel the rolling matt from anyone in Israel. Consider this: they are told their past academic achievements are not worth the paper it's written on, forced to work full time menial labor, which pays minimum wage (sometimes less). To receive attestation, they have to go and learn everything from that start, which requires time and funds they don't have. They need to pay the expensive rent, because they weren't born here and didn't accumulate wealth through generations. There's barely enough money for food and small things after all the expenses. And the cherry on the cake, the current political environment diverts hundreds of millions in taxes they are forced to pay (which could be used for hospitals/schools/infrastructure), ends up funding the kolels, yeshivas, and stipends/benefits for tens of thousands of young (and supposedly) able guys (not to mention the exception from Army conscription / alternative service, a burden which should be on all Jews). I've heard and understand arguments from both sides, but it's important to understand that this is how the olim see it. Even the tzdaka collected in UO communities rarely goes out of the community. The olim know that, and rightfully don't want to participate in yet another biased volunteer based tax. Will all THAT, they are treated with disdain as if they were not Jews at all - after being ostracized for retaining what they could as Jews in horrible USSR conditions, that treatment in Israel is probably the biggest insult and reason why most will never accept the UO community that didn't even bother to treat them as equals.
I didn't like the ending. It merely emphasized what Zorik said a few times throughout the movie: Rochaleh is selling herself, and she is being bought and paid for. Her feelings of passion and yearning are trumped by calculated marriage of comfort in the community. Is this what life is all about? To find a "comfortable" marriage, make babies, and wonder a her life what might have been? A good parent nurtures his kids, with times allows freedom to make mistakes, and guides them through advise and suggestion. A bad parent puts up walls and punishes when rules are broken. This movie unfortunately emphasized walls more than anything else.
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