Join us for the Jewish Film Festival of Grand Rapids!!

We're Back at Celebration Cinema North!

Schedule of Events:

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Special Opening Night Program
Featuring keynote speaker, Shlomo Weprin, the director and filmmaker of the Matisyahu documentary Song of Ascent.

5:30 pm: Dinner at The Wave Room

Following dinner, join us at 7pm for the film, Song of Ascent. In the wake of the October 7th massacre in Israel, acclaimed singer-songwriter Matisyahu finds himself at the center of a cultural storm. This powerful documentary-concert film follows Matisyahu's journey as he performs three sold-out shows in Israel while facing cancellations and protests at his US tour dates due to rising anti-Israel sentiment. Thrust into a role he never sought, Matisyahu becomes a powerful voice for Jewish people worldwide, navigating the complexities of identity, faith, and resilience amidst a global crisis.

7:00 pm: Song of Ascent Documentary-86 min-USA-2024

"Song of Ascent" is a powerful documentary-concert film chronicling Matisyahu's profound journey amidst the aftermath of the October 7th massacre in Israel. Bookended by two poignant trips to his ancestral homeland, the film captures Matisyahu's controversial US tour, where he faced cancellations and protests due to rising anti-Israel sentiment. Witness Matisyahu's intimate experiences at Kibbutzim, the Nova Festival site, rehab centers, and other locations deeply impacted by the tragedy. Through it all, Matisyahu performs three electrifying shows in Israel, becoming a defiant voice for Jewish people worldwide.

Monday, April 28, 2025

7:00 pm: Bliss Drama-125 min - Israel- 2024

Sassi and Efi are hard workers, struggling with the debt left by Sasai's son before he left for Brussels. Though there is quite an age gap between them, their love and humor keep them from life's weariness and despair. When two youngsters - Omri, Sassi's hormonal and kind-hearted grandson, and David, Efi's former student-appear in their lives, their carefully kept routine breaks, and the couple's love is tested. Eighteen years after Aviva, My Love, Sasson Gabai and Asi Levi collaborate once again with director Shemi Zarhin to showcase their unique talents. Sassi and Efi's love story is both funny and touching. It illuminates in its unique way issues of relationships, family, and loyalty and sends a painful but also warm and optimistic look at the social realities of today.

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

7:00 pm: Nor by Day, Nor by Night Drama-90 min-Israel-2024

A Sephardic Baalei Teshuva family tries to integrate within the insular Ashkenazi Haredi community in Bnei Brak. Their son Raphael, a prodigy, is not accepted into a prestigious yeshiva. His mother, Ahuva, tries to handle the situation peacefully. but his father, Shmuel, a handyman with great faith, struggles to accept the situation. Shmuel fights to change this decree, leading to the family's ostracization and their children's expulsion from local institutions. A dramatic event shakes both the family and Haredi society, probing their shared faith. The film explores the struggles of Baalei Teshuva, their faith, their escape from the past, and the personal cost of their journey.

Date:
April 27 - 29, 2025

Location:
Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids,
2727 Michigan St NE,
Grand Rapids, MI 49506

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