Congregation Beth Israel

CBI’s Adult Learning Committee presents a series of thought-provoking films and discussions. 

A Hero in Heaven

Sunday, January 13th at 9:30am

Michael Levin was born and raised in Philadelphia and made aliyah at the age of nineteen to join an elite paratrooper unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). On August 1st, 2006, Michael was killed in combat at Aita-Al -Shaab in Lebanon. A Hero in Heaven tells the story of Michael’s devotion to his family, his people, and the land of Israel, and features the music of Naomi Shemer, the poems of Shaul Tchernokovsky, and the words of Michael’s family and friends.
Following the screening, we will hear from a local young adult who served the State of Israel as a lone soldier – a member of the IDF with no family in Israel. A light breakfast will be served. Suggested donation is $5 per person. Additional donations are welcome and will be given to The Lone Soldier Center, an organization founded in memory of Michael Levin to provide support to lone soldiers.

 

This is Home

Sunday, February 10th at 9:30am

This is Home is an intimate portrait of four Syrian refugee families arriving in America and struggling to find their footing. Displaced from their homes and separated from loved ones, they learn to adapt to challenges, including the newly-imposed travel ban, and face tests of their strength and resilience. This is a universal story punctuated by humor and heartbreak about what it’s like to start over in the face of great obstacles.

This Is Home is the winner of the Sundance Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary. Following the film screening, we will hear from members of the CBI community who have been active in settling Syrian refugee families in Greater Hartford. This program is co-sponsored by CBI’s Adult Education and Social Justice committees.

A light breakfast will be served; suggested donation of $5 per person. Additional donations are welcome and will be given to Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) and the Syrian refugee family in our community.

Lemon Tree

Wednesday, February 20th at 7:00pm

Lemon Tree is a documentary about Palestinian widow Salma Zidane, who owns a lemon grove. When Israeli Defense Minister Navon becomes her new neighbor, his security guards demand she remove the trees on the grounds that they could be shelter for terrorists. Refusing to give in to these demands, she engages lawyer Ziad Daud to take her case to the Supreme Court, bringing international attention. Light refreshments will be served; suggested donation of $5 per person.