Film screening, 1 hour 48 minutes; Hebrew with English subtitles; followed by discussion

A childless, young Hasidic couple in Safed is thrown into a crisis following a strange and traumatic treatment for barrenness. The difference between good and evil blurs as the family is forced to face unresolved secrets and fundamental questions about faith and religious law.

Based on a 19th-century historical event, writer-director Mordechai Vardi, himself an Orthodox Israeli rabbi and head of the screenwriting department at the Ma’aleh School of Film and Television in Jerusalem, has created a powerful and nuanced story. This excellent film is sure to lead to an animated discussion.

The Shabbat Jewish Film Series is made possible by the Aptekar Family Fund for Film.