Children of Peace Film Screening

In the 1970s, a group of dreamers in Israel embarked on a utopian experiment, giving birth to Neve Shalom—a village envisioned as a model of harmonious coexistence between Arabs and Jews. Despite their noble aspirations, this community was entangled in internal conflicts and beset by external challenges that tested their revolutionary vision. This groundbreaking documentary delves into the experiences of the children who came of age in this extraordinary setting. Now adults, they grapple with the harsh realities of political turmoil, war, and societal segregation. Through their personal stories,&nbsp;Children of Peace&nbsp;seeks to scrutinize whether Neve Shalom offered a genuine opportunity for peaceful coexistence or was, ultimately, nothing more than a social experiment. &nbsp; Followed by a conversation with Director Maayan Schwartz via Zoom, moderated by Professor Tarek Masoud, Professor of Democracy and Governance at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

MFA Remis Auditorium

Delegation Film Screening

A common rite of passage for many young Israeli teenagers becomes the anchor for a work of stirring drama and striking realism from filmmaker Asaf Saban (Outdoors BIFF 2019, Paradise BJFF 2021). The film follows a trio of Israeli high school friends on a class trip to Poland, where they visit former Nazi concentration camps and memorials of the Shoah. As with so many teenagers, the weight of history takes a back seat to the seemingly more pressing concerns and group dynamics that occur during the trip. Love, jealousy, and friendship collide with the static mass of memorial sites as these travelers begin to reckon with the tragic past and question their unknown future.   Followed by a conversation with Writer/Director Asaf Saban, moderated by Joey Katz, BJF Director of Special Programming.

Bad Shabbos Film Screening

Spotlight Screening! Set during a single night during a New York City Shabbos,&nbsp;Bad Shabbos&nbsp;follows an engaged interfaith couple who are about to have their parents meet for the first time. Then, an accidental death gets in the way. Uproariously funny with an ensemble featuring Kyra Sedgwick, Method Man, David Paymer, and Milana Vayntrub, this dark comedy is filled with twists, turns, and laughs you won’t see coming! &nbsp; Followed by a conversation with Writer/Director Daniel Robbins.

Somerville Theatre

All About the Levkoviches Film Screening

Tamás is an aging boxing coach in present-day Budapest whose relationship with his son, Iván, has frayed to the point of estrangement. After converting to Orthodox Judaism, Iván moved to Israel, where he had a son, Ariel, whom Tamás had never met. Iván and Ariel have returned to Budapest for the funeral of Tamas’s wife, forcing father and son to face one another. As they sit shiva, father and son are not just obliged to face their old grievances but to help Ariel deal with his own grief and obsession that grandma's spirit is still in the house. Told with delightfully biting humor and genuine warmth, this is an unforgettable story of a Jewish family on the winding path toward reconciliation.&nbsp; &nbsp; Introduction from Writer/Director Ádám Breier.

Brattle Theater

A Nice Jewish Boy Film Screening

Bellisha is a naive young man who lives in a small, working-class Parisian suburb with his anxious, mildly agoraphobic mother, Giselle. The once vibrant Jewish community that surrounded them is rapidly fading, leaving Giselle feeling isolated and wanting to flee. Bellisha prefers to stay and keeps a positive attitude, even if that means lying to his mother about the anti-Semitic graffiti in their building or the electrician who refuses to enter their apartment after spotting the mezuzah on their door frame. Bellisha’s boyish nonchalance is tested as Giselle’s health declines and tensions rise in their community.&nbsp; Featuring a Chaplinesque turn from newcomer Michael Zindel as Bellisha,&nbsp;A Nice Jewish Boy&nbsp;is a light-hearted tale about entering adulthood and all the responsibilities that come with it. &nbsp; Introduction by Writer/Director Noé Debré.&nbsp;

Yaniv Film Screening

Join us after the screening for the Yaniv Club pop-up hosted by our friends at Congregation Kehillath Israel! Enjoy food and drinks while learning the&nbsp;game of Yaniv and socialize with filmmakers. Preregistration for this exclusive event is required.&nbsp;Tickets sold separately.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yaniv-club-popup-tickets-1003968475737">Click here to register</a>. &nbsp; When their high school drama department falls victim to budget cuts, and with their spring musical in jeopardy, two teachers from the Bronx find an unlikely solution to their money problems: “Yaniv,” a little-known card game with a thriving underground gambling scene in the Hasidic community. The two friends have no choice but to bet the house to save the show, embedding themselves with their ultra-Orthodox hosts in the process. This riotous comedy takes us to the unique world of Yaniv and the wild assortment of characters that populate it. &nbsp; Followed by a conversation with Writer/Director/Producer Amnon Carmi, Writer/Actor/Producer Benjamin Ducoff and Producer Nik Sadhnani.

Coolidge Corner Theatre

Ain't No Back to a Merry-Go-Round Film Screening

In June 1960, police arrested African American students from Howard University for sitting on the gilded horses of the whites-only Glen Echo Amusement Park merry-go-round. The arrests made headlines in the nascent “Sit-Down Movement.” When the predominantly Jewish community joined the Black students in picketing, the first organized interracial civil rights protest in US history was born. Despite sweltering heat and violent counter-protesters from the American Nazi Party, Black students marched with white suburbanites for ten weeks. Picketing led to partying together, union bosses collaborated with student leaders, young people became radicalized, and future giants of the Civil Rights Movement were born.&nbsp; &nbsp; Directed by Emmy-award winner Ilana Trachtman (Praying with Lior, BJFF 2007) and featuring narration by Jeffrey Wright and Mandy Patinkin,&nbsp;Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round&nbsp;is a timely cinematic excavation of this little-known Civil Rights story. &nbsp; Followed by a conversation with Director Ilana Trachtman and Ayele Shakur, President of the Redstone Foundation, moderated by Ed Gaskin.

West Newton Cinema

Pepi Fandango Film Screening

As a child, Peter Perez (aka Pepi) and his Jewish family were sent to the Rivesaltes concentration camp in the south of France. There, separated from his parents, five-year-old Pepi listened, voiceless, as the Spanish Romani children in the camp sang flamenco fandango songs to communicate with their separated parents at the camp. Now 80 years later, still burdened by his trauma, Pepi embarks on composing a fandango to help process his experience. Pepi and his musician friend Alfred set out on a road trip across Europe in search of authentic flamenco music, armed only with their wry Viennese wit and a guitar in the trunk. Along the way, Pepi returns to Rivesaltes for the first time since childhood to confront the ghosts of his past. &nbsp; Preceded by a guitar performance from Francesco Barone and an introduction from Director Lucija Stojevic and Film Subject Peter "Pepi" Perez.&nbsp;

The Center for the Arts in Natick

Nathan-ism Film Screening

At the end of World War II, at the age of 19, Nathan Hilu, the son of Syrian Jewish immigrants, received a life-changing assignment from the U.S. Army: to guard the top Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg trials. This experience fueled a lifetime of artistic inspiration for Nathan, a virtually unknown “outsider artist,” who spent the next 70 years obsessively creating a visual narrative from his memories. But what happens when those memories take on a life of their own? Delving into the nature of an artist’s stories,&nbsp;Nathan-ism&nbsp;is a fascinating look at one man’s need to share truths with a world that doesn’t always want to listen. &nbsp; Followed by a conversation with Director Elan Golod and Co-producer Melanie Levy, moderated by Simona Di Nepi, Curator of Judaica at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

A Photographic Memory Film Screening

Born into a conservative Jewish family, Sheila Turner-Seed left the safety of her home to become a daring, world-traveling journalist. She died suddenly of a brain aneurysm when her daughter Rachel was just 18 months old. Thirty years after her death, Rachel attempts to piece together a portrait of the mother she never knew. Uncovering her mother’s vast archive of photographs and over 50 hours of interviews with iconic photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gordon Parks, and Roman Vishniac, Rachel goes on a journey that explores memory, legacy, and stories left untold. &nbsp; Followed by a conversation with filmmakers Rachel Elizabeth Seed and Maya Erdelyi (Anyuka), moderated by Dr. Betsy More, Director of Programs at the Jewish Women’s Archive.

Unspoken Film Screening

Noam, a closeted teenager in an Orthodox community, finds a love letter written to his recently deceased grandfather by another man before the Holocaust. With a classmate, he sets out to find this mysterious person and uncover his grandfather’s identity as well as his own. Along the way, Noam learns about the history of persecuted Jewish and LGBTQ+ people during the Holocaust and learns more about himself and the identity he has been keeping hidden for so long. &nbsp; Introduction by Writer/Director Jeremy Borison.

FreshFlix Short Film Competition

Our 14th annual celebration of next-generation Jewish filmmakers from across the globe features seven short films from the United States, Israel, and France. Thank you to our prestigious jury: Ryan Hughes, Rebekah Oden, and Lani Weil!&nbsp; &nbsp; Followed by a conversation with FreshFlix filmmakers! &nbsp; <a href="https://www.bostonjfilm.org/guests-2024/">For information on these and other festival guests, click here.&nbsp;</a> &nbsp; <a href="https://www.lehr.haus/classes/how-to-make-challah-documenting-family-history-through-baking-and-film">Come to Lehrhaus from 5:00-6:30PM before the FreshFlix program for screening of&nbsp;How to Make Challah&nbsp;with filmmaker Sarah Rosen. Registration is required. Light refreshments and an exclusive festival cocktail are included with registration for this separate event.&nbsp;</a>

The Performance Opening Night Film Screening

Opening Night!   Based on a short story by Arthur Miller, The Performance is set in 1937 as the fascist atmosphere in Germany is nearing its brutal pinnacle. Jeremy Piven and Robert Carlyle lead this tension-filled drama about a dance company that unwittingly gets booked to perform for the Führer. Harold May (Jeremy Piven, Entourage), a blonde-haired American Jew and virtuoso but penniless tap dancer, tours Europe with his troupe. Their travels take a surprising turn when German attaché Damian Fugler (Robert Carlyle, Trainspotting) offers an enticing sum for a single performance in Berlin. Upon arrival, the group is indulged in luxury, but their excitement deflates into a moral quandary when they discover that their VIP audience is Adolf Hitler. Harold faces a heart-wrenching decision, torn between his art, success, and identity.   Preceded by a tap dancing performance from Jeffrey Bird, Jr., Summer Thorpe, Jillian Stern.   Followed by a conversation with Writer/Director Shira Piven and Writer Joshua Salzberg, moderated by Ken Shulman, BJF Board President.

Film Screening: Shalom Bollywood

A celebration of the all-singing, all-dancing history of the world’s largest film industry. Shalom Bollywood reveals the unlikely story of the 2000 year old Indian Jewish community and its formative place in shaping Bombay Cinema, now coined Bollywood.&nbsp;At the advent of the Indian cinema industry, it was taboo for Hindu and Islamic women to perform on-screen. With access to rare archival footage, this documentary tells its extraordinary tale&nbsp;through the lives of Indian cinema’s Jewish women who took upon the female lead roles and were at the heart of Bollywood from the turn of the 20th century to the present day. This exciting evening will begin with an Indian dinner and time to shmooze and will conclude with a talkback.&nbsp;

The Vilna Shul

Virtual Film Club: Harold and Maude

Please join us for&nbsp;the BJF Film&nbsp;Club&nbsp;VIRTUAL meetup, in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bostonjcc.org/" target="_blank">JCC Greater Boston</a>, to discuss&nbsp;Harold and Maude, on Tuesday,&nbsp;August 20&nbsp;at 7:00 pm for a fun and vibrant conversation led by Boston Jewish Film Director of Special Programming,&nbsp;Joey Katz.&nbsp;Please watch the film on your own before the meetup. The young Harold lives in his own world of suicide-attempts and funeral visits to avoid the misery of his current family and home environment. Harold meets an 80-year-old woman named Maude who also lives in her own world yet one in which she is having the time of her life. When the two opposites meet they realize that their differences don’t matter and they become best friends and love each other.

Online

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Discover kid-friendly fun in Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas! Enjoy hands-on exhibits at the Boston Children’s Museum, explore the New England Aquarium, and visit the Franklin Park Zoo. Find parks, playgrounds, and seasonal events perfect for families across Massachusetts.

Top 20 kid-friendly things to do in Boston, MA

Kid-friendly things to do in Boston

Kid-friendly events

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.