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I am always excited when it is time for the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Now (as of yesterday’s opening night) in its 23rd year, the festival has been a staple for me of my time here in the ATL. Consider that it was in the late summer of 2006, my first summer at Sinai, that Jan Epstein and Rabbi Kranz spoke with me about sitting on what was then the film selection committee. They knew of my love of movies and thought it would be a good experience for me and wow were they right! After sitting on the committee for a few years I would eventually serve on the inaugural board of the AJFF and would spend three years as one of the co-chairs of film selection. This past year I was able to reprise that role for a fourth year, now as co-chair of the renamed film evaluation committee.

While the artistry and storytelling of the movies is certainly of interest to me, my love of the AJFF has more to do with the way that the festival captures the conversation of Jewish Atlanta and beyond. I love that my inbox is filled with emails from people telling me about the movie they saw; I love that conversations around Shabbat services and communal events hover around a movie and often a desire to process that movie with someone else. I also find it particularly compelling that the AJFF unites people across divides, and this year the festival is anchored in Sandy Springs. That means that whether dining on our near Roswell Road or shopping at Publix or Kroger or sitting for coffee at City Springs, there is almost always someone there talking about the festival or, more specifically, the Jewish experience.

And as my grandmother would say: that is very good for the Jews.

I know that there are still tickets available, and I do want to highlight two particular screenings that may be of interest to Sinai members. The first is our annual Brotherhood/Women of Sinai Night at the Festival. Taking place on Saturday, February 18, we will attend the 5:25 screening of Redemption followed by a reception back on Sinai’s campus. The second, taking place on Tuesday, February 14 in the evening, is a screening of The Way to Happiness. This movie is sponsored by Sinai in honor of my installation as one of your Senior Rabbis. I’ve not seen the film… but it looks pretty spectacular!

Wishing all the blessings of a Shabbat filled with Shalom and a Shabbat filled with Cinema.

Warmly,

Brad