Calendar
Dir. Nadav Lapid | 123 min
Narrative | France, Germany, Israel 2019
French and Hebrew with English subtitles
Loosely based on director Nadav Lapid’s (The Kindergarten Teacher) own experiences, the film follows young Israeli ex-soldier Yoav—played by newcomer Tom Mercier, in an incredible performance—who escapes his country and past to take up residence in Paris. Armed with a pocket-sized French dictionary, Yoav refuses to speak his native Hebrew as he desperately tries to immerse himself in French society. Living on only a few francs a day, he bounces from job to job on a wildly erratic journey, attempting to assimilate into a seemingly impenetrable culture.
Unpredictable yet kinetically assured, Lapid’s lucid assault against nationhood asks if individuals can ever be fully extricated from the society into which they were born. While Synonyms is loaded with ideas about identity, both personal and national, it’s the intense emotional impact of Yoav’s experiences that resonate so strongly.
-Note adapted from the Toronto International Film Festival
Film contains adult content, themes, and nudity
Dir. Jacob Goldwasser | 90 min
Narrative Israel 2018
Hebrew with English subtitles
Nominated for 8 Israeli Academy Awards including Best Picture, Shoelaces tells the gently comic story of a complicated relationship between an aging father and his special-needs adult son.
Reuven’s (Doval’e Glickman, Shtisel) kidneys are failing and his son Gadi (Nevo Kimchi, Footnote, Restoration) wants to donate one of his own to help save his father’s life. However, the transplant committee objects, claiming that Reuven, acting as Gadi’s sole legal guardian after the recent passing of his mom, does not have the right to authorize such an invasive procedure.
Afraid of losing his father as well, Gadi feels he finally has the chance to do something meaningful and stand on his own, and he sets out to fight for his right to save his father’s life. Co-starring Yafit Asulin (The Women’s Balcony) and Evelin Hagoel (A Matter of Size, The Women’s Balcony), Shoelaces is a heartwarming story full of love, life, and human connection.
Join the JFamily Ambassadors and the Edlavitch DCJCC Preschool for Tot Shabbat program at the Edlavitch DCJCC. We will sing songs, read stories, and share snacks to bring in Shabbat. This kid friendly program is open to all, no JCC membership is required.
5:30pm – Tot Shabbat service
6:00pm – Snacks and social time
This program is brought to you by the Edlavitch DCJCC and funded by The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and The United Jewish Endowment Fund.
Dir. Barnabás Tóth | 83 min
Narrative Hungary 2019
Hungarian with English subtitles
Budapest, 1948: the upheaval of WWII has given way to the refashioning of society by the new Communist regime. Having survived the war’s extermination camps, Dr. Aládar “Aldó” K?rner (Károly Hajduk) has revived his medical practice, even if he hasn’t fully returned to the life he once led, haunted by the loss of his wife and sons.
In steps a tornado named Klára (Abigél Sz?ke), 16 years old and full of life, herself a survivor of the camps, but one who has not yet fully processed her trauma, often penning long letters to her deceased mother and father.
An unconventional but vitally supportive friendship develops between the two in Barnabás Tóth’s remarkable and immensely moving historical drama.
Playing (along with The Painted Bird) as part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase. Browse additional showtimes here.
Dir. Václav Marhoul | 169 min
Narrative Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine 2019
GermanCzechRussian with English subtitles
Official Oscar® Entry – Czech Republic
Based on the celebrated novel by Jerzy Kosinski, this staggering work of beauty follows the brutal hardships of a young, Jewish boy as he wanders the countryside during World War II in search of some respite from the atrocities of daily life.
Featuring standout performances from Stellan Skarsgård and Harvey Keitel, this harrowing film overflows with incredible imagery shot in vivid black and white.
Note: Film contains adult content, violence, and nudity
Playing (along with Those Who Remained) as part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase. Browse additional showtimes here.
December 25th Day of Service (D25) is the Edlavitch DCJCC’s largest volunteer event of the year. Hundreds of volunteers will deliver holiday cheer to those in need at social service agencies across the metro-DC area! Projects include preparing and serving meals, singing carols, visiting home-bound seniors, throwing holiday parties, and more. Choose from over 40 different projects based on location, type of activity, or time of day.
Projects that will take place at the Edlavitch DCJCC include the Winter Blood Drive, making instant meal kits, creating cards for emergency personnel working on Christmas Day, and more.
Many of the projects are family-friendly, so please read individual project descriptions carefully for the minimum age to volunteer.
DC Central Kitchen develops and operates social ventures targeting the cycle of hunger and poverty. Each of our ventures create opportunities for meaningful careers, expand access to healthy food, and test innovative solutions to systemic failures.
Join us to volunteer on site at the DC Central Kitchen. Tasks include chopping vegetables, sorting fresh produce, mixing salads, portioning meals, preparing and cooking food.
To work in the kitchen volunteers must wear long pants, closed-toed shoes – non-slip soles recommended, shirts with sleeves (short sleeves are okay, tank tops are not), and a hat or other head covering. Hairnets are provided if you don’t bring a hat. Midriff shirts are not allowed. Aprons and gloves will be provided.
Volunteers must be at least 12 years old to participate, no exceptions please. Registration required.
If you aren’t feeling well and have any flu or cold-like symptoms we request that you volunteer a different time for the safety of those we serve.
If you have any questions please email Josh at jsherman@edcjcc.org.
Join us for a night of friends, snacks, and crafts designed to give back to the community. We will learn about Reading Partners, a nonprofit that helps children in DC and around the country learn to read. We will decorate bookmarks and make word rings for elementary school students.
Cost: $7 + $1.50 fee, snacks included.
Individuals of all abilities are welcome to join us at any event. Anyone who needs support is welcome to bring a friend who will provide assistance during the program. For more information on accessibility, please contact Joy Stein, Director of Inclusion and Disability programs, joys@edcjcc.org.
In this four-week series, we will study and discuss select Jewish ethics and writings as they pertain to the contemporary and complex issues we face as a nation today. Topics will include immigration, gun control and the right to bear arms, the opioid crisis, and abortion. No previous knowledge necessary. Open to individuals of all backgrounds and affiliations.
Taught by Rabbi Hyim Shafner of Kesher Israel: The Georgetown Synagogue.
Price
1 class: $10 for members, $12 for non-members
Class Dates:
January 9: Gun Control and the Right to Bear Arms | Click here to register for this class only.
How do the age old Jewish values of holiness of life and the mitzvah of self-defense, war and peace, and strength and humility relate to the modern issue of the right to bear arms?
February 6: The Opioid Crisis | Click here to register for this class only.
Do we have the right to do with our bodies what we wish? We will look at Jewish ideas of health, misleading advertising, and medical ethics in light of the current crisis of opioid addiction.
March 12: Reproductive Rights | Click here to register for this class only.
We will take a close look at what the Talmud says about abortion and fetal status to help answer questions, in a Jewish context, such as when does life begin? Does a fetus have a status in Jewish law and thought? Should government have jurisdiction over our person?
Rabbi Hyim Shafner is the rabbi of Kesher Israel: The Georgetown Synagogue, in Washington, DC. Previously, Rabbi Shafner served as senior Rabbi of Bais Abraham Congregation in St. Louis, Missouri, as the Rabbi of the Hillel at Washington University in St. Louis, and as the Rabbi of India for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. He has Rabbinical Ordination, an MSW in social work and an MA in Jewish philosophy from Yeshiva University. He holds a certificate in Advanced Psychodynamic Psychotherapy from the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute. Rabbi Shafner is the author of the Everything Jewish Wedding Book (2008), a founding writer of Morethodoxy, and a periodic contributor to The Journal of Jewish Ideas and Ideals.
Questions about this series? Please contact Elie Greenberg, Director of Jewish Life and Living, at egreenberg@edcjcc.org.
Join the JFamily Ambassadors and the Edlavitch DCJCC Preschool for Tot Shabbat program at the Edlavitch DCJCC. We will sing songs, read stories, and share snacks to bring in Shabbat. This kid friendly program is open to all, no JCC membership is required.
5:30pm – Tot Shabbat service
6:00pm – Snacks and social time
This program is brought to you by the Edlavitch DCJCC and funded by The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and The United Jewish Endowment Fund.
The Edlavitch DCJCC embraces inclusion in all its programs and activities. We welcome and encourage the participation of all people, regardless of their background, sexual orientation, abilities, or religion, including interfaith couples and families.