Sabbath Queen

Sabbath Queen

Sabbath Queen, a feature documentary filmed over 21 years, follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie’s epic journey as the dynastic heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis including the Chief Rabbis of Israel. He is torn between rejecting and embracing his destiny and becomes a drag-queen rebel, a queer bio-dad and the founder of Lab/Shul—an everybody-friendly, God-optional, artist-driven, pop-up experimental congregation. Sabbath Queen joins Amichai on a lifelong quest to creatively and radically reinvent religion and ritual, challenge patriarchy and supremacy, champion interfaith love, and stand up for peace. The film interrogates what Jewish survival means in a difficult rapidly changing 21st century.

Post-Screening Conversations

• SUNDAY, JUNE 8: Q&A with director Sandi DuBowski, Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie and Ilyse Hogue, Fellow at New America overseeing the Gender, Extremism, and Engagement Project. Former President and CEO of NARAL Pro-Choice America (now Reproductive Freedom for All).
• MONDAY, JUNE 9: Q&A with director Sandi DuBowski, Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie and Ari Shapiro, host of NPR’s All Things Considered.
• TUESDAY, JUNE 10: Q&A with director Sandi DuBowski, Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie and Rabbi Aaron Potek, Senior Rabbi and Executive Director of Jewish Life at Sixth & I.