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March 25, 2009
The Miracle of Israel
Karen and I recently screened Rabbi Berel Wein's documentary Faith and Fate: The Miracle of Israel, Part Six of a groundbreaking film series on the history of the Jewish people in the 20th Century.
We say groundbreaking because Rabbi Wein, an eminent Torah scholar and historian, sees Jewish history through the prism of, well, Judaism. Rabbi Wein understands that history is not a random series of arbitrary events, but an interlocking puzzle that is guided by the finger of G-d. Thus the title: The Miracle of Israel.
For the rebirth of the Jewish homeland is nothing less than a miracle, as is the very survival of the Jewish people through centuries of persecution.
Karen and I were transfixed by this amazing documentary. Every few minutes we would turn to each other and exclaim: “I didn't know that, did you?”
And we are pretty well informed about Israel and Jewish history.
For us, the most moving parts of the documentary are the testimonies of Holocaust survivors, men and women who endured hell on earth, then went on to help found the modern state of Israel.
The documentary covers the two great events in recent Jewish history: The Holocaust and the struggle and birth of the modern state of Israel.
To quote from Rabbi Wein's synopsis:
When the American soldiers discovered the “Jewish graveyard” left by the Nazis in Europe - as well as the survivors of the concentration camps, they were unprepared for what they saw and shocked by what they found. The surviving Jews had no homes to return to, little or no family remaining and were suffering in dire poverty. The Sephardic as well as the Ashkenazic Jewish communities of Europe were gone. Looking back, they and their communities were devastated, and looking forward, the challenges seemed insurmountable.
The film explores the remarkable determination that the survivors had to rebuild their lives. It also explores their faith during and after the Holocaust. For the many of survivors, the Zionist dream of a Jewish homeland was their anchor of hope. For others, it was their determination to rebuild their lives with material security and safety. And yet for others, the faith that had sustained them through their darkest days, became the building block of re-creating a Torah life - wherever they could. For example, the communities of the Chassidic dynasties such as Sanz, Bobov, Satmar and the Torah institutions and communities of Ponevich, Mir, Telze, just to name a few.
We highly recommend this film. In fact, the entire series is simply magnificent.
This 2 CD set includes:
• 110-minute historic DVD of the dramatic events as they unfolded
• Rarely seen photos from private collections
• Narration and explanation to put the events in the broader context of Jewish history
• Original sound track & special effects
• Ability to navigate through the DVD to focus on the events of your choosing
• Downloadable & printable photo archives
• 26 downloadable videos
• Biographies to copy & paste
• Quick-Read summaries
• Jewish Family Tree tools & resources
• Additional Resource Listings for more information
To order the film, head on over here.
Full Disclosure: Rabbi Berel Wein and I are friends. In fact, I wrote an animated movie about the great Jewish sage Maimonides for Rabbi Wein's film series. However, if I did not like this film, I would simply not review it. The policy at Seraphic Secret is only to review books, movies—whatever—that we admire. Writing snarky reviews is simply too easy and wasteful. So rest assured that when we hand out a good review, it is richly deserved.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at March 25, 2009 09:18 AM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
Thank you for this! As we near the Geula, every single gesture that draws us closer to the reality behind the headlines is a kiddush Hashem. Brachot to you and Karen, and to all of your dear ones.
Posted by: rutimizrachi at March 25, 2009 11:55 AM
I've read one of Rabbi Wein's history books and found it very readable and entertaining.
Posted by: mata hari at March 25, 2009 12:45 PM
I have always been amazed to hear atheists attribute the most astounding historical events to randomness or coincidence, while those of us of faith can see God's Hand in world events.
Even when Israel's creation was predicted millennium before the fact, there are those who refuse to see God's Hand.
Posted by: Bill Brandt at March 25, 2009 01:24 PM
Thanks, Robert, I'm going to get the series for my family. I know of Rabbi Wein's reputation, but your post has convinced me I need to have this in my house.
I was reading a book about the retaking of Jerusalem in '67, in a book called Among Lions by J. Robert Hoskins, and I came across this quote from Menachem Begin, which was Begin's recollection of his feelings when he found out the Har Habayis was back in our hands:
"On that day, unique in the annals of the Jewish people, I could hear the echol of the voices of the Roman Legionnaires shouting 'hep, hep'-Hierosolyma est perdita'-meaning, 'Jerusalem is lost, Jerusalem is lost'...I remember thinking to myself...Where are the cohorts of Vespasian and Titus? They had all but disappeared behind the cloud of history, whereas the Jewish people are back here, alive, having made their rendezvous with their destiny where we started our national life and the building of our civilization.
Yes, indeed, we are back home, we survived all the holocausts, every persecution and found strength enough to rise again and fight for our liberation and for the defense of our independence. Upon pondering this unprecedented metamorphosis, one cannot but stand in awe before the moral greatness of an ancient people and young nation reborn."
I found that fitting..and your post, too...on the week of my father's yarzheit. And no, I don't think it's an accident either, nor that Shabbos was Haftorah Hachodesh; the commentary in the Stone Chumash talked of how Israel is compared to the moon...waxing and waning, and how Israel, the nation of Israel, comes back in spite of the periods of 'waning' (though we'd all be glad if we didn't have to KEEP going through the bad times and could only know the good times, b'h!).
He was a Survivor, and though he did not go to Israel (he had a passport for "Palestine" in 1947, but was convinced by the refugee aid groups to come to the States), he loved Israel and he cared deeply about the continuation of the Jewish people, and for all the right reasons. Not survival for survival's sake alone, but because of the message and meaning of what Judaism is.
Posted by: Maurice at March 25, 2009 03:41 PM
My late father-in-law, z"l, and late mother-in-law, z"l, were both Israeli pioneers, members of the Irgun. Having helped defend, define and build the State of Israel was an identity that could never be taken away from either one of them.
I'm sure that the documentary you describe lays the history out honestly and clearly, and I'll make it a point to look out for the DVD set.
Posted by: Pearl at March 25, 2009 07:35 PM
We saw the film last year. It was great. There was a lot of new information. I found the Harrison mission particularly interesting. I also thought it was a nice touch to the the views of Irgun fighters, who are all too often ignored.
Posted by: soccer dad at March 26, 2009 09:51 AM
Is this documentary scheduled to air on any tv stations? I'd really like my family to see it.
I'm Christian, not Jewish, but I agree with so many of your insights, especially about radical Muslims, and our diminishing support for Israel. Big mistake.
I enjoy reading your blog, especially the 'Hollywood Burning' posts. Thanks.
Posted by: rebecca at March 26, 2009 04:43 PM
Rebecca:
Thanks so much for the kind words and for your support.
As far as I know the film is not scheduled for a TV release. Purchasing this film is well worth the money. It's a keeper.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 26, 2009 05:39 PM