Some Israeli movie recs

I've been on an Israel kick for the last three days and have been watching some Israeli films. The first one is actually from Youval's film class and it's called "On the Frontlines". I'm not sure where you can watch this. It followed a group of kids doing their "Shnat Sherut" (year of service before the army) at a program for non-religious and religious Jews in Gilo. It brings the students together to work with the community in an absorption centre but also gives them lessons and challenges the things that they believe. I really started to feel connected to some of the students that they followed; my favorites were Elkana and Shlomi. Elkana was from Kiryat Arba, the small Jewish settlement in the middle of Hebron and Shlomi is of Italian and Libyan descet. Elkana worked really hard to be on Gale Zahal, which is the Israeli Army Radio but because from Kiryat Arba, it was nearly impossible to happen. He had some really interesting things to say and requested that the students study his home while they were discussion politics and the Israeli/Palestinian issue. INterestingly, there was a student who decided not to come to Kiryat Arba for the lesson but when Elkana's mother passed away from cancer, the entire class, including the studnet who previously hadn't come to Kiryat Arba, showed up to support their friend and sit shiva. Shlomi really became connected to the community and worked very closely with some of the kids there. He also became less ashamed of his Libyan background as he began to interact with the others. By the end of the program, all the students really learned to challenge their own thoughts and beliefs as well as learn from those around them. Really cool movie.

There are a ton of great Israeli movies out there that I would totally recommend. I love "Bonjour Monsiuer Shlomi", "Knafayim Shvrot (Broken Wings)", "Beaufort", "Kadosh", "O Jerusalem" (less of an Israeli film and more a film about Israel during 1948), "Ajami", "Yossi ve Jagger", "Bubble". I also have a ton of my Netflix list right now so as I continue watching, I'll continue reviewing.

It is hard though to watch Israeli movies mostly because they tend to be pretty depressing. There are funny moments (pretty much any time an older Israeli woman goes up in arms or when younger men are fighting over something insignificant) but in general, they are pretty depressing. Hadasi always said it's because Israel is a pretty depressing place itself, if you look at the history and the fact that thousands of years after Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael, there still is not peace and I guess in a way she's right. Here's hoping that peace comes soon and Israeli movies will become more comedic.