And Thou Shalt Love
Encyclopedia
And Thou Shalt Love is an Israel
i short film. It was directed by Chaim Elbaum. The film examines the difficulties of being both an Orthodox Jew and gay
. The story is based on Elbaum's experiences with being gay.
It won the best drama award at the 2008 Jerusalem Film Festival
.
as a Hesder
student. He has not told anyone that he is gay. He tries various ways of dealing with the conflict between his religious beliefs and his sexual orientation
, including Atzat Nefesh
. He is told to spend forty days fasting and repenting
to help rid him of his homosexual inclinations. He does this and believes himself to be cured.
After this, his best friend, Nir, returns from leave. Ohed is torn between his homosexuality and his religion. The film deals with the struggles Ohed faces when it comes to loving God and loving Nir.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i short film. It was directed by Chaim Elbaum. The film examines the difficulties of being both an Orthodox Jew and gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. The story is based on Elbaum's experiences with being gay.
It won the best drama award at the 2008 Jerusalem Film Festival
Jerusalem Film Festival
The Jerusalem Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, Israel. The festival was the brainchild of Lia van Leer, who inaugurated it on May 17, 1984...
.
Plot
Ohad, the protagonist, is serving in the Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
as a Hesder
Hesder
Hesder is an Israeli yeshiva program which combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces, usually within a Religious Zionist framework...
student. He has not told anyone that he is gay. He tries various ways of dealing with the conflict between his religious beliefs and his sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
, including Atzat Nefesh
Atzat Nefesh
Atzat Nefesh is an Orthodox Jewish organization based in Israel. It was founded in 2001 by Rabbi Shlomo Aviner. The organization offers support for people who try to alter their sexual behavior...
. He is told to spend forty days fasting and repenting
Repentance in Judaism
Repentance in Judaism known as teshuva , is the way of atoning for sin in Judaism.According to Gates of Repentance, a standard work of Jewish ethics written by Rabbenu Yonah of Gerona, if someone commits a sin, a forbidden act, he can be forgiven for that sin if he performs teshuva, which...
to help rid him of his homosexual inclinations. He does this and believes himself to be cured.
After this, his best friend, Nir, returns from leave. Ohed is torn between his homosexuality and his religion. The film deals with the struggles Ohed faces when it comes to loving God and loving Nir.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Uri Lachmi | Ohad |
| Omer Zonenshein | Nir |
| Yehonadav Perlman | The Rabbi |
| Itzik Haikeh | Benni |
| Yariv Kook | The voice of Menachem |
| Sigalit Ya'akobi | The voice of the woman |
See also
- Trembling Before G-dTrembling Before G-dTrembling Before G-d is an 2001 American documentary film about gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews trying to reconcile their sexuality with their faith. It was directed by Sandi Simcha DuBowski, an American who wanted to compare orthodox attitudes to homosexuality with his own upbringing as a gay...
(2001) - Keep Not SilentKeep Not SilentKeep Not Silent is a documentary film by Israeli director Ilil Alexander about three lesbians in Jerusalem. It won the Israeli Academy Award for best documentary in 2004 as well as 8 international awards including two audience awards in Berlin and Italy.Lesbianism is generally viewed as forbidden...
(2002 documentary) - Say AmenSay AmenSay Amen is a personal documentary film by David Deri, an Orthodox Jew, who reveals his homosexuality to his parents and siblings. The documentary is named one of the best five documentaries of the year 2005 by Israeli Film Academy and appeared in many film festivals, including HOTDOCS-Toronto,...
(2005) a documentary about a gay man coming out to his Orthodox family - Yossi and Jagger (2002) an Israeli romantic drama film about two soldiers on the Israel – Lebanon border