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USHPIZIN 4 Stars - Uplifting It is difficult putting faith on film. When it’s too obvious, its simplistic message
doesn’t
communicate
to
a
world
in
pain.
But
when
it’s
too
hidden,
faith
is
lost
in
a
conundrum
of
conflicting
experiences.
Finding
the
middle
path
of
believable
faith
and
realistic
life
requires
exceptional
skill
and
personal
understanding.
In
“Ushpizin”,
this
has
been
accomplished. Filmed in The central characters are a recently converted man appropriately
named
Moshe
Bellanga
(played
by
writer
Shuli Rand) and his wife Malli (played
by
his
real
wife
Michal
Bat-Shiva
Rand). Living in poverty in part because of their religious
devotion,
a
crisis
occurs
when
the
upcoming
holy
day
of
Succoth
is
unable
to
be
celebrated
without
a
miracle
of
God’s
provision. Succoth
is
the
festival
in
which
families
live
in
temporary
dwellings
remembering
their
ancestors’
days
in
the
wilderness.
It
is
held
five
days
after
Yom
Kippur,
the
Day of Atonement. Building the tale on multiple biblical narratives, Moshe and
Malli
are
childless.
Like
the
father
of
the
Jewish
nation,
Abram,
and
his
wife
Sarah,
Moshe
and
Malli
experience
their
barrenness
as
a
failing
and
look
to
God
for
His
blessing.
It
is
this
deep
need
and
sense
that
they
must
pass
some
test
to
show
their
worthiness
for
such
blessing
that
is
the
central
theme
of
the
story. Any person of faith will recognize both the struggle to believe
and
the
sorrow
and
joy
inherent
in
the
journey. When their poverty is miraculously solved by
an
overwhelming
gift
that
is
simultaneously
delivered
while
Moshe
and
Malli are in prayer, their joy and generosity is quick and
expressive.
When
their
need
for
a
temporary
Succoth
or
booth
is
also
miraculously
provided,
they
enter
the
holy
day
with
great
expectations. But it is at this moment that the film deepens and the spiritual
messages
rise
above
the
level
of
simple
superstition
to
a
true
faith
encounter.
Moshe
and
Malli
are
given
the
opportunity
to
provide
hospitality
to
two
men,
one
of
whom
comes
from
Moshe’s
former
life
when
he
was
a
violent
and
angry
man. Though we don’t at first realize their purpose
is
far
deeper
than
to
receive
hospitality,
it
is
the
presence
of
these
two
visitors
or
ushpizin
that
puts
Moshe’s
conversion
to
the
test:
Has
he
truly
become
a
righteous
man
or
is
it
all
an
act? The power of God to interact with a human being and bring about
lasting
spiritual
change
is
the
promise
of
the
Bible. From Abraham to Moses to David to Jeremiah to
Matthew
to
John
to
Paul,
the
story
has
been
told
in
life
after
life
that
“God
Loves”
and
“God
Saves”
his
people.
The
temporary
booths
of
Succoth
are
a
reminder
to
the
Orthodox
Jews
and
the
temporary
elements
of
the
Eucharist
are
a
reminder
to
Christians
that
we
are
on
a
spiritual
journey
full
of
opportunities
to
test
our
transformation
and
see
God’s
hand
at
work. Discussion:
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