The Guests
Encyclopedia
Ushpizin (lit. "Sukkot guests", from Aramaic
uspizin אושפיזין 'guests') is a 2005
Israel
i film directed by Gidi Dar and written by Shuli Rand
. It starred Rand, and his wife, Michal, who had never acted before.
baal teshuva
("returnees to Judaism
") couple in the Breslov
community in Jerusalem. After Moshe is passed over for a stipend he expected, they cannot pay their bills, much less prepare for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Sukkot
.
Moshe admires a particularly beautiful etrog
, or citron
, one of the four species required for the holiday observance. They console themselves by recalling a saying of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov that difficult times are a test of faith. After some anguished prayer, they receive an unexpected monetary gift on the eve of the holiday and Moshe buys the etrog for 1000 shekels
(approx. $300), a large sum of money that is much more than he can afford.
The couple is visited by a pair of escaped convicts, one of whom knew Moshe in his earlier, non-religious life. The convicts become their guests (ushpizin) in the sukkah
, creating many conflicts and straining Moshe and Mali's relationship.
. While a few scenes were shot in Haredi neighbourhoods, most of the film was shot at the Schneller Orphanage
and Jerusalem's Nahlaot neighbourhood. Several streets in Nahlaot feature frequently in the film: Rama Street (where Ben-Baruch meets Moshe and offers him the Sukkah, and where Moshe and Malli part), Zichron Tuvyah (where Moshe's Yeshiva is located) and Tavor Street, while others appear less frequently or even in single shots. The stone buildings of Nahlaot substitute for the Shmuel Hanavi area, though landmarks such as the Wolfson Towers and the Yad Labanim building reveal the true location.
.
The film was a box-office success, becoming one of the most financially successful Israeli movies of 2005. It attracted many religious and Haredi viewers who normally do not go to the cinema.
The film was not directed at the Haredi film consumer, since Haredim do not go to movie theatres. Nonetheless, it attracted much attention and this led to heavy downloading and piracy of the movie from people who otherwise had no access to see the film. After inquiries from people who had watched unauthorized copies of the film asking how to pay, pashkvilen were put up in Haredi neighbourhoods. The advertisements told the public of the financial problem that resulted from the piracy, a reminder of the prohibition against stealing and included a post office box
and telephone number in which to pay with a credit card. Another way to repay the makers of the movie was to call up movie theatres, order tickets, and not show up.
Aramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
uspizin אושפיזין 'guests') is a 2005
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i film directed by Gidi Dar and written by Shuli Rand
Shuli Rand
Shalom "Shuli" Rand is an Israeli film actor, writer, and singer. He is a Haredi Jew and is best known in the English-speaking world for his acting his role as the protagonist in Ushpizin as well as being the writer of the movie.-Personal history:Rand was born Shalom Rand and raised in Bnei...
. It starred Rand, and his wife, Michal, who had never acted before.
Plot
Moshe and Mali Bellanga are an impoverished, childless, HasidicHasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
baal teshuva
Baal teshuva
Baal teshuva or ba'al teshuvah , sometimes abbreviated to BT, is a term referring to a Jew who turns to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Baal teshuva literally means, "repentant", i.e., one who has repented or "returned" to God...
("returnees to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
") couple in the Breslov
Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)
Breslov is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism...
community in Jerusalem. After Moshe is passed over for a stipend he expected, they cannot pay their bills, much less prepare for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Sukkot
Sukkot
Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
.
Moshe admires a particularly beautiful etrog
Etrog
Etrog refers to the yellow citron or Citrus medica used by Jews on the week-long holiday of Sukkot.While in modern Hebrew this is the name for any variety of citron, its English usage applies to those varieties and specimens used as one of the Four Species...
, or citron
Citron
Not to be confused with Cintron.The citron is a fragrant citrus fruit, botanically classified as Citrus medica by both the Swingle and Tanaka systems...
, one of the four species required for the holiday observance. They console themselves by recalling a saying of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov that difficult times are a test of faith. After some anguished prayer, they receive an unexpected monetary gift on the eve of the holiday and Moshe buys the etrog for 1000 shekels
Israeli new sheqel
The Israeli New Shekel is the currency of the State of Israel. The shekel is divided into 100 agorot...
(approx. $300), a large sum of money that is much more than he can afford.
The couple is visited by a pair of escaped convicts, one of whom knew Moshe in his earlier, non-religious life. The convicts become their guests (ushpizin) in the sukkah
Sukkah
A sukkah is a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. It is topped with branches and often well decorated with autumnal, harvest or Judaic themes...
, creating many conflicts and straining Moshe and Mali's relationship.
Cast
- Shuli RandShuli RandShalom "Shuli" Rand is an Israeli film actor, writer, and singer. He is a Haredi Jew and is best known in the English-speaking world for his acting his role as the protagonist in Ushpizin as well as being the writer of the movie.-Personal history:Rand was born Shalom Rand and raised in Bnei...
as Moshe Bellanga - Michal Batsheva Rand as Malli Bellanga
- Shaul Mizrahi as Eliyahu Scorpio
- Ilan Ganani as Yossef
Locations
Ushpizin was filmed on location in Jerusalem, IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. While a few scenes were shot in Haredi neighbourhoods, most of the film was shot at the Schneller Orphanage
Schneller Orphanage
Schneller Orphanage was a Christian orphanage that operated in Jerusalem from 1860 until World War II. The orphanage grounds, located on Malchei Yisrael Street in central Jerusalem, became a British military base known as Camp Schneller. After 1948, the compound housed offices of the Israel...
and Jerusalem's Nahlaot neighbourhood. Several streets in Nahlaot feature frequently in the film: Rama Street (where Ben-Baruch meets Moshe and offers him the Sukkah, and where Moshe and Malli part), Zichron Tuvyah (where Moshe's Yeshiva is located) and Tavor Street, while others appear less frequently or even in single shots. The stone buildings of Nahlaot substitute for the Shmuel Hanavi area, though landmarks such as the Wolfson Towers and the Yad Labanim building reveal the true location.
Soundtrack
No separate soundtrack has been sold, though two of the main songs—"Ata Kadosh" and "Yesh Rak HaKadosh Baruch Hu"—were later released on an album by Adi RanAdi Ran
Adi Ran is an Israeli singer, musician, lyricist and composer who innovated a new music genre called Hasidic Underground . He is a Na Nach Breslover...
.
Release and reception
The film received mostly positive reviews, and was described as a heart warming tale for the Sukkot holiday. Michal Batsheva Rand's performance won many praises, being her first performance on screen.The film was a box-office success, becoming one of the most financially successful Israeli movies of 2005. It attracted many religious and Haredi viewers who normally do not go to the cinema.
Haredi culture
Rand for religious/modesty reasons, insisted that his wife, who had never acted before, star opposite him in the film.The film was not directed at the Haredi film consumer, since Haredim do not go to movie theatres. Nonetheless, it attracted much attention and this led to heavy downloading and piracy of the movie from people who otherwise had no access to see the film. After inquiries from people who had watched unauthorized copies of the film asking how to pay, pashkvilen were put up in Haredi neighbourhoods. The advertisements told the public of the financial problem that resulted from the piracy, a reminder of the prohibition against stealing and included a post office box
Post Office box
A post-office box or Post Office box is a uniquely addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station....
and telephone number in which to pay with a credit card. Another way to repay the makers of the movie was to call up movie theatres, order tickets, and not show up.