One Sukkot tradition I have developed over the years is watching the Israeli movie Ushpizin. This movie is really clever because it takes one of the classic Hollywood movie genres, the "Christmas Miracle," and transposes it to Israel. Of course, in Israel it would not make sense to have a movie about Christmas, so Ushpizin is about a Sukkot Miracle. The two main characters in the movie are a married couple who were raised as Secular Jews but found religion and became Ultra-Orthodox. The name of the movie, Ushpizin, is an Aramaic word meaning "visitors." It specifically refers to angelic visitors who some rabbinical Jews believe visit Sukkahs bringing blessings on those who fulfill this biblical commandment. The unexpected visitors that arrive in the Sukkah of the newly Ultra-Orthodox couple are far from angelic. Instead, they are a pair of petty criminals who skip out on a weekend furlough from prison and arrive in Jerusalem looking for a place to hide out. I don't want to spoil it, so I won't tell anymore of the story. This is a great movie that is well worth watching. The movie is in Hebrew, with English subtitles and available on the DVD. Buy Now!
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Oh Nehemia! This is also my favorite movie. I stumbled across it on Netflix about
11 or12 years ago and was intrigued because I was studying Biblical Hebrew. I was enthralled and have watched it several times. I have since been studying modern Hebrew and this year was pleased to realize I could actually understand more of it without reading all the subtitles. 🙂 It is becoming our go to movie for the Holiday for the group that meets in our home for midrash.
Love your HebrewVoices, Torah Pearls, et al. Am privileged to support all your work. It is so refreshing to find someone who is more concerned with finding truth than with proving his own point. Yehovah bless you mightily!
Best Regards,
Y Smith
I read your blog in 2016 about this movie so our family watched it that year. It is now our favorite movie to watch at the beginning of the Feast. Thank you for sharing it!
It’s our favorite, too! We will be watching it today!!
I have seen this movie before through a Jewish friend’s webpage. I did not know I can now own it! I love it, too! I have it now in the cloud through amazon.com! I have it where ever I am! I can re-watch on my cellphone and on all my Kindle Fires as well as my LG Notebook and Samsung tablet! I never am without one of them in my hand at home or work, to hear and now watch on my breaks at work and at home! It touches my heart deeply! And I did not know it is a transliteration of the “Christmas Miracle.” What I learn from Nehemia always changes the small things in my life. The couple, they are precious!
I was able to order it through Amazon with “Same Day” delivery after seeing this yesterday. Thanks Nehemia, it was fun to see.
Hi Devorah!
Where may I order this? Used to own it and lent it to someone 3 years ago. Guess they got blessed!!
Blessings and Shalom to All,
Chayah
Click on the image and it will take you to Amazon.
😉 I LOVE that movie. Those type of movies, you’re welcome to come to my house and watch. I don’t lend them out! LOL
This is such a great movie and we always watch it during Sukkot 😀
Chag Sameach Chaverim!!!
Saw it for the very first time today. Won’t be the last time! Awesome movie. Thanks for sharing.
We like to watch this movie in our family as well. It’s very good family movie for the holiday…