Celebrating the richness and diversity of the Jewish world through the magical lens of multimedia.

Admission to all 2024 SCJFF films and events is free to the pubic with donations gratefully requested.

Festival Schedule:

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Opening Night

7:00 pm - THE CITY WITHOUT JEWS, with an original musical score played LIVE by Klezmatics co-founder Alicia Svigals on violin and renowned pianist Donald Sosin. THE CITY WITHOUT JEWS satirized the gathering wave of antisemitism and tragically predicted the mass deportations to come 15 years later.

Location: Temple Beth El Social Hall

Monday, March 25, 2024

7:00 pm - PERSIAN LESSONS, from director Vadim Perelman (House of Sand and Fog), delivers a unique Holocaust story of survival by wit. With masterful directing, acting and production, PERSIAN LESSONS was named Best Russian Jewish Film at the 2021 Moscow Jewish Film Festival.  

Location: Temple Beth El Library

Saturday, March 30, 2024

7:00 pm - BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode 1

This 3-part series explores the complex history of the Middle East from the Ottoman Empire to the present day and reveals newly declassified documents from British diplomatic files. A must-see for anyone wishing to understand the origins of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

followed at 8:10 by SAVOY

SAVOY

This thrilling film tells the story of Kochava Levy, the forgotten heroine of the 1975 Savoy Hotel terror attack in Tel Aviv. On one March night, PLO gunmen entered the hotel, seized hostages and demanded release of Palestinian prisoners. Kochava, a Yemenite Jew, acted as translator and mediator.

Location: Temple Beth El Social Hall

Thursday, April 4, 2024

7:00 pm: SEVAP/MITZVAH  

A poetic and moving dramatization of a true story from 80 years ago. In Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friend. Fifty years later Bosnia is at war and the tables are turned.

followed at 7:25 pm by BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode  2

The second episode of the series tells the story of how the Jewish-Arab conflict turned from a territorial quarrel between two national movements into a religious conflict. This chapter sheds new light on one of the most important, yet unknown events in the history of Palestine – The Great Arab Revolt.

followed at 8:25 pm by  CHILDREN OF PEACE

CHILDREN OF PEACE

A group of dreamers  founded an intentional community of Arabs and Jews, Neve Shalom, in 1970’s Israel. It was a rebellious and utopian idea: Jews and Arabs living and going to school together as friends and neighbors, learning each others' language and culture. Children who were brought up in this unique environment, now grown men and women, deal with the harsh realities of political turmoil and war.

Location: Temple Beth El Social Hall

Thursday, April 11, 2024

2:00 pm: SEVAP/MITZVAH  

A poetic and moving dramatization of a true story from 80 years ago. In Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friend. Fifty years later Bosnia is at war and the tables are turned.

followed at 2:25 pm by

SPACE TORAH

Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman realized a childhood dream and became an astronaut. He was a key member of the spacewalking team and had five missions on the Space Shuttle. On his final flight he brought a small Torah with him and read from the book of Genesis while soaring through space.

followed at 3:00 pm by

SAVOY

This thrilling film tells the story of Kochava Levy, the forgotten heroine of the 1975 Savoy Hotel terror attack in Tel Aviv. On one March night, PLO gunmen entered the hotel, seized hostages and demanded release of Palestinian prisoners. Kochava, a Yemenite Jew, acted as translator and mediator.

Location: Aegis Community Room, 125 Heather Terrace, Aptos

Sunday, April 14, 2024

6:15 pm: BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode 1   

From Israeli public television this 3-part series explores the complex history of the Middle East from the Ottoman Empire to the present day and reveals newly declassified documents from British diplomatic files. A must-see for anyone wishing to understand the origins of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

followed at 7:15 pm by

SHOSHANA

Based on real people and events, SHOSHANA tells the story of the cross-cultural love affair between a ranking officer of the British Palestine Police Force and a young Jewish woman in the Haganah, one of the armed groups fighting for an. independent Jewish State of Israel. The film gives a glimpse into the many conflicts in pre-state Israel when the Haganah, the Urgun, and the Stern Gang competed with each other while fighting both Arabs and the British for a Jewish state. The film explores the way extremism and violence push people apart, forcing them to choose sides

Location: the 418 Project (formerly the Riverfront Theater), 155 So. River St., Santa Cruz

Monday, April 15, 2024

7:00pm: SPACE TORAH

Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman realized a childhood dream and became an astronaut. He was a key member of the spacewalking team and had five missions on the Space Shuttle. On his final flight he brought a small Torah with him and read from the book of Genesis while soaring through space.

followed at 7:30 pm by BETWEEN THE STONE & THE FLOWER

Born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Miami, Genie Milgram was steeped in Roman Catholicism from childhood but felt disconnected with her Catholic upbringing. Tracing her genealogy all the way back to the Great Inquisition she discovers her family's Jewish roots in the Iberian Peninsula. This is the untold story of the crypto-Jews who converted to Catholicism but continued to practice Judaism in secret.

Location: Chadeish Yameina / Center for Spiritual Living, 1818 Felt St., Santa Cruz

Sunday, April 21, 2024

7:00 pm: BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode 3  

The final installment examines events preceding and following WWII: the failure of the Arab national movement, the success of the Zionist movement in creating a Jewish state, and the crumbling of the mighty British Empire.

followed at 8:00 pm by

THE CHECKPOINT WOMEN:  Memories  

A group of courageous Israeli women established Checkpoint Watch to guard the human rights of those passing through the checkpoints between Israel and the West Bank.

Location: Temple Beth El Library

Saturday, April 27, 2024

7:00 pm: SEVAP/MITZVAH

A poetic and moving dramatization of a true story from 80 years ago. In Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friend. Fifty years later Bosnia is at war and the tables are turned.

followed at 7:25 by

KILLING AMERICA

A conflict is raging in Bay area school districts over merit-based programs, with the effect of dumbing down school curriculums in the name of social equity. Ethnic studies, required high school curriculum, often offers a narrative of “settler colonialism” and oppressor vs. oppressed. Is this the version of  American idealism that we want to teach our kids?

Location: Temple Beth El Library

Thursday, May 2, 2024

7:00 pm - BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode 1

Episode 1 introduces the characters and powers that shaped the complex history of the Middle East from the Ottoman Empire through the 1920s, with new revelations from British diplomatic records.

Thursday, May 9, 2024

7:00 pm - BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode 2

Episode 2 shows how the Jewish-Arab conflict turned from a territorial quarrel between two national movements into a religious conflict.

Thursday, May 16, 2024

7:00 pm - BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode 3

Episode 3 examines events preceding and following WWII: the failure of the Arab national movement, the success of the Zionist movement in creating a Jewish state, and the crumbling of the mighty British empire.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

7:00 pm - CHILDREN OF PEACE

A group of dreamers and idealists founded an intentional community of Arabs and Jews-- Nevew Shalom-- in 1970s Israel. It was a rebellious and Utopian idea: Jews and Arabs living and going to school together as friends and neighbors, learning each others' language and culture. Children who were raised in this unique environment, now adults, deal with the harsh realities of political turmoil and war.

Fest Date: March 19 - May 23, 2024

Locations:
Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos, CA 95001
Aegis Living Aptos, 125 Heather Terrace, Aptos, CA 95003
The 418 Project, 155 River Street South, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Center For Spiritual Living, 1818 Felt St, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Road, Capitola, CA 95010

Click here for more information.