I grew up attending a Modern Orthodox Jewish private school.
I vividly remember one of my teachers in Middle School telling me, “The way Jews live in America now is the same as how Jews lived in Germany right before the Holocaust.” That idea always sat with me, that the country could flip any minute, and we’d be kicked out, tortured, and/or murdered in yet another country. With the current rise in anti-Semitic violence and white nationalism, that anxiety isn’t unfounded. Plus, with the proliferation of Holocaust movies and hearing so many stories from survivors, it’s hard not to internalize that fear. What am I supposed to do? I’m proud of being Jewish, but I don’t want to be defined by victimhood, but I don’t want to reject my history either. I especially don’t want to disrespect survivors, who went through a nightmarish hell I can’t possibly imagine. Director Steve Brand explored this unique anxiety in the 4K restoration of his 1984 documentary, Kaddish.
Kaddish is about Zoltan Klein, a Holocaust survivor, and his relationship with activist son, Yossi Klein Halevi, in Borough Park. Through this relationship, Brand examines how being raised by Holocaust stories affects our relationship with our Jewish heritage, community, and the United States. It’s compelling listening to Yossi talk about the strange dichotomy of understanding the importance and weight of these stories while at the same time wanting to distance himself from them and live a normal life. I loved listening to him talk about his activism, how he didn’t want to be defined by horrific stories of victimhood in the Holocaust, but at the same time still loves his father and understands why sharing these stories is so important. He’s relatable, and I’ve definitely caught myself echoing his sentiments as I was growing up. I loved seeing him grow throughout the documentary
At the same time, Klein tries to convey how distancing yourself doesn’t work, that the Holocaust proved it doesn’t work. It’s chilling listening to Klein talk about how on edge he feels listening to American media echo similar talking points that he heard back in Germany leading up to the Holocaust. You can easily relate those 1984 anti-Semitic talking points to today, making this release chillingly topical. It helps that Klein discusses his fears in a leveled and human way. He doesn’t invalidate his son’s passions for activism; he understands where he’s coming from but has difficulty letting go of his fear. Who can blame him? He’s an incredibly empathetic character, especially when he talks about his childhood and his relationship with his parents regarding his Jewish identity. He wants his son to be emotionally prepared, which I feel many parents can understand.
I also loved how the neighborhood of Borough Park was treated as a character in the film. The way Yossi describes how the Borough Park was almost a haven for Jewish-European exiles, with shuls and Hebrew signs everywhere, makes the neighborhood feel alive. The footage Brand uses of Borough Park helped give the neighborhood character. At the same time, Yossi’s description of the changing perception of different Jewish groups offers Borough Park its unique history and structure. It’s simultaneously haunting to hear Borough Park be described as “a replacement for Europe” since while the idea was to make a new home, there is still the lingering fear that the same destruction in Europe could also happen in Borough Park.
Kaddish is a film about a man who would tell his son Holocaust stories as bedtime stories. It’s compelling to see these two flawed but relatable people explore their identity under the weight of the Holocaust. The film doesn’t have any easy answers about approaching these issues, it just lets these two people talk. Just seeing Yossi grapple with issues, it’s like watching a therapy session. I love films where there is no clear right answer, where there is no villain, and you completely understand where everyone’s coming from, even if you don’t disagree. Kaddish is that kind of film. 2022 is the perfect time for this revival; Kaddish is a necessary watch for anyone to understand this unique Jewish anxiety.
Kaddish is available to rent as part of the New York Jewish Film Festival here.
