Racism against Sephardic, Mizrahi, and Ethiopian Jews is baked into Israel’s history, especially in film.
I was intrigued about seeing a film that dives into racism against Sephardic Jews while tied to the Haredi community. I’m not surprised racism is an issue given how conservative the Haredi community is, but what’s fascinating about the film Neither Day Nor Night is how it perfectly balances the impact anti-Sephardic racism has on a personal and systemic level.
The film follows Shmuel (Eli Menashe) and his French-Sephardic family as he learns that his Talmudic prodigy son, Raphael (Adam Hatuka Peled) won’t be accepted into a prestigious yeshiva because of their Sephardic heritage and working-class background. Director Phinehas Veuillet intrinsically dissects Shmuel’s family, unraveling upon the realization that the community they tried so hard to integrate into doesn’t really want them. Shmuel, who’s observant but not Haredi, feels both validated but still angry at how the community tossed aside his family. His wife, Ahuva (Maayan Amrani), and Raphael, who are more overtly observant, feel betrayed and bitter because they still want to be included in the Haredi community where they invested so much of their identity. Veuillet approaches the personal damage of racism without sacrificing the systemic origins, as depicted in Raphael’s Haredi rabbi (Shmuel Vilozni), whose performative and dismissive attitude bites even with a soft tone.
Even if you’re a stranger to the Haredi community and Sephardic discrimination, Neither Day Nor Night‘s examination of communal isolation and cultural insecurity is skillful and impactful. With strong performances and an intense build, Neither Day Nor Night is an enticing drama that will shake you to your core.
Neither Day No Night will have its American premiere at the New York Jewish Film Festival on Monday, January 27th
