Roesch International Jewish Film Festival

For the Love of a Woman 

Wednesday, October 14 • 7 p.m. 

Directors: Guido Chiesa
Run Time: 1 hour 57 minutes
Language: English with occasional Hebrew  

Michal Raucher, PhD, Associate Professor and Undergraduate Director, Department of Jewish Studies, Rutgers University will lead this discussion. 

Set across two eras, For the Love of a Woman blends a compelling historical mystery with a poignant love story. In 1970s Israel, Esther (Mili Avital), an American woman grieving the recent loss of her mother, receives a letter that leads her to uncover a long-buried chapter of her family history. Guided by Zayde, a university professor harboring secrets of his own, she follows the trail of a mysterious woman who lived in Palestine during the 1930s. 

That woman, Yehudit (Ana Ularu), arrives in a settlers’ village and profoundly alters the lives of three very different men: a grieving widower, an idealistic farmer, and a shrewd cattle trader. As their intertwined relationships unfold, the story moves between past and present, revealing connections that reshape Esther’s understanding of love, loss, and legacy.  

Based on Meir Shalev’s beloved novel The Loves of Judith, For the Love of a Woman is a richly layered tale in which personal desire and history converge, culminating in an unexpected and deeply moving revelation.

Centered 

Tuesday, October 20 • 7 p.m. 

Director: Jonathan Gruber
Run Time: 1 hour 17 minutes
Language: English  

Centered Executive Producer, Rob Schwartz, will lead this discussion. 

Centered  brings to life the remarkable journey of Joe Lieberman, the late Senator who made history as the first Jewish Vice Presidential candidate–and nearly changed the course of American politics. Ever a trailblazer, Lieberman was known for his humor, his independence, and for prioritizing what he believed to be right–sometimes earning the ire of his longtime colleagues. 

In an era where the political divide seems wider than ever, Lieberman’s story is more urgent and relevant every day. The film explores his life and career in ways that challenge us to think about the future of democracy and how we can find ways to work together, no matter our differences. 

In partnership with Temple Emanu-El of Westfield 

We Met at Grossinger’s 

Wednesday, October 21 • 7 p.m. 

Director: Paula Eiselt
Run Time: 1 hour 44 minutes
Language: English  

David Moore, Executive Producer and Bob Friedman, CEO Bungalow Entertainment will lead post-film conversation

A nostalgic journey through the rise and fall of a legendary Catskills resort, this documentary traces how Grossinger’s evolved from a modest boarding house founded by Austrian Jewish immigrants in the late 1910s into the crown jewel of the Borscht Belt. Under the leadership of visionary matriarch Jennie Grossinger, the resort became a thriving sanctuary where Jewish identity flourished openly and generations of guests, ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt and Jackie Robinson to Hollywood stars and future comedy legends, gathered to vacation, connect, and celebrate community. 

Through rich archival footage and interviews with family members, former staff, guests, historians, and cultural figures including Judy Gold, Joel Grey, and Jackie Hoffman, the film vividly recreates Grossinger’s heyday while exploring its broader significance in American Jewish life. From immigration and postwar prosperity to assimilation and the resort’s eventual decline, this warm and deeply human portrait captures a changing America and the enduring power of belonging.

The Soundman 

Sunday, October 25 • 5:00 p.m. 

Director: Frank Van Passel
Run Time: 2 hours
Language: Dutch and French with English subtitles  

On the eve of the German Invasion in 1940 Belgium, a tender attachment forms between a gifted young radio apprentice and a rising actress, their hopes colliding with a world edging toward war. Inside Brussel’s famed Flagey Building, 18-year old Berre–an introverted talent with a magical ear–rises from intern to sound engineer, crafting transportive live radio drama soundscapes that captivate Elza, a luminous on-air performer seeking joy in uncertain times. As their fragile bond deepens amid air-raid sirens and rising antisemitism, the radio studio becomes a haven where imagination and escape push back the gathering darkness. Through lyrical visuals, sumptuous period detail, and breathtaking use of sound, this singular prewar tale delivers an immersive WWII-era drama unlike any other.

The Stronghold 

Thursday, October 29 • 7 p.m. 

Director: Lior Chefetz
Run Time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Language: Hebrew with English subtitles  

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, The Stronghold is a gripping war drama inspired by classics such as Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, and The Pacific. At an Israeli outpost on the Suez Canal, 42 soldiers endure relentless attacks as a young lieutenant and an army doctor face an impossible choice: make a final stand or risk everything on a desperate gamble. 

Featuring standout performances from Israeli stars Michael Aloni, Daniel Gad, Daniel Noreshet, Ohad Knoller, and Uri Blufarb, the film combines intense battle sequences with a deeply human story of courage, sacrifice, and survival. More than a wartime thriller, The Stronghold honors the soldiers lost in the conflict by revealing not only how they fought, but who they were.