Kadosh

 

 

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Amos Gitai sheds light on how stifling and confining it may be for some women living within a Hasidic religious community. It looks nearly impossible for them to live fulfilling and joyous lives. The film has a universal message which can apply to any religion or community which influences and advises its members in personal life matters that are, in this viewer's opinion, best left to be determined for one's self. In this film, two sisters lose their self-determination and are sadly compelled to follow the norms of the community ... just because they are women ... whose roles are proscribed. They are to obey the man and be dependent rather than self-determining individuals. The community is run by men who define behavioral norms based on passages from the Torah. The rabbi interprets how these passages are to be understood in modern life. The community influences the lives of its members to a degree most viewers would find highly objectionable and down right intrusive. Whether or not this is a truthful depiction of the Hasidic way of life is unclear to this viewer but the point which is crystal clear by the director is that some areas of life are *indeed* *sacred* and are no one's business but one's own. This is a totally compelling and fascinating film in how it unravels, unbalances and destroys the lives of an apparently happily married couple who are childless after 10 years of marriage. Both Meir, the husband, and Rivka, the wife, are heart-broken after the rabbi at the Yeshiva compels Meir to consider divorcing Rivka in favor of an arranged marriage ... to produce offspring ... evidently his "sacred" duty to G-d. It is not at all clear why *only* Rivka is blamed for this flaw ...

The klezmer music at the beginning and throughout much of the film proclaims the joys of life and its meandering mournful paths as well ... the sadder tunes reveal the future anguish of Meir and Rivka as they sort out their problems within the expectations of their religion. Sadly, Malka who is Rivka's sister is not looking forward to an arranged marriage to Yosef because Malka has a boyfriend Yakov who had left the Yeshiva and religious community to pursue a secular life. He sang a haunting tune in a nightclub about how love can not be fulfilled in this world but instead he will meet his lover in the next one ... Malka obeys her parents and marries Yosef but her marriage life is a sham despite going to ritual baths to become spiritually more clean and praying as required. She follows her heart and breaks her sacred marriage bond by secretly meeting with Yakov for a tryst. The film shows Yosef to be an unthinking and insensitive man which is not entirely his fault but he is also brutish which again, he may not be able to change. He entered into a marriage for the wrong reasons - just as Malka became an obedient daughter rather than showing courage and breaking with tradition to do what is in her own best interests to follow her heart and mind ... even if it meant being banished from the Hasidic community. This film does indeed film less than joyful moments in the lives of its characters, the clothes and colors worn by the women, the older brick buildings and narrow passageways in the streets ... all are symbolic of a lifestyle which makes the insides of its members crumble and breakdown ... Who should decide in the final analysis of what is important in life? Erika Borsos (pepper flower)

This movie shows the beauty of some things Jewish and at the same time shows those beautiful things as sad repulsive.

In the scene of the wedding the women seems to be taken away from her festivities. In reality the woman and the man each celebrate with their friends (so the men and women do not mix.) In the film, she looks as if she is done and on her way home. I have yet to be at an orthodox wedding that was like that.

Also, there are some truths in this movie. But the vast majority of the truth has been clouded by misuse of context. I add this movie to others like Price Above Rubies for showing the most blatent damaging look at orthodox people with the worst amount of personal prejudice thrown in for effect.

This is perhaps the most blatant, self-loathing piece of anti-orthodox Jewish bashing ever portrayed on film. I teach a college level course, Sexual Ethics in Judaism at a University in the Dallas area. I will use this film to show the skewed, factually wrong portrayal of the Jewish concept of sex. Only view this film if you are planning to debunk it's half-truths and outright lies.

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1.0 out of 5 stars refutation
There was a request for more factual refutation of the falsities of Kadosh--

The movie's premises are:

a. Read more

Published on May 4 2004 by aqua

3.0 out of 5 stars beautiful film, depressing and sad topic
As a secular Jew I admit to not knowing any ultra-orthodox here in the USA or in Israel. But I think the plot is more about gender roles and extreme, exclusionary beliefs, than... Read more

Published on Aug 31 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars The reviews should be about the movie...
I read the previous comments and was surprised that all of them boiled down to discussion about Jewish orthodox way of life. Read more

Published on Jun 27 2003 by pm4565w

3.0 out of 5 stars Good insights at a snail's pace...
You know you're in for a slow-paced movie when director Amos Gitai trains his camera in the first scene on lead character Meir and we spend no less than 10 minutes watching him... Read more

Published on May 27 2003 by Andy Orrock

1.0 out of 5 stars Response from an orthdox woman
It's an interesting phenomenon that if someone looks at a thing and wants to find a trait in it, if they look hard enough they will find what they are looking for regardless of... Read more

Published on Nov 18 2002 by Sorele

1.0 out of 5 stars Boring, Boring, & Boring
I told my wife that night that I've got a newly released rare Jewish movie for us to watch together. But after 30 minutes, we both agreed at the same time to quit. Why? Read more

Published on Oct 24 2002 by justareader

3.0 out of 5 stars A Balanced Review
I had mixed feelings about this film but I think it's important to explain that there is a difference between the Orthodox Judaism that is practiced here in America (and probably... Read more

Published on Jun 19 2002 by R. Epstein

2.0 out of 5 stars Actors try, but director's simpleminded attack on Orthodox
The DVD interviews are extremely revealing. The actors (themselves secular Israelis) love the challenge of playing fundamentalist ultra-Orthodox Jews and manage to convey a true... Read more

Published on May 8 2002 by N. Caine

1.0 out of 5 stars Nothing more than a dirty anti-Semitic lie
Every one who has even a little bit of familiarity with a Jewish Orthodox way of life or an Orthodox community will reject this movie as a piece of anti-Semitic garbage. Read more

Published on Feb 7 2002 by zzcatfelix

1.0 out of 5 stars A Distortion of Facts
Kadosh was an international sensation for the simple reason that it's subject matter is controversial, with some exotic titillation thrown in for some added measure. Read more

Published on Nov 6 2001 by LeoK

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