Screening of "James' Journey to Jerusalem", January 5

An African villager sets out on a spiritual quest to the Holy Land. What happens when he becomes enmeshed in the entrepreneurial tangle of modern Israel?

 The answer unfolds in "James' Journey to Jerusalem ," which will be shown Saturday, January 5th at 8:00 P.M. at the Temple.

A droll mix of social commentary and modern fairy tale, this Israeli film follows the adventures of James, a devout Christian on a pilgrimage from his African village. James becomes part of the migrant labor workforce in Tel Aviv and pursues his religious quest – until he gets a taste of success by turning the tables on his employers. With a moving and charismatic performance by South African actor Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe, "James' Journey to Jerusalem " is an astute exploration of the economic, moral, and spiritual hypocrisies of Western society filtered through an evocative portrait of modern Israel 's cultural and generational divisions.

A talk and audience discussion will immediately follow the screening, led by Avi Picard, a visiting professor of Israel Studies at Rutgers University – Newark campus. Prof. Picard's specialty is Israeli society, with an emphasis on ethnicity. He will shed additional light on Israel 's social hierarchy, as it is revealed in the film, and on the tensions immigrants experience as they encounter the secular reality of the Holy Land .

This film screening and talk are open to the public at no charge, with a $5 donation suggested, but not required. Released in 2004, the film is in Hebrew and Zulu with English subtitles. The film's content would earn it a PG rating in the United States.