February 9, 2007
The swashbuckling Bar Mitzvah: ‘Zorro’ film unmasks rite’s meaning The greatest contrast to the cleavage and booty shaking at the Georgian party ARTS & is the bar mitzvah of Moishe, whose famENTERTAINMENT ily is from a Chasidic branch of Judaism. Watching Moishe pray and recite Torah at such a high level surely makes this the by DINAH A. SPRITZER VIENNA, (JTA) -- In the new Austrian most distilled passage into Jewish adultfilm Zorro’s Bar Mitzvah, Jewish party hood in Zorro. Among the film’s most compelling documenter Andre describes the addicscenes is the presentation of a prayer book tive nature of his video extravaganzas. “There are people in Israel with rela- to Moishe by young boys in traditional tives who collect my films, not just of black-and-white Chasidic dress with side their family, any family,” he explains from curls. They sing “Yam mama mama” with his audio-visual studio, which looks suffi- the passion of a professional choir. The other bar/bat mitzvahs are full of ciently equipped for a Disney production. “I know two or three women, it tends family drama. We meet the mother of young Sophie to be women, they play these films all day at home when they’re ironing, just have praying behind the curtain that separates them playing in the background,” says women from men at an Orthodox service. She peeps out her head as Austria’s chief Andre, a middle-aged Viennese Jew. He philosophizes that perhaps it is his rabbi, Paul Chaim Eisenberg, says a prayer destiny to endlessly attend bar and bat on her behalf: The mother, Nana, has surmitzvah parties because he never got to vived the Asian tsunami while on vacation and clearly is still shaken have one. Hard to imagby the experience. Going ine collecting bar mitzvah ahead with Sophie’s bat videos? mitzvah after such a trauAfter seeing Zorro, you ma is clearly not easy. might be tempted to play The energetic and loving it again and again like Sophie, meanwhile, who Andre’s Israeli fans, just to catch the nuance of mostly speaks English durwhat the four families ing the film with a strong portrayed in the film have American accent -- her to say about Jewishness, father is an American -- is filmmaker Ruth a typical 12-year-old girl adulthood, identity, gen- Austrian der, schmaltz and, yes, Beckermann stands in front of a focused on her dress and Zorro the masked hero. poster for her film Zorro’s Bar the seating arrangement at This masterful cinemat- Mitzvah, in her Vienna home. her party. Credit: Dinah A. Spritzer/JTA What might puzzle some ic documentary of three recent Viennese bar mitzvahs and one bat American viewers is that Sophie’s bat mitzmitzvah is the work of Austrian Jewish vah service does not include the Torah or filmmaker Ruth Beckermann, whose doc- Haftarah readings that girls often perform in umentaries about World War II and Conservative or Reform ceremonies. Jewish memory have earned her critical Instead, she descends temporarily from the acclaim. women's gallery at Vienna's Great Zorro opened at an Austrian film festival Synagogue, offers a short speech of thanks at Lincoln Center in New York in early from the bimah, or dais, and then recites the December and at art film houses in Shema. In Europe, most synagogues function Vienna. The 90-minute film, in German with English subtitles, is making the according to Orthodox principles, even round of festivals. The U.S. distributor is when their members are largely secular. As a Hungarian Jew who came of age in First Run/Icarus Films, in Brooklyn. The film’s title is inspired by the video the spring of 1945, Sophie’s grandfather, clip Andre is shooting for a Georgian- Hans, never had the chance for a bar mitzViennese family. The clip will be the cen- vah because “conditions were such that it terpiece of their extravagant bar mitzvah was impossible to hold one,” he recalls. The same is true for the Iraq-born party. Sharon, the handsome bar mitzvah who looks more like 19 than 12, is to grandfather of Tom, whose Iraqi-Israeliplay Zorro, and Andre sets up a shoot Viennese mother organizes Tom’s bar replete with horses, stunt men, makeup mitzvah at Israel’s Western Wall. At his farm in Israel, Tom’s grandfather artists, costumes and sword fighting in relates that his family had no money when front at a Baroque Austrian estate. Never far from the scene is Sharon’s he turned 13 and bar mitzvahs were sexy mother, whose perfect French mani- uncommon at the kibbutz where he was cured nails, showy outfits and willingness sent to live. He went to the Western Wall to spend vast sums on a party that resem- for the first time after fighting in the Sixbles the Academy Awards seem to fasci- Day War and “that was my bar mitzvah.” One of the more ardent bar mitzvah nate Beckermann. The lavishness, however, is undercut by supporters in the film is Tom’s Christian the sincerity of mother and son. Sharon’s father, named Christian. “What it means to me is that he is mother is only doing what her extended family expects -- they want a party appro- becoming a man,” he says of Tom. “And priate for the son that her own father cir- for me personally it is very important cumcised. Far from being spoiled, Sharon because I was raised as a Christian, and is dutiful, respectful and performs his confirmed, and I can’t remember it at all.” We see Christian later at the Kotel full Torah portion with finesse. Then in the film’s most hilarious moment, of pride as Tom performs his Torah porafter a downcast Sharon tells Andre he only tion. Tom’s down-to-earth celebration wanted to play the man in black because of outdoors in Israel serves as another a scene from The Legend of Zorro that “my reminder of Jewish diversity. If there is anything missing from Zorro, it mother won’t allow” -- Antonio Banderas as Zorro startles and then embraces a half is the translation of the Hebrew religious naked Catherine Zeta-Jones -- the audience passages spoken in the film. It would be nice for Jews and non-Jews to get the meaning of is treated to that scene. When Sharon finally speaks on camera what these new adults are saying. Other than that omission, the film is a about the meaning of his bar mitzvah, it’s clear that dancers imported from Israel delightful snapshot of Jewish life within and a stage encircled by torches are not one European city where Jewish tradian inappropriate tribute for what he feels tions thrive despite their near destruction during the Holocaust. is the most important day of his life.
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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