THE WOMEN’S BALCONY

On bar mitzvah day, a close-knit Sephardic congregation is moving through the streets of Old Jerusalem toward their synagogue. Their elderly spiritual leader begins the ceremony, and their happiness is palpable. But suddenly, the women’s balcony collapses, amidst screams and dust. The rabbi’s wife is rendered comatose, leaving him confused and unable to carry out his duties. Into the void steps a man in a black hat—charismatic, ultra-orthodox Rabbi David. As he takes over from their rabbi, he suggests the congregation’s immorality may have caused the accident. Their wives, he tells the men, should dress modestly. The apprehensive women collect money for the construction of a new female space in the synagogue. Rabbi David wants to use their proceeds for a new Torah instead, and to relegate them to an anteroom. But these delightfully scrappy women are having none of it. Determined to remain part of their congregation, they stage a protest outside Rabbi David’s seminary. THE WOMEN’S BALCONY boasts a fine ensemble cast and an upbeat score that will leave viewers dancing happily out of the theater. (In Hebrew with subtitles) – B.B.