Even non-Jews are familiar with “Hava Nagila,” the joyful song traditionally played at Jewish weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and other occasions. As Roberta Grossman’s fun and illuminating new documentary Hava Nagila: The Movie makes clear, though, few people — Jewish or otherwise — know exactly what the tune means or of the dramatic history behind it. The film is now playing in New York City and opens in Los Angeles on March 15th.
Grossman and writer Sophie Sartain (who previously teamed on
2008’s Blessed is the Match: The Life
and Death of Hannah Senesh) went on a “Havaquest” to
discover its origins. Dubbed “a song all scholars of Jewish music
love to hate” by one expert interviewed for the film, the melody took
root among Hasidic Jews living in Ukraine approximately 150 years
ago. Their chief rabbi believed that joy was a requirement for
worshipping God, even under less than joyful circumstances, and felt the tune
had “an extra-magical power” that ultimately inspired ordinary
Jews.
It wasn’t given lyrics and a title, however, until after
World War I. A.Z. Idelsohn, a cantor living in Jerusalem, drew from the biblical psalms and
selected “Hava Nagila” (translation: “Let us rejoice”)
as the most fitting refrain. Idelsohn has come to be regarded as “the
father of Hava” despite objections from the descendants of one of his
students, Moshe Nathanson, who claim Nathanson wrote the song’s lyrics as
a school assignment when he was a mere 12 years old.
The film follows the song’s literal journey from Israel to Nazi-occupied Europe,
its endurance through the horrors of the Holocaust, and to the post-World War
II United States. American singers including Harry Belafonte, Connie
Francis, Danny Kaye and Glen Campbell made “Hava Nagila” an
international recording smash between the 1950’s and 60’s. All
but the deceased Kaye provide new interviews in the movie, as do Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy and
numerous rabbis and scholars. Grossman also references many Hollywood productions that have incorporated the song,
notably A Raisin in the Sun, Thoroughly
Modern Millie, Private Benjamin and Wedding
Crashers.
Grossman and Sartain’s tongue-in-cheek approach
further serves to illustrate the film’s primary thesis, that Jews are “a
happy people.” Hava Nagila: The
Movie as well as the song serve as fitting, entertaining testaments
to the resilience of the Jewish people.
As a Jew, the famed longtime mayor of New York City, Ed Koch, likely sang and/or
danced along to “Hava Nagila” countless times during his storied
life. Koch, who just passed away last month at the age of 88, is now
himself the subject of a documentary. Simply but appropriately titled Koch, it is now playing in LA and other US cities.
Former Wall Street
Journal reporter and first-time filmmaker Neil Barsky does a generally
remarkable job shuttling back and forth between clips from archival footage beginning
in 1977 and an intimate 2010 interview he conducted of Koch. In covering key
moments from Koch’s unprecedented 12-year run as mayor, things can get a
little confusing and/or frustrating for viewers when certain events or
timeframes overlap. For example, I was keenly interested in the film’s
depiction of Koch’s handling of the AIDS crisis that exploded in NYC in
the early 1980’s. Barsky doesn’t address this until he is
well into the second half of the 80’s, but my patience was finally
rewarded even if Koch is defined as “largely ineffective” at
dealing with AIDS.
Koch was dogged by rumors he was gay starting at an early
point in his political career, and they became public in a big way when his
chief rival, Mario Cuomo, told New Yorkers to “Vote for Cuomo, Not the
Homo.” Koch never confirmed these rumors, not even when Barsky asks
him directly during his interview. Throughout the film, though, Koch
comes across as sharp, witty and responsive as only a gay man could be.
New Yorkers today and those who have visited the Big Apple
have much for which to be thankful to Koch, including housing renewal
initiatives in previously blighted areas and the first attempts to clean up Times Square and make it more tourist-friendly. The
late mayor was apparently most proud toward the end of his life of the city’s
decision to rename the Queensboro
Bridge in his honor. Barksy
uses the debate over this decision as an effective framing device, one that
illustrates well the man’s accomplishments and what will surely be enduring
arguments over them.
Reverend’s Ratings:
Hava Nagila:The Movie: B+
Koch: A-
Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest, Rage Monthly Magazine and Echo Magazine.
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