Beth El High Holy Days

To Begin With Oscar-Winning Film

SOUTHBURY — What can an Oscar Award-winning film teach about the solemn season of forgiveness preceding the Jewish High Holy Days?

You may be surprised.

On Saturday, September 24, Beth El Synagogue will screen the movie A Stranger Among Us starring Melanie Griffith. The program is an innovative approach to the traditional observance of Selichot, a time of introspection and spiritual preparation for the High Holy Days.

The film is set in New York’s diamond district. When a Jewish jeweler is found dead and his store is missing more than $1 million in diamonds, a New York police detective (Melanie Griffith) goes undercover in a community of Hasidic Jews to find the criminal. Once she is immersed in the community, she falls in love with one of its most devout members, who helps her find the criminal.

The film, directed by Sidney Lumet, teaches about the many ways people hide from one another —even in plan sight, taking risks, learning how to trust, and the effects of deception, sin, forgiveness, and redemption.

The event will begins at 7 pm in the Beth El sanctuary with song and prayer.

The movie will be shown in the social hall and will be followed by a discussion. There will be popcorn and a dessert of traditional holiday honey and apples, cakes and coffee. The program is free and open to the public.

At the event, tickets for High Holy Day services will be available for purchase ($150 per adult). The schedule of Beth El’s High Holy Day services can be requested in advance by calling the synagogue office at 203-264-4500 or at BethElSyn.org.

Beth El Synagogue is at the Walzer Family Jewish Community Campus, 444 Main Street North.