The Women's Balcony (Ismach Hatani / ישמח חתני) (ישמח חתני)

United King Films present A Pie Films production

A film by Shlomit Nehama & Emil Ben Shimon

THE WOMEN'S BALCONY

Hold it straight.

Go on... go on...

Congratulations!

Good Sabbath Rabbi.

Good Sabbath, Rahamim, Good Sabbath.

Good Sabbath, Rabbi. - Good Sabbath, dear Nissan.

Good Sabbath. Good Sabbath, Rabbi Aaron.

Good Sabbath. - Good Sabbath, sir.

Good Sabbath, sir.

Congratulations, Grandpa Zion.

Thank you, sir.

Zion, my dear,

what about the window?

When will its time come? - I know.

I've been so busy with the Bar Mitzvah.

One mustn't delay repairing the House of the Lord.

Too true, too true.

Congratulations, Ettie.

May he bring you only pride and joy.

Thank you, Geoula.

How are you, Geoula? - Very well.

Are you sure? - Thank God.

This is a very important day for Ettie.

No trouble, okay?

Don't worry, it'll be fine.

We trust you, Geoula.

Yeah, sure we do.

Take all the liquor off the tables, we'll put it back after the prayers.

Can't you leave the compote alone?!

I woke up starving.

Ettie, it's delicious.

Enjoy, darling. If there's any left, put it in the fridge.

You mustn't touch that on Sabbath! It's forbidden!

Oh, honey, did I scare you?

It's all right, sweetie. Want some compote?

It's sweet. No? All right.

You turned it off. Now how will we make tea?

Want to turn it on one last time?

One last time? Just flick the switch.

All right. Go to your mother, honey.

Oh, Margalit,

why did you make eggplant? I said I would.

Nissan brought me a crate. What was I supposed to do with it?

Never mind.

Damn it, yours is better.

Good Sabbath, Rabbanit (Rabbi's wife).

Have a seat.

Gladly.

Good Sabbath, Rabbanit.

The candy.

Where is it? - You have it.

I do? Oh no!

Yaffa, I can't trust you with anything!

How could I forget such a thing? - Don't make a scene.

Do you have your keys?

I'll get the candy. - Are you crazy?

Send Rachel, she runs fast.

Aaron Babayof is honored with the reading of the first passage.

You're probably asking yourselves

what became of him.

Well?

He moved to the land of Israel.

That's it for today's sermon.

But that reminds me of a story,

a very nice story,

very nice, about...

a merchant

who used to pray before he opened his shop.

But what did his wife do?

Well?

She went.

Where did she go?

Where did she go?

I'll tell you at the meal.

And now

I call up the Bar Mitzvah boy,

Osher Yazdi.

Ettie! Ettie!

Where are they? I'll be late for Zion.

Stop that.

It won't do her any good.

Stay away if that's how you're gonna be.

I can't stop thinking that it should be me lying here.

Why did I get up? - Stop it, honey.

We each have our own fate.

Look how puffy your eyes are. How will you go on a date like that?

I'm calling it off.

It's not the day for it.

With you, it's never the day.

How will you ever find a man?

Besides, Margalit will kill you if you cancel it.

Have some, sweetie. It's good for you.

What about Yisa Bracha?

It's a big synagogue and it's hardly half-full.

It's too far to go every morning, we won't make it.

What about the Nash Didan synagogue, Ahavat Zion?

They're at each other's throats

and you'll get stuck in the middle.

Nissan? - What? - You have customers.

She'll never buy anything.

What do you have to lose?

See? I told you.

Zion, help me out here.

No synagogue is good enough for them.

They offered us a classroom at Ohr Sameach.

We can use it in the meantime.

I'm just afraid we won't have a Minyan (quorum of ten).

They'll come. Trust me. I'll wake them up one by one.

Come on, already. - I'm here.

It's just wrong.

Hello.

Where have you been?

Ask Dopey here. I waited an hour for her.

How are you, Yaffa?

I hear you have a big event tonight.

She doesn't want to go.

Are you crazy? Margalit will kill you. - I told her that.

That's a pity, she says you hit the jackpot.

Educated, upstanding...

You have to go. You'll regret it.

Any news, Ettie? Was the Rabbi here? - No.

Poor thing.

I'll tell Zion to try to talk to him again.

What is that, a monster?

A cyclops?

What's so funny? Is that me?

Am I really that fat?

Where is the boy who drew me?

Trust me.

It's best this way.

Come, let's load the truck with the synagogue gear and move it there.

Now?

Now that the sun finally came out? Sit down.

Okay, get up.

The First Lady is here.

Come, Mom must be home by now. - Hello. - Hi.

Hi, Ettie. - How are you?

You'll spend some time with her, okay?

Oh, hello, Avram Yitzhak!

How are you, sweetie?

Ah... - Hey, honey.

Hi, honey. - How's it going?

It's all good.

What did you bring today?

Your favorite, honey. - How's the Rabbanit?

Who's your favorite biblical hero?

Hero...

Samson?

Interesting.

Why Samson?

I don't know, he was...

a hero.

Here I disagree. I prefer King David.

Oh, kings count, too?

Then King David, of course.

Very good.

Next question.

Which of the 13 Divine Attributes describes you best?

Pass.

Good evening, Rabbi.

Sir,

Ettie spoke to the doctors today.

They said that the Rabbanit's condition

has been stable for a few days. That's a good sign.

If you'd like,

I can come by tomorrow morning and take you to see her.

Something to drink, Zion, my son?

Bat-Sheva?

Can you make a cup of tea for our Zion, Bat-Sheva?

Bat-Sheva?

It's all right, Rabbi,

I can't drink hot drinks at night.

Thank you.

Have it your way, son.

Mr. Zion, Mr. Zion.

The Rabbi isn't well, Mr. Zion. This is not the first time.

He keeps talking to his wife. I tell him: Your wife isn't here.

She's in the hospital. - Don't tell him that.

Never contradict the Rabbi.

I don't understand. - Never tell the Rabbi he's wrong.

What the Rabbi says, we say "amen."

He's a very big man, okay? - I know he's a big man, I know

but even a big man needs help.

We have to take him to a shrink... - Shh! No shrink!

We'll find a solution. No shrink.

Morning prayer, my good man? - I already prayed.

Prayers, rabbi?

I'm sorry... -Oh, here's our wake-up caller. Good morning, Roni.

I don't know why I didn't wake up.

How many men are there?

Almost half, counting you. - Oh, no.

Get to work.

Deserted.

Where will he find anyone? Let's just pray individually.

Give him a few more minutes.

Excuse me, will you join our prayers?

Sure.