American Birthright

Who hasn’t asked themselves the question “why be in a relationship?” Sure enough, filming in between her 20s and 30s, American Birthright’s director and producer Becky Tahel, doesn’t take any answer for granted, and even complicates the question by making a documentary about it. American Birthright is an intimate, deep and joyous investigation that starts by asking “why marry Jewish?” and ends up exploring the subtler inquiry “why be Jewish?”. Through a series of conversations and trips, from Grenada - where her sister Gal has attended medical school - to Israel, where she engages in conversations with locals and studies Torah - Becky checks off all the items in her “to-Jew-list.” As viewers, we are compelled to witness the extraordinary potential of asking questions and, more importantly, listening with an open mind and heart, ready to receive the answers. Presented as the Next Wave Spotlight, American Birthright is a breath of fresh air, hip and bold, serious yet playful, and opens doors into the multiple ways in which, in our 20s and 30s (and really at any age!) we can find our path. Becky’s journey of self-discovery and self-education is universal: it is both spiritual and romantic, it incorporates traditions and challenges assumptions. Yet, its aspiration is relatable and inspiring: it has inclusiveness as its final destination, and, we learn, can only start with loving oneself.