Ushpizin -- The Visitors

I'm still working on my big honkin' blog testimonial, so in the meantime I have a movie recommendation for you.  The film is called Ushpizin, and it changed my life -- it played a part in my re-evaluation of faith and eventual return to God.

Ushpizin (the word is Aramaic for 'visitors') is, in a word, about faith.  But it's a lot more than that.  It's about love, family, friendship and redemption.  It was directed by Shuli Rand, who also plays the lead role alongside his wife Michal.  The movie takes place in Jerusalem, just before the holy week of Sukkot (you can learn more about it here).  Moshe Belanga, a Hassidic yeshiva student, and his wife Mali are praying desperately for a miracle -- they don't have the money to buy the goods necessary to celebrate Sukkot, much less pay their rent.  Their prayers are answered in the form of a generous financial gift and two mysterious visitors from Moshe's not-so-holy past.

I seriously cannot recommend this movie enough.  As it was filmed according to Halacha (laws within orthodox Judaism) I think it would be perfectly appropriate for all members of the family to watch.  The movie is in Hebrew with smatterings of Yiddish, but as long as you don't mind subtitles that shouldn't impede your viewing enjoyment.