Israel Movie Night: "Rage and Glory" (1984)
with a talk by Yiftach Ofek

Monday, January 20, 7:00 PM
1 hour & 58 minutes

“Rage and Glory” is considered one of the best historical action films ever made in Israel. The plot follows the Jerusalem cell of the pre-independence underground paramilitary movement Lehi (Lochamei Herut Yisra’el, also known as the “Stern Gang” after their charismatic founder Avraham “Yair” Stern) during one month in 1942.

Filmed and distributed during the First Lebanon War, the director, Avi Nesher, had said in interviews that his motivation for writing this film was to explore the psychology of terrorism. Yet perhaps despite his intentions, many have also seen in this film a paean to the Jewish underground forces fighting against British imperialism and for the establishment of an independent Jewish state. Whatever the final verdict may be, watching “Rage and Glory” remains a thrilling experience, which provides an interesting insight into a tumultuous historical period.

The film will be preceded by a short historical introduction by ASBI Member and member of the Israel Committee, Yiftach Ofek, a PhD Candidate at the University of Chicago working on Zionist and Israeli intellectual history, who has written on the ideology of Lehi and its place in Israeli thought and history.

Sponsored by the Israel Committee.
Pizza, pop, popcorn, and chips will be served.