Film

Judaism and the Jedi: What Do Darth Vader and Jewish Mystics Have in Common?

Rabbi P.J. Schwartz

“It’s true. All of it: The Dark Side, the Jedi. They’re real.”

These are the first words we hear from Han Solo, the former smuggler and member of the Rebel Alliance, in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

It’s been almost 40 years since the original Star Wars film hit the big screen, but its stories in the theater, books, television, video games, and other media highlight themes that continue to resonate with us today.

In particular, the Star Wars mythology can be understood through a Jewish lens.

Trapped by Tradition: A Review of Award-Winning Israeli Film "Gett"

Aron Hirt-Manheimer

In the riveting courtroom drama Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, the titular character is not the only one on trial. Viviane Amsalem’s husband Elisha, the actual defendant, has been called before the beit din (rabbinic tribunal) for refusing to grant