Ushpizin - Reviewed...

I just finished watching "Ushpizin" - a movie about the Feast of Tabernacle - the seven day camping festival commanded for the Jews to remember the Exodus. I loved this movie. It explains in detail the communion between God, people & their strangers.

Isralites are to live in booths for seven days ( ...On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Sukkot, seven days for the Lord. -Leviticus 23:34 & You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths. -Leviticus 23:42 ), they need to take four species (On the first day, you will take for yourselves a fruit of a beautiful tree, palm branches, twigs of a braided tree and brook willows, and you will rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. -Leviticus 23:40) for wave offering, invite strangers in, and celebrate with a good feast - remembering how God led them for 40 years from Egypt to Israel.

Moshe is a convert and now a Rabbi; living with his beautiful wife. They don't have a lot but both love the Lord with all their heart. Feast of Tabernacle is near and they don't have a tent nor the four species nor guests nor anything good to eat. Also, they have been praying for a child for years.

They pray for a miracle to be able to celebrate the feast. A rich man sharing his blessings is not sure whom to give the last $1000 of his offering to - as the person he had in mind is no more. He decides to randomly pick a name from a list and surprisingly it turns out to be Moshe! He finds their home and drops in an envelope with $1000 with a note that read "Please accept this as a gift for the holidays! No need to pay back!".

Malli rejoices and thanks the Lord - waits for her husband to get home. In the meanwhile a friend of Moshe finds an abandoned tent which he thinks Moshe could use as he doesn't have one. He offers it to Moshe and they both get the pieces home and set up the tent in front of their home.

Moshe comes home to share the good news with his wife, and learns how God has doubly blessed them - with a tent and also the funds for other means! They hope for guests to clebrate the feast with - that prayer is also answered - two convicted criminals who used to be Moshe's friends in the past, escape from the prison and come to stay with Moshe for the night.

Moshe and Malli receive them happily as an answer to their prayers - not knowing they are running away from the prison. The guests are mean and don't have very good manners - which Malli regards as "Tests" and blesses them with good food and puts up with all their atrocities...

After a day or two she can't take it anymore when she learns they are convicted criminals. She gets very angry with Moshe and leaves him... However, she is back in few days with the good news that she is going to have a child! God answered all their prayers and provided for all their needs. The criminals seeing how Moshe has changed for good, opt to live their life in Godly manner as well...

Through and through I loved the movie - especially loved their heart felt communication with God Almighty, their love for each other and how they accept the stangers and live through their tests!

I almost forgot, "Ushpizin" means "Guests" in Hebrew!

A must see for people who love Israel!