Jewish Life

Timed with Tisha B’Av, a profound day of mourning in the Jewish calendar, screenings of Legend of Destruction—a film by Gidi Dar that won four Israeli Academy Awards—are happening around the world. (Run time: 1.5 hours)

A tale of the historical event that changed the destiny of the Jewish people—the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE—the animated drama utilizes 1,500 original paintings by David Polonsky and Michael Faust, the artists behind the Oscar-nominated film Waltz with Bashir, and is voiced by actors Oscar Isaac, Evangeline Lilly, Elliot Gould, and Billy Zane.

The Land of Israel is under Roman rule. Social inequality, corruption, and injustice are rampant and Jerusalem is a powder keg about to explode. Cries for freedom, justice, and equality in the name of God are pervasive. Secret groups of Zealots roam the streets, causing havoc and hatred. The people are divided. The revolt against Rome quickly deteriorates into a full-blown vicious civil war in the name of justice and revenge, and a devastating famine cripples the city. When the Roman legions eventually unleash their wrath on emaciated Jerusalem, disaster is inevitable.

Offering lessons from 2,000 years ago, Legend of Destruction is a “cautionary tale for a profoundly polarized society” (The New York Times) with contemporary relevance.