ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE IN ISRAEL.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic JEWISH FILMMAKER Danae Elon's revealing documentary, ``Another Road Home,'' began life as her search for the Palestinian man who all but raised her for the first 20 years of her life in Jerusalem. But this isn't a standard reunion story. By looking at the complex relationship between her own family and the family of the loving, selfless self·less adj. Having, exhibiting, or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish: "Volunteers need both selfish and selfless motives to sustain their interest" Natalie de Combray. man who cared for her, Elon shines a light on Israeli-Palestinian relations in ways that are profound, human and hopeful. Elon is the daughter of Amos Elon Amos Elon (born 1925) is an Israeli journalist and author. Elon was born in Vienna in 1925 and migrated to Palestine in 1933. In the 1950s and later, Elon served as a European and American correspondent for the newspaper Haaretz. , a celebrated left-wing Israeli author and social critic. But Amos, by his own admission, wasn't particularly good at being a dad. And though the film doesn't spell it out This article or section contains unconfirmed rumors and/or speculation. Information must be and based on . Please remove rumors and speculation and discussion from the article. , her mother wasn't around much, either. So Elon was cared for by Mahmoud ``Musa'' Obeidallah, a Palestinian looking to earn enough money to send his eight sons to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , where they could go to school and have a better life. Having lost touch with Obeidallah, Elon travels to Patterson, N.J., to find the sons. The reunion between the brothers and all-but-in-blood sister is warm but also awkward. ``He spent all my growing life in your house,'' one son, Nasser, tells her. ``Did you ever think about us?'' In fact, as ``Another Road Home'' goes on, it raises more questions than it answers. Elon is comfortable with awkward silences In a social conversation, an awkward silence might occur momentarily when no one has anything to say and the conversation is halted as people look around tensely waiting for someone to break the silence. and unspoken tension. She bravely unmasks the contradictions and subtle prejudices in her own behavior as well as that of her parents. (Before meeting Obeidallah's sons, the famously fa·mous·ly adv. 1. In a way or to an extent that is well known: "his famously neurotic mannerisms [are] lampooned in the novels of Evelyn Waugh" liberal Amos Elon wonders if they've grown beards, meaning: Are they extremists?) She finds a sense of home in the immigrant communities of Patterson. And of course she finds Obeidallah, a man still comfortable in any social situation, able to somehow skirt the political and see people for simply who they are. When Elon asks her father figure how he could have ironed her Israeli army uniform every morning, he tells her he didn't see the country - he saw the girl he loved. Those may well be the most encouraging words heard in a movie this year. Glenn Whipp, (818) 713-3672 glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com ANOTHER ROAD HOME - Three stars (Not rated: nothing objectionable) Director: Danai Elon. Running time: 1 hr. 18 min. Playing: Laemmle's Music Hall in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. . Expands next week. In a nutshell nut·shell n. The shell enclosing the meat of a nut. Idiom: in a nutshell In a few words; concisely: Just give me the facts in a nutshell. Adv. 1. : A woman's search for the man who raised her sheds light on Israeli-Palestinian relations in ways that are profound, human and hopeful. |
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