Three Israeli-Palestinian documentaries screen in Sacramento

Congregation B’nai Israel of Sacramento’s event listing sets three documentary dates: Nov. 14, Jan. 30 and Feb. 21. The series is co-sponsored by the Sacramento Jewish Film Festival. The listing frames the program through history presented to an Israeli television audience, the circulation of disinformation and civilians who continue to imagine peace.

What follows “The New Jew”?

At 7 p.m. Nov. 14, “The New Jew: Days of War” opens the series. The event listing calls it a follow-up to the 2021 miniseries “The New Jew.” That miniseries sought to explain American Jews to an Israeli television audience. Comedian Guri Alfi hosts both, and he is a cousin of B’nai Israel’s Rabbi Mona Alfi.

The event description says: “Guided by Guri Alfi’s signature mix of empathy and humor, the film masterfully balances deep emotional resonance with moments of levity, offering a message of hope in challenging times.” That is the evening’s promotional gloss, generously applied.

After the film, Rabbi Mona Alfi will lead a group discussion. The listing identifies no other discussants. Nov. 14 is the only date with a stated post-film exchange. The format puts interpretation inside the event, rather than leaving it to the credits.

How does “The Campaign” examine disinformation?

At 7 p.m. Jan. 30, “The Campaign: Disinformation in a Time of War” takes the screen. The listing bills it as an investigative documentary about disinformation and propaganda’s role in the world’s perception of the Israel-Hamas war.

The event description places the film in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, when images of human suffering emerged on both sides. It says slogans and emotionally charged narratives spread faster than facts, flooding media ecosystems worldwide.

The documentary then examines how algorithms feed disinformation to news consumers. The listing says this process can create fertile ground for antisemitism. Its concern is the system around the claim, not only the claim itself.

Who speaks in “The Other”?

At 3 p.m. Feb. 21, “The Other” closes the series. According to the event description, it concerns Israelis and Palestinians who dream of peace.

The film follows artists, activists, ex-fighters, bereaved families and other citizens confronting the realities of life in conflict. It places those voices against escalating violence and describes them as “a united community striving for peace and hope in Israel-Palestine, even amid unimaginable loss and division.”

Across the three films, the program works like three lenses: American Jewish identity and war, algorithmic disinformation and civilian life under conflict. The sequence moves from explanation to systems to consequences. Each documentary addresses a different obstacle to understanding.

What do tickets cost?

The event listing prices each film at $18. Students and seniors pay $15. A pass for all three costs $45, or $40 for students and seniors. Individual tickets preserve the option to attend one film, while the all-film pass is the more sensible transaction for anyone planning to watch the full sequence.

Rabbi Mona Alfi’s Nov. 14 discussion will provide the first test of the program, before the later screenings shift attention from images and algorithms toward people living with conflict. Congregation B’nai Israel has supplied the films, the room and the opening exchange. The audience must still decide whether the series becomes a conversation or three adjacent screenings.