Renowned feature film brings the story of the destruction of the Second Temple to life.

Four New Jersey communities will join with Jewish communities across the globe to mark Tisha B’Av with a synagogue screening of “Legend of Destruction.” Screenings of the 90-minute film will take place at the New Jersey Jewish Film Festival at the JCC MetroWest in Scotch Plains on Thursday, August 8 at 7 p.m., at Temple B’nai Or in Morristown on Monday, August 12 at 7 p.m., at Neve Shalom Religious School in Metuchen on Tuesday, August 13 at 1 p.m. and at Congregation Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck on Tuesday, August 13 at 5:15 p.m.

These communities will join Jewish communities across the world that will host similar screenings during the weeks leading up to Tisha B’Av, the day both Temples were destroyed, commemorated throughout the Jewish world as a day of communal mourning and introspection. The worldwide series of premiere events will connect communities across dozens of countries, including a screening in the courtyard of the Tower of David in the Old City of Jerusalem.

“Legend of Destruction” is a feature film written, directed and produced by acclaimed Israeli director Gidi Dar (“Ushpizin”), about the period leading up to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The film tells the story of societal fractures that led to the destruction of the Temple and serves as an important reminder for all democracies today. The destruction came as a consequence of the division within society.

It is based on a script co-written by Dar and Shuli Rand (“Ushpizin,” “Autonomie”), which uses historical accounts from the Talmud and the writings of Josephus Flavius. It took eight years to produce and is the first film to use 1,500 original still paintings drawn by David Polonsky (“Waltz with Bashir”) and Michael Faust. The characters are brought to life with the voices of actors, Oscar Isaac (“Dune,” “Star Wars,” “Moon Knight”), Evangeline Lilly (“Lost,” “Antman”), Elliot Gould (“Mash,” “The Long Goodbye”) and Billy Zane (“Titanic”).

According to Jewish history, the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE following a process of societal erosion and polarization, not dissimilar from those being experienced in many democracies today. Social inequality, corruption and injustice led to secret groups of militant zealots forming in Jerusalem that ultimately resulted in a revolt against the Romans, which rapidly deteriorated into civil war between the groups themselves. This weakened the fabric of Jewish society to the point of its inability to fend off a Roman assault on Jerusalem that led to the destruction of the Temple.

The Hebrew version, which premiered in 2021, received four Israeli Academy Awards including Best Artistic Design (2021), Best Editing (2021), Best Soundtrack (2021) and Best Original Music (2021). It received high acclaim from then Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who, in a plenary in the Knesset, urged parliamentarians to watch the film and internalize its message. Current Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the time recommended making the film mandatory for all high school students.

“During this highly polarized time we find ourselves in, the message of the destruction of the Temple serves as a warning not only for the global Jewish community but all democracies,” said Creator Gidi Dar. “I believe that ‘Legend of Destruction’ is an important watch for anyone hoping to understand history, and ensure it is not repeated.”

For more information on the film and to watch the trailer, please visit: https://7thart.com/films/legend-of-destruction/

To register for the August 13th showing at Cong. Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck, visit  rinat.org/tishabav