(Courtesy of Kaplen JCC on the Palisades) The JCC’s adult department is hosting a screening of the 2021 film “Amen-Amen-Amen: A Story for Our Times” on Wednesday, October 26 at 7:30 p.m. This feel-good documentary directed by filmmaker Tom Gallagher recounts how Jews in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prayed in a single secret synagogue until the government’s official tolerance directives in 2019 enabled them to come out into the open. The story unfolds through the winding path to the UAE of a gold-encased and bejeweled Torah scroll that was presented by the rabbi and his community members in November 2019 to Emirati Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the capital city of Abu Dhabi.

Several key people from the film will be attending the JCC event: Gallagher, who in addition to directing, served as the film’s writer and producer; Gary VandenBergh (editor, producer); and David Gibson (writer, producer, director). Following the film, there will be an interactive discussion and behind-the-scenes stories about the making of this documentary.

For tickets, $10 for JCC members, and $13 for the public, please visit www.jccotp.org/programs/lectures-learning/#amen.

For further information please contact Esther Mazor, JCC Adult Programs Director, at [email protected] or call 201.408.1456.