Select Film Series to screen Israeli movies

Free screenings of two Israeli films that are part of the Select Film Series of the Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival will be shown at four Bay area congregations during January.

The films are the 2006 Pesya’s Necklace, and the 2005 film, Wasserman the Rain Man.

Pesya’s Necklace follows Pesya Goldfarb on her 80th birthday, determined to return to her parents’ house in Poland to find a golden necklace, which she and her sister hid the day they were taken to Auschwitz. Upon returning to her childhood home, Pesya must confront years of shame and decide whether or not the reveal her secrets.

In Wasserman the Rain Man, Abraham Wasserman, a 73-year-old farmer, has 24 hours to let go of the hatred that has given him the strength to go on living, or risk losing everything he loves – his land and family. His Orthodox neighbors want to help him but he refuses to bend to their request to join them in prayer to a God he doesn’t believe in.

The screening schedule is:

• Sunday, Jan. 3 at 10 a.m. at Temple Beth- El, 400 Pasadena Ave. S., St. Petersburg. (727) 347-6136

• Saturday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. at Congregation Beth Am, 2030 W. Fletcher Ave., Tampa. (813) 968-8511.

• Sunday, Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. at Temple B’nai Israel, 1685 S. Belcher Road, Clearwater, (727) 531-5829.

• Saturday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at Temple Ohev Shalom, 6460 Tampa Palms Blvd., Tampa. (813) 632-9900.

There is no charge to attend and the community is welcome.

The Film Festival is jointly produced by the Tampa JCC, Golda Meir/Kent Jewish Center and JCC of Pinellas County.