The Ancestral Sin

Original title: Sallah, Po Ze Eretz Yisrael

2017
1h 49m

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

YOUR RATING

Documentary History

The story of Israel's "development towns" in a chilling documentary, as never told before: Testimonials and previously sealed transcripts reveal a method, an ideology and a cruel practice of... Read allThe story of Israel's "development towns" in a chilling documentary, as never told before: Testimonials and previously sealed transcripts reveal a method, an ideology and a cruel practice of law enforcement and decision makers behind the "population dispersal" policies in the fir... Read allThe story of Israel's "development towns" in a chilling documentary, as never told before: Testimonials and previously sealed transcripts reveal a method, an ideology and a cruel practice of law enforcement and decision makers behind the "population dispersal" policies in the first two decades of independence. The director's family, like others, was taken to Yeruham, ... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

YOUR RATING

1User review

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total

Featured review

9/10

A Dark Secret Brought to the Light

An astonishing portrayal of Israel's founding movers and shakers as having a racially hierarchical vision of their new found land, with the White European Jews given opportunities to thrive in the environments of their choice, while the Arab Jews were forcibly relegated to the forlorn desert outposts. And if they tried to leave, they would be punished.

This film is not anti-Zionist propaganda. It was made by Israelis, and backed up by official Israeli government documents that had recently become declassified. Some of the old Arab Jews who were there long ago when it happened spoke in the film about how they were lied to, manipulated, and mistreated by the Israeli government. And one of the major architects of the master plan for Israel was interviewed for the film, and was candid and unapologetic about what happened. It was for the good of Israel, he insisted, with thought-provoking arguments to back that up I must say. Onwards with that, not all the old Arab Jews in the film were bitter. One professed her love for Israel, and walked out of the room of complainers in disgust.

My suggestion to anyone reading this - After you watch Ancestral Sin, before you condemn Israel for its treatment of Arab Jews, maybe watch the film one more time. At least watch it once with as many people as you can, and talk about it. There is so much in this film to take in, and some validity in the stance that the Israeli pioneer government took, I reluctantly opine.