Penn students view film about homosexual Jews

About a dozen students trekked down to Old City last night to get an intimate look at the lives of homosexuals in the Orthodox Jewish community.

The students viewed "Trembling Before God," an award-winning documentary now playing in Philadelphia, following successful runs in both New York City and Washington, D.C.

The film -- which has won awards at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals -- captures the poignant lives of several gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews attempting to incorporate their sexual identities into their religious beliefs, a task that often leads to alienation and excommunication from families and communities.

Following the film, the students headed to a local synagogue to participate in an intimate and informative discussion with the documentary's director, Sandi Simcha Dubowski, and the first openly gay Orthodox rabbi, Steve Greenberg -- who appears in the film.

"I want the film to be palatable to the Orthodox community and embraced," Dubowski said.

The discussion lasted over an hour and included questions from the audience and more background on the film's production. For example, it was revealed that it took five years for Dubowski to find enough individuals willing to have their stories portrayed on the big screen to make the movie happen.

Dubowski spoke of one specific individual who kept wavering back and forth on whether or not to participate in the documentary. He ultimately decided to take part in the film.

And Greenberg said that the film had the ability to change people's perspectives.

At the film's viewing in New York, a couple went over to Greenberg at the documentary's conclusion and stated with tears in their eyes, "We will not reject our children."

Many people leaving the film yesterday were emotionally affected by the struggles of those in the film, who were devoted to a religion that does not accept their sexual practices.

One man's struggle within the film drew an especially emotional response from the crowd. The man, upon realizing that he was gay, consulted an Orthodox rabbi in Chicago for advice.

The rabbi instructed the man to eat figs and recite a religious passage multiple times to change his sexual identity.

When the man's sexual identity did not waver, the rabbi then told the man that he must remain celibate for his entire life.

The incident was "most upsetting," one audience member said.

Another viewer spoke of the power of the film, noting that it was still upsetting even after multiple viewings.

"This is the second time I have seen this. It doesn't make me any less angry... [Orthodox Jewish homosexuals] can't live their lives the way they want to live. They don't choose this," she said.

Other viewers were equally moved.

"I think it further shows the level of marginalization that occurs in our society," one viewer said.

Another powerful moment in the film occurs when a man struggles with the non-existent relationship he has with his father -- a direct result of his sexual identity.

"I want my daddy. I'm 58 years old, and I want my daddy," he said.

While funding for Dubowski's film has been problematic, the movie is scheduled to continue traveling across the country with scheduled stops in Florida, Ohio and San Francisco. Dubowski also plans to show his film in the South, targeting a non-Jewish population.

Yesterday's trip to see the documentary was sponsored by various groups including j-BaGeL -- Jewish Bisexuals Gays and Lesbians -- and the Penn branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.

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