For quite a while now, a wide range of superior documentaries have examined a wide range of issues. Among the latest is THE RUINS OF LIFTA, a thoughtful, multi-layered depiction of contemporary Israeli-Palestinian relations that has just opened theatrically in Manhattan and will be doing so momentarily in Los Angeles.
First, a bit of background information. Once upon a time, Lifta was a small village located by the western entrance to Jerusalem. Its residents were Palestinians, it was left abandoned in 1948, and it is the only settlement that has not either been completely destroyed or repopulated by Jews. At the outset, we are told that the ruins of Lifta “bear silent witness to the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
At the center of the film is MenachemDaum, who codirected with Oren Rudavsky. And on one level, THE RUINS OF LIFTA is not so much a documentary as a memoir, a personal journal pieced together by Daum, the offspring of Holocaust survivors who was born in a displaced persons camp in Germany. Daum had long been convinced that, simply put, any non-Jew is not to be trusted and, in particular, Jews and Palestinians are natural enemies. This was the lesson that he was taught by his father and this point-of-view is understandable, given his father’s history. Plus, there is footage of Daum’s father firmly noting that “even the best of them” should be avoided.
So the younger Daum was convinced that his background allowed him a certain moral high-ground. But now, he is not so sure: He is changing his perspective. This happens as he visits Lifta and explores its history. And this happens as Daum befriends Yacoub, a Palestinian whose family was booted out of Lifta. According to Yacoub, this is his home. His roots are in Lifta, and he is vehemently against a proposal to completely eradicate Lifta’s history by obliterating all the abandoned dwellings and replacing them with 21st century-style luxury housing.
THE RUINS OF LIFTA is a complex film, one that deals with a multitude of issues relating to Israelis and Palestinians-- or, Jews and non-Jews. While one can understand a Holocaust survivor’s mistrust of non-Jews, the point is made that, after the war, non-Jews looked after abandoned European Jewish cemeteries and, during World War II, non-Jews risked their lives to shelter Jews. Cinematically-speaking, if you are familiar with SCHINDLER’S LIST, you will know this to be true.
At the core of THE RUINS OF LIFTA is a question, one that can relate to any issue. And that is: As one ages and spends more time experiencing the world and mixing with a range of individuals, can he or she change his or her perspective, his or her long-held point of view on a subject? Also, given the specific issue examined here, will Lifta ever be returned to its former residents? And lastly, can the future of Lifta somehow work as a symbol for a reconciliation between Jew and Palestinian?
Rob Edelman has authored or edited several dozen books on film, television, and baseball. He has taught film history courses at several universities and his writing has appeared in many newspapers, magazines, and journals. His frequent collaborator is his wife, fellow WAMC film commentator Audrey Kupferberg.
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