052d / Itzhak Frey & Mal’chik - Russian sub

ITZHAK FREY & MAL’CHIK Insight into the Soul of an Orthodox Jew In 1873 orthodox Jews founded a new quarter not far away from the Old City of Jerusalem. Initially, 100 families lived there. They called the new neighborhood “Mea Shearim“, which means “One Hundred Gates“. The name comes from the biblical passage “Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold“ (Genesis 26:12). Today, Mea Shearim is a unique and quite particular neighborhood in Jerusalem where strict interpretations of Jewish tradition and rule prevail. People dress as was common in Jewish ghettos of 18th and 19th century Europe. The men wear long black coats and round, fur-covered shtreimels (hats). Usually orthodox Jews are suspicious and don’t like to be interviewed. Swiss filmmaker Jürg Da Vaz succeeded, however, to get close to them. In his amazing film “Itzhak Frey & Son“ he reveals the mind of Itzhak Frey, an old wise Jew with Central European roo