Film

Saying Kaddish

Director

Oren Rudavsky

Year

1991

Portrays the experience of the Roth family when Rachel Roth dies of cancer at age 59. She leaves behind an immediate family consisting of her husband and two daughters. The film focuses on the pain and searching of the Roth family, particularly on the tensions between the demands of Jewish traditions and their own needs during Shiva, the seven day mourning period following the burial. The film is designed to stimulate discussion of the interplay between individuals and communities, and the rituals they practice during a period of suffering and crisis.