Gilad Shalit Documentary at the JCC in Scarsdale

Documentary film "Gilad Shalit–The Interview" (Israel, 2012; Hebrew with English subtitles) will have an exclusive Westchester screening in the JCC of Mid-Westchester's Bendheim Theatre on Thursday, February 27 at 7:30 pm.

Directed and produced by Tal Goren with Tamar Pross, the film features the first and only interview with Gilad Shalit, former Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian militants, talking about his experiences during five years of captivity in the Gaza Strip.

This singular opportunity to view this film in Westchester is followed by an intimate audience Q&A session with Westchester's Israel Shaliach (emissary) Yoav Cohen, an officer in the Israel Defense Forces at the time of Shalit's capture in Gaza during a cross-border raid in June, 2006. Held in an unknown location in the Hamas-ruled Gaza strip, Shalit said that although he was treated mostly well by his Hamas captors, he was fearful that he would never be released. "I tried to be optimistic," he told interviewers. "I tried to focus on the little, good things I had there." Shalit was released on October 18, 2011 as part of a controversial Palestinian prisoner exchange.

Filmmaker Tal Goren was given exclusive access to Shalit's family throughout his captivity and was on hand for the preparations for Shalit's homecoming. His film is a historical documentation of the soldier / child / captive describing what he has been through. Emissary Cohen, who served in the IDF at the same time as Shalit, will host this special opportunity to hear his side of his story. "I am honored to bring my Westchester neighbors the chance to watch this exclusive in-depth interview and to hear about on life in the IDF and about what happened 'that day in June'," says Cohen.
General admission is $15; or $10 for Hillel students and Engage volunteers*. Tickets are available online at www.jccmw.org.

The JCC of Mid-Westchester, 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale, a proud beneficiary of UJA-Federation of New York, is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the community by providing cultural, social, educational and recreational/fitness programs, human services and Jewish identity-building opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds without regard to race or religion. www.jccmw.org.