Current Events

What does it mean to be a “mensch” – a decent human being? The Torah, the Talmud, the prophets, and Jewish commentary all say we must seek justice, truth, and peace. Director Ralph Arlyck also attempts to answer this question in his award-winning film diary, which examines how we respond – or do not respond – to the news. We grow numb from a ceaseless stream of media images with scenes of war, starvation and brutality. Yet there are individuals attempting to bridge the gap between distanced concern and action: a nun working in a Senegalese clinic, the mother of a slain boy in Nicaragua, an Amnesty International activist in Colorado. Arlyck interviews an inspirational group of people and searches for the elusive nature of present-day ethics in this lyrical and soulful film.