What people are saying about The Rabbi Goes West
THE RABBI GOES WEST (OXFF2020)
By Lois Alter Mark
“Filmmakers Gerald Peary and Amy Geller do a great job of remaining neutral so you can come to your own conclusions. They open your eyes, showing you all the different sides, and then, in the spirit of Jews when they’ve had enough, wish you a Zei Gezunt so you can finish the discussion on your own.”
In documentaries at this year’s Boston Jewish Film Festival, people persist
By Peter Keough - October 31, 2019
“In their balanced, thorough, and wry “The Rabbi Goes West” Cambridge filmmakers Gerald Peary and Amy Geller follow Bruk as he pursues [his] mission.”
In new doc, a pioneering chabad family moves to montana, a land of few jews
By Sue Fishkoff - July 18, 2019
“In just 75 minutes, we learn a great deal about Bruk, Jewish Montana, Chabad and how Chabad interacts with other streams of Judaism. And we have fun doing it.”
The rabbi goes west
By Jennie Kermode - November 6, 2019
“Viewers from all backgrounds will find it an intriguing and educational film.”
Jerusalem Jewish Film festival 2019: The rabbi goes west
By Ayelet Dekel - December 5, 2019
“The strength of this film is Geller and Peary’s ability to refrain from commentary or judgement, and with no hidden agenda driving to a foregone conclusion, allow the large cast of a very genial, intelligent and articulate participants to express their views candidly and freely, creating and intriguing, polyphonic, dynamic portrait. “
VIFF 2019: Go west, young Chaim!
By Ken Eisner - Oct. 1, 2019
“The novice directors had no idea what a polarizing figure the outgoing Bruk would turn out to be. But the surprising number of Jews in the region soon hipped them to certain questionable traits, which are observed in the film, largely without judgement. ”
A Chabad Rabbi Finds His Place in Big Sky Country
By Judy Boston-Fasman - Nov. 11, 2019
“Much of the success of “The Rabbi Goes West” rests on Peary and Geller’s wise approach not to take sides. Their even-handedness works well. “