LEARNING RESOURCE

KADDISH FOR A FRIEND(KADDISCH FÜR EINEN FREUND)Germany 2010/2011. Director: Leo Khasin. In German, Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles. Running time: 94 mins.

This Learning Resource was produced by Goethe-Institut Glasgow.

2nd - 4th Levels. Suitable for S1 - S6

Curriculum for Excellence subject areas: Literacy and English / Expressive Arts / Social Studies / German / Religious and Moral Education / Health & Wellbeing

Thanks to SiMa Film.

KADDISH FOR A FRIEND (KADDISCH FÜR EINEN FREUND)

CrewDirector: Leo Khasin

Screenplay: Leo Khasin

Cinematography: Mathias Schöningh

Editor: Horst Reiter

Music: Fabian Römer, Dieter Schleip

CastNeil Bekakhdar AliRyszard Ronczewski AlexanderSanam Afrashteh MounaKhodr ‘Kida’ Ramadan MahmoudYounes Hussein Ramadan YounesNeil Malik Abdullah WalidAnna Böttcher Sister SabineHeinz W, Krückeberg Isja

Director’s biographyLeo Khasin was born in Moscow in 1973 and has been living in Germany since 1981. He initially studied dentistry in Berlin and worked as a dentist until 2001. Since graduating from the Film Academy in Berlin he has worked as an assistant director and script developer for film and TV. The story of Kaddish for a Friend is based on the true life experience of two of his former dental patients.

SynopsisKaddish for a Friend is a warm tale about an unlikely friendship between two lonely, displaced characters. Alexander is an 84 year-old Russian Jewish war veteran who is desperate to remain living independently in his Berlin flat. Palestinian teenager Ali’s family arrive from a refugee camp in Lebanon and, to gain acceptance from his new peers, Ali agrees to break-in to his next-door neighbour’s flat. When Alexander comes back to his ransacked home, he recognises Ali and, to avoid being deported, Ali’s family send him back to repair the damage. As they work side by side, the relationship between the feisty pair flits between mutual dislike, understanding and finally friendship, when they realise that the fragile existence of each depends in a large part on the other. Inspired by a true story, Moscow-born, German director Leo Khasin’s debut is a stirring, coming-of-age story that shows just how hard unlearning prejudice can be.

Curriculum for Excellence The Curriculum for Excellence areas covered in this learning resource are:Literacy, Expressive Arts, Social Studies, Modern Languages, Religious and Moral Education, Health and Well Being. Outcomes are noted alongside the relevant discussion points and activities in their abbreviated form, eg. LIT 4-07 a

MAIN CHARACTERS

AliA young Palestinian who has come to Germany with his family from a Palestinian Refugee camp in the Lebanon. He does not remember his homeland but is very patriotic for a Palestinian state. He is about to start secondary school and he has a talent for art. He wants the approval of his father but also wants to be accepted by his cousin’s gang member friends.

AlexanderCalled Alik by his friends is an old Russian-Jewish man who lives in his flat above Ali’s family. He served in the Soviet (Russian) Red Army which liberated Berlin from the Nazis. He is a member of a club of Jewish Red Army veterans where he sees his other friends. He has lived in Berlin for thirty years but is worried that he may be forced out of his cluttered flat as he is getting older.

WalidAli’s father who struggles to support his growing family and worries about securing the right to stay in Germany. He often needs the support of his better off brother for help.

MounaAli’s mother. She is expecting her fourth child and is worried that the family might not be allowed to stay in Germany. She does not want friction in the family and protects Ali from his father.

YounesAli’s cousin who is part of the H town gang. His father is well established in the Arab community and helps Ali’s father financially.

IsjaA friend of Alexander. He sees the H town gang and Ali as the enemy.

Sister SabineA community nurse who visits Alexander. She is worried that he is getting to be too old to live on his own.

SettingKaddish for a Friend is set in a multi-ethnic housing estate in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district.

BEFORE SEEING THE FILMWatch the trailer on Youtube (google: Kaddish for a Friend trailer).

Do you think this film is going to be frightening? Exciting? Violent? Sad? Funny?

What happens in the trailer? Try to pick out some events.

LIT3 07a EXA4 15a

Research some of the historical background facts, for example:

the Palestinian displacement following the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948.

the Israeli - Arab conflict in the Lebanon in the 1980’s.

the role of the Red Army in liberating Berlin at the end of the Second World War.

LIT2 14a SOC3 05b

AFTER SEEING THE FILM - DISCUSSION TOPICS

1. GENRE

This film has been described as a tragicomedy. Tragicomedy means part comedy and part tragedy. Which parts did you think were funny? Which scenes did you think were sad? Is tragicomedy a good description of this film?

EXA 4 - 15a, LIT 3 - 07a, LIT 4 - 07a

2. CHARACTERS

Write down two or three sentences about the main characters. This could also be done in German. Complete the following sentences:

I am .......................................... I am Ali’s mother. I am expecting my ......................................... child.

I am the ...........................of Walid and Mamoun. I am good at school and especially like.................................. .

I am ................................ ; my friends call me Alik. I fought in the............................ Army in the Second World War.

EXERCISE IN GERMAN

Ich heiße................................ . Ich bin die .................................... von Ali. Ich erwarte ein ......................................

Ich bin der ....................................... .von Walid und Mamoun. Ich bin gut in der .......................................................

Mein Lieblingsfach ist ................................................................................................................................................

Ich heiße ................................................... Meine ...........................................................nennen mich Alik. Ich war

.................................................................................... in der Roten Armee im Zweiten Weltkrieg. EXA 4 - 15a; MLAN 3 - 11a; MLAN 2a - 3b

3. LOCATIONS

Make a list of some of the exterior and interior scene settings. This could also be done in German.

Example: Exterior: a cemetery Example: Interior: a courtroom

.................................................................................... .......................................................................................

.................................................................................... .......................................................................................

.................................................................................... .......................................................................................

4. OBJECTS AS SYMBOLS

Film is a visual medium. Objects can be used to stand for emotions or themes. They can help to focus our thoughts. For example Alexander’s medals symbolise his pride and self-respect.

FOOD

Offering food is often seen as a symbol of friendship and hospitality.

Why does Alik make breakfast for Ali?

At the family party to celebrate the birth of Ali’s new sister, who gives Ali food to take to Alexander? What does that gift of food mean?

WALLS

Walls can close people in, give them sanctuary or provide a space for them to express themselves, In this film we see walls everywhere we look. Discuss how these walls make us feel and, in particular, what they symbolise.

The walls in Alexander’s apartment are covered with wallpaper. The removal of this wallpaper is a metaphor for removing layers of history.

How does the old man feel about removing the wallpaper? What does he put on the walls after they have been repainted?

What is on the walls in Ali’s bedroom? Are the walls of his room protective? Restrictive?

What is on the walls in the street scenes? Do these walls make us feel included? Excluded? Threatened?

EXA4-15a

EXERCISE IN GERMAN

Außenschauplatz InnenschauplatzBeispiel: ein Friedhof Beispiel: ein Gerichtssaal

.................................................................................... .......................................................................................

.................................................................................... .......................................................................................

.................................................................................... .......................................................................................

EXA 4-15, LIT 3-07a, LIT4-07a, MLAN 3 - 11a; MLAN 2a - 3b

5. THE TITLE OF THE FILM

The Kaddish is one of the most important prayers in the Jewish religion. The Mourner’s Kaddish is recited at funerals and memorials, and sons are required to say Kaddish for eleven months after the death of a parent.

Why do you think it is significant that Ali is chosen to say the Kaddish at Alexander’s funeral?

How does this scene make you feel?

RME 3 - 06a

THEMES OF THE FILM

PREJUDICE

Prejudice is judging another person in a hostile manner without knowing them and without any factual basis. There are many examples of prejudice in this film.

Look at the list of the film’s main characters on page 3. Which one would you say is prejudiced?

HWB 4 - 05a

FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION

Alexander says “We all make mistakes - the important thing is that we learn from our mistakes.”

What mistakes have been made in this film?

Which characters do you think have learnt from their mistakes?

Another of Alexander’s sayings is “The killing of one man is the killing of mankind”. This saying appears in the Koran but is a universal ethical principle. What do you think it means?

HWB 4 - 44b

Discuss the scene when Ali says the Kaddish at Alexander’s funeral. Why can this be interpreted as an act of reconciliation?

HWB 4 - 44b

FRIENDSHIP

Alexander describes the nature of friendship with a quote from Aristotle: “Equality is the soul of all friendship”. Do you agree?

HWB 4 - 05a

At times Alexander and Ali do not feel equal with one another because one has power over the other.

What power does Ali have over Alexander? What power does Alexander have over Ali?

HWB 4 - 44b

Friends enjoy each other’s company and they enjoy doing things together. What do Ali and Alexander enjoy doing together?

HWB 4 44b

Listen to this Jewish/Arab peace song which is sung in Hebrew and Arabic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d_i2F2LlF8 or google “Jewish-Arab peace song subtitles”

Do the two languages sound at all similar? Note that the words Shalom and Salaam are used. What do these words mean?

MLAN2 01a

Look at a map of Europe and the Middle East.

How far is Berlin from the border with Russia? How far is Berlin from the Lebanon?

LIT2 14a

Here is a map of the Middle East showing Israel, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon and the bordering countries of Jordan and Egypt. There are five dots indicating places mentioned in the film and the major cities. On this map label Beirut, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem. Haifa and Tyre (referred to by Ali as Sir, its Arabic name) Both Ali and Alexander have links to Atlit near Haifa. This was a detention camp in the 1940s. Find out who it was a detention camp for. Ali lived near Tyre in the Palestinian refugee camp Rashidieh. At the beginning of the film we see in Ali’s drawings this area being bombed. Who is doing the bombing and why?

SOC3-06b

During the 1982 invasion of the Lebanon by Israel, a terrible incident occurred at the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila. What happened in this incident?

SOC 3-06c

FURTHER RESEARCHTHE KADDISH

1. Listen to a recital of The Kaddish on this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsFiSQRUUX8

or google “Kaddish transliteration YouTube”

Is this a prayer for forgiveness? For peace? Would you find this as easy to repeat as Ali does? The Kaddish is recited in Hebrew. Arabic which Ali speaks is very different from Hebrew. The two languages have different alphabets. However they are phonetically similar, that is they sound a bit alike. Do you think this would help Ali to repeat the Kaddish?

MLAN2 01a

Curriculum for Excellence Learning Outcomes covered

LIT 3-07a “I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by commenting, with evidence on the context and form of short and extended texts.”

LIT 4-07a “I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by giving detailed, evaluative comments with evidence about the content and form of short and extended texts.”

LIT2-14a “Using what I know about the features of different types of texts, I can find, select and sort information from a variety of sources.”

EXA3-12a “I have experienced the energy and excitement of being part of an audience for other people’s presentations and performance”.

EXA 3-12a “I can create, develop and sustain a realistic or stylised character through the use of voice, movement and language.”

EXA 4-15a “I can analyse technical aspects of drama and scripts, make informed judgements and express considered opinions on my own and others’ works.”

SOC 3-06b “Through researching I can identify possible causes of a past conflict and report on the impact it has had on the lives of people at that time.”

MLAN 2-01a - “I can explore the patterns and sounds of language thrugh songs and rhymes and show understanding and enjoyment by listening, joining in and responding.”

MLAN 3-11a “I can use a bilingual dictionary independently to help me understand new language.”

MLAN 2a-3b “I can take part effectively in prepared conversations by sharing information about myself.”

RME 3-06a “I have researched and reflected upon the major ceremonies and customs of world religions and can explain the significance of these to the followers of these religions.”

HWB 4-09a “As I explore the rights to which I and others are entitled. I am able to exercise these rights appropriately and accept the responsibilities that go with them. I show respect for the rights of others.”

HWB 4-05a “I know that friendship, caring, sharing, fairness, equality and love are important in building positive relationship. As I develop and value relationships I care and show respect for myself and others.”