Hoop Dreams: Israel - 'Home Game' the movie

Screenshot: 'Home Game'

(I viewed a segment of this film on Israel Channel 2 television soon after the disengagement, when the overall story was still a raw, painful trauma for Israel. I quite impressed, both with the production values, and of a simple tale wrapped in a complex story, told well, no matter where the viewer stands on Israel's political/security spectrum. Israel At Level Ground will feature a one-on-one podcast interview with the producers soon. - DB)

"The success of Gush Katif as a community was the spirit of togetherness that flourished within. Through good times and bad times, the communities stuck together and pulled through - together.

"Religious and non-religious, Sephardim and Ashkenazim - they all built up an exemplary community model that represents how Israeli society as a whole could look like and behave.

"That togetherness spirit of Gush Katif reminds us of what we were once proud of in the State of Israel and what it could be once again.

"Home Game" the movie tells the story about the last basketball tournament in Gush Katif.

The annual Gush Katif basketball tournament was the highlight of the summer for all the youth of Gush Katif, who waited all year to play and cheer on their teams to bring home the tournament trophy - a true example of the community spirit that existed throughout Gush Katif.

"The movie is about the determination, faith and struggle of the Netzer Hazani community basketball team to win the 2005 basketball tournament during the time that they were also struggling against the Israeli government plans to uproot them from their homes.

"The 2005 tournament should have been like every other, but it wasn't, because this time the Israeli government was in the midst of closing off their communities to the rest of Israel in preparation to uproot them and their families from their homes.

"However, even with this surreal reality around them, the tournament went on and brought out the best of them!"

Certainly worth viewing, and buying.

Halachic FYI on viewing the film for observant Jews, during the coming "Three Weeks" leading up to Tisha B'av, where general entertainment is gradually curtailed:

"Rav Yigal Kaminetzsky has given his approval to see "Home Game" the movie during the 9 days and even during the week of Tisha Ba'av. Rav Kaminetzsky told the movie's director 'that since the movie deals with the uprooting of families from Gush Katif it is permitted to watch the movie during the 9 days and even during the week of Tisha Ba'av.'"