Sanctuary

A documentary portrait of Jewish life in New York City at this pivotal moment in history, told through interviews with approximately 20 rabbis from across the city’s religious, cultural, and political spectrum.

For generations, New York has been a center of Jewish optimism, possibility, and success. A place where Jewish communities flourished and often kept their Jewish identities while becoming inseparable from the life of the city. 

But since October 7, 2023, that sense of security and belonging has been profoundly challenged.

The film will explore how rabbis and their communities have experienced this period: the initial shock and grief; rising antisemitism and concerns about safety; conflicts surrounding Israel, Gaza, and American politics; changes in sermons and prayer; activism and communal tensions; and the private burden of leading others through uncertainty.

Together, these voices will capture a community at a crossroads, existential anxieties and hopes for the future, and will explore ideas on what can be done to course-correct.