Winner of ten Israeli Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, Seven Blessings is a bitter-sweet story set within a boisterous Moroccan Jewish wedding celebration in Israel. It’s a film of quiet fury that looks at the choice of assigning blame and reliving the past or finding forgiveness and living in the present. The film, which screens at CCA at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, April 30, will be followed by an optional Moroccan Mimouna reception at Temple Beth Shalom.

The film’s title comes from the seven blessings recited at the seven days of festivities that follow a traditional Moroccan Jewish wedding. These days, which should be ones of joy, become a time for revealing family secret traditions practiced within older Arab Jewish families when a couple is childless. The story is based on the experiences of the filmmakers’ own extended families and sparked considerable discussion in Israel where over half of the Jewish population is from Arab countries.

A Moroccan Mimouna celebration follows the film at Temple Beth Shalom. Mimouna is traditional festival celebrated by Moroccan Jews the day after Passover ends and marks the return to eating leavened food. Attendees at the optional reception are encouraged to wear Moroccan dress for both the film and reception!