Screening the Film Unsettled at Rutgers Hillel

Rutgers Hillel had the pleasure of hosting director Adam Hootnick for a screening of his film, Unsettled. As a CAMERA fellow, I was honored to have such a powerful film brought to campus. I was not expecting some of the emotions I felt that night watching the movie. Unsettled truly captured the very human aspect of the Arab Israeli conflict. Seeing Jews being forcibly removed from Gaza, simply for being Jews (and by their own fellow Jews, no less) was not something I had really thought of before.

 Jared Fusia, CAMERA Fellow at Rutgers university

All points of view were taken into account. For example, a young man called Meir, who felt that Israel should not withdraw from Gaza because the Torah mandates that it is all a part of Eretz Yisrael, to a young woman who felt that Israel should give land for peace. Of course, there were all sorts of opinions in between. It kind of reminded me of the end of Fiddler on the Roof when Tevye and all the Jews of Anatevka are forced to move out. Families were uprooted and transported to other parts of little Israel. Young girls screamed in protest at the IDF from the roof of their house. Young people sang songs at night on the beach gathered around a fire. Mr Hootnick himself was very insightful and articulate, but when asked about his opinion in regards to the Gaza withdrawal, he simply replied that his opinions are not what the film is about. Ultimately, this film made me think about the efforts Israel is willing to go to in the dismal hope of winning favor and peace with its Arab neighbours.

(Written by Jared Fusia, 12’)