On Saturday night, February 18, the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills hosted a screening of the documentary Upheaval: The Journey of Menachem Begin, which was attended by almost 150 people from Kew Gardens Hills and other Queens communities. The 2020 film, which is now being shown in North and South America, uses archival footage and interviews with people who knew him well, to provide an insightful portrait of Menachem Begin’s life from his youth in the Betar movement in Poland through his years as Prime Minister of Israel.
It was particularly fitting that the film was shown at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, as both Prime Minister Begin and President Jimmy Carter, whose role in the Camp David Accords is presented in the film, had spoken at the Young Israel.
The film’s Executive Producer, Phil Rosen, followed the screening with personal memories of his family’s friendship with Menachem and Aliza Begin and a short question-and-answer session.