Upamanyu Biswas
Helmed by Nathan Silver, ‘Between the Temples’ follows Ben Gottlieb, a cantor facing a crisis of faith following the tragic passing of his wife, Ruth. Unable to sing and fulfill his temple duties, Ben moves in with his mothers, Meira and Judith, who try setting him up with other Jewish girls, hoping to get him out of his depressed state. After running into his former music teacher, Miss Carla Kessler, at a local bar, Ben forms an unlikely friendship with the lady as she takes up his bat mitzvah class. Through her, Ben begins regaining his poise and his enthusiasm for life, albeit not in the way he expects. The comedy-drama embraces a whimsical but poignant tone to depict a heartfelt narrative about human connection, Judaism, family, and love.
Between the Temples is Loosely Inspired By the Experiences of the Director’s Mother
Although largely fictional, ‘Between the Temples’ is partially based on the experiences of Cindy Silver, the mother of filmmaker Nathan Silver. Nathan and C. Mason Wells penned the film’s screenplay, delving into the exploits of a seventy-year-old woman who embarks on bat mitzvah lessons from local cantor Ben Gottlieb. It serves as a playful riff on the real story, which involved Cindy enrolling at her local Kingston, New York temple for bat mitzvah class when she was 68. In the movie version of events, Cindy’s fictional counterpart, Miss Carla Kessler, slowly develops a romantic relationship with Ben, which veers away from reality as no such happened in Cindy’s life as a bat mitzvah student. However, it inspired a quirky story about forging unlikely bonds that drag people out of difficult times.
Nathan has a close bond with his mother, a relationship that has also been reflected in their longstanding partnership through the years, particularly the numerous creative projects they have collaborated on together. She stars in a variety of his works, which strangely mirrors the relationship Ben shares with his mother, Meira, in the movie. However, in ‘Between the Temples,’ Cindy takes a step back from appearing in a lead role, albeit still playing a cameo part. In an interview with USA Today, the actress said, “This role (Carla) needed a real actress, not just his mother.” She may have a removed presence, but her Jewish cultural roots are present throughout the narrative, adding a layer of groundedness.
Between the Temples Revolves Around a Religious Rite of Passage
‘Between the Temples’ mainly dives into a culturally Jewish narrative steeped heavily in the practices of Judaism. With the protagonist being a cantor at a New York temple, large chunks of the story center on his crisis of faith following the death of his wife. However, another important element surfaces soon after: the bar or bat mitzvah, a traditional rite of passage for people of the Judaism faith. After forming an acquaintanceship with Carla, Ben begins offering her bat mitzvah classes in the hopes that she can complete hers in a year’s time. There is a whole plotline related to how she could not complete her bat mitzvah when she was a child and how it always remained an unfulfilled dream of hers. It adds a cultural landmark and touchstone within the narrative that feels tangible and real.
However, despite the importance of the rite of passage in the story, neither Nathan Silver nor his mother, Cindy, grew up very religiously. They picked up on several Jewish influences and inflections but remained distant from their religious roots. It allowed the director to present a story that did not take itself too seriously but employed humor and wry dialogue to showcase how households really work in the community. “What interests me about Judaism is it’s a religion of questions. Every question is met with another question,” Nathan said in the same interview. According to him, Judaism asks its followers to “embrace what’s in front of you. And I think that’s essential for the characters in this movie: They need other people in order to find themselves.”
Between the Temples Tells a Story About Breaking the Orthodoxy
Another overriding aspect of ‘Between the Temples’ is its depiction of how learning is possible at any age, just like forming romantic connections. Although Carla is in her 70s, her enthusiasm for life and infectious attitude begin rubbing off on the downbeat protagonist, who has already lost his anchor. Additionally, it also showcases how people can take on any new challenge at whatever age they wish, which is echoed through Carla’s desire to complete her bat mitzvah as an elderly student. It bucks the trend of younger protagonists within such narratives, offering a relatable take on the subject matter that also happens to be sharply incisive and witty in its presentation, mainly through the exchanges between Ben and Carla.
Over time, a deeper poignancy emerges out of ‘Between the Temples,’ one that is neither connected to religion nor the Jewish culture but one of humanity, family, and miscommunication between people. These central aspects layer the other thematic elements, offering a richer tale that feels like a living, breathing reality waiting to be explored. As such, the characters and their interactions may be fictional in conception, but their motivations, struggles, and desires feel deeply rooted in authentic human emotions and the constant flux of life’s ups and downs. The humor adds the final touch to the equation, bringing a layer of engagement that is only possible through eliciting laughter at the mundane stuff people go through on a daily basis.
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