Variations on a theme:
To Be An Israeli Woman

Israel, 1999-2004, Documentary.


A saga about Israeli society from five feminine point of view: Lea settler from Ophra, born in Israel; Rebecca from Haifa, born in Ethiopia,Naomi from Ma'ale Adomim born in England, Regina from Lode, born in Ukraine and Aziza, a Moslem, from Shfar'am, born in Israel. Every woman is a one hour variation on the theme. The sixth variation (an hour and a half), consists of the whole group the women belong to.

The five women are involved in educational matters and represent various communities of Israeli society. Each variation is a portrait of a person and a place. The different landscapes affect each portrait.

The film structure, isolated portraits, reflects the way of life in Israeli society. Ties between people from different communities and peripheries hardly exist. This is the cause of clichés and prejudices which we have as a society.

The film investigates the meaning of identity in a country of immigrants like Israel - the search of roots, the tension between tradition and modernity, between past and present, It explores the ties between Israeli and Jewish identity, and the difficulty of ethnic minorities to integrate.

The film opens windows, inviting the spectators to look into the home and culture of each woman, and the five female faces are exposed from the rich mosaic of the Israeli experience.

The faces change, and by the end of each variation, they gain different qualities and meanings.

In the sixth variation 'To Banish The Darkness' the spectator understands the ties between the five women. The women participate in a workshop of educators from different parts of the country who want to know the other and start a dialogue with him. Indeed, despite the disagreements and differences of opinion, despite the dramas and crisis which explode like an steaming lava, the ties continue until the next crisis.

M.G.Rehearsals for Departure
To Be An Isreali Woman
To Banish The Darkness
Shoah (Editor)

Produced By

Lora Productions


Ziva Postec

Written & Directed By

Ziva Postec


Yair Elazar


Eitan Harris


Amos Tzipori


Lyrics: Nathan Zach
Composed, arranged and directed by Hanna Levy

"Walking To Caesaree"
Lyrics: Hanna Senesh,
Composed: David Zeavi,
Arranged: Gil Aldema ,
Singer: Zila Dagan

"Tigrigna music"
Embli ila Beyene Habte
Arranged by: Tekle Adhanom
"Beyene Habte" .
Arranged by: Tefqereni zeneberet

“Dear Maman”
By Tu Pac Shakur

Johhann Sebastian Bach
Siciliano (from Harpsichord Concerto in E BWV 1053) Largo ( from f BWV 1056)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab
Kolleda Kan LehAchek Errouh

Dmitri Shostakovich
Jazz Suite no. 1 waltz

Supported By

The Rabinowitch Foundation