Leap of Faith

Filmmakers Antony Benjamin and Stephen Friedman's Leap of Faith explores the arduous spiritual journey taken by American Christians who decide to convert to Orthodox Judaism, focusing on a young Trinidadian immigrant, a career Army single mother, a Colorado family, and an elderly couple, who describe their decision-making struggles, while interviews with relatives and rabbis help put their stories in a broader context. Ramifications beyond matters of creed and worship quickly become apparent: the Trinidadian finds herself in a new Jewish hipster social scene in Brooklyn, complete with nights out at Hasidic reggae clubs, while the U.S. Army Reserve officer faces a double battle based on her new faith—her ex-husband and his fundamentalist second wife are suing for custody of the officer's son, while her Army superiors do not recognize her religious requirement to abstain from military duty on the Sabbath. Meanwhile, the Colorado family regrets having to give up their spacious home in the country to relocate to a smaller abode near Denver's Orthodox Jewish community. Although it's never quite clear why the people profiled here opted for the stricter form of Judaism over the less dogmatic Reform branch, the documentary is quite remarkable in its sincere and thoughtful look at a sensitive subject. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)