SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD, NJ -- The Jewish Film Festival of Central NJ is once again pleased to present five films this spring at the Rialto NewVision Theatre, 250 East Broad Street in Westfield. Screenings begin Wednesday, April 24, and run through Monday, May 20. All films start at 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the JCC of Central New Jersey, the film festival opens with The Catcher Was a Spy on Wednesday, April 24. Paul Rudd stars in this true-life thriller about a Boston Red Sox catcher-turned-WWII spy, Moe Berg, tasked with assassinating a Nazi atomic scientist. According to a New York Times review, The Catcher Was a Spy has…an all-star cast: Guy Pearce, Connie Nielsen, Mark Strong, Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson and Giancarlo Giannini all are used to excellent effect.” ( Editor's Note : Story continues below video.)

On Tuesday, April 30, the festival presents Azimuth. At the end of The Six Day War of 1967, two soldiers, an Egyptian and an Israeli, encounter each other in the Sinai Desert. Two soldiers – one goal: survival.

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Next up is a stirring story of sports, patriotism and personal growth. Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel on Monday, May 6, charts the underdog journey of Israel’s national baseball team competing for the first time in the World Baseball Classic. Shlomo Lipetz, professional baseball pitcher who played for Team Israel and who will be pitching for the Israeli National Team this summer on their quest to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, will attend a post-screening Q&A. Add free popcorn and this is a great night out for families!

Nominated for eight Israeli Academy Awards, Shoelaces, showing on Tuesday, May 14, is a wholly engaging, tender family dramedy about the knotty relationship between an aging, irascible mechanic and the exuberant special-needs son he long-ago abandoned.

Closing night on Monday, May 20 features Rescue Bus 300. This is the untold true story of four armed terrorists who hijacked bus no. 300 en route from Tel Aviv to Ashkelon. They led the passengers – innocent civilians – towards Gaza and from there perhaps to oblivion.

Visit www.jccnj.org for more information and movie trailers about these interesting, thought-provoking films and for pricing. Tickets can be purchased online at www.jccnj.org, by mail or in person at the JCC in Scotch Plains. You can also purchase tickets by calling 908-889-8800 x208.

The Jewish Film Festival of Central NJ is made possible by funds from the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.





The JCC of Central New Jersey is located at 1391 Martine Avenue in Scotch Plains. The JCC of Central New Jersey is a constituent agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, United Way of Greater Union County and the Westfield United Fund. Financial assistance is available for membership and various programs.