REACTION

If you've seen the film would like to share your reaction to it, please contact us. We will request your permission before posting any letters.

        Rabbi Eli Garfinkel is the rabbi of Temple Beth El in Somerset, New Jersey.

        This is from an anonymous woman who is a survivor of sexual abuse.

Dear Israel,

         I just finished watching your film, Narrow Bridge. I am a survivor of sex abuse by a rabbi and teacher in an orthodox community. I want you to know that I was really moved by your film. I don't know much about film making, but something about the images, the long shots of Daniel walking, struggling with his memories and what to do about them--his general angst, and disassociated looking/intense expressions really depicted the struggle we survivors endure. He is very alone and isolated (by his own choice), and this is so true for those of those who carry a secret for many years.

         I have left the orthodox community. It has always been hard for me to imagine how to stay "in there" while carrying so many bad memories and associations. In your story, I appreciated your realistic depiction of Daniel's doubts about staying religious... You did justice to the horrible experience of being a survivor of abuse within a spiritual/religious context...

         Because the content was appropriate for religious Jews to watch, I feel like a can share the film with my religious siblings, and feel more hopeful about spreading awareness in their communities.

Just wanted to say thank you for this brilliant work. I look forward to seeing your future productions.

        This letter is from an anonymous man:

         ...I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Only cried once, though [my wife] cried a lot more.

         What can I say? To the extent that it helps survivors of any kind of abuse, amen to that. To the extent that it will wake the right people up to do something about this, amen to that. And to the extent that it helps non-survivors understand survivors, Amen to that too.

         The only regret I have is that I don't think we can show it to the people that really need to see it, Chareidi [Ultra-Orthodox] Educators and Parents...

         It was very classy of you to limit the story line to just really one explicit act of abuse, however, we know that there are worse stories out there...
 

        This letter is from an anonymous man who is a survivor of sexual abuse.

         My plan for today was, taking apart my 8' x 14' Sukkah, but that changed as soon as I opened my mail box on Motzei Shabbes, last night. I was delighted to see your DVD.
         I've watched it in entirely this afternoon. I finished about an hour ago, however I'm not ready to walk outside, my eyes are still not dried from my tears. It hit me with all my emotions, it moved me by force, and it touched me with compassion.
         Great work. I would have never believed that this was not written by a fellow survivor or counselor, etc. it's so real. Thank you so much.

        Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D. is the senior psychologist and director of the Adult Developmental Center, a comprehensive psychological consulting practice in Hewlett, NY. The following is his response to a viewing of the film:

         Narrow Bridge is a harrowing retelling of a situation that occurs much too frequently in our schools. As a psychologist who treats sexually abused individuals I can state that while the film is not a big budget production, it goes directly to the issues that survivors must deal with as they approach the developmental milestones of their lives. I recommend the film for training, education and treatment purposes and hope that we all learn to deal with this crisis in our midst.

        Rabbi Yosef Blau serves as the Director of Religious Guidance at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University, and is the president of the Religious Zionists of America (RZA). The following is his response to a viewing of Narrow Bridge:

Dear Israel,

         My wife and I saw the film on our computer yesterday and want to express support and appreciation for your work. It is a remarkable accomplishment for a young man working with such limited resources. I am unfortunately well aware of the problem of sexual and other kinds of abuse in the Orthodox community and of the denial that protects abusers and hinders helping survivors. I work at Yeshiva University in New York and will try to arrange a showing for our students. As you know better than I, film is a powerful medium of communication. Progress has been made in getting some acknowledgement that religious Jews, even rabbis, can be abusers but there is a long road ahead.
         Younger rabbis are often more aware and this should lead to a change in communal responses. Your sensitivity to the mores of the community, no physical contact, profanity and sexual language adds credibility and will help in getting people to see the film. Copies of the DVD will circulate in places where no one will openly mention that there is a film. I learned this from Menachem Daum has put out films about the Hassidic world. In general people who have been abused should get professional help. Only a few can cope on their own even with support from family and spouse. Your film was true to much of the Orthodox world in Daniel's not considering it as an option.

         Best wishes,
         Yosef Blau

        The following letter was an written by a survivor of sexual abuse about her reaction upon seeing the film. She permitted us to post her letter on the site:

Hi Israel,

         I watched your film twice.  The first time I hated it. The second time I loved it.  I think what happened was that at first it was too painful to let myself connect with it because it hit too close to home...Rabbi Kaufman [The rabbi in the film] could be my father.  You look very much like my younger brother who looks a lot like me.  I distanced myself from relating too much by picking it apart as a movie and noticing everything that could have been done better. 

         ...I just finished watching it again and I thought it was very powerful.  It made me cry...I know the feeling all too well of wanting to escape the pain and confusion... I was molested by my father who also taught me about Torah and Hashem [God] and it almost literally killed me...

         You can forward this to your cast if you'd like.  They might like to know that their work helped a survivor. You are very talented.  I can't believe you pulled this off single handedly...meaning no professional help.
        

         Sincerely,

         Anonymous

        Mikele Rauch, an author and psychotherapist who works with male survivors of sexual and clergy abuse from all religions conducted an interview with director Israel Moskovits about his experiences in making the film to be included in her new book, This Dark Heaven, Recovering the Soul after Religious Abuse. This is an email she wrote upon seeing the film:

Dear Israel,

...The movie is incredible.  You GOT it.  You capture the pure shame, confusion, sadness and longing--the dilemma of a good religious boy.  Samantha [Leshin] was fabulous. The music was terrific... You have performed a mitzvah, Israel, and they won't appreciate it. But the prophet often gets the shaft.

Mikele