Set in the timeless, mythical city of Jerusalem, The Orchard follows the story of Ephraim and Aharon, father and son, taking a surreal journey through stories of the Torah, Talmud, and Chassidic liturgists, learning much about what it means to pass down the Jewish tradition, and how to live a life that carries with it more questions than answers.

WHAT IS "THE ORCHARD"?

Generation-spanning debates, surreal stories of sea monsters and miracles, and immense faith: these are the defining features of a tradition passed on over thousands of years, kept alive by the vigor and passion of its adherents. 

The Talmud famously relates one of these surreal stories, one of four wise sages who entered the "Pardes," or Orchard:

• Ben Azzai
• Ben Zoma
• Acher (Elisha ben Abuya)
• Rabbi Akiva

The four sages had vastly different outcomes from their spiritual journey: 

• Ben Azzai "glanced and died" (or died from looking at the Divine Presence).
• Ben Zoma "glanced and was harmed," meaning he lost his sanity and remained mentally disturbed. 
• Acher (Elisha ben Avuya, also known as "The Other One") "chopped down the saplings," meaning he became a heretic and abandoned Judaism after his experience. 
• Rabbi Akiva alone "entered in peace and departed in peace," having the necessary spiritual preparation to encounter the mysteries and return unscathed.

The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of exploring esoteric or mystical knowledge without proper foundational learning and spiritual grounding. "Pardes" (an acronym for the four levels of Torah exegesis: Pshat (plain meaning), Remez (alluded meaning), Drash (interpretive meaning), and Sod (mystical meaning) represents the highest, most abstract dimension of study that the four attempted to access. 

Rabbi Akiva's safe return is attributed to his balanced approach, combining intellectual rigor with humility, and adhering to practical ethical principles. The other three sages, by contrast, lacked this balance, leading to their respective tragic fates.

The film tells the story of Ephraim, a passionate Torah scholar and artist who, upon his son’s request, reads him some of these surreal and fantastic stories of the Torah, in an effort to solve his son, Aharon’s, newfound questions of faith. The two take a surreal journey through the mountains of Jerusalem, the letters and syntax of the Hebrew language, a craftsman’s home in Eastern Europe, and the life story of Acher, one of the sages who entered the Orchard.

It is a story of fatherhood, faith, and a testament to the miles people cross in the name of love.  

WHY THIS PROJECT?

Since becoming a student at Yeshiva, my love for the Torah tradition and for the remarkable resilience of the Jewish people in preserving it across generations has grown immensely. Immersed in centuries of wisdom, study, and lived experience, I’ve come to see the Torah not only as a sacred text but as a living, breathing inheritance that continues to shape identity, purpose, and community in every era.

Sharing that depth and beauty with the world has become a dream of mine, and I hope to make it come true through my lifelong dream for creating meaningful films. I began to see the immense potential in translating some of that timeless wisdom into a cinematic structure, using storytelling, visual language, and human emotion to make these ideas accessible and compelling to broader audiences. This short film is the culmination of our effort to bridge ancient tradition and contemporary expression.

Through this project, I hope not only to honor the legacy that has inspired me so deeply but also to spark curiosity, bringing the light of this tradition to audiences encountering it for the very first time. There are so many misconceptions regarding the Jewish faith and our philosophy, and I wish to shed some light on the gaps in people's knowledge.

In writing this project, I've remained inspired by films such as The Fall, Marty Supreme, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and The Twilight Zone for their surreal pacing and tone.

HOW TO HELP?

My initial goal with this crowdfunding is $3,000. My main objectives with the money raised include:

• Crew
• Cast
• Locations
• Set Dressing & Props
• Equipment

My prior experience in directing films, such as my Capstone project, which I submitted for film school acceptance, as well as working throughout high school as a freelance photographer have all sharpened my ability in creating compelling imagery and in leading a crew.

Every follower, re-share, tweet, email, and text message means so much and helps get that much closer to hitting our goal.