Batya Casper

Israela Batya Casper

In Israel, the lives of three women interweave with that of their country. Ratiba is an Israeli journalist who relinquishes family and friends to marry an Arab and move to live in his village. For 30 years, she hides her Jewish identity from her husband and children. Her sister Orit, is an actor who feels betrayed by Ratiba and exacts revenge on her with repercussions that far exceed her intentions. Elisheva dedicates her life to healing the wounded and the dying of the Second Israeli Intifada. As they mature, these women are forced to make choices they would never have imagined. Israela is a story of secrets and alienation, hope and heroism; about Arabs who save Jews from disaster, and Jews who heal Arabs; about everyday people torn and desperately searching for the right path. Here, the ancient pulsates in present time and the biblical holds prominence with the secular. Beneath this modern day drama unfolds the story of a land and its citizens, revealing the trajectory of two peoples, victims and perpetrators of a biblical curse.