User:למה דווקא אני?/A New Spirit

A New Spirit is an Israeli film produced in 2016 directed by Doron Eran, with Imri Biton, Doron Ben David and Ohad Shachar in the lead roles.

The script was inspired by the bestseller "Why Me?" by Jacob Damkani, which describes his transformation from a criminal to a leader in the Messianic Jewish movement in Israel.

The film was shot mostly in Israel and partly in Nu Boyana Film Studios in Sofia where there is a huge set that simulates a Brooklyn neighborhood.

Imri Biton won the Best Actor Award and Boubcar Benzabat won the Best Cinematography Award at the Boston International Film Festival in 2017.

Plot summary
1962, Kiryat Shmona, the boy Yaakov (Amit Gorish) witnesses an auction in the synagogue run by the rabbi (Moti Ben Yishai) for the blessing over livelihood. He storms out frustrated that his father, who has little means, is not able to win the auction that promises a blessing for a good livelihood which the family is so desperate for. He wanders outside until he reaches the monument of The Roaring Lion in Tel Hai (a symbol of the Jewish struggle in the background of Jacob's childhood).

When he grows up, he joins a gang of robbers from the neighborhood. The family is not happy with his choices, especially his religious brother, Shmuel (Doron Ben David), who is angry that Jacob no longer attends the synagogue. The father Yosef (Shalom Shmuelov) and the sister Rachel (Moriya Ben Harush) are more lenient with Jacob and try to maintain peace in the family.

Finally, he joins in a major bank vaults burglary. His friends are caught but he manages to escape and leaves to New York.

He wanders aimlessly in Manhattan until confronted by a policeman who wants to arrest him, when suddenly a man named Jeff (Ohad Shachar), whom he briefly met earlier, appears and tells the policeman that he knows him. Jeff takes pity on Jacob and gives him shelter in his apartment. In the bedroom Jacob notices a New Testament and decides he can't stay there, he steals money and a watch he found in the drawer and leaves Jeff's apartment in the middle of the night.

Jacob is looking for someone to marry him in order to establish himself in America and meets Kathy (Maria Plum) who falls in love with him. They get married and have a son. Her parents help him open a jewelry store, but the business is struggling. Jacob notices the security guard of a brinks truck and starts thinking about robbery again. One day Jeff shows up at Jacob's store, the two are happy to meet again, the conversation quickly turns to Yeshua (Jesus) and the Bible and Jacob becomes defensive.

The financial difficulties and failed business push Jacob to carry out the planned robbery but it fails. Although he manages to escape, the police discover his identity and are looking for him. Jacob arrives at his home but is driven away by his wife's father who is angry about his involvement with the police. Having no choice, he returns to Jeff who continues to preach to him about Yeshua (Jesus) and the New Testament. Jacob begins to read the New Testament for himself and eventually joins a group of believers led by Mark (Michael Harpaz) who baptizes him and welcomes him to the community.

The news of his mother's death arrives and he returns to Israel to attend the funeral. The transformation that took place in him is very noticeable and friction because of his faith takes place even during the Shiva. The family accept him with mixed emotions as he begins to preach about Yeshua (Jesus) in the streets. He encounters resistance from a religious group, led by Rabbi Yitzchak (Chayim Zanati) who entices his brother Shmuel against him. He is attacked and severely wounded and later even receives a booby trapped package delivery to his home as a "gift" which his sister accidentally opens and is badly burned. Finally he moves to Jaffa and establishes a community of believers there with the help of Boaz (Ze'ev Shimshoni).

The film ends with several videos showing the real Jacob Damkani in street confrontations.