Awake Zion is a 2005 documentary by Monica Haim that explores the connection between Jews and Rastafarians.
Synopsis
In Awake Zion, Haim travels from Manhattan to Jamaica and Israel, interviewing Rastafarians and rabbis to highlight similarities between their worldviews. Haim, a young Jewish woman, says she first perceived a connection between Jews and Rastafarians at a reggae concert.
Haim interviews Super Dane, an African American DJ in the Brooklyn reggae scene, who is shocked by Matisyahu, a Hasidic reggae artist from White Plains, New York. The film also features Jamaican-born Israeli rapper Yehoshua Sofer.
Response Most reviews of Awake Zion emphasize the documentary's social conscience in trying to bridge a gap between two seemingly different cultures. Rather than being scholarly, Haim's tone is described as "gently irreverent".
See also History of the Jews in Jamaica History of the Jews in Morocco History of the Jews in South Africa
References
External links The Cinema Guide Awake Zions website Review of Awake Zion Programa Radial de Reggae y Cultura de Jamaica