With unprecedented access, this film captures the conflict and drama surrounding Kiryas Joel, a village occupying a square mile within the town of Monroe in upstate New York that has become one of the fastest-growing Hasidic communities in the United States. When the secular residents of the larger township learn of Kiryas Joel’s desire to annex adjacent land to address its population growth, it sets off a turf and legal battle. The documentary presents people on all sides of a conflict—religious enthusiasts, dissidents, people who doubt their own faith, and residents of Monroe who want to protect their bucolic lifestyle—and raises complex issues about the boundaries of religious freedom in the United States.
GUEST SPEAKER: November 10 - Prof. Samuel Freedman, Columbia University