By: TJVNews.com

After becoming a Rabbi at the age of 25, Tuvia Teldon believed his purpose in life was already mapped out. But his perception of purpose was shattered after his first baby, Baruch, was born with a serious case of Cystic Fibrosis.

This caused Rabbi Teldon to question, “Why Baruch? Why this family? Why me?”

After Baruch passed away at the age of 13, these questions became a 28-year journey that led Tuvia to discover the truths about purpose, and to write the book Eight Paths of Purpose to help others understand it.

Although authored by a Rabbi, the messages in Eight Paths of Purpose are universal, and written for people of all backgrounds, religions (or lack thereof), and experiences.

Rabbi Teldon says: “We all have imperfections in our life. They can be external in the form of pandemics, financial difficulties, health problems or relationship challenges. They can be internal in the form of trauma, depression, addiction, personal loss, or any of a myriad of issues which life presents us with when we least expect them. But every one of us has a unique collection of problems. Nobody in the world has the same list, and nobody looks at them the same way we do. For each of us the list is totally unique.”

He also shares that “fulfilling our purpose should not be a means to an end of being happy.” Eight Paths of Purpose teaches that purpose is not immune to struggle and sadness; and that it will look different in everyone’s life. But what remains the same, he found, is that everyone’s purpose is somehow embedded in these eight paths:

1. Making the world a better place
2. Making the circumstances of our life better, in all their details
3. Procreating
4. Surviving
5. Treating the varied obstacles, conflicts and test in life as being part of our unique purpose
6. Improving our inner selves to be better people, with purpose-based attitudes
7. Seeing many of the events of our daily lives as opportunities to bring about positive change
8. Connecting to our higher power and/or religion to elevate ourselves and the world around us.

In writing the book, Rabbi Teldon realized that most people don’t know how to relate to purpose, to trust it or pursue it. As he explains, “I had to translate this in a way that you would feel in your gut, that you don’t need someone to convince you but you see it as part of who you are, and what’s going on inside of you, to make the world a better place, to take resources and transform them. There’s this human drive. It’s a wiring that no one else in the universe has. Humans are born without knowledge of purpose, but it whispers to us to help us do a good deed, to help our children and our grandchildren. It’s a drive that we all as human beings have and it is expressed in many different ways.”

Lessons in the book prove that we have the power to feel purpose in any situation, if we accept that they are meant to happen. “We don’t always define our purpose, but rather life defines our purpose for us.” Meaning, there will be moments where we define our purpose, but also moments where life defines it.

“For me,” Rabbi Teldon shares, “the birth and death of my son wrote a script I would have never asked for. I would gladly rewrite the script without his illness and death. However, once I knew that this is part of my custom-made list, I have to rise to the occasion and deal with it as best I can so it makes me and all around me better human beings as a result. We all have a choice – to be a victim of circumstances or a person who is able to flow with life’s curve balls and infuse purpose into the good, the bad, and even the ugly. The latter is much harder, but the sense of purpose and fulfillment one can attain, even after great pain, leads to a happiness which shines from within.”

Eight Paths of Purpose teaches how obstacles and/or opposition can force us to work harder and dig deeper to accomplish great things. And in fact, that a life of comfort with very few challenges can be very pleasant, but potentially less fulfilling should an easy route always be there.

“We don’t know how our biography will look at the end of our life, but we do know that the way we deal with challenges will help define our accomplishments,” he explains.

While it took Teldon years to come back to reality after losing his son, he believes that his book will help all of humanity understand and benefit from and accept this purpose in their lives. “I hope it is presented in a way in which everyone can relate.”

He adds that writing the book and its acceptance has been a humbling experience, especially knowing that it has helped many people, especially during this time.

As I read the book carefully I kept reminding myself that these are not pious platitudes or sermonic hyperbole. The recipe for finding life’s meaning is the work of someone who was able to overcome horrific tragedy. Surely all of us, in the depths of our souls, feel the overpowering truth of Teldon’s recognition that “I decided if I wanted to be happy in a real way, I would have to develop it from the inside out. I had to differentiate between fun, which I enjoyed, and happiness, which takes real work. What kind of happiness fits that description? Inner happiness is a natural byproduct of a life lived with purpose. This comes from a sense of fulfillment we potentially feel whenever our life reality and/or attitude are aligned in some way with our life purpose.

Yes, as the Rabbi reminds us, Helen Keller taught us this very truth: “True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” Our mission in life? To discover our purpose and to recognize why God placed each one of us on this earth with OUR reason for being. This book will assuredly bring you nearer to finding the answer to the uniqueness of your mission.

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Culture has a unique way of bridging cultures and nations. This is why in an effort to foster cultural exchange between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Image Nation Abu Dhabi has teamed up with the Israel Film Fund (IFF) on a series of webinars that aim to support filmmakers in both countries.

Titled “Film Exchange: Abu Dhabi–Israel,” the new series will explore critical areas within production, talent development and filming in both Abu Dhabi and Israel to encourage collaboration between Image Nation and IFF.

The first webinar will debut on March 24. It will feature industry experts spanning from the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, Israel Film Fund, the Israel Film and TV Academy as well as renowned film directors.

Those tuning in to the webinars can expect to learn about an array of different topics relating to feature film funding, such as tax rebates, film funds and opportunities for filmmakers in the two countries, among others aspects.

Speakers include Emirati filmmaker Abdullah Al-Kaabi, “City of Life” director Ali F. Mostafa and the Israeli filmmaker who gave us “The Syrian Bride,” Eran Riklis, to name a few.

“This series of webinars is a key cultural and business initiative held in partnership with the IFF,” said Michael Garin, CEO of Image Nation, in a released statement.

“We are ultimately promoting and informing audiences on the many production and investment opportunities that have resulted from the partnership between the UAE and Israel. Through collaboration on content creation, we will deepen the ties between the two countries to the benefit of the media industry in the entire region.”

Echoing on Garin’s statement, Lisa Shiloach-Uzrad, Executive Director of the Israel Film Fund, added: “We are excited to begin what we hope will be a long and fruitful relationship between Israeli and UAE filmmakers. We believe there is much that unites our two nations and are proud and happy to be the stepping stone for cultural collaboration that will bring us closer together while creating innovative and fascinating films, which is what we’re all about.”

The IFF was established in 1979 in order to assist Israeli filmmakers realize their vision and talent and produce their full length feature film.

Meanwhile, Image Nation Abu Dhabi creates films, TV series, documentaries and entertainment for consumers throughout the world. It is also the first UAE company to have multiple productions stream globally on streaming giant Netflix.

Arab News’ Hams Saleh also reported that the 14th edition of Art Dubai — recognized as the Middle East’s leading art fair for showcasing local, regional, and international artists — is attracting art lovers in the UAE with an in-person fair set to wrap up on Saturday.

Among the participating galleries is Addis Fine Art gallery, which has set up a booth at the event for the fourth year.

The art hub, which is based in London and Addis Ababa, is exhibiting a group show of four artists from across Ethiopia — Tadesse Mesfin, Addis Gezehagn, Tsedaye Makonnen and Tizta Berhanu.

Each of the artists is showcasing new works that explore and document humanity’s adaptability and resilient responses to moments of upheaval.

Gallery co-founder Rakeb Sile said that Art Dubai is one of her favorites.

“It’s the only fair where we get to see galleries from pretty much the global south. It’s a really diverse encounter. Other fairs that we do are not necessarily that diverse,” she told Arab News.

She believes that putting Ethiopian artists in “that conversation is also important, because it teaches us things that we wouldn’t have necessarily found out just by doing a Western fair.”

Sile launched Addis Fine Art gallery with Mesai Haileleul as a “passion project.”

“It was like, ‘we know this is amazing; why doesn’t the rest of the world know about any of these artists?’” she said.

Haileleul elaborated on his partner’s words, saying that the art scene in Addis Ababa has “incredible talent.”

“Obviously a lot of people might not be familiar with it. We do not have a lot of galleries there that function and work like Addis Fine Art gallery because it is very difficult,” he said.

“For that reason, artists do not get the representation they badly need. But it’s not for lack of talent. We are there to change that; we are there to help with that.”

(www.ArabNews.com)

And Some Movies You May Want to Avoid

By: Howard Barbanel

Although many movie theaters reopened and while there is a palpable yearning for that greasy popcorn, nachos and supersized diet coke experience, most of us are still catching our first run flicks at home. Streaming services dominate and even when fully vaccinated, many of us are not entirely comfortable venturing forth to the multiplex just yet.

There are some great movies that have been released online in the past few months with mega stars like Tom Hanks, Glenn Close, Gary Oldman and Eddie Murphy to name a few. Here is a quick guide to some of the new offerings and whether they’re worth your time, and in some cases, the extra money.

News of The World (★★★★★)

In “News of The World” Tom Hanks delivers the kind of star performance you’d expect from one of America’s most versatile and beloved actors. Have you ever seen a bad Tom Hanks movie?

Westerns are not the most popular genre of film these days. Making them so they’re not cartoonish, patronizing or condescending is no small feat. Director Paul Greengrass delivers a period piece that is true to its time and place while also packed with pathos, action and wit. “News” is probably one of the five best Westerns of all time. It’s in the same league as Clint Eastwood’s The Unforgiven (★★★★★, 1992) and the power couple of John Ford directing John Wayne in The Searchers (★★★★½, 1956). “News” shares some themes with “The Searchers,” most notably the kidnapping of a white girl by Native Americans along with the deep darkness imbuing the souls of both Wayne and Hanks’ characters as a consequence of the Civil War.

“News” is set in 1870s Texas where Hanks ekes out a living as an itinerant news reader – he buys newspapers along his travels – expensive and scarce items in the Old West – and he curates and delivers the news in public readings to paying audiences in towns small and large across the prairie. Hanks is running away from heartache, his past and battle-related PTSD. Redemption comes in the character of Johanna Leonberger who was kidnapped by Kiowa Indians as a young child and needs to be returned to her next of kin clear across Texas. Hanks’ character, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, is reluctantly impressed into the service of escorting Johanna to her family and therein lies the drama and adventure of the film as they traverse the Wild West. Johanna is played by 12-year-old Helena Zengel in a tour de force performance where she holds her weight alongside Hanks in most of the movie.

If you can see this in a theater by all means do – but – it’s equally worth watching on your home 42, 55 or 60-inch TV as well. Streaming on Prime.

Hillbilly Elegy (★★★★)

Many Americans comfortably ensconced in their affluent bubbles have no idea of the struggles, poverty, desperation and addiction which besets many to this day in “Flyover Country” and most particularly in Appalachia. This region stretching from Pennsylvania to Georgia has borne the brunt of the Opioid Crisis but even before that alcoholism and other substance abuse was rife.

“Elegy” is the autobiographical drama about a young J.D. Vance, growing up with a seriously defective mother in a death spiral of privation and addiction. Our hero manages to overcome extreme poverty and a plethora of disadvantages to become a Yale-trained lawyer who wrote a bestselling book from which this movie is based. Vance’s salvation was made possible through the intervention of his maternal grandmother, played powerfully by Glenn Close in the role of “Mamaw,” who rescues him from the depredations of his addict mother (played very unglamorously and convincingly by Amy Adams).

Most of the action takes place in Rust Belt Ohio and Kentucky with lots of flashbacks to our hero’s childhood and adolescence. To say that Glenn Close embodies the role of a grizzled character is an understatement. This is not the beautiful Glenn Close we saw in Fatal Attraction (★★★★, 1987) or The Natural (★★★★★, 1984). You totally believe in her as a struggling grandmother. No end of common-sense grit and self-sacrifice. This is no light movie but it is highly inspiring and there is also a happy ending. This film may also remind you of the Tobias Wolff biopic This Boy’s Life (★★★★, 1993) starring Robert DeNiro, Ellen Barkin and a young Leonardo DiCaprio. Streaming on Netflix.

Coming 2 America (★★)

They say some wines get better with age and some after too many years become vinegar and undrinkable. So is the case with the 33-year delay from Eddie Murphy’s hysterical Coming to America (★★★★, 1988) and this cringe-worthy sequel. No matter the return of the original cast plus great additional cameos. No matter Murphy and his sidekick Arsenio Hall playing a dozen different characters. No matter the lavish sets and costumes. The story is flimsy and completely non-credible even for a comedy farce. The writing is dismal, so much so that you’d be hard pressed to find more than two really good jokes in the whole film. A comedy that’s not very funny. Really? Really. How a comedic talent like Murphy didn’t see the lack of humor in this film is astonishing.

The only saving grace and bright spot here is Wesley Snipes as General Izzi, warlord of neighboring African nation Nexdoria (as in “next door”). As Izzi, Snipes dominates the screen and brings 90 percent of the charisma. Izzi is an exaggerated hip-hopped-up Idi Amin-like tinhorn dictator full of outrageous bellicosity accompanied by a praetorian guard of exceptional street dancers who intimidate merely by virtue of their excellent choreography. The movie gets two stars thanks in great measure to Snipes.

The black stereotypes in “Coming 2 America” if they’d been produced by and starring whites would be viewed as highly offensive. In fact, if I were black, I would be very put-off by some of the visuals which in many cases cross a line to tastelessness. Streaming on Prime.

Mank ★★★★

Herman J. Mankiewicz (or as his friends called him, “Mank”) was a brilliant Hollywood screenwriter during the studio heyday of the 1930s. He was also intemperate, constantly inebriated and often impertinent. A real character. So why a movie about him? Because he was the unsung and real literary genius behind one of the best movies ever made, Citizen Kane (★★★★★, 1941) directed by and starring the then 24-year-old wunderkind Orson Welles.

Welles hired the fading Mankiewicz (portrayed masterfully by Gary Oldman, who is 62 and playing someone three decades younger) to ghost-write the screenplay for his first big Hollywood outing. The drama here is the torturous road from concept to actual script; the efforts made by William Randolph Hearst and his media empire to have the film shelved or not made at all and the tension between Mank and Welles when Mankiewicz realizes it’s the best thing he’s ever written and wants screen credit for it. In between are flashbacks to Mank’s life in New York and California and his relationships with Hearst, his then wife Marion Davies (played by an increasingly impressive Amanda Seyfried), studio honcho L.B. Mayer (MGM) and other Hollywood swells. In the middle of the bio sandwich is the relationship with his own long-suffering wife.

Laid-up in bed due to a car accident, an ailing Mank is shuttled to the California desert with a nurse, secretary and prodding producer and told to write the script via dictation which we saw Oldman do frequently while playing Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour (★★★★½, 2017). With the help of this entourage and an unhealthy supply of smuggled booze, Mank turns out one of the best screenplays of all time. In the process he makes enemies of and alienates almost everyone in his life. This is a very grown-up movie that will leave you contemplating the nature and scope of power, ambition, talent and waste (as in much of Mank’s life). Streaming on Netflix.

Wonder Woman 1984 ★★★

In 2017 director Patty Jenkins surprised us all with a superhero movie that was original, fantastic yet believable, well-acted, well-cast, well-written and that had heart and humor. That movie is Wonder Woman (★★★★, 2017). Gal Gadot was a delight as the fierce but incredibly naïve Amazon warrior and Chris Pine was adorable as Steve Trevor. The supporting cast was endlessly interesting and funny and the setting, World War I, was rendered with verisimilitude so that you bought into that reality.

For a second act, instead of perhaps setting the film during World War II, Jenkins opted to make a giant leap forward in years to 1984 (a big jump from 1918) where we’re supposed to believe that Diana a/k/a Wonder Woman has for decades been living a life of quiet desperation and solitude pining away for the late Steve Trevor while occasionally doing some rote super hero stuff like rounding up criminals. In “WW84,” the fate of the world hinges on defeating a deranged megalomanic businessman who steals an ancient artifact with magic powers to grant wishes (I’m over simplifying) which ultimately creates world wide chaos. Somehow Steve Trevor is brought back from the dead because Diana wished for him (as did the producers so the two can recreate their prior on-screen chemistry).

The world of 1984 is not reproduced as convincingly as was 1918 or as well as the 1950s were in Back to The Future (★★★★½, 1985) and the premise or nemeses of loneliness, unrequited love and success don’t carry as much weight as defeating the Germans and the god Aries on the Western Front. “WW84” is so much of a sequel that one really must watch the 2017 original in order to know much of the back story which limits the audience. Another drawback is the length of the film which at two hours and 30 minutes really is a half hour to 40 minutes too long. Many of the scenes of Diana as a child on Paradise Island could have been edited out to make the movie tauter. The film is worth seeing and you will be entertained, but better to see it with your own pause button at home than to invest 150 minutes in a theater. Streaming on Prime and other services.