A Tree of Life

Tallahassee Jewish Federation is pleased to present our second film in the 2023 film series.  A Tree of Life scheduled for Sunday, July 30 at 4:30 pm. A Tree of Life does not answer the questions why did it happen, what should be done or how could it happen, but rather, it brings forth the humanity of those impacted by the incident, refusing to let them be reduced to statistics or defined by tragedy.   At just 87 minutes, A Tree of Life can’t hope to capture the full experience of one single person’s trauma — let alone those of the innumerable others touched by it in some way, like the local Muslim community leaders moved to raise funds for their Jewish brethren’s funeral and medical costs.   A Tree of Life‘s own mission lies in empathy and understanding at the ground level. Near the end of the film, one survivor reading from a book, offers this kernel of wisdom: “To love God truly, one must first love all humanity.” While we can’t presume to know how the filmmaker might feel about God. But in their insistence on seeing the shooting survivors as people first, caring enough to ask about their feelings and opinions and their personal tales, A Tree of Life surely stands as an act of love toward humanity.