At the Film Festival: A Baseball Double Header

Coinciding with the opening weekend of Major League Baseball, the NJ Jewish Film Festival swings with a double header today at the JCC MetroWest in West Orange.

•     The Yankles, the 2009 movie directed by David Brooks, (114 minutes) starts 12:30. Best Comedy, 2010 Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival and 2010 International Family Film Festival. 

The movie features Charlie, a washed-up pro baseball player, who must do community service after a series of drunk driving convictions. He discovers that coaching an Orthodox rabbinical college’s winless baseball team, the Yankles, might be his only chance at redemption. The Yankles play with tsistsis and kepahs, but never on Shabbat!

•     Seventh Inning Stretch – 2:30-3:15 p.m. – between screenings with Ira Berkow, writer of Jews & Baseball and award-winning Pulitzer Prize sportswriter for the New York Times. Hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn and Cracker Jack available, of course!

•     Jews & Baseball, an American love story directed by Peter Miller (91 minute documentary) starts 3:30 p.m. 

Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, Jews and Baseball highlights the contributions of Jewish Major Leaguers to America's favorite pastime, while exploring baseball's special place in the hearts of American Jews.

JCC Advanced Purchase recommended  1-800-494-TIXS or (973) 530-3444;www.boxofficetickets.com/jccmetrowest  $12 General Admission; $10 Seniors/Students w/ ID; $15 at the door.