Ayelet Menachemi, director of the film "Seven Blessings," is used to exciting situations. Award ceremonies, important speeches and international arenas have become an integral part of the lives of Menachemi and the team entrusted with the creation of the film, including Eleanor Sela, Reymond Amsalem and Ronan Ben Tal. But on Tuesday she took part in a truly tear-jerking event: a private screening of "Seven Blessings" for Penina Mendelovich, 76, from Kiryat Haim, who is hospitalized at Rambam Hospital.
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"Mother has been hospitalized a lot lately," said Revital Doani, Mendelovich 's daughter. "We are trying very hard to make it easier for her and make her as happy as possible. A few weeks ago she mentioned that she would really like to see the movie. She immigrated to Israel from Morocco at the age of two, and the movie probably reminded her of the past. We thought we'd still be able to get to the movie theater, but she can't get out of bed."
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Penina Mendelovich, 76, gets a private screening of the award-winning film 'Seven Blessings' at Rambam Hospital
(Photo: Rambam spokesman)
Doani contacted Eleanor Sela through social media and asked if she could help. Sela, who is abroad, replied to Doani within a few hours that Menachemi would arrive at Rambam the next morning to meet her mother and screen “Seven Blessings" to her on the screen of her personal laptop. "I couldn't believe it," recalls Duani, "it's simply unimaginable how quickly they got together to make happy a woman they don't know at all. Just angels."
In the morning, as promised, Menachemi arrived at Internal Medicine Ward D, where she met Mendelovich and her family members. "It's very exciting," Menachemi said, "to come to Rambam following such a touching request, to make someone happy like that - of course I said yes."
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Scene from 'Seven Blessings'
( Look up details 46 / 5,000 Translation results Translation result Photo: Maria Brodkin, courtesy of United King Films)
The department's staff, who have been caring for Mendelovich for months, were also touched by the gesture. "This is a truly special moment," said the director of the department, Dr. Ami Neuberger. "People with rare abilities who joined together, and the result of their good will is a rare thing."
"When Ayelet entered the room, mother was shocked," recalls Doani." She cried with excitement. “There was a lovely conversation between the two of them about Morocco and the movie, and then she watched it. Mother's smile is worth everything. We will never forget it."