The JCC of Greater Baltimore will mark Oct. 7 this year with a film screening rather than a traditional vigil, bringing the documentary “The Bridge” to the Gordon Center on Oct. 11. The movie follows 10 Israelis who survived the 2023 terror attacks as they travel to Los Angeles to attend the Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, and the screening will be followed by a discussion with producer David Fishof, who founded the camp chronicled in the film.
According to the Baltimore Jewish Times, the JCC is commemorating the anniversary of the attacks at the Gordon Center through the film rather than a single moment of silence. Tickets for the screening are listed at $18, or $16 for JCC members, with a $2 per-ticket fee added online and at the box office, per the Gordon Center’s own event listings. The Baltimore Jewish Times reports that tickets have already sold and that community members have expressed interest in person to JCC staff ahead of the event.
A Camp Built on Music and Connection
“The Bridge” features the 10 Israeli survivors as they travel to attend the camp, which was founded by Fishof, according to the film’s official website. The documentary focuses on music and mutual support as ways for people to move forward from tragedy, showing musicians using music to help trauma survivors heal. The 10 survivors were flown to Los Angeles in March 2024 to take part in the sold-out camp, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency's report notes that the documentary highlights how music can become a pathway from trauma to healing. The four-day camp experience gave the survivors a rare respite from their trauma and a chance to reconnect with the joy of making music, according to the Jerusalem Post. The film is produced by TV and film producer Kevin S. Bright along with Fishof, per the documentary's official website.
Presenting People, Not Politics
The Baltimore Jewish Times reports that the film presents the people affected by Oct. 7 as human beings rather than only as victims, quoting one line from the project: “Thank you for making a film where we’re not the victims. Thank you for making a film where we’re human beings.” A similar theme ran through coverage from the St. Louis Jewish Light, which described music as a way for survivors to find connection, joy and hope even after unimaginable tragedy.
Bright has said that showing the film in Tel Aviv was one of his most rewarding experiences to date, and that support, time and patience can help people navigate and overcome difficult periods, according to the Baltimore Jewish Times. Fishof, for his part, is described in the same report as someone who brings people together to experience joy through music. The film presents people rather than pushing a specific political perspective, the outlet notes, framing it instead as a human story about people overcoming suffering and trauma.
A Community Walk on the Same Day
A community walk commemorating Oct. 7 is scheduled for the same day as the screening, held by the Baltimore Zionist District and Har Sinai — Oheb Shalom. Sara Shalva, chief advancement officer of the JCC of Greater Baltimore, said the walk and the screening should complement each other well, per the Baltimore Jewish Times report.
Shalva said the Jewish people experienced a profound tragedy on Oct. 7, and that what has followed since then is an incredible, frightening rise in antisemitism. She said memorial events should acknowledge the passing of time while still incorporating hope, drawing a comparison to Jewish mourning benchmarks such as sitting shiva, observing shloshim and reciting kaddish. Shalva said she hopes the film will be uplifting and provide a sense of hope for those who attend.
Part of a Wider Rollout
Baltimore's screening is one stop in a broader release for “The Bridge.” The film had already screened in Los Angeles, New York, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Las Vegas, with additional screenings planned for Baltimore, Boston, London, Toronto and Santa Barbara, according to the St. Louis Jewish Light. Variety reported that the documentary was set to roll out across select venues in North America starting Oct. 5, ahead of a wider theatrical release in November.
Other communities have paired the film with their own local commemorations. In Florida, the documentary was scheduled to screen at The Studio in Mizner Park on Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. alongside a concert from Israeli musicians, per the film's official screening schedule. In St. Louis, the film capped a community-wide day of remembrance with a premiere at the Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, the St. Louis Jewish Light reported.
