Arranged

Arranged

Rochel Meshenberg

Nasira Khaldi

Sheli Meshenberg

Matan Meshenberg

Naomi Meshenberg

Avi Meshenberg

Elona

Abdul-Halim Khaldi

Gideon

Principal Jacoby

Miriam

Eddie

Jamil

Elliot

Seth

Eva Meshenberg

Kalil

Ahmed Khaldi

Amina Khaldi

Leah

Beth

Judit

Zahir

Jimmy

Patricia

Nina

Justin

Teacher #1

Rebecca

Jamil's Father

Jamil's Mother

Nirit

Yitzak Bellow

Lionya Abramovich

Lazar ben Fischel

Science Date

Woman #1

Woman #2 (as Alia Tarraf)

Teacher

Justin

Party Pot Smoker

The film was shot in 17 days, during a heat wave where temps in New York hit 115 degrees.

The film is loosely based on the experiences of Executive Producer Yuta Silverman, an Orthodox Jew who befriended a Pakistani Muslim woman through the public schools in Brooklyn.

In the scene where the two women are leaning against a chain link fence, talking, Rochel's arms go from being crossed near her chest, to being crossed much lower and then to being by her sides, and then back up all within a few seconds.

In the scene with both women in the car (on the way to the cemetery), the items on the back window (behind Rochel) change position from cut to cut - most notable is a newspaper.

Rochel comes home to dinner and sits down with the family. But she didn't wash her hands. Orthodox Jews wash their hands, say a prayer, and eat some bread before talking or eating at a meal. Only the religious Jewish viewers will look alarmed at this. But the director covers it. Rochel says the blessing before eating a meal with no bread.

Teacher: We're forced to handle the challenges of ESL. Different cultural traditions, everything they enter the classroom with, serious family dysfunctions. Basically our schools, New York city schools, are one big experiment, one big laboratory in this exercise we call the American Experience. And we as teachers aren't equipped to deal with the task at hand. We're not, that's the sad truth. So, after lunch, I'll introduce some exercises designed to demonstrate what we all share, teachers and students. Because our research shows that building this sort of common ground, in the beginning of the year, in the first few weeks, is key to classroom management. And more importantly, academic success.

Rochel: Gideon has 2 older sisters.

Rochel: Mom? Nina's here to talk about my diminished prospects.