By Alimat Aliyeva
A documentary film titled A Mother’s Prayer by Azerbaijani director Rufat Asadov has been screened at the Moscow Jewish Community Center.
The screening took place in the Amphitheater Hall of the Moscow Jewish Community Center and was organized by the “Good Evening” club, led by journalist Yana Lyubarskaya. The film was warmly received by the audience.
Produced in collaboration with Israel’s Sholumi Center, the documentary tells the life story of Rabbi Shmuel Simantov, who was born in the Azerbaijani city of Oghuz.
The film portrays Simantov’s journey against the backdrop of his mother Batya’s extraordinary sacrifice. Simantov founded and leads the Or Ovadia Synagogue in Tel Aviv, which serves the Mountain Jewish community.
Determined to help her son fulfill his dream of building a synagogue, Batya gave him all the money she had accumulated over many years. Her selfless act is portrayed as a powerful testament to the depth of maternal love, the strength of spiritual bonds and the profound role of religious faith in human life.
The film was produced by Shaul Siman-Tov, head of the Sholumi Center.
Speaking after the screening, director Rufat Asadov discussed Azerbaijan’s centuries-old traditions of multiculturalism and the respect shown to representatives of different ethnic groups and religious communities.
He emphasized that the peaceful coexistence of different religions and cultures in Azerbaijan, along with respect for the cultural heritage of the Jewish people, forms an important part of the country’s multicultural values.
A Mother’s Prayer has previously been screened in Azerbaijan, Israel, Germany and Russia.
