Film and Discussion “Masel Tov Cocktail” with the filmmaker Arkadij Khaet and Anna Staroselski, President of the Jewish Student Union of Germany – moderated by Elad Kabilio

Classrooms Without Borders, in partnership with the the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in New York City and the American Association of Teachers of German, is honored to invite you to screen the short film “Masel Tov Cocktail” and join us for a post screening discussion with the filmmaker Arkadij Khaet.
DIMITRIJ Liebermann (19) is Jewish and punched Tobi in the face. Now he’s supposed to apologize to him. But Dimitrij doesn’t exactly feel sorry. While on his way to meet up with Tobi, he encounters a diverse representation of German society. An analysis of the status quo.

Masel Tov Cocktail Recipe:
Ingredients: 1 Jew, 12 Germans, 50ml Culture of Remembrance, 30ml stereotypes, 2 teaspoons patriotism, 1 teaspoon Israel, 1 falafel, 5 Stumbling Stones, a dash of antisemitism
Preparation: Put all ingredients in a film, bring to the boil and shake vigorously. Then garnish with klezmer music.
Consumption: Light before eating and enjoy in the cinema. 100% Kosher!

ARKADIJ KHAET

ARKADIJ KHAET was born during the final moments of the Soviet Union. A few weeks after his birth his family left the Republic of Moldova and immigrated to Germany. After graduating highschool he lived in Israel for a while, and then moved to Cologne to start his undergraduate studies in Film and Television. As a student he started to implement his own film projects. During studies he met his Co-director colleague Mickey Paatzsch with whom he started a collaboration on several projects. Since October 2016, Arkadij Khaet has been studying Film Directing at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg and is currently living in Southern Germay.

His previous film projects include:

2020 MASEL TOV COCKTAIL I 30 min, co-director, screenwriter

2019 ALINA IM WUNDERLAND | 35min co-director, screenwriter

2018 USERDATE | 11min | director, screenwriter

2017 SCHEIDEWEG | 4 min | director, screenwriter, editor

2017 HIKIKOMORI | 30 min | director, screenwriter, editor

2017 ABLICHT | 7min | director, screenwriter, editor

2016 THROUGH THE CURTAIN | 27 min | director, screenwriter, editor

Anna Staroselski
Anna Staroselski is 24 years old and a history student at the Humboldt University of Berlin. She works for a member of the German Bundestag and is the president of the Jewish Student Union of Germany (JSUD). The main goals of the JSUD is to create a positive narrative about the diversity of Jewish life in Germany and bring it into the German society, by using the direct contact to policy makers. The Union is actively fighting antisemitism, BDS and supporting Israel as well as building coalitions with other minorities.

Elad Kabilio

Praised by the New York Times as “The Highlight of the Evening”, Israeli Cellist Elad Kabilio is an active lecturer, soloist and a teaching artist. His recent speaking engagements include WQXR Radio, The 92nd Street Y, Carnegie Hall, Tel Aviv University, Aspen Music Festival and more. Mr. Kabilio is on faculty at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music where he teaches Music History and Cello playing. To bring music to the broader public, he founded MusicTalks, a concert-lecture series with engaging and interactive conversation held in intimate settings. Mr. Kabilio is also a founding member of 12th Night Klezmer, an ensemble which aims to retell the history and music of the East European Jewish diaspora. Mr. Kabilio currently lectures on a regular basis at the JCC of Manhattan, Central Synagogue, IAC, JFNA and Groupmuse.