Ames Amzalak Rochester Jewish Film Festival

RJFF's 25th Anniversary is Here!

July 13–20, 2025

Welcome to the 25^th annual Ames Amzalak JCC Rochester Jewish Film Festival underwritten by the William and Sheila Konar Foundation and Rubens Family Foundation!

We are honored to have reached the Silver Anniversary of the Silver Screen in our community. Our festival has bloomed into a cornerstone of the Jewish and arts communities in the Greater Rochester Area. Additionally, RJFF is one of our community’s most accessible Jewish events – for the price of admission, anyone can discover the richness of Jewish life and culture, and issues within and beyond the Jewish community.

Since its beginning, RJFF has become known as a content-packed week with a truly international offering of films – this year is no different. We are presenting 25 feature-length films and three short films from 13 countries, making the 2025 festival our most international festival in nearly a decade. Additionally, we are fortunate and grateful that our community’s generosity continues to grow. This surge in support will allow us to make this year truly special. Be on the lookout for numerous giveaway promotions, three post-film discussions with filmmakers, and other special events to honor our milestone year.

The planning process for the Festival is a year-round effort. The staff and our volunteer committee are dedicated to researching and learning about the latest in Jewish film. Simply put, without the hours that these wonderful people put into the festival each week, RJFF would not happen. As this is my first year directing the festival, I would also like to give a special thank you to our Director Emerita, Andrea Miller, whose patience, guidance, and knowledge were a source of great help to me.

Thank you for your support over these 25 years — for believing in us, for leaving work early to catch a 6pm film, for staying up later than usual on a weekday to attend a 9pm film, for your feedback, your spirit and your enthusiasm. We look forward to sharing another fantastic week of Jewish film with you, for another 25 years – at least!

Sincerely,

Michal Benita-Weiss, RJFF Chair
Jake Rosenbaum, RJFF Director