“Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” opens in a courtroom; we mostly won’t leave it for the next two hours, which span five years. Only subtle changes in costumes and demeanor give us a window into what has happened in the world outside. This courtroom is some kind of cruel purgatory. At the front of the room are three rabbinical judges, old bearded men, who peer down at us with unequivocal power from their elevated bench. To the left is the middle-aged Rabbi Shimon in a kipa (Sasson Gabai), acting as advocate for Elisha Amsalem (Simon Abkarian, “Yes”) who has chosen not to come to court when beckoned: we see Shimon from the side, and from afar. And finally, there’s Carmel (Menashe Noy), whom we gaze up at from below at his side, with affection and admiration, as he stands and talks, as if we’re sitting right next to him. The matter under discussion is the “Gett” —the Jewish term for a divorce — that Viviane Amsalem has requested from her not present husband, only …![]()
