Congregation Shaara Tfille and The Jewish Community Center of Saratoga Springs are excited to present a film screening, One Big Happy Family at 7:00 pm on Monday, August 18, at Congregation Shaara Tfille, 84 Weibel Avenue. This screening is part of the 2025 Saratoga Jewish Cultural Festival. This event is sponsored by a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York. There is a $10 admission charge that also includes light refreshments.

Advance reservations are appreciated. Please RSVP by phoning Congregation Shaara Tfille at 518-584-2370 or email, saratogajcc@albany.twcbc.com by Friday, August 15.

This special event will include the attendance of the writer-producer Lisa Brenner, who will participate in a Q&A after the screening. In addition to writing and producing the film, Lisa Brenner (Say My Name) stars as Rachel. The film is inspired by Lisa’s real life experiences.

The heartfelt comedy, One Big Happy Family, is directed by Emmy nominee, Matt Sohn, and explores what it means to be family. It tells the story of Rachel, whose DNA test completely upends her life while planning her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah. She embarks on a hilarious journey with her eccentric mother to find out who she is.

This is the last film of the legendary Golden Globe winner and Tony winner Linda Lavin, who died a few days before its premiere.

“The late, great Tony winner Linda Lavin (Alice) shines as an overbearing Jewish grandmother in One Big Happy Family, a big-hearted contemporary Bat Mitzvah comedy about mothers, daughters, sisters and the mensches we pick along the way to join our chosen family. L’chaim!”, Thelma Adams, Rotten Tomatoes Top Critic