THE UNORTHODOX | הבלתי רישמיים

When Yakov Cohen’s daughter was expelled from school, he decided to establish a parallel social institution. He had no knowledge, no money, no connections, and no PR but he had the strong will to take action that would allow him and other Sephardic Jews to hold their heads up high. He brought two friends along, their operation was characteristic of the people they represented: not the suit-wearing types but with people working their way up from the bottom, informal, with love for their fellow man, a great sense of humor, and a whole lot of rage. They didn’t know how to play the political game: they made it all up as they went along and set out on one of the oddest, most surprising and moving election campaigns the country has ever known. Today, the Sfarad’s Guards political party– is an empire, an institution, even a brand with significant implications to society. Yaakov Cohen is still working at his printing house at the Bukharan Quarter in the heart of Jerusalem city.

• 2018 Opening Film – Jerusalem Film Festival