Abe (2019) - full transcript

This...

is not my life.

But this is.

Some people call me Avraim,

some people call me Ibrahim

or Abraham.

I prefer Abe.

I really just prefer Abe.

Some kids like cars,
expensive clothes,

selfies, money,
fancy musicians, celebrities.

I found out I enjoy food.



I just can't resist it.

Summer plans?

Chase flavors in
Brooklyn, New York.

Di Fara's Pizza.

People say his hands don't feel
the heat of the oven anymore

because he's been doing it
for so long.

Music to my stomach.

Only thing I like
more than food?

Cooking.

I already know some tricks
in the kitchen.

Cooking is way better
than talking with

offline human beings.

It's not that
I don't have friends.

I do. On the Internet.



I never met them offline,
but who cares?

Okay, let's focus
on my birthday cake.

I don't want to give them
any reason

to open their mouths about,
you know, whatever.

But what you
want them to do?

I mean, they're...
That's what they are.

They're old, grumpy,
they give us a hard time,

but they're our family,
and we love them.

What's that?

- It's a cake.
- Wait. A cake?

You did the cake on your own
birthday? That's amazing.

Yeah, I mean, I want to.

There's no baking powder?

Mm.

I checked.
There's only baking soda.

That's the same thing.

No, Mom. Baking soda is
pure sodium bicarbonate.

Speak English, please.

I don't understand
what that means.

Oh, here we go.
Cream of tartar.

I can add this to baking soda
and make baking powder.

Oh, no, I don't think
that's good.

No, Mom, it's fine.

This is the acid,
and baking soda is the base.

When you mix them
and add liquid,

it makes carbon dioxide,
which are bubbles,

which is what you need
to make the cake rise.

Basic chemistry.

We're raising Walter White.

Wait, are you actually sure
about that?

That is never gonna work.

Okay, I'll just use
the baking soda,

but I don't think it'll rise.

- Hello!
- Hi, Dad.

Hi. Welcome.

The Palestinian perspective
is largely untold.

My op-ed speaks to that.

Simply not true.

That's because you only see
the truth you want to see.

Israel is the only country,
besides the U.S.,

that militarily occupied
another people.

Fifty years now, Benjamin.
Fifty years.

Your article does not have
the whole story.

What's the latest in cat videos?

Politics off the table... now.
Okay, Aba?

Happy birthday, sweetheart!

Cheers! Cheers, cheers, cheers.

All right, eat up,
eat up, guys.

Abe has been
working on this all day.

- You made all this? Ooh!
- Yes!

He's basically taken over
the whole kitchen, right, bubbe?

I hope you guys like it.

Yeah.

These crazy noodle sandwiches
are the shit.

It's a ramen taco.

Of course it is!

You are twelve.
Next year is a big one.

If you do your bar mitzvah
next year,

you will be a man!

One hundred percent.

All right, Aba,
sit down, all right.

Well, I don't mean to interfere,
but it's the time.

Yeah, no, thank you so much
for not interfering.

I really appreciate that.

Technically, you are a Jew
from your mother.

Technically, he is a Muslim
because of his father.

I'm sorry, is Atheism
matrilineal or patrilineal?

- I don't know.
- Technically, I forgot.

Yeah, so why don't we take this
off the table for now?

Okay? We're done
with this conversation

and this topic, okay?

What the mother wants
is important.

I want to.

- Want to what?
- What?

I want to do the bar mitzvah.

Abe, Abe, Abe, hold on here.

And the Muslim band.

Just relax for one second.

And everyone I know
is doing their bar mitzvahs.

And like go to mosque
and stuff.

Okay, that's
hell to the no.

I can do both things.

Habibi, you can try both,
but you cannot be both.

Mm. You have to choose.

You gotta get a live band
for you bar mitzvah

- and a huge chocolate fountain!
- Uncle Ari!

I'm so sorry, guys.
He doesn't have to choose...

because we chose for him,
and we chose nothing.

- Yeah, we chose nothing.
- Really?

Yeah, really.

It's time for cake!

♪ Happy birthday to you

Everyone good?
You got all that out?

Okay? Happy birthday, Abe.

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday, Ibrahim.

Happy birthday, Avra.

Make a wish, bubbe.

Well... with what?
Imaginary candles, Mom?

No, we'll go candles.
We'll do the song again.

We'll do a Hebrew one
first, song...

You need to leave the table.

I'm sorry.
I-I need some air.

I'm sorry. I'm done.

I have to go look after her.

It's just three Jews now.

Don't blame it
on my son, right?

You can't choose
your family, kid.

Is family time supposed
to be something nice?

Or is it just always like this?

Sometimes I think what I really
need is a Christmas party.

#cakeflop.

I knew it wouldn't rise.

I guess birthdays suck.

#cakeimitateslife.

You suck.
You bake a cake on your birthday

and can't even get it to rise?

I mean, I did a better job
in my sixth-grade cooking class

than that piece of shit.

Did you have any idea

that he wanted to try
a bar mitzvah or mosque?

- Did you have any idea?
- Of course not.

I thought we were
all enjoying

a happy godless
existence together.

Well, apparently we're not.

You know what I think?

I think he will never be Muslim

or Jewish enough
for these people.

That's what I think.

My family doesn't agree
on anything.

Not even when they eat
the same food, like falafel.

One of my grandmas makes it
with chickpeas,

and then the other
with fava beans.

So how should I make mine?

I think he's just hanging
out with your family too much.

Oh, I'm sorry.

You mean, spending time
with his dying grandmother?

- Is that what you mean?
- No.

I'm sorry.

This was the worst.

What's this article about?

Rare falafel,
cousin from Brazil?

Hmm. That's interesting.

What's this supposed to mean?
Bahia?

Bahia.

Twelve years old.
Time to cross the limits.

The street limits.

Let's give him space
to do it. I don't know.

And this is coming from the
woman who wore a red dress

on our wedding day
to prove a point about...

What was it?
Female sexuality.

Whoa! What are you doing?

Wanna buy one?

Uh, I can help you guys out.

No, I'm good. I don't need it.

It looks like
you're pretty busy.

We don't need help.
We don't need help.

Go home, kid.

- Where's your parent?
- They're...

Where's your parent?

Mixing flavors?

Fresh lemonade?

Go. Leave. Right now.
Leave. Go home. Thank you.

Hey, kid. Try this.

Oh, thank you.

It's acarajé. From Brazil,
my country, you know.

This is really good.

You know, it actually
kinda tastes like

the falafels my grandmas make.

I tried to mix it a little bit
with Jamaican food.

Oh, yeah. And that's fusion?

And that's fusion.

Wow.

What's your story?
Where are you from?

Like neighborhood?

No, no. Background.

Oh, It's a little
confusing, but...

I'm half Palestinian-Muslim,

and then half Israeli-Jewish,

and then American-Brooklyn.

Oh, and Gryffindor.

- It's hard.
- Oh, bro.

Jesus!

Do your parents know
you're out this late?

Sure.

- Not really, but...
- I know.

Now you get off
the streets, okay?

Okay.

Birthday cake
strikes back.

This time, my way.
Savta showed me

when you mix cream of tartar
with baking soda,

it makes baking powder.

Basic science.

#facts.

#wizard.

#Ithinkitsrising.

Lemon poppy cakes?

You're not impressing anyone.

Look, we get you're lonely.

But if you wanna get some girls,
all you have to do is ask.

Well, don't be
so dismissive about it.

What? Diplomacy
is just logic, you know.

It sounds
really boring.

It's not. It's gonna be
really good for...

- Hey, there he is!
- Hi.

We were actually
talking about camp.

And we're thinking for you,
Model UN.

Interfaith.

Oh, come on, babe.

Wait, wait, I'm going to camp?

The thing is you can't
go around Brooklyn

like you're on a frickin'
food tour, right?

- That's true.
- Maybe I could work.

Here you go.

That's not funny.

Oh. Wait a minute.

Look, this actually looks good.
A cooking camp.

That sounds like fun.

- I guess.
- Yes! Okay.

Maybe you'll meet some kids
who are into food and stuff.

Make some new friends.

It's not like an adult class
where I'm actually learn stuff.

I'm sorry. Are you an adult?

Can you work with us, please?
Okay? Humor me.

It's that or UN.
Which one?

UN! UN! Say UN.

Now you take a cup

and scoop it
into your bowl of sugar.

So the food coloring makes
our desserts really colorful.

Like if you put the blue
food coloring with the green

and put it together,
you get yellow.

Or you put the red and the blue
together, you get...

Excuse me, people,
I'm a professional chef.

I can do that
with my eyes closed.

#kissmyass.

Come on, let's go, guys!
Come on! Let's go!

Let's do this.

We gotta be out in three hours,

We're gonna hit the streets
in three hours,

and we're drippin' in here.

Let's go, let's go,
come on, baby.

Gonna go with the duck.

Mmm!

It's like music.

Hey!

- Sorry.
- Hey, hey, hey!

American-Brooklyn!

- Hey!
- Yeah, what are you doing here?

I came here
to bring you something.

Please, don't do that again.
On the ground.

Oh, so, I've been trying
to cook fusion food.

What is this, exactly?

Well, it's a ramen taco.

It's my take on the ramen taco.

I was planning on
calling it, um...

Terrible.

Wait, wait, you didn't try it.
Just take a bite.

Sorry, kid.

You are mixing fusion
with confusion.

You made something bold.

Next time,
make something good to eat.

Okay?

Wait, well...

maybe you can teach me.

Does this look like
a summer camp for rich kids?

Look around.

No, not... not exactly.

- Chico.
- Yeah?

I got something for the yucca.

- Mmm.
- Mm-hmm.

I'll give you chili paste.

Malaguetas, man.
Blow your fucking face off.

You think you got my people
to be on fire, huh?

- Kid!
- What are you doing?

- American-Brooklyn!
- Hey, hey, hey!

Spicy.

What did I say?

Is that sriracha?

Yes, it was.

- It needs lime.
- Yeah.

Hot! Comin' through!

You have somewhere to be?

Oh, um...
Uh, yeah, I'll...

If you don't...

I could use some help.

Come every day during the week
for a few hours.

Help out.

I can teach you a few things.

Really? That'd...
That'd be awesome!

I'm running a tight ship.
Can you handle it?

- Oh, I can! Totally!
- Okay!

- I really appreciate the...
- Okay.

- Thank you.
- See you tomorrow.

- Thank you so much
- You got it?

Mm-mm.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Bye.

- See you tomorrow.
- Bye.

All right, buddy,
here we are.

Bye, guys.

Wait a second! Wait, wait.

I won't do this every day,
but I need a hug, I need a hug.

I love you.
Straight home after school.

You know the route.
Subway, two stops.

- Okay.
- Love you. Bye.

Come on, let's go.

Bye!

So where do we start?

Yeah, we start when you
get those dishes washed.

I need this clean.

Right now, come on!
Let's go!

We have a lot to do, you know.

Oh, man.

Put it there.

Sorry.

Co-op kitchen, day two.

Sao Paulo meets Harlem prep.

And I met lots of flies,
garbage and dirty dishes.

Good start.

Co-op kitchen, day three.

Day four, day five,
day six, day seven...

Mastering the basics.

Which means
still taking the trash out.

Abe!

Trash time.

Again?

I thought...

I thought you would
teach me some stuff.

I am.

About working in a kitchen.

You master the basics first.

You need. Okay?

I thought that was like
the basics.

Trash time.

Yo, let's go, let's go!

This too.

We have less than an hour to go!

Got my balls busted these days.

Still better than camp though.

Much better.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

- Can I have some?
- No.

Just a sip.

No!

It's okay.

You give him a little now,

he won't grow up
to be a drunk.

Okay.

L'Chaim.

- L'Chaim.
- L'Chaim.

Okay. That's good.
Take it easy.

- I had a sip!
- God!

It's good.

Sure, okay.
That's enough!

- It smells good.
- Thank you.

Is this all Savta's stuff?

Yeah.

- Oh, nice dress.
- Yeah.

I had a farmer's tan because
we were in Israel that summer.

We're not packing this away,
are we?

Those recipes
are pretty great, right?

Yeah, I love them.

She was such a good cook.

Guess it skipped a generation
and went straight to you.

Take care of those, okay?

I can have these?

I think she'd want you
to have them.

Miss you, Grandma. Really.

I guess people are not handling
your absence very well.

Not at all.

After lots of prep,

it's time to
hit the streets with our food.

I mean, Chico and
Chef Russell Chung's food.

Chico doesn't allow me
to cook yet,

but I'm in charge
of the lemonade.

Okay, just the lemons.

The best lemonade.

Do not waste. Let's freeze.

Thank you, my friend.

All right, here you go, Abe.

That's it!

Thanks.

Oh, wait.

Wait, is this made of pork?

Yeah, why?

Ah.

Abe...

religion, man, it...
it just divides us.

This stuff,
none of it's logical.

None of it makes any sense.

Okay, but, I just...
I think I should...

I don't want you to worry
about any of that stuff, okay?

Hey, you're a great kid.

Just be a great kid.

- Well?
- Mmm.

There's definitely enough cumin.
It just needs a little salt.

Okay.

Now?

Yeah, that's good.

What is it, habibi?

I didn't fast, so does that mean
I shouldn't eat?

I mean, if iftar means
to break the fast, then...

Of course you can eat.

Everyone can eat at iftar.

And you are 12 now.
You are old enough to fast.

Do you like it? Fasting?

I do.

You know,
it just seems hard to me.

It's supposed to be.

Clears the mind,
connects you with God.

And it makes you tough.

Amen.

This looks great, Mom.

You want something else
to drink, Ibrahim?

Why don't... Why don't
Muslims drink wine?

Wine?

Yeah. I did it at my Shabbat.

And saba says
that I'm old enough.

We do not drink, habibi.
Muslims.

There's no drinking.

What? He does.

I'm not Muslim.

Alcohol dulls the intellect.

Haven't you noticed that
in your father?

This is great.

- This is really, really good.
- Whoa!

Oh!

It is the state department's
definition.

Criticize Israel,
you are anti-Semitic.

I hate this word.

Okay, Mom.

I am not a Semite.

The Jews, they are anti-Semitic
toward me.

Wait, but doesn't
anti-Semitism mean

you don't like Jewish people?

"Semitic," it refers
to languages.

Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic,
among others.

There is a family
of Semitic languages

that come from
where we come from.

We belong to language,
and language belongs to us.

Okay.

- Hey, good morning!
- Good morning.

You made it.

I made it strong.

Wow!

Nice! Really good.

- Good.
- Thank you.

How are you today?

Good. You?

I'm good too.

So any trash
I need to take out yet?

Do you know
how to use a knife?

Yeah, of course.

Okay. Your turn.

Be careful with your finger,
please.

He'll be fine.
Start from the bottom.

No, no, no!
Come on, come on, easy.

Oh, my God.

- That's all right.
- Sorry.

Follow what I do.

First of all,
you have a base,

you cut it in your hand
and do like that.

Okay.

From the base first,
in your hand.

Yes, exactly.

Just like this.

Like this? I got it.

Yes. Be careful
with your fingers.

- Yes!
- Yes!

- That's really good!
- That's better.

Go easy and you'll get it.

Are we gonna get to taste any
of this stuff, or are we just...

Okay, do your job first,
then we'll see.

After lots of learning
on how to handle garbage...

curses, curses in Portuguese,
like "filho da puta,"

washing dishes
and cutting yucca,

I learned that, sometimes,
two plus two equals five.

Or seven.

Draw a map.
A flavor map.

Start by using ingredients
from the same land.

And connect the flavors
to create something unique.

Chico said fusion
is about harmony.

The best part is that
now I have an excuse

to do lots of tasting
and trying.

I need to find things that
match and complete each other.

New dimensions,
like the five basic tastes:

saltiness, sweetness,
bitterness,

sourness and umami.

This last one's only for pros.

Mind map, flavor map,
master flavors.

Great. I'm a recipe of success.

I should see what
a bar mitzvah is like.

Some appetizers for you, guys.

What's this?

Samoa.

Abe, those look good.
Have one.

For your main course,

we have the butternut squash
or the tortellini.

Um, I'll take
the butternut squash.

Same for me.

Young man,
mac and cheese or pizza?

Uh, no, thank you.

Nothing?

No, no, yeah, I'm good.

What's the matter?
You love mac and cheese.

I'm...

I'm... I'm fasting.

Fasting? Why?

I mean, to practice.

For what?

I mean, I.,..

It's for Ramadan.

Abe...

Not the right neighborhood,
but it's cool.

Okay. Yep.

- Mazel tov!
- Mazel tov!

What's the best place

to accidentally meet
haters of my blog?

Where they belong:
in the toilet.

Dude, I only made
five grand on mine.

People are only giving me
18 or 36 dollars.

Wait, wait, wait. Because...

If you say any more
sanctimonious bile,

we're gonna go.

Hey, Abe,
I heard you're fasting.

Uh, no, I'm...
My parents told me...

Hey, maybe he has explosives
under there, you think?

All right, how much
did you make at yours?

What do you mean?

You serious?

Your bar mitzvah.

You do it right,
you make a killing.

- Aba.
- What?

Why did you leave Israel?

Our...

Your grandmom...

did not want our daughter
to fight in the army.

I already did that for her.

So then why did you fight,
in the first place?

I always wanted to do my part.

To make sure...

that after thousands of years
of persecution,

that would never happen again.

I always thought of myself

as defending our people
from another holocaust.

Nowadays, with things
out of control,

I'm not always so sure.

Maybe your generation
can find some kind of peace.

Yes?

Did you have a good time?

What did you like?

Um...

- I don't know. It was cool.
- What?

His whole family
was into it, I guess.

Yeah, that is cool.
Yeah, I know.

Gosh, you know,
religion's so complicated.

But sometimes, it can offer
insights into who you are.

You know, the problem is
when it becomes literal.

It's all about these metaphors,
you know?

That stand for big ideas.

What do you mean?

Okay, so let's take heaven,
right?

What if heaven is not
like a literal place you go to,

but maybe an idea.

A metaphor for living your life
lovingly and peacefully

right here,
right on Earth, right?

Do you believe that?

It doesn't even matter
what I believe.

We knew this could
come up one day.

It's here, it's in our faces.

This is so not you.
I'm just so surprised by you.

I'm just asking you to be open.

We cannot be
flexible on this.

We have to protect him.

Stop letting him be brainwashed,
"God this, God that."

It's not about God.
It's about his identity.

Sorry you had
to hear that.

- Leave, please.
- Baby...

I don't know
what I'm supposed to do, Mom.

It's like I don't win
in either situation.

If I do anything
from the Muslim side,

then the Jewish side
is gonna be mad.

And if I do anything
from the Jewish side,

then the Muslim side
is gonna be mad.

If I do anything from any side,
then Dad is just gonna be mad.

And if I don't do anything
from either side,

then you're just
gonna be mad.

No one's mad at you, okay?
Just take it easy.

This is all stuff
that we'll figure...

Mom, are you listening to me?

We gotta get this out the door.
Come on, guys.

Get that and get these
in the oven, guys.

Let's go, let's go.

Abe.

What's going on with you today?

You're doing a shitty job. Why?

I'm trying fasting
for Ramadan.

Oh.

A lot coming at you, huh?

I guess.

Well...

you shouldn't cook
when you are in a bad mood.

Why?

Gets in the food.

What about how you're always
cursing and yelling at Mandioca?

Okay, take a break
and get a snack for us.

It's from the leftover lemonade.

You made this?

Yeah.

Hmm.

So try it.
Tell me what you think.

Is that thyme or mint?

Thyme?

Nice.

Is it good?

Oh, yeah.

I could eat popsicles
like all day.

Even in the winter,
I love them.

This reminds me...

my place.

Bahia, Brazil.

We used to be poor.

We did not have
air conditioning like you.

Hot, hot, hot.

Well, Abe, I think you're
ready for the next step.

I'm trusting you.

You better
come on time tomorrow.

Okay, think about
the staff meal.

And opening up the place,
cleaning it up,

and you will get started, okay?

And well done. I like it.

Cool?

Yeah.

Hey.

Teta, can I borrow this?

Yes, of course.

You know, I'm going to
give it to you after I die.

Teta!

That's okay.

Don't talk about that.

Come help me.

Hand me that big piece of lamb
over there.

Oh, my God.
Why there is so much?

We sacrifice a lamb.

Look, we take a third
for ourselves,

a third for the neighbor,
and a third for the poor.

We always share, habibi, always.

I am making this marinade
for shawarma.

You're gonna take
some with you, huh?

Very good.

Wow. That's good.

This is for you, habibi.

You take this, and you make
something delicious, yes?

Okay.

Good. Very good.

For the staff meal.

It's shawarma.

And my grandma made
the marinade,

and I think she killed
the lamb too, so it's fresh.

What is in the marinade?
Identify.

Uh, garlic, cinnamon,
coriander...

Definitely vinegar.

Crazy thought.

What if we put it
in a corn tortilla?

Yeah, my friend,

this is the right time
for your taco idea to work.

Co-op kitchen, day 18.

Time to make staff meal.

Big chance.

I really need to make this fly.

Ready?

Yup.

- Can I open it now?
- Yeah.

Thank you!

Oh, this is awesome!

So I get to keep this?

Sure! It's yours.
Welcome to the team.

- Yeah!
- Nice, kid!

You're part of the team, bro!

Yeah!

Do you understand that
this has been going on all...

Babe, babe.
What has happened?

Don't do a thing.
Don't do that.

Do you understand the trouble
you and your facility can be in?

What kind of rules
do you guys set up here?

You have a missing
child in New York City?

- Babe, stop.
- Why?

Get in the car!

Also, do you think
the cost is gonna, you know,

if we move him or how much it
costs, that's a big one.

Well, I'm just saying
it's not getting through to him.

Excuse me!

You know how much trouble
you could have got into, Abe?

- The kitchen, that chef...
- Mom!

Listen to me.
I want you to listen to me.

Respect me for a second.

The kitchen, the chef,

the guy who was helping you,

they can get in serious trouble

because they hired
an underage child!

It's like training!
He's helping me!

No! I was learning more
with Chico

than I do in one week
in that stupid thing.

Is that who that is? Chico?

- Okay.
- Who is this guy?

- Let's give Chico a call.
- Mom, stop!

- Shh!
- Stop! He was helping me!

Hello, Chico?

Hi, this is Rebecca Solomon Ode,
Abe's Mom.

You're embarrassing me, Mom!
Stop!

- You disappointed me.
- You're so annoying!

- I'm taking this.
- No. No, Dad!

Laptop is done. You'll get this
back when school starts.

You're grounded.

He lied to us, but it's nothing.
It's mumbo-jumbo.

I'm not going to live like this.
Look at me.

- You wanna be the boss?
- Yes.

You can go off in a corner
by yourself and be the boss.

Go along your merry way, but
I'm not gonna live like that.

You know what I'm saying?

Happy New Year.

Happy Jew Year, Hebes.

Oh, '76, '77.

Really nice stuff.

It's grapey with a taste of...

Is that Creation?

Good.

I do miss her.

I'm back in the game
after a compulsory detox.

I recommend it,
but only if it's your choice.

I don't understand. Why?

Is this because of me?

- Hey, look at me.
- It is.

No, it's not. Look at me.
Look at me.

I promise you
it's not because of you.

Sometimes, um, well,

we think it's best
if we just take a little break.

- A break?
- A break.

- What do you mean, a break?
- Just a little time.

A break from each other.

Why do we need a break?

We're a family.
We're together on this.

Well, your father and I...

It's not because of you, okay?

- Hey, hey.
- No.

Okay. all right.

We love you.

Think of it like this:
You get two Thanksgivings.

One with me and teta,
and jido,

and one with saba
and Ari and your mother.

Cool! Everyone's got
assigned seats?

- Yeah.
- Okay. That's cool.

Are we due?

- Yeah.
- It's a good idea, right?

It's a great idea.
I love it, I love it.

Everyone's gonna be
so happy, Abe.

I think I see them.

- Sounds like you're sarcastic.
- No, I'm not. I being...

I'm... I'm really...

Uh, this is really thoughtful.

- I hear them.
- Here they are.

- Hey!
- Hi, aba.

Please close your eyes.

Cool.

Amen.

- Okay.
- Cool.

Please say Amen.

- Amen.
- Amen.

- Amen.
- Amen.

Hummus and challah.
Sounds like a porno.

Wait! It's a mix of things.
Keep it together.

Mom...

This falafel tastes
just like they do in Israel.

Mm! They do.

Wait, wait, don't get too full.
Purses are coming up.

Purses?

I wouldn't know what
the national snack of Israel

tastes like in Israel,

being that I'm not
permitted in Israel.

Damn. Okay.
Sorry to bring it up.

World War Falafel and shit.

Okay, very hot.
Take one and pass it along.

- Thank you, sweetheart.
- Watch out, it's very hot.

Okay, I got it.

Straight out of the oven.

Egyptians, Syrian, Yemeni.

Jews came to Israel,

and falafel was and is
a part of their culture.

You don't own it.

It's Middle Eastern, regional.

My wife's family in Egypt

was making falafel
for generations.

- Mom.
- Hummus.

Your list conveniently
never mentions the fact

that our food is Palestinian.

You came to our country,
Palestine.

It was hardly a country.

What do you mean?
Of course it was a country!

Salad!

- Salad!
- Yay!

Calling falafel
the national food

is another way of how Israel
appropriates our culture.

Food, dance,
even our curse words,

in order to contrive
its own culture

and continue to erase ours.

The families, terrorized by
a decade of brutal genocide,

escaping unimaginable horror,

my own parents
came intentionally

to erase another people

after suffering
their own erasure.

Only a madman
would believe such a thing.

- Ben...
- Can we please...

The house was on fire, Benjamin,

and those who jumped
to save themselves

landed on the people
who were standing below.

The crematorium was on fire.

Hang on.
In this part of the story,

I didn't hear about a fire.

Can we please drop this?

Can we please, for once,
be supportive of him?

Smile a little bit, please.

Here we go. Hey!
Look at that!

- He made that!
- Oh!

Great work, buddy!

That's amazing, isn't it?

That's my boy!
Hey, let me help you carve it.

It's okay.

Don't do that!
Bubbe, don't do that!

Let me help you with this.
It's a little bit...

Abe. Abe!
Abe, no, no, no!

- Listen, listen.
- Dad, I got it.

- Listen to me, listen to me.
- I can do it.

It's not about that.

It's still frozen.

It's okay. It's okay.

Something's coming
out of its booty.

Oh. Fifteen more minutes.

Okay, fifteen more.

- Fifteen more minutes.
- Guys, guys.

It's a little frozen.
Let it go, let it go.

Mom!

- I should help.
- Mom!

Please sit down!

Can you please sit down?

- Aida.
- Thank you.

It's important for him
that he do this alone.

Do you understand?

I think he could use a hand.

If he needs a hand,
he can ask us.

This is your parenting method?

Leave him to do
whatever he wants?

What are you saying?
What are you saying?

No one is looking after him.
No one.

We are looking after him.

Oh, really?

Yes, really.

Where were you when he went
to work with a stranger, hmm?

- Come on.
- Yeah!

Or when he pretended
to be in the camp?

- Were you right here?
- Now is not the time.

Now is the time!

I kept my mouth shut
long enough.

When have you ever
kept your mouth shut?

Mom, enough.

What if something
had happened?

Nothing happened to him.

No one wants to say it, huh?

What if he had gotten
kidnapped or worse?

Mom, I'm asking you nicely
to please end this!

Your... Your mother is right.

Your child is lost.

- He's not lost.
- Actually, Ben, you're right.

He is lost.
You know why he's lost?

Because you have manipulated him
with your religion

and your God
and your bullshit, Mom!

Sit down!
Sit down now!

What did you expect, Rebecca?

You married against
everyone's advice,

knowing there would be
problems!

We're gonna talk about that now,
15 years into it?

Why are you saying this now?
How dare you!

We feel sorry for him.
It is not fair!

Not, not, not fair.
It was a mistake!

Bringing a child
into your messy lives!

He is saying
what needs to me said!

- No, it is not the time!
- I'm sorry. I...

We should be ashamed!

That's what you're gonna
talk about now,

fifteen years after the fact.

Mom, why don't you go over there
in the corner

and sulk over there,
please, right now?

- Selfish!
- Careful, Ben.

Do you understand
or do you not care?

I want you all
to leave my house.

- Shit.
- What?

What?

What?

He left it in the oven.

Where is Abe?

Abe!

See? Are you happy now? Abe!

Abraham!

- Ibrahim.
- Abraham!

He's probably upstairs.
Calm down, please.

Abe!

Come down here, buddy.
We're done arguing!

- Avi!
- Abe!

Ibrahim!

Ibrahim!

Ibrahim!

Avi!

Avi!

Avi, it's Mama. Just...

Now we're getting
a little worried.

So why don't you pick up
the phone, bubbe, okay?

Should we call the police?

No. No! Oh, God.

He couldn't have gone far.

I'll drive around.

I'll come with you.

Is for you.

Anything?

I don't know what to do.

It's okay.

There is no guidebook
to be a parent.

Hard to be one.

And hard to lose one.

He will come home, habibi.

Thank you.

I'm losing steam,
I can't see straight.

You should eat something.

I can't right now.

Keep your strength up.

Dad?

Amir.

Come.

You eat.

I'm sorry.

No, I am sorry for my part
in all this.

If I hurt you or him,

I wish I could...

take back everything I said.

We all said things
that we shouldn't have, okay?

Okay.

We'll find him.

Good.

Very good.

He's a good cook.

Hey, have you guys seen this?

What?

Abe's on Instagram.
I didn't realize. Yeah.

What is... What?

It's the meal from tonight.

What are you saying?
Is it the meal?

What is Instagram?

So, okay.

It's a picture
from this meal tonight.

He puts on the web.

So you're saying he's...

He's somewhere putting pictures.

We'll be back. We'll be back.

- Where are you going?
- We'll be back.

That's my cell phone.

Okay.

Hey, brother.

Hey. Sorry.

Your folks are on the way.

I tried to make it right.

I tried to mix the foods and...

and bring them together,
just like you showed me.

But I messed it up.

I just...
I messed everything up.

They fought and fought
and fought and yelled,

and they just yelled.

I mean, I think I just
made everything worse.

Look, Abe.

You can't run away
from your problems.

You need to face it.

Sometimes people are not
going to come together.

Just be yourself.

Abe?

Abe!

It's all right.
It's all right.

Hi.

I'll give you some space, okay?

Thank you.

It's okay.

Maybe sometimes
life gets really ugly

before it gets pretty.

"Mix it Up" featuring
American-Brooklyn this summer.

Yucca latkes, chocolate matzo,
and shwacos.

You're all invited.

Would you like a taco?

This is great.

What's in here?

Popsicles.

Who is the chef?

Chico. Yes, the tallest.

What are these seeds in here?

They're hemp seeds.

There they are. Hey!

Yay!

Fruit punch and dragon fruit.

It tastes really good.

You look so cute in your apron.
Let me see.

Hey, are these are hemp seeds
in here?

Yep.

I thought hemp, you wore hemp.

I thought you smoked hemp.

Did you know that
every ingredient you used

is originally from...

- Abe said not today.
- Not right now.

- Is it kosher?
- Dad!

I tried an edible popsicle
last year.

I ate the whole thing at once.

Totally blacked out!

Oh, really?

Thank you for everything,
friend.

My name is
Abraham Solomon Ode.

Some people call me Abraham,

some Avraim,

I get Ibrahim, sometimes Avi,

but I prefer Abe.

I really just prefer Abe.

Just Abe.