Crown Heights (2004) - full transcript

Crown Heights
has 200,000 people.

20,000 Jews
and 180,000 blacks.

People often project negative
images about you.

Especially
if you look different.

We have two communities
living side by side.

But having very little
interaction with each other,

except when something
negative goes down.

You could have
Lubavitch Hasidims

that have many more people
living in too small a space,

living one on top of another
in apartment houses and so on.

Um, some people think that Jews
have more a piece of the pie.



During an economically
depressed period,

with high crime

and stereotypical images
on both sides...

The white person says, well,
no, the blacks are the enemy

because they're all on welfare.

And they don't want
to be nothin',

and they're slacks
and they're smokers.

I don't think
black people hate Jews.

I think they
don't understand us.

They don't know what to do
with us when they see us.

They tend to be so separate.

Not just looking separate,
but being separate.

Some of us don't
trust the Jews.

Maybe he thinks that I think
that I'm better than him



because I'm religious, which
is the opposite of what I think.

They don't like us because,
uh, we have our own culture.

We look different,
we dress different,

we have our own ways,
you know,

and, uh,
they can't deal with it.

Whenever my son goes
to the store,

it's as though they don't
even want to touch the boy.

The accident was
not handled properly.

Outside agitators came
into the, to the community

in Crown Heights
and caused a lot of trouble.

It takes, what, a match,

and you got that much gas
for it to blow up.

Yehuda!

Yudi! Yudi!

You're going to
be late for shul!

Y'all hear what happened?!

Some Jew kill a black boy,
just run him over.

What?
A kid?

Yeah, and the cops
let a Jew guy go.

Word?That's messed up, man.

We're goin' to Kingston to see
what goin' on, you seen?

How'd that happen?
Kingston?

What's goin' on down there?

Young people!

Get off the streets!

Keep the peace!

Don't be part of the problem!

Sorry-ass Uncle Tom, man!

Ah, come on, man,
he aight.

Man, let's go check
this out, yo!

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Aw, come on,
what about the rhyme?

Don't just stand there, come on!

So what was your
Talmud passage today?

Uh, Berachot 60b--

"One must praise God for
the bad things that happen,

just as you praise God
for the good things."

That's a tough one.

Brother's are goin' off, yo!

Yo, man, these brothers,
they gonna riot, right?

Niggas gonna riot, man!

Get home fast,
people are going crazy.

What's happening?The schvartzes.

They're throwing bottles
and setting fires.

Why is this?

Do I know, huh?
That's how they are!

Good shot, yo!

That was...

I'm right this minute calling
9-1-1! Get outta here!

Shut up!

Now, why don't you go on,
get off the block!

Yo, where you goin', man?
Where you going?!

Why don't you
get off our streets?

Please, please, we,
we don't want any trouble.

Trouble?!You wanna take...

You are trouble.

Take, uh,
you wanna take some money?

Thank you, Jew man.

We wasn't gonna rob ya, but,
but since you make it so easy!

Hey! Hey, leave him alone!

Hey! Will you go
in the house?!

We don't want trouble,
please, leave us be!

Don't tell me what to do!No, hey, leave us alone!

Oh!

Now, don't tell me
what to do, man!

Yudi!
There's the cops!

Go on man, go!

You bastards!
Go, go!

Drop it!

There they go! Go!

Hey! What are you doing?

See ya later, fool!

No! The boy!
He is the victim here!

Did you see what they did?

He needs an ambulance!
He's bleeding!

Hold on, Sir!
We're getting an ambulance.

Please! He needs help!

Racial violence broke out

on the streets of Crown Heights this evening,

when a crowd reacted
to two black children

being hit by a car that was
driven by a Jewish man.

The car was part of a caravan escorting the leader of the...

He's with the doctor now, Mom.

They say he lost, he's lost
a lot of blood, but...

...returning
from a prayer vigil

at the gravesite
of his ancestors.

I'll call you as soon
as I know anything.

I will.

When ambulances arrived,
black witnesses alleged

that the man who drove the car
was taken for treatment

by a private Jewish ambulance
ahead of the children,

one of whom has since died.

City officials denied
any preferential treatment.

The other child was taken to Kings County Hospital

and remains in serious condition.

At this moment, the rioting
has not stopped.

Code Blue!

Code Blue!

We got a chest wound here!

...have not been stopped
by the police.

Bottles and rocks have been
thrown from rooftops.

And even gunshots
have been fired.

There are reports that at least one young Jewish man

has been stabbed to death.

They were looking
for any excuse to riot.

That car crash was an accident,
pure and simple.

The problem is with these Jews,
they get preferential treatment.

And the police,
they either overreacted.

Or not reacting at all.

Yo, TJ, you shoulda
been there, dog!

It was slammin'.Crazy.

I'm sick and tired of these
people treatin' us like that.

For real, followin' us around in
their cheap-ass stores and shit.

D, they follow you 'cause
you look like a thug, man.

Yo, man, anybody black looks
like a thug to them.

They also be sweatin'
black folks to sell

they houses all the time.

Yes. You understand?

These people, they try
to take over, dog.That's right.

So last night I had to go
get me some Jew shit.

Ooh...

Wait, wait,
wait, wait.

Hold up,
you went lootin'?

Word up, man!
It was heil Hitler all in that.

I ain't about to get locked up
over some cheap-ass shit, man.

Whoa, whoa, you scared?For real.

I ain't scared.Yo, nigga, are you scared?

I ain't scared.

Well, yo ass shoulda
been there then.

Moshe!

I'm okay, Baruch Hashem,
I'm okay.

Oh, no, you're not,
look at you.

It's crazy out there.

There's a noise, Chava was up
all night crying.

It's horrible.

Did you see what they did?
Look at the windows.

It's okay, it can be fixed.

Yeah, how we gonna
pay for it, hm?

Don't worry.

Don't worry, only a fool
wouldn't worry.

Okay, be calm, Rivka.

It's over,
it's over.

It's over, what makes you
so sure it's over, hm?

Ah, oh, okay, I'm home.

Look at your leg, honey.

But what did the doctor say?

A couple of-- three days.

Two or three days?

I'm okay.

You're not okay, nothing's okay.

More violence on the streets
of Crown Heights today

as hundreds of angry protesters threw stones and rocks,

reacting to the arrest
of a black teenager,

Lemrick Nelson, who's been
accused of killing

Yankel Rosenbaum,
a Hasidic Jewish man.

Mayor Dinkins spoke at an emergency press conference.

They got Lemrick.

Went to my school,
what he doing?

They say he stabbed
that Jewish man.

Baby, I gotta
go to the bakery.

You're going
to Kingston Ave today?

Never had a problem before,
don't expect to today.

Ma, look!

That ain't got nothing
to do with me.

I gotta cake to pick up
for your daddy.

Cake? Why he's supposed to be
comin' home or somethin'?

He called,
said he finished up.

You gonna be wastin'
five bucks.

Watch your mouth!

Don't be so quick
to give up on him, hm?

Whatever.

You want me to bring
you back a bagel?

Unruly mobs greeted the mayor
with jeers...

Ma, hold up.

And eyewitnesses report that...

Come on, I'm sure
I ain't lettin' you

go out there by yourself.

I'll be your bodyguard.

So you got my back,
is that it?

Know you're right.

Aight,
come on... Mr. T.

No, the last time Jews were
passive, we had the Holocaust!

Oh, get real,
this is not Nazi Germany.

We should arm ourselves,
that's what we should do,

Oh, you want more violence?
We need healing, not shooting.

We have to get
to the heart of the problem.

Yeah, who's got time for
the heart of the problem?

Who has time for-- Yudi?
How's your father?

He's getting better.

Good, Baruch Hashem.

We have to fight back!
Every Jew, a .22!

Oh, you get a gun.
Go ahead, get a gun.

You'll shoot your foot off!

He's right! You see?

We do have to fight back.

Next one to mess
with me'll be sorry.

Even the boy has
more sense than you.

David! Shalom.Shalom.

Gittel told me
you'd be here.

You've been asked
to come to the Rebbe's.

The Rebbe?Why him?

Yeah, well, why me?

Yeah, we'll talk
on the way.

Um, all right,
we'll finish this later.

Yeah, if we're lucky.

Hold on,
what're you doing?

I was goin' to the bakery.What for?

Why you think
she's goin'?

You can't go to the bakery
in your own neighborhood?

This isour neighborhood,
officer.

Sure ain't yours.

All right, kid, up against
the wall, I'm gonna search you.

No, he hasn't done anything.

Put your hands above
your head, please.

Look, why you pickin' on him?
Let him be!

And you, too, turn around
and face the wall.

Hold up, you're gonna
frisk my mom?

Face the wall,
both of you,

with your hands
above your heads, please!

This is ridiculous.

Moms are a real big threat
around here, huh?

Shut up.

All right, you can go.

You better watch him.

The color you see
when you look at me,

make you blind
to my humanity.

So the crime
is yours, you see?

Come on, Ma, we can
get a cake somewhere else.

We're not safe anymore.

I know, my children...

How can we live like this?

Shalom.

So, Lazerson.

Yesterday, Mayor Dinkins
asks the Rebbe

to help find ways to bring
the two communities together.

You know what
the Rebbe said to him?

What two communities?

We're one community, under one
administration, under one God.

Nice if other people
felt like that.

Precisely, and in that vein,
the Rebbe has a job for you.

Oh, what does
he want me to do?

Do what you do.

You work with
our young people.

Bring them together
with theiryoung people.

Maybe together,
they can teach the old.

I, I... I don't know
if I'm the man for this.

Abraham, Jacob, Gideon,
a long list

of "I'm not the man
for the job."

I'm not in their league.

They had God's help,
maybe you will, too.

I'll need it.

Don't we all?

Shalom.
Shalom.

Thanks.

It's outta control, man.

Yeah, and what are
the police doing?

You're kidding?

No, I'll be out there,
yeah, I'm going, right.

Okay.

Paul Richards,
you must be...

Dr. Lazerson.

Well, they call me Laz.

Yeah, listen, I can't
really talk right now.

We got some
problems out there.

And I gotta try to calm
these folks down.

Well, you mind
if I come along?

No, you can come.

You a Yankee fan?
Yeah, you?

No.

What about the Knicks?

No, not really.

Not really?
Are you kidding?

Did you watch last season?
That was their best season.

You got a problem
rooting for New York?

Come on.

Over here.

That van yours?

Yeah, I call it
the Peace Mobile.

Looks like we got
one thing in common.

What's that?
Color.

Say what?

Red, the dented one's mine.

Young people!

Don't be part of the problem!

Go on home, now!

I'm outta here!

Get off the street!

Why, why, why don't
the cops doing anything?

You got me, man.

David Stein and Simcha Levi go home!

Before I call your parents!

Be quiet, be seeing you,
Jew boy!

I never thought I'd see anything
like this in my neighborhood.

And this is far from over, man.

What you wanna do?

Hey!

Hey, don't!

We gotta stop this now.

Let's get out.

Calm down!

Calm down!
Hey! No, no! Hey, hey!

Hey, hands off!Go home!

Go home! Go! Okay, back off!

Break it up!
Break it up!

You! Now you two stop it!

Go on home!

Let's, get outta here, man!

You all right?

Yeah, you?
Yeah.

Oh, how we gonna
stop this?

We got youth out
here with nothing.

Frustrated, crazy, angry.

Yeah, I got an old woman,
committed suicide last night

'cause some kids broke
a window yelling "Heil Hitler!"

Most of these kids don't even
know who Hitler was, man.

They couldn't tell you their
history, let alone yourhistory.

Why don't we, why don't we get
'em, talking to each other?

Maybe they can learn
somethin', you up for that?

That's what I do, man.

No, I meant, with me.

Aight.
Okay.

We'll give it a shot.All right.

We'll get some boys
and girls together...

No, no, time out, time out.What?

Girls don't fly on my side.

Aight.

Well...

it's the boys make the most
of the problem on this.

All right.

Let's give it a shot.
Okay.

Get some from your turf,
I'll get some from mine.

We'll get 'em talking
to each other.

Should be easy, huh?
Yeah.

We're having a summit meeting.

You know guys, I think we got
a great opportunity here.

Thursday at 7:00
over at the school,

we're gonna get together
and talk about the...

I don't want it.

...problems that...What's this?

7:00, we're gonna
have a summit meeting

where everybody
gets together.

Young man,
we'd love to have you

at our meeting on Thursday.

We're gonna talk about the
community where we can get...

This is ridiculous,
who needs this?

And Jesus the Christ
tells us,

"Blessed are
the peacemakers,

for it is they that will be
called the children of God."

Now brothers and sisters,
we sit up here

every Sunday talking about
how we love God, don't we?

Don't we?
Yes.

But you can't love God,

while you hate
another of his people.

And the foulness, man!

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they shall be called
the children of God.

Buggy, yo!

Get yo hands...

Clean the damn dogs!

Don't mess with me,

'cause what you see,
it won't be what you G-E-T.

The Torah says that a Jew
should be the first

to greet his neighbor in peace.

So basically with...

Hey, Yudi!

Yu-Yudi!

What y'all doin' about it?

So we're starting
a series of meetings.

For Jewish youth to speak
with black youth.

Public Enemy,
upliftin' the race,

know what I'm talkin' about?

Man, you dissin' Underground's

just 'cause they talkin' about
chicks and tellin' jokes?

Listen, man,
what's more important,

doin' a Humpty Hump, man,
or "Fight the Power"?

Man, the Humpty Hump, yo!

Hey, young brothers.

I'm gonna tell you help
spread the peace,

we gonna talk together.

So you really trying to get us
to talk to some Jews, huh?

Yeah, man,
why should we?

We have to fix this mess.

You know we got
to live together.

Blow it out, man,
that's just noise.

How you doin', TJ?

I'm aight.

Your dad been around?

It's no big thing,
ya know?

No, it's a big thing, man.

Your dad's stuff,
that's no reflection on you,

you know what I'm saying?

Yeah.
All right.

Love to see ya
at this meeting, man.

Take it easy, TJ.

I'm not interested,
sorry.

The, the meetings are,
are supervised,

and we're making sure that
it's safe for everyone there.

Look, I don't care.

Listen to what
he has to say.

Ta, after what
happened to you--

Look, I, I know
this is tough for you.

And, and for both of you.

You, you were attacked,
this is personal, but--

No, no, it's not
just about us.

What about the ones
who loot and start fires?

What about the guy who killed
Yankel Rosenbaum?

You're gonna condemn
an entire people

for the ruthless acts
of a few?

Is that what you're gonna do?

I don't--

I don't know.

Well, come to a meeting
and you'll know more.

What if the guys who
attacked us are there?

Then we'll have
them arrested.

I hope to see you there.

Thank you, Rivka, Moshe.

Laz.
I'll let myself out.

Thanks, Laz.

You don't have
to do this.

I think it's a good idea.

It's a silly idea.

Why are you pressuring him?

Who's pressuring?
I don't want him to hate.

I'm not hating anyone.

I hate what they do.

Look, it's not like
when we were in college.

There's no more
learning to do?

Not when it puts
our child in danger.

I'm not a child.You area child.

Okay, I understand
there's fear.

But we can't let it rule
our lives, right, Yudi?

I'm not afraid.

If that's true,

then there's no reason why you
shouldn't go to that meeting.

Is there?

Moshe, what are you
talking about?

He's gonna get hurt.

No, he won't,
he'll be fine.He's gonna get hurt.

Why you always arguing with me
as for what's best for him?

We live separate
and we want to live this way.

And after all, America is about
living the way you want to live.

We live this way and we aren't
harming anyone else.

Our children, they spend
all day studying the Torah.

They don't have time
for anything else.

I ain't advocating all this
comin' together.

Healin' America's bullshit!

All right?Go ahead.

All right, um, well,
I'm glad to see

more of you showed up
this time.

Here's what we're gonna do.

I want you to listen
to a few minutes of this.

And then I want you
to tell me what the theme is

and who you think
the singer is.

That has got to be
Vanilla Ice, man!

It's not Vanilla Ice.

Yeah, that's too much
credit, man.

That's gotta be one of them
Beastie Boys, 'cause...

Unh-unh.

Definitely a white
though, right?

Well, you got-- yeah,
you got some of that right.

It's, uh, it's me.

You?

I actually recorded this
a couple of months ago.

I was fed up with all the,
uh, racial hatred going on.

You know, Bensonhurst,
Howard Beach.

The point here is that, uh,
we have more in common

with each other
than some of us think we do.

Look, what we're doing here,
what we wanna do

is get everybody talking.

Get to understand
each other a little bit.

So we're gonna have
open dialogue.

It's a free forum.

You can say whatever you want,
no holds barred.

Just ask any question you want
and get to know each other.

Okay?

So if you wanna ask
these guys a question...

go ahead.

One of y'all wanna ask
one of these Hasidic
gentlemen a question?

Open it up.

Nothing, nothing's too private
to ask, just kick it out.

Aight, why ya'll be wearing
those beanies?

Ooh, serious issue,
man, good one.

They're called
yarmulkes.

Why do you wear 'em?

To honor "Hashem."Who?

The name, what you'd call God.

Why don't you got those curls
like the Jews in Williamsburg?

They still look like
undertakers.

What about those string things
hanging out your clothes?

They're called tzitzit.

Titties?

It says in the Torah--

Hey, whoa, whoa, wait a minute,
that is our holy book, go ahead.

The four knots remind you
that God is

in all directions, everywhere.

Why do you guys wear
your hair like that?

Like what? This? Dreads.

We grow it, we don't
wear it like this.

And what, you grow it
like that with mud?

Mud?
What?

Some people wear it
just for the look.

But the Rastafarians
in Jamaica

started to grow their hair
like this as a sign of pride.

We are proud of
the texture of our hair.

And furthermore, it says it
in the Bible.

In Leviticus, Jah said,

"Thou shall not cut off
thy hair off thy head."

You read Torah?

Torah? Hear me, man.

We, my people, that is,
are the original lost tribe.

So how come you guys
wear all black?

So we don't shoot each other

over sneakers and jackets
like you do.

Little punk, you think
that's funny, right?

It's true, isn't it?

Wait, now, wait, wait, wait,
let's see...

Can we, can we just see
if we can hold off

making accusations about
each other, okay?

You know what, take a second,
look at your feet.

Look at your shoes, man.

You see the, the Jewish kids
are all wearing black shoes.

And the African-American boys
are all wearing sneakers.

High tops, at that,Right.

So that's, that's what?
That's culture, right?

They got their uniform,
you got your uniform.

It doesn't mean one's
better than the other.

Listen, man, I want to talk
about how ya'll

get special treatment,
that's what I want

to talk about,
you know what I'm saying?

I get hassled all the time
'cause I'm black.

Yeah, that's 'cause
the cops know

that we don't commit
the crimes.

We're not breaking into homes,
we're not stealing car radios.

Neither do I. What? Because
I'm black, I'm a criminal?

Listen, we get hassled
by the cops, too.

I, I got attacked, and they
acted like I was the criminal.

What do you know about that,
white boy?

You ever been pulled off
the streets and beaten by cops?

Welcome to our neighborhood.That's right, punk.

Ay, yo, the real issue
here is that

some Jew let
a little black boy die

because they don't think
of us as humans!

That's bullcrap, man, it's
simply not true, come on!

It is true!
What are you talking about, man?

Your ambulance took away that
Jewish driver, not the kid!

That guy in that ambulance
won a medal

for rescuing a black kid
from a fire just weeks ago.

Lettin' that kid die
was an attack on all blacks.

Nobody killed that boy!It was an accident.

Hold up, hold up!

We have a choice here, man.

Now we can let our neighborhood
be a war zone, right?

Or we can get
to know each other.

If we don't get to know
each other,

we gonna look
at each other as aliens,

as strangers, as the enemy,
understand that?

It's a choice.

You know what the truth is?

The truth is that
if you cut any of us open,

we all look the same, right?

But do we have to do that
to know it?

You have a choice right here.

Yankel Rosenbaum
didn't have a choice.

They killed him just
'cause he was a Jew.

The Jews started it
by killing that kid.

Yo, man, we could go back
and forth all day

about what we disagree on.

But I got homework
to do.

What, what, what,
that's funny?

When I'm-- 'cause I'm black,
I can't do homework?

Now let me school you, aight?

There is some of us that
actually do want an education.

Word.Okay, okay, here's what
we're gonna do.

We're gonna make
a peace mural,

across the street
from the site of the accident.

And we would like you
to come help us paint it.

And any of ya'll that can stay,
don't have to do homework,

we'd appreciate it.

We'll talk through this
and work this stuff out.

Okay, I'm gonna
say a prayer, man.

Go ahead.

You know what?
Um, before we go,

everybody just stand up.

Huh?Come on, guys.

Come on.

Come on, all y'all,
stand up.

Stand up.

There you go.

Come on, TJ,
stand up, man.

What? We gonna sing
"We are the World"?

Come on.

Take the hand of the man
next to you.

Grab his hand.

Ain't gonna bite you.

It's not that hard.

Come on, guys.

May the Lord bless you
and keep you.

May he lift up his countenance
upon you and grant you peace.

Amen.
Amen.

Thank you for coming, okay?

All right.

Yo, you diggin' this?

It's all right.

I seen you somewhere.

Doubt it.

You know the Jewish lady,
Mrs. Feinstein?

She's a neighbor.

She asked me turn off the stereo
in her house one weekend.

There was this dude there
who looked just like you.

Yeah, we all look alike.

Ya'll dress alike,
that's for damn sure.

Wasn't me.

You know why she asked you
to turn off her stereo?

She didn't know
where the power button was,

so I showed her.

On shabbos we don't work
or operate equipment,

so she wouldn't have
touched the stereo.

Sha what?

That's the Sabbath
to you.

Oh, my bad, I thought she was
just slow or somethin'.

Oh, you thought she
was slow?

Yeah.

Actually, Mrs. Feinstein
is slow.

Just look at what
these people are doing.

They let their children run
wild in the streets.

There's no parents,
no responsibility.

There's no wonder
they're killing people.

The Jew controls
the politicians,

and the devil has been
disseminating, defiling,

colonizing,
and sucking the blood

out of the black community
for years.

No, I don't hear you bustin'
that wack-ass white boy rhyme.

What up, dog?

Man, you tell me.

You the one buyin' this
brotherly love bullshit.

Tell me what's wrong with people
trying to get along, huh?

It don't work!

Just like that teen summit shit
ain't gonna work either, watch.

That's right.

In the end, people stick
with they own.

Are you comin'?

I'm out, man.

Hey, hey, man, watch that!

Oh, sorry.

Painting's not
my strong suit.

Yeah, I see that.

Heard Al Sharpton's
coming to do a rally.

I'm gonna check it out.

What? How can you?

He preaches the opposite of
what we're trying to do here.

You don't know what he really
preaches, Laz.

And I gotta know
what he's really saying

if I'm gonna be
dealin' with it.

He demonizes us.

You think they really
believe in this?

I think they're hypocrites.

Hey.

Hey!

Homeboy chick!

Could you not, could you not
do that around me, please?

Oh, excuse me,
I think it's bad enough

that my dad told me
to be here.

I don't think you're gonna
tell me what to do now.

Well, why does your
father even care?

My father hates them.

Apparently the Rebbe
doesn't agree.

Careful with that,
schmuck!

What?
Hey, what'd you call me?

Yeah, you heard what I said.

Hey. Hey!

Unh-unh.
Chill out!

Just calm down.

Why don't y'all chill out?

Chill out, right.

We got a lot of testosterone
flying around here, man.

We might need to do
somethin' more than paint walls.

How about a contact sport?

You know what,
that's not a bad idea.

I was kidding.

Y'all not into sports?

Well, we have a basketball
court at the center.

You any good?

You never heard
of the rebounding Jews?

Read your history.

'Sup?

Don't wanna get
your suit dirty, huh?

Not really
into hard labor.

Yeah, we leave that
to you.

You think you
so much better, huh?

Don't wanna be nothin'
like us, right?

Over there wit
your homey over there.

He's a closet rap star.

Yeah, right.

I'm outta here.

So what you groovin' to?

It's my business.

That's what I thought.
White boys can't rhyme!

You bustin' the Tribe
like that?

Damn, man.

A house is not a home.

Yo, those are my boys!

I can't believe
you listen to 'em!

Yeah, I got a bunch
of their stuff.

That's a trip.

Heavy D
and Digital Underground?

Their shit is phat.
For real.

Cryptic.

So you got
any other moves?

Ah, yeah!

So how'd you even get
into the sound?

I just started hearing
on the radio.

Hey...

How you gonna learn how to move?

"Yo MTV Raps."

You're kidding me, right?
You watch that?

Religiously.

Religiously?

When I can.

I thought ya'll were
like the Amish and shit.

I thought ya'll
didn't even have TVs.

Most Hasids don't have
televisions, but a few do.

And I make it a point to be
on good terms with those few.

Smart move.

No justice!
Don't need no justice!

You know in the past,
the Jews and the black people,

they were not enemies.

If you look
at American history,

the Jews were
among the first people

to fight for the civil rights
of black people in America.

They lump us all together,
but we're not all the same.

Some of the loudest protestors
out there,

they're not even
from our community.

Good shot.

Time out.

What up with that?

We have a league.

I didn't know
y'all had sneakers.

You know how
to freestyle?

Dope! You got skills!

What skills?

Yo, homey can rhyme!
He can freestyle, D!

For real.

So he can copy
and steal our culture,

that makes him dope, right?

Listen, he ain't bothering you,
leave him alone.

Nigga, give me the ball.

What?

Let's take 'em, T.Who you smacking?

You wanna play dem?

Come on,
we can beat them.

Come on, let's go,
let's go, let's go.

Come on Jew boy,
let's see what you got!

Yeah! Boy!

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, right here!

Whoo! Whoo!

Oh, man, whoo-whoo-whoo!

Right here!
Right here!

Give me that,
give me that.

Ahh!

I see you ain't gonna
be on no team.

It's aight, Yudi, we'll get 'em!

Yo, TJ, ain't that
your old man?

Yeah, that's your shot.

Up and easy.

Too easy, man.

Give me the ball!

Where you been at?

You were supposed
to be home weeks ago.

You, you know I can't
never do nothin' on time.

It's good to, to see you.

Still got your crew,
I see.

'Sup fellas?

Hey! Wassup?!

Never seen you play with
one of those guys before.

I got it, I got it.
Now watch my work.Hey!

That's Yudi.

We've been havin'
these meetings.

They've been on the news
and everything.

Supposed to be
havin' this game

between the Jews
and the blacks.

Oh, you guys'll kill 'em.

Maybe you could make it.

I'd like that.

The mayor's supposed
to be there.

It's gonna be
a real big thing!

Yeah?

You goin' to see Ma now?

No, son, not right now.

I, I got some business
to take care of.

You didn't get through
the whole rehab thing, did you?

Uh, I, I, I'm gonna
get back to it.

I am.

We waited for you.
Ma had a cake and everything.

You blew us off, man.

I didn't mean to, really.

Yeah, whatever.

So when is that big game?

It's no big deal if you can't
make it, you know?

I'm gonna be there.

In fact, let me,
let me get the particulars.

Now, come on, hit me.

It's on the 17th.

The 17th.

The Jewish school
on Eastern Parkway.

Aight, I'm gonna
check it out.

You better play good, boy.

"Cause I'm gonna
be watchin'.

Come on, give me some.

Hey, what happened?

Pops break out again?

Stuff it!

Hey, don't be a pussy!

TJ.

Where you goin'?

Hey, wait up.

What?!

You all right?

Listen,
why shouldn't I be?

Is your dad okay?

I don't wanna talk about it,
leave it alone, all right?

My dad's gain' through
a rough time, too.

Wassup with your dad?

I don't want
to talk about it.

You brought it up.

We've been using
food stamps.

I thought ya'll all
had money hidden away.

I thought you lived
in a watermelon.

I hate it, though.

I can tell it makes
him feel small.

Plenty of folks I know
doin' the same thing.

Forget it.

I know what
you're talkin' about.

Life does that shit,
you know?

Sometimes it can beat you down,
know what I'm sayin'?

Right.

So those guys,
you rap with them?

Yeah, freestylin' mostly.

Maybe you and me could
put something together?

Me and you?

Yeah.

Maybe.

If half the money spent
on police overtime

went to youth programs,

the whole thing might
never have happened.

Okay, you gotta hear this.

Just listen, just listen.

I wrote this, and I want to play
it at the mural dedication.

Right, and the kids
are really into this.

They want to do
the whole hip-hop thing.

Well, have the council call me
back, please, thank you.

What kids? What are you,
what are you talking about?

Slow down, man.

What? You, you don't
like the song?

I don't like
rushing into things.

Laz, we're gonna
do this kind of thing,

we gotta do it together,
you understand?

You're absolutely right.
You, you know some players?

That's not what I meant.

You don't like the idea?

What? The lyrics?
You don't like the lyrics?

You need a real
bass player.

Yeah, right.
You know one?

You're lookin' at one.

Get out!

Huh.
Destiny!

God works
in mysterious ways.

You're tellin' me.

You know about this?

You saw the boy
he brought home?

Is there a problem?Is there?

Laz has it
under control.

I think Laz should just stay out
of other people's business.

Rivka, I'm pleased.
I see Yudi changing.

Change? Hello?
What's so good about change?

Ay.

Five, six, seven, eight.

And one, two,
three, and four.

Five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three...

Oh, you just did one thing off,
it was that last kick.

Do the kick, and it's--

Then, after doing that one,
do this thing.

Then around,
boom-boom, brent.

I'll get
the tape working.

Yo, um, you should come

to this underground
dance club I go to.

Cheer up with me,
have some fun.

Ah, I can't do that
kinda stuff.
Why?

I'm lucky my parents
are letting me do this.

You don't tell 'em,
Yudi, duh.

I don't even have
free time, okay?Just forget it.

If I'm not studying for school,
then I study Torah.

I think you might
want to reconsider.

They got these
fly-ass honeys there.

Girls?

All types, trust me.

Okay, okay, look,
enough talk.

We're doin' the dance now.

Okay, whatever,
whatever you say.

Wait, I'm gonna
turn the bass up?

Come on.

All right?

Five, six, seven...

Okay, Chaim,
here's your music.

Thank you
for coming, sir.

Ed.
Thanks.

Paul.

You know what,
I want to try this.

Let's give it a try.

Ready?

One, two,
one-two-three-four.

Oi, yi, yi.

You sound like a canter.

You better watch it, man.

No, no, I'm kidding,
you were terrific, it's great.

I have a little change
of heart, though.

I want to hear
"Increase the Peace."

Show me what you got
to this tape, okay?

Hey, that's cool,
that's cool.

Oh, no, Gittel, Gittel,
not now, girls.

I'm still rehearsing,
it's not ready yet.

I'll call you
when it's ready.

It's the wife and kids.

You know what?

Let's go with
"Increase the Peace."

It works, hm?

This interracial
community effort

is called Project Cure.

Cure stands for communication,
understanding,

respect, and education.

What's up, ya'll?
This is Dr. Laz,

representin' Project Cure.

Number 613 coming outta
of Crown Heights, Brooklyn!

We're all here for one reason,

to promote peace and unity.

Come on, come on!

Come on, Chaim!
Play that clarinet!

Franco!

Stand as one!
Here we go!

What are you doing?

Listen,
they laughing at us!

So what?
Are you quitting?

I didn't come out here
to be made no fool.

Only jerks are laughing.

Those jerks are my friends.

Well, everyone else
likes us, okay?

They came here to check us out,
and they're into it.

Don't blow this off.

I don't know, man.
I feel embarrassed.

Come on.

An interracial rap group made
its debut this afternoon

on the streets
of Crown Heights,

a community recently ravaged
by rioting.

The group helped dedicate
a peace mural

that was created
by neighborhood residents

both African American
and Hasidic.

Yo, man,
we famous!

We're a real group.

You guys sounded great.

We're gonna need
more songs.

I'm workin' on it.

Why don't you let us
help with that?

Yeah, I'm down
for that.

Hey, that's
a good idea, man.

He could use all the help
that we could give.

Hey!
So...

now that me and Yudi
are rap stars,

wanna be our groupies?

TJ?
Ah, Hindy and Devorah,
do you mind taking

the glasses into
the kitchen for me, please?

Yudi, man, Curly is fine!

Why don't you
try to rap to her?

TJ!

What's up with you, man?

What?Listen, TJ,

you can't act
like that in a Hasidic home.

Like what?

I can't rap
to Devorah.

You shouldn't either.

Wait, you can't flirt?
Can you even date?

No.
Yo, that's wack!

Shut up, TJ.

Look, I ain't tryin' to diss
you, I'm just sayin',

don't you even
think about chicks?

Don't you want
to hang out with them?

Of course.Yeah, I would go crazy

if I couldn't talk
to no honeys.

I know you would, but you don't
understand our culture, aight?

Do you like that part
of your culture?

Screw you, schmuck!Look, look, I ain't
tryin' to diss you,

I'm just tryin' to get
where you're comin' from, hm?

It's my least favorite part.

Satisfied?

Listen, man, I'm goin' to this
dance club I told you about.

You should come,
check it out.

It's time
to celebrate, man!

Yeah, man!
You gonna hang out or what?

I gotta study.

Aight, man,
two fingers.

You don't know what you're
missin', boy chick!

What's happening in America
is that many Jews

are abandoning their
traditions, their beliefs.

By assimilation,
we are disappearing.

We've been robbed
of everything.

Brought over here
on slave ships.

We lost our names,
our culture.

We've become no one and that's
exactly how we're treated.

Whatcha doin' here?

Hey, son.

I'm lookin' forward
to that game thing.

What time did you get in?

Why you lettin' him
stay here?

This is still his home.

That's wack!

Is it so hard
to understand?

I love your daddy.

He's trying
to get it together.

He is so excited about
what you're doin'.

Together we're better.

Tougher than leather.

Very good.

Got you a kosher
soda, man.

Thanks.

Taste's the same,
I just don't get it.

Yeah, a lot
of people don't.

Yeah, people can
get real narrow.

Know what I mean?

Yeah, they can.

You try to do
something positive,

they're just gonna come
down on you, right?

Yeah, I love
my mom and all.

But she just don't get
how hard it is out there.

Yeah?
Well, I have two of them.

Always fighting.

You know, and...

We can't fart without
having an argument.

Parents still do it?

Every Saturday.

I thought that was
a holy day for y'all.

It is, doing it on shabbos
is a double mitzvah.

Yeah, man, it make me
so mad at my mom,

'cause she's still
doin' it with my dad.

Just can't wait
to get my own place.

You?

I don't know.

What?

You're afraid to be
out on your own?

Did the mayor send
any type of words?

Yes, that he would have
liked to have been here...

I thought Jewish schools
were supposed to be

rich or somethin'.Basil, that's rude.

I'm really glad somebody from
the mayor's office came today.

It really makes a difference.

Lazerson! Lazerson!
Anything, anything

happens to my kid,
I'm holding you responsible.

Don't worry,
he'll be fine.

No, you put our boys
together with them,

and first it's games,
then what, drugs?

You know what kind of people
these schvartzescan be.

Yeah, I know what kind
of people they can be.

They can be Sidney Poitier,
Michael Jordan,

Dr. Martin Luther, you know,
you're talking lashon hara,

the sin of killing a person
by spreading rumor.

You're telling me these people
didn't start the violence?

That-that, they-they, they-they,
they don't, they don't fight?

That, why are you playing
them against us?

We're not, we're not, we're
not playing, it's a mixed team.

It's not one group
against another.

What, what are
you talking about?

I'm not talking--
I'm talking about violence.

Ta! It'll be fine,
we wannaplay.

Hey, great team...

Wait up, man,
y'all walking too fast.

Yudi, don't get hurt.

You enjoy.All right.

Come, let's find
some seats.

Is that seat available?

Okay, boys, let's circle up.

All right, fellas, form up.

Right on the line.

Here we go.

Are you ready?
Let's do it?

Good game.

Let's give 'em a good show.

We'd like to thank the Yeshiva
for hosting us.

We'd like to thank God
and the Rebbe for his wisdom.

But most of all, we want to
thank each and every one of you

for comin' out and supporting
this vital work.

We truly are one community

under one administration
under one God.

Play ball!

We got contact right here!
Two shot, two shot!

All right, let's do
this thing today.

Come on, man, the pass.
Let's do this!

How you doin'?

Just hold that!

Oh!

That's okay, TJ!Come on, TJ!

Yes.
Come on.
Come on.

Good shot, baby!

Knee up, knee up!

I gotta go.

Pick it up!

TJ, pick it up, come on!

Ooh!

Ladies and gentlemen,

we are Laz, and the Cure!

Hit it!

Go, go, go, go...

That's enough, TJ.

Peace, everyone!
Peace! Yo!

TJ, we just can't roll out there
doin' whatever we feel.

We gotta show
some respect, right?

TJ? Look, man,
the Hasidic community

is a very conservative
one, brother.

Listen, I ain't Jewish.

And I ain't playin', man.

Now look,
you gotta learn

to show some respect,
young brother.

You know, you just gotta
understand that we...

Nah, no, no, ain't nothin'
wrong with dancin' with a chick.

It might not be your culture,
but it damn sure is mine!

TJ.

TJ!

Paul, just--
What? What?

Take it easy,
let's just...
Take it easy?

Give him a minute,
let him calm down.

This kid needs
some discipline, Laz.

Is that your role?Let me tell you somethin'.

This kid needs guidance now.

Later is too late.

If he doesn't learn
to respect himself

and respect other people,
he's not gonna make it.

And I bet if that
were Yudi acting out,

you wouldn't take it easy
on him, man.

Excuse me,
excuse me, gentlemen?

I'm the principal
of a Bronx elementary school.

And I would really love it

if your group would
play for the kids.

Me, too.
Sharon Kane,

Director of the Hebrew
Seniors Home in Yonkers.

Seniors want our music?

Mm-hmm.

It's really what
I've been looking for.

You know, it just keeps them
feeling young,

Yo! Yo! There's a dude out here
waitin' on ya'll.

Says he books half-time acts

during basketball season
at the Garden!

The Garden?

As in, as in Madison Square?

Exactly.

Oh, ohh...

Hey, TJ.
What?

We, we were
really awesome, I--

You, you were really good
out there, okay?

Look, it just seemed
like all they were doing

was coming down on you,
but they should've told you

we did a really good job.

Yeah, whatever, man.

Where you going?

Clubbin'.
Now?

Why not?

You want some company?

Yeah.
Come on.

Man, they got the game!

Man, we ain't come here
to watch no game, come on.

Hey, Mama, what's up?

I'm sayin', let's dance,
let's get poppin'.

Hey, cutie,
let's dance.

I don't know.

Come on,
I want to dance.

I'm not sure.

Yo, dance man.

Come on, you're gonna
embarrass me.

Dance!

Hey, yo!

I bet your cave boy
wish he were a baller!

Maybe D, but no, he ain't
getting' it, not tonight.

Yeah!

Come here, Ma.

Nice eyes, call me.

Got them digits, huh?

You think you the man
now, don't you?

Wait, wait,
what are you doin'?

Leave me alone.

Dag! You could at least keep
her number for a souvenir!

You don't get it, do you?

I'm not even supposed
to touch a girl, all right?

Stop trying to make me
do stuff I don't wanna do.

"Stop tryin' to make me
do stuff I don't wanna do."

You sound like
a little bitch!

Oh, do I?What's your problem, man?

You're my problem!

You think I wanna be
like you, but I don't!

Oh, yeah, so leave
hip-hop alone then.

That's me,
that's my culture.

Oh, it's your culture?
Guess what, buddy,

you don't have
any culture.

How the hell would you know,
you kosher-eatin',

non-datin', blue-balled
motherfucker!

Least my father's
not a crack head!

Nah, he's Section 8 and that
ain't nothin' to brag about!

You beanie-wearin'
bee-aach!

All right, now you take
that back to Mama's.

Good job.

You're late.

I know, I'm sorry.

Where's TJ?I don't know.

Better not be messin' up, man.
Throwin' the whole game off.

Wassup?

Nothin'.

TJ, are you runnin'
on CP time?

I'm here, man.

'Cause the ball team's
gettin' tight.

I don't want us
fallin' behind.

You choose who's playing?

I got my top 10.

We on it?

No.

What's with that?

You got somethin'
against my play?

You both already
have enough to do.

Yo, Noah?

Whatta you want?

Vat I want, you did such
a nice job building the ark,

I thought if you had some time,

maybe you can build me
a nice table, a cabinet.

Oi vey!
No, I vant...

I vant to sing a song!

Fine.
Huh?

Here we go!

I can't understand a word
they're saying.

What is he saying?

Would you please,
shut up?!

I was listening to that.

Hey, shove that away!

Hey, what the hell
you doing?!

Hey, hey!

Relax, man,
you guys act like babies.

What's wrong with you?

Wanna fight?
Let 'em fight.

Let 'em take it outside.
Wanna take it outside?

Laz.

Yeah, let's take it outside.

Fine.

Let's go!Aight, come on!

That's what I thought.

Hey!

Where the hell
are you goin'?!

Hey, wait up!

Hey, come back! Stop!

Where ya'll goin'?Stop! Stop!

What's up?

Were you actually
gonna leave us?

Who's the bad guy now, huh?

Now, if I had left you,
you'd have to figure out

a way to get home together,
wouldn't you?

So if we're gonna
make it to the Garden,

we gotta do it as a team.

Unless you guys don't want
to do this anymore.

Seen this?

Muslim paper calling Judaism
a gutter religion

and Hitler a hero
to his people.

Yeah, I seen it.

Yeah? So how come
the leaders in your community

don't speak out against
this racism?

What'd you know what
the leadersin our community

speak out against, Laz?

You listen to them?

No, I read, and let me
tell you somethin'.

If the Jews trashed
a neighborhood, we'd speak out.

Really?
Mm-hmm.

Do you speak out against
the Israeli treatment

of the Palestinian people?

Some of us do.

Enough to stop it?

You cannot compare
Israel to this.

Israel's the only
free country in a region

that is dominated
by dictatorships.

I'm talking about
irresponsible leadership here.

Yeah?
Well, that works both ways.

A lot of what's in that
paper is shit,

but some of it
is empowering.

Arab terrorists?

You cannot legitimize
this bullshit.

Ah, anger feels good,
doesn't it?

When you've been
slaves for centuries,

sometimes you lash out, man.

We were slaves
once, too.

Why condemn
and vilify us?

Laz, you can not possibly
compare the situation

of blacks and Jews
in America today, man.
Oh.

You think anti-Semitism
is ancient history?

Well, think again, buddy.

But it is not the cornerstone
of the system,

the way racism is.

Anti-Semitism is racism!

Man, look at the courts!
Who, who's in jail?

Who's got the jobs?Oh, I don't, I don't...

Who got the money?
Oh!

12% of America is black
and we control

less than one half of 1%
of America's wealth, man.

You know, I don't want
to hear, all the different--

You guys,
you guys are late.

You know, you gotta,
you, you gotta shape up.

If you don't have
your stuff together,

we're not gonna be ready
to play the Garden.

If this comes through,
we gotta be tight.

Listen, man,
we thought this over.

It's gonna be dope.

First the Garden,
then we get a record deal.

We're about to be paid.

You work hard, who knows?

Oh, wait, when ya'll ain't
trippin' though.

You know we're not
Run-D.M.C., right?

Yo, man, it's gonna blow up,
I'm tellin' you.

Fellas, we're lucky people
come hear us at all.

What is that?

Laz, come on, man,
how good are we really?

We're good.

For real, man.

If not, why are we getting
all these dates?

Yeah?

We fill a need.

Folks know somethin' could
jump off at any time.

They like seeing
that we can work together.

But that doesn't mean
we're gonna end up

on some big-ass world tour.

No, no, we gotta practice
to get there.

We're here,
we're practicing.

Watch.

We've been working
on something.

One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three, four.

Whoa, hey,
that's good.

All right, so you guys
continue arguing,

and we'll practice
another one.

You know what your man,
Elijah Mohammad said.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

You're not gonna
quote Muslim to me.

Teach the young ones
and the old ones

will follow outta
curiosity or shame.

You know what, why don't
we just agree to disagree?

Agreed.

Man, I'm representin'.

Aight, these ain't
their streets.

This is ourstreets.

I guess, man.

I don't know.What? You guess?

Whatcha'll doin'?

Puttin' some hoops up
in the hood, man,

tryin' to give you young
brothers somethin' to do.

Hey, hey, hey, hey!

What are you people
doin' here?

Everything we're doin'
has been approved

by the city council, Joel.

You got a complaint,
call their office.

Yeah, I have a complaint.

I have a complaint.

He's just mad 'cause
he think the hoop

gonna attract the wrong
kinda persuasion.

Maybe he's afraid of
his window getting cracked.

He's probably just
afraid customers

might get hit by a ball.

Ah, I'm steppin'
this corner, man.

Thanks, Darren.
Yeah.

Why don't you stick around
and give us a hand?

Aight.

Okay, boys, Shabbos calls,
come on.

Yeah, we outta here.

Hey, hey, whoa, no, no.
They can't work anymore,

but I got ya'll
for another hour.

What?
And Darren,
you gonna stick around,

make yourself a little
bit more helpful, man.

Come on.

Paul, can you
do me a favor?
Sure.

Wanna take the Torah mobile
back for me when you're done?

Yeah.
It's too late
for me to drive.

No problem.
Okay, buddy.

Grab the ladder, brother,
grab the ladder.

Ai ai, ai! Ai, ay!

Just do it.I got it.

Looks like ya'll might be doin'
some good in the hood.

'Bout time that you see it.

We're trying.

What the hell is that?

Aw, man, what happened here?!

Man!

What'd they do to the mural?

Now who would wanna
do this, man?

Them, man!What them?

Man, they hate us!

They don't even want our face
on the same wall as them.

And that's who you've been
hanging out with.

We don't know who did it,
Darren, so don't say nothin'.

Come on, let's go.

It's cold, man.
Let's go!

Look at this!

Look what they did
to the mural.

Come on guys, get in.

Where they going?

Hey, those guys are
stealing Lazerson's van!

What?

First you spray-paint the mural
and now you steal a car!

What's your problem?

Calm down.

Back off!

The controversial
case of Lemrick NelsonShh, come on.

was finally settled
in court today.

Hold still.

He was released from jail
despite objection

from the Jewish community.

A jury earlier this year
found him guilty

of the murder
of Yankel Rosenbaum.

A man was murdered, lynched,
for one reason only,

because he was a Jew.

And now the system has let
that murderer go free.

Dey all upset and yellin'
about who did what to who.

But how ya'll ever
gonna know the truth?

Hey, you all right?

I'm gonna live.

I thought this was
all about making peace.

Yeah, well...

Sometime we're gonna
have setbacks.

Yeah.

Hey, TJ, look.

I don't blame you
for being upset.

I'm fine, just don't wait
for me at rehearsal Sunday,

'cause I'm not comin'.

Why not?

Man, I'm through
with this bullshit!

TJ!

Hey...

You're not gonna let one fight
make you quit, are you?

It ain't just that.

You never stop preachin'!

You never gave me
a chance!

You always give me a hard time
in front of everyone!

I'm sorry.

TJ, you know I'm tryin'
to help you, not hurt you.

I'm truly sorry.

You want to take it out on me,
you take it out on me.

There's no need
to take it out on them.

You know what,
just forget it.

Forget them
and forget it all!

Hey, TJ!

People been disappointin' you
all your life.

You gonna let that
make you bitter?

It doesn't matter,
I'm movin' on.

Where you gonna
move on to?

It doesn't matter!It all matters!

All of it, TJ.

You keep your heart open,
young brother.

Paul?

It's official!

Yeah, we're gonna play
at a Knicks game for real.

Yeah, they want
the team to play halftime,

and then we get
to perform, too.

Yeah, movin' on up.

Want somethin'
to drink? Gittel!

Laz, Laz, Laz...

TJ wants out.

Out?

Why?

He's had enough, man.
His heart ain't in it.

This is not good.

Maybe he needs time
just to cool down.

Well, then that gives you
three weeks to change his mind.

Well, I'm not sure
that's gonna happen, Laz.

Oh, so you've given up
on him then?

No, I'm being
realistic, man.

Oh, really?

Yeah.

Well, have you talked to him
since after the fight?

No.

You wanna dance alone?

Alone?

Alone.

Hi, Yudi.

Hi.
Nice to see you.

It's been a while.

Come on in.

Yeah?

Hey.

Hey.

What's up with you?

Why'd you, why'd you skip
rehearsal, what's with that?

Listen, I'm not feelin'
that cure stuff no more.

It's not workin'.

Oh, it's not workin'.

That's why we got
the Garden, right?

What?
Yeah.

Us.

Doing our song
at a Knicks game

at Madison Square Garden.

Man, our song is wack.

Ain't no real peace out here.
Ask your friend!

Okay, okay,
we aren't all brothers,

but, but that doesn't mean

we shouldn't keep
working at it, right?

Maybe... know what?

I just don't
even know anymore.

At least they let Lemrick go.

They let him go?

You-- you're talking about
the guy who killed Yankel?

Yeah.

That's crazy,
I can't believe

they let that
son of a bitch off!

They can't prove
it was him.

He was, like, one of 10
brothers there that night.

Especially when we all look
alike to you people.

You know what? Actually it was
20 of your brothers

standing there,
all of them just watching

as an innocent man
got killed.

The guy who killed little Gavin,
he didn't pay, did he?

That, that's different
from deliberately

killing someone,
you know it!

Know what?
It was murder!

You say don't make you right!

You're blind sometimes,
you know that?

And you're full of it
most of the time!

So why don't you
just get outta my face!

What are we doin'?

Thing is, we ain't never gonna
see things the same way.

Word up.

You know... you're right.

The Garden.

It is all wack,
who needs any of this?

I don't know.

Moshe?
Laz.

Where is he?

Upstairs.

Come in.

How ya doin'?

I'm fine.

You know, the, uh,
Talmud talks about

good deeds having
a rippling effect.

I did my part.

I'm trying to get back
to being a good Jew now.

What are you
talking about?

You were being a good Jew.

You're doing mitzvahs,
you're doing good work.

No, singing and dancing?

They're not mitzvahs,
I'm done.

If there's
a rippling effect, good,

then you don't
need me anymore.

Well, actually we do.

We have a chance to do
something big here.

Don't throw it away.

I've got Torah to learn.

Your routines are so hot,
you know?

Let him be, Laz,
he's done enough.

Is that true?

Don't we have to keep
working at tikkun?

Repairing the world.

We try, we fail,
we try again.

The Torah... the Torah speaks
about making peace, shalom.

That's supposed to be
what we're doing here.

Now I know that's tough.

But do, do you wanna,
you wanna give that up?

You think TJ will
go along with this?

Yeah, I'll hold.

They're gonna do it.

Huh? Who?

TJ and Yudi.

Both of them?
Both of 'em!

Man, you a miracle worker!

No, it's the kids, man,
they're workin' it out.

I got the Garden
on the line.

Oh! Back on.
Yeah, sure.

No, it'll be good.

It'll be great!

Ha-ha.
Okay.

We got a,
we got a problem.

What?

They don't want
the band.

Wha, why-- what you,

what, what, what,
what are you saying?

Well, they only want
the basketball team.

Ah...

What, what do you mean?
What do you mean?

Well, it's their show,
they can do what they want.

No!

No-no-no-no-no-no-no,
this is a package deal here.

They get the team
and the band.

But they're saying they
don't have time for both.

Damn!
Well, call 'em back.

Call them back!

It's not gonna make
a difference, man.

It's not gonna make
a difference?

That it doesn't--
this is wrong!

I, I want this!

I want, I want this, I want
this for, for Yudi and TJ.

This is such a great
opportunity here.

Laz.

Are you sure you
want it for them?

What, what are you
trying to say?

What you want for you

and what's really, really
right for those boys

might not be the same thing.

That's the bitch about raising
kids, man, am I right?

It's not about me.

Don't, don't start
dumpin' on me here.

Laz, curb the ego,
I'm not doin' that.

Oh, oh, and like,
like you don't want
to change the world?

Yes, but you gotta
recognize the limits.

No, you go beyond
the limits!

It's just all these
little steps never...

seem to be good enough
to you.

Laz, you gotta stop, man,

and appreciate
where we are now.

What we have done.

We got people talkin'!

Hey...

Peace is a long-term
investment, brother.

Where do you get
yourpatience?

Years and years of messin' up.

All right, fellas, let's go!

Come on!

Get out here!

Let's go!
That's it!

Gonna be good.

Come on, let's do this.

Let's do this.

All right!
Let me hear it!

Yeah!

Let me hear it again!

Yeah!

Coming up after the news,

the Knicks take on the Pacers at Madison Square Garden.

Up next, a federal judge declares a mistrial in...

You all right?

Fine.

I was thinkin' of maybe goin'
to the Garden and see...

Sure, yeah,
it's a good idea.

Thought maybe...

It's stupid.

Forget it,
the game's half over.

Yudi.

You know, you don't have
to be a tough guy.

Thanks, Ta, but...

I can-- I'll figure
it out for myself.

You grow up,
you make choices.

You choose one road,
you lose another.

Ladies and gentlemen,

our city has been going
through some tough times.

But we have come through
together.

New York is
a melting pot of cultures.

And tonight, after
the tragedies of Brooklyn,

we have proof that we can be
good neighbors

and make our city better.

Please give
a warm greeting

to Crown Heights' own
youth group, Project Cure!

Let's go!

It's great to have these kids
here at the Garden.

Absolutely! It's taken
a while for us to heal...

What'd you do that for?

'Cause it was shit.

That ain't the way.

Could you look
at me, please?

I know you're hurtin'.

I'm sorry, Ma.

Come over here and show me.

Why don't we
watch it together?

It's really good to see
these young people

out here on the floor.

Fine athletes representing...