Film: Well of Memories (Israel)

Places
Causes

00:00:00: SOUND UP
00:00:19: CHARLIE [NARRATING]: Music is a powerful force, capable of carrying us away. And sometimes carrying us back to ourselves in its current.; [MUSIC PLAYS]; CHARLIE: The term “Alzheimer’s” is used a lot, but what exactly is it? I mean, what condition does it create?; NURSE: So, let’s see, and after...; CHARLIE [NARRATING]: I sat in that room with those forgotten individuals, refusing to believe their spirits were as dormant as their minds appeared to be. I knew there was a life source to tap into.; CHARLIE [TALKING WITH RESIDENTS]: I have an uncle, and I haven’t been able to find him. These young women would only be children when he was in Israel, but he was David Ben Gurion’s best friend, and right-hand man at his wedding. His name was Ben Dunkelman. Does anyone in this room know who Ben Dunkelman is? He was best man at his wedding, does anybody know? I’ve been looking for him.; ARI DARDICK-AMIRI: We can try, we can try. [in Hebrew]... Ben...?; CHARLIE: Dunkelman.; ARI: Ben Dunkelman. [continues in Hebrew]
00:01:25: CHARLIE: All right, you don’t know. I think I need to find a little more elderly crowd. Does someone have a song, we can sing one good song. You know, like Day dayenu... What’s the other one? Da da da da... I’ve been looking for some good music since I came here, and the only one who’ll sing with me is my driver in my cars. I love the music! The music is the richness! It brings out the spirit, it’s so beautiful. It's so hard to find, so it’s funny I would come into this room. Because this is a funny story. I was, even the...; CHARLIE [NARRATING]: For some reason that day, I wouldn’t give up.; CHARLIE: ... I was on the street today with my driver, you know, doing like, singing the songs, seeing if they would join us, but they wouldn’t do it. I’ve been looking for good music since I got here. Non one, first room that has some music. I’ve been singing with my driver. Day dayenu... Let’s do that song.
00:02:18: CHARLIE [NARRATING]: The thing that finally spoke to them, was music.; CHARLIE: What’s another good one?; RESIDENT: Hava nagila, hava nagila... [GROUP SINGS]
00:02:54: CHARLIE [NARRATING]: Little did I know, sitting around me would be this treasure trove of history and spirit.; [SINGING]; CHARLIE: As soon as you inject the spirit of youth, and happiness, it comes right out of them. That’s when the heart comes back into it. And that’s where the spirit of music, laughter, children, returns. Look around you! Look at this! Little reminder! How fun, I’ve been going around Israel, trying to find someone to sing the great songs. That’s the Jewish spirit.
00:03:38: RABBI: singing “You are my sunshine”; CHARLIE [NARRATING]: It's a day I will cherish forever.; [MUSIC PLAYS]; END OF FILM

Well of Memories

Nothing brings back the spirit of youth and joy like music. Spend an afternoon with Charles Annenberg Weingarten and the elderly Alzheimer's patients at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, where all it takes is a cherished song to energize the room and bring the crowd to its feet.