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RachelMyers,DirectorWendy’sShabbat-(10minuteDocumentaryShort)
PressBackgroundInformation:
1. FromtheDirector2. RachelMyers-50wordBio3. RachelMyers-ProductionBio4. Press5. InterviewwithRachelMyers,DirectorbyGloriaHammer,writerforOregon
JewishLife
FromtheDirectorofWENDY’SSHABBATDearFilmgoers,Foryearsmygrandmother,RobertaMahlerhasattendedtheweeklyritualofJewishShabbatdinneronFridaynight,meetingattheWendy'sfastfoodrestaurantnearherhomeinPalmDesert.ForovereightyearstheseniorsinhercommunitymostofthemintheireightiesandninetieshavecongregatedatthefastfoodchaintolightShabbatcandles,saytheblessingsandsharechallahandgrapejuice(nowineatWendy's).Itisaweeklyeventandit'smeaningfulandatradition.Ihadoftensharedthestorywithfriendsinconversationdescribingthislovelytraditionthatsheparticipatedinanddecidedthatitwastimetodocumentthisgatheringandhercommunity.It'saspecialstoryandIfeelluckytobeabletoshareit.Thisisafilmaboutrediscoveringthejoysofcommunityandtheimportanceofconnectioninolderagewhilefacingthefragilityofaging,andthelongingandforritualhoweverunorthodoxitmayappear.It’sashortfilmthatmayappearratherquirkyatfacevalue,butatitscoreisphilosophical.Therearethemesoflove,ofritualandofcommunity--allwithinthecontextofanadorablesceneatWendy’s.Enjoy,RachelMyers,Director
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RachelMyers50wordBIO
RachelMyers-“Wendy’sShabbat”
DirectorandDesignerforFilm,TV,Stageandliveevents.Rachel’sawardwinningcompany,3PENNYDESIGNportfolioincludes-“TheEmmy’s,”“Crayola”TimesSquare,“ShortTerm12,”“TheDrowning,”“EastLosHigh,”TV-HULU,Lionsgate,Facebook,MTV,LIFETIME.She’scurrentlydevelopingherfeaturefilmdirectorialdebut.MFAYale-Drama.
www.3pennydesign.com,www.rachelmyersdesign.com,www.wendysshabbat.com
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ProductionBios/RACHELMYERS-DIRECTOR
RachelisadirectoranddesignerforStage,Filmandliveevents.
Rachel’sawardwinningexperientialdesigncompany,3PENNYDESIGNhasconceivedandproducedliveevents,brandactivationsandinteriorsfor“Crayola”inTimesSquare,“TheEmmy’s,”“TheGoldenGlobeAwards,”VIDCON,andmore.ShedirectedvisualsforStreamyawardwinningBestBrandCampaign“WritingwithGrace.”Herfilm“DirtyWord”willbereleasedthissummerandsheiscurrentlyindevelopmentforherfeaturefilmdirectorialdebutnextyear.
HerProductionDesignFilmcreditsinclude,“ShortTerm12,”winnerofSXSWandIndependentSpiritAwards,“TheDrowning,”“SearchParty”“IdentityTheft,”“ChroniclesSimpson,”“SavingLincoln”and“Liminal,”WinnerofBestArtDirection-BarcelonaInternationalFilmFestival,PuntadelEsteFestivalandActiononFilmFestival.
Televisiondesign,HULU“EastLosHigh,“FivePoints”Facebook,"SingIt"YouTube-Red,“FakingIt”MTV,“Blue”LIFETIMEnomineeforADGAward,“Paloma”and“VideoGameHighSchool”Lionsgate,ProducersGuildAwardandStreamyAwardnomineeforBestProductionDesign.
Commercialclients,Crayola,ADIDAS,RayBan,ESPN,Volkswagon,Marriott,DAQRI,HewlettPackard,TurboTax,Wrigley’s,Gevalia,CVS,Soul,Pampers,L’oreal,Schick,TacoBell,MaccaroniGrillandGettyImages.
Shehasdesignedforregionaltheatres,CenterTheatreGroup,SouthCoastRepertory,TheShakespeareTheatre,TheGettyVilla,RobertWilson’sWatermillCenterandWilliamstownTheatreFestival.LosAngelesTheatres-RattlestickWest,LosAngelesOvationAwards,IAMA,TheatreatBostonCourtandVsTheatre.
RachelreceivedherMFAfromtheYaleSchoolofDramaandisamemberoftheArtDirectorsGuildLocal800andUnitedScenicArtists829.Additionalsamplesofherworkcanbeviewedatwww.3pennydesign.comandwww.rachelmyersdesign.com.
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PRESS / 2018
Kveller
https://www.kveller.com/watching-these-elderly-jews-have-shabbat-dinner-at-wendys-will-make-your-week/
Article titled: Watching These Elderly Jews Have Shabbat Dinner At Wendy’s Will
Make Your Week
Tablet Magazine
http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/253658/for-some-elderly-jews-in-california-wendys-is-the-place-to-be-on-shabbat
Article titled: For Some Elderly Jews in California, Wendy’s is the Place to Be on
Shabbat . by Jesse Bernstein
The Jewish Standard
http://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/wendys-shabbat/
K News
http://www.knewsradio.com/great-entertaining-story-palm-desert/
Jewish Federation of the Desert
http://www.jfedps.com/assets/2017_09september_jcn.pdf
Article titled: Wendy's Shabbat by Miriam H. Bent, Page 19
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Aish.com
http://www.aish.com/jw/s/Wendys-Shabbat-Beauty-Traced-with-Sadness.html?s=mm
Article titled: Wendy’s Shabbat: Beauty Traced with Sadness
by Dr. Yvette Alt Miller
The Forward
https://forward.com/food/394416/when-shabbat-dinner-means-bacon-cheeseburgers-at-wendys/
Article titled: When Shabbat Dinner Means Bacon Cheeseburgers At Wendy's by
Shira Feder
The Times of Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-seniors-fight-isolation-with-a-fast-food-community-in-wendys-shabbat/
Article titled: Jewish seniors fight isolation with a fast food community in ‘Wendy’s
Shabbat’ by Renee Ghert-Zand
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‘Wendy’sShabbat’DocumentaryShortInterviewwithDirector,RachelMyers
ByGloriaHammer,writerforOregonJewishLifeWendy’sShabbatwilldrawawiderangeofinterestandemotions.ItisnotonlyaboutgrowingoldandfindingaplacetogatherforShabbat,itisaboutfamily,friendshipandthelegacythatthisvibrant,88yearoldgrandmother,RobertaMahlerleavesherchildren’schildren.Roberta,apositiverolemodelinhergolfcart,ridesinthedesertsunshinewithherlovingdog.Wemayaskourselves,howdoweleadourlives?Whatritualswillbewithyouforalifetime?Poignantly,Robertatellsusaboutmakingherbed.Thisgroupofseniors,eighteentotwenty-eightofthemliveinPalmDesserthavebeencelebratingShabbatattheirlocalWendy’sforabouttenyears.TheycelebratetheirJewishrootsandtraditions.Itgetsdowntosayingtheprayers,catchingupongossipandnoonehastocleanup.TheyhavecreatedanextendedfamilythatgetstogetheronFridays.ForRachelthisisalovinglookatherGrandmother.GrowingupwithlovingGrandparentsistransparentinthissmallflickfilmedbythestar’sgranddaughter.Rachelcapturesthedepthofhavingarelationshipwiththeoldergenerationasshelooksatwhatlifeislikeforthisgrowingworldofseniors.RachelcapturesRobertainawaythatonlysomeonewhohasacloserelationshipwithherwouldknowwhattoemphasize.Thefilmisariot.ReadingRachel’sbioandseeingtheawardwinningscopeofherworkitisclearthatsheisawarriorwithawiderangeofworkandtheexperienceandconnectionstotapintoothertalentfortheirexpertisetocreatetheoutstandingworkthatfollows.RacheldidherundergraduateworkatClaremontCollege,andearnedherMastersofFineArtsatYaleSchoolofDrama.HerLosAngelesCompany,3PennyDesignhasbeenworkingincreatingthree-dimensionalcollaborationsinfilm,theatredesignandfineartforyears.Herprojectshavebeenawardwinningbrandedentertainmentintelevisioncommercials,musicvideosandliveentertainmentevents.Gloria:TellmeaboutyourGrandmaRoberta?Rachel:Weareveryclose.Sheissmartwithasharpwit,abundantlovingkindnessandaperfectmemory.She’sterriblyfunny.Forawomanwhois88yearsold,talkingtoherfeelslikechattingwithagirlfriendbecauseshesaysitlikeitis.Robertaisanencyclopediaofwisdom,memoriesandadages.Sheseesthingsinmeandinotherswithsuchclarity.Sheilluminatesthefullpicture,orinotherwordsshowsmedoorsinsidemyselfthatIdon’tseewithloveanddirecthonesty.ItwasquitehardforheraftermyGrandfatherpassedaway.Theyweremarriedforfifty-
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sevenyears.Shesharedwithmehervulnerabilitywhenshewasnewlywidowedandtryingtonavigateherownidentityafterhavingbeenmarriedformostofherlife.Itwasthenwhenwebecamefriends,asadults.She’smarvelous,fascinatingandexplodingwithlove.Icouldtalkaboutherallday.Filmingthemoviewassurprising.Ifeltthechallengeofwantingtobeprotectiveofherportrayalonfilmwhilebeinghonestasafilmmakerbecausethefilmisreallyaboutcommunity,thelonelinessofagingandhowwenavigatetheprospectofourownmortalitywhilefacingthefuture.Gloria:HowdidgoingtoWendy’sfastfoodinPalmDessertforShabbatevolve?Rachel:RobertastartedgoingtoWendy’safterJack,herhusband,died.Theyweremarriedfifty-sevenyearsandmygrandfatherhadbeengonetenyears.Thatisalongtimetobeacouple.Agroupofseniorcitizensinherretirementcommunitystartedthetraditioneightyearsagoandshefoundoutaboutitandjoinedin.TherearemanycouplesandbeingsinglehasbeenhardforherbutthecommunityofWendy’shasfeltlikefamilyandanextendedgroupoffriendstoseeeveryweektocelebratetheirreligionandshareJewishtraditionstogether.Theysaytheprayerscatchuponthegossipandnoonehastocleanup.Gloria:Whendidyoudecidetomakeafilmofthisexperience?Rachel:IhadheardaboutWendy’sShabbatsforyearsandIhadattendedandtakensomephotosandthoughtitwouldbeafantasticdocumentary.Isharedmyideawithfriendswhothoughtitwasheartwarmingandsweet.Theyencouragedmetomakeithappen.Workinginthefilmindustrymadeiteasytoputateamtogether.Itwasmostlyafemalecrew.JeanneTysonwasmycinematographer.Istoryboardedandplannedtheshotlistwithmyfieldproducer,JulianaSchatzwhohelpedguideourquestion’sformats.Webroughtourtwo-membercamerateamouttoPalmSpringsforaweekendtodointerviewsandshoottheShabbatdinner.Aftershootingwascompletemyeditor,DanaTurkenandIorganizedthenarrative.Weworkedsidebysideforweekstolandonthelookofoureditforthefilm.Gloria:Howlongdidtheshoottake?Rachel:WeshotinPalmSprings,CaliforniafortwodaysayearagoinDecember.Theedittookseveralmonthsuntilwelockedthepictureandstartedsubmittingittofestivalsoverthesummer.WescreeneditforthefirsttimetotheWendy’sShabbatGroupwhoappearinthefilm.Gloria:Whathaveyoutakenfromsuchapersonalexperiencefilmingyourgrandmaandhercircle?
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Rachel:Ithasbeenverytouchingtohearfeedbackfrompeoplewhohaveseenthefilmandidentifywiththethemesofaging,andthesweetnessoftheShabbatgathering.OurpremierwasintheAtlantafilmFestival.WearecurrentlyinsevenfilmfestivalswithmoretocomefromSedonaInternationaltoChicago.Thereceptionisimmenseandpositive.OnasaddernoteIhavelearnedabouttherealityofdocumentaryandfilmmakingwitholdersubjects.SinceshootingDecemberof2016threemembersoftheWendy’sShabbathavepassedaway.Ifeelhonoredtohavebeenabletomakethisandsharetheirvoicesonscreenandmyheartisfullthatthereisatestamentoftheirlivesandmygrandmother’sstory.Gloria:WhathaveInotaskedthatIshouldhave?Rachel:IwantedtobeadirectorwhenIwasincollege.Idirectedonetheatrebutwasdeterredbyearlychallengingexperiencesofbeingayoungwomandirectorthatdidn’thavetheconfidencetonavigatemakingtheworkIwantedonmyownterms.Imovedintodesign,whichhasbeenarewardingcareerthatIlove.Wendy’sShabbat,whereIdirected,hasremindedmeofthepossibilitiesthatwhentherightfactorsareatplayandtherightpeoplecometogethertomakesomethingimportantandareinvestedthenyourimaginationandenergyaretheonlylimits.Gloria:You’reinanindustrylikemanythatareexpressingtheinequalitiesinpay,gettingtheworkandmore.Doyouhavesomethingyouwanttosay?Rachel:IwasinterviewedforadocumentaryaboutWomeninFilmearlierthisyear.I’venoticedachangingtideinHollywoodinhowtheyarehiringandinterviewingfornewwork.Ifeeloptimisticformorewomenstorytellersandfilmmakingcrewstochangetheshapeaboutwhosevoiceswehearandhowstoriesaretold.Gloria:Whatprojectareyoumostproudof?Rachel:Everyprojectyouworkonbecomesyourloveandyoupoureverythingintoit.Currently,I’meditingmysecondshortfilmandintheplanningandfundraisingstagesforafeaturefilmIwilldirect.ItalsodealswiththetopicofmortalityandhasastrongJewishmatriarch.I’mexcitedaboutthenextstepsandjourneyforthatfilm.Gloria:Yourmostambitiousprojecttodate?Rachel:IdesignedagiantsetinTimesSquarelastyearforCrayolathatwasprettyambitiousandworkingontheGoldenGlobesandtheEmmyswaschallenging.WhatIdiscoverediswhethertheprojectisaninetynine-seattheatreorTimesSquareyoufacethesamechallenges.SmallerprojectslikeWendy’sShabbatcanbetheoneswiththebiggestrewards.Checkwebsiteformoreinformationhttp://wendysshabbat.com
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2/27/2018 For Some Elderly Jews in California, Wendy's is the Place to Be on Shabbat – Tablet Magazine
http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/253658/for-some-elderly-jews-in-california-wendys-is-the-place-to-be-on-shabbat 1/21
For most of the last decade, a group of God’s chosen Golden Oldies have gathered to celebrate theday of His rest at a Wendy’s in Palm Desert, California. The number of regular attendees issomewhere between 18 and 28, according to Rachel Myers, director of a new short documentaryabout the group, the appropriately titled Wendy’s Shabbat. Among the group is Myers’grandmother, Roberta Mahler, who also happens to be the star of the movie (to complete the familyaffair, Myers’ mother, Abby Mahler, is the executive producer).
Myers, a director and production designer based in Los Angeles, first heard of the weekly ritualfrom her grandmother a few years back. “I just thought it was the most hilarious thing,” she said.But she understood that for Jews of a certain age, the appeal of “social engagements without thecleanup and cooking and cost” is too much to pass up. To back her up, one of the movie’s morememorable characters, Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin, 97, marvels at the affordability of the Wendy’s menu(Zeldin, a legendary Reform rabbi, passed away this week).
Years later, she mentioned her grandmother’s fryer oilsoaked Shabbos to a friend, Juliana Schatz,who encouraged her to pursue the idea as a film (Schatz, a director herself, ended up as a producer
The Scroll
FOR SOME ELDERLY JEWS IN CALIFORNIA, WENDY’S IS THEPLACE TO BE ON SHABBATA new short documentary tells the moving story of zaydes and bubbes looking for community among the Baconators and the fries
By Jesse BernsteinFebruary 2, 2018 • 10:00 AM
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2/27/2018 Watching These Elderly Jews Have Shabbat Dinner At Wendy’s Will Make Your Week – Kveller
https://www.kveller.com/watching-these-elderly-jews-have-shabbat-dinner-at-wendys-will-make-your-week/ 1/4
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shabbat
Watching These Elderly Jews Have Shabbat Dinner
At Wendy’s Will Make Your Week
By Kveller Staff Feb 9, 2018
“One of my friends said to me, ‘Come on, we’re going to go to Wendy’s for Shabbat,'” says Roberta Mahler, 87.
“I said, ‘Wendy’s? Shabbat?’ I couldn’t believe this.”
So begins Wendy’s Shabbat, a delightful short film about a group of elderly Jews in Palm Desert, California, who
gather at the fast food restaurant every Friday night for Shabbat dinner.
Directed by Rachel Myers, the charming four-minute film profiles this remarkable group that’s thinking outside
the bun — er, box. (Wait — that’s a Taco Bell slogan. Let’s just say their idea is fresh, never frozen.)
Viewers learn about the genesis of the tradition (“We’re not fancy people, so we figured, let’s go down to
Wendy’s”, says Sharon Goodman, 79, the group’s founder); to the kindness of the Wendy’s employees, who set
up and reserve the tables; to the items people tend to order (“I usually have a Son of Baconator,” says Lou
Silberman, 91, to giggles in the room. “And some well-done french fries. Other times I’ll have a baked potato
and with some chili, because I want to tell you something: Wendy’s chili is outstanding.”)
We watch the group sitting around the tables, saying the blessings over the candles, the wine, and the challah. We
see them order and eat their food, we watch them chat and laugh. Then we see them drive off, smiling, in their
golf carts in the cool desert night.
“Living by yourself, and having a group like going to Wendy’s — it gives you a feeling of belonging,” says one
woman.
And if that’s not the feeling of Shabbat, then we don’t know what is.
Watch the short below. You won’t regret it — and it just may inspire you.
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2/27/2018 Wendy’s Shabbat: Beauty Traced with Sadness
http://www.aish.com/jw/s/Wendys-Shabbat-Beauty-Traced-with-Sadness.html?s=mm 1/6
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Every week a group of elderly retired Jews hold Shabbat dinners atWendy's. Despite its unusual and decidedly nonkosher setting, “It’s ameaningful celebration,” notes Rachel Myers, a Los Angeles directorand designer in the film industry, whose grandmother Roberta Mahleris one of the Shabbat dinner regulars. In 2017, Ms. Myers decided tomake a short documentary about the community, and her film,“Wendy’s Shabbat”, is being screened in film festivals across theUnited States in 2018.
WENDY'S SHABBAT | OFFICIAL TEASER39K views • 13 comments
In an Aish.com exclusive interview, Ms. Myers explains that hergrandmother and others are “finding the connection to Judaism inwhatever way they can” through their weekly Shabbat dinners atWendy’s.
The film is a moving window into the yearning of this group of retireesto connect with Jewish tradition and community. “Shabbat is a uniqueday,” one regular notes, “because it’s supposed to transform you from
Español Français עברית
Wendy’s Shabbat: BeautyTraced with SadnessEvery week a group of elderly retiredJews hold Shabbat dinners at Wendy’s.It’s beautiful but is this the best we cando for them?
by Dr. Yvette Alt Miller
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Herman and Betty Epstein were driving down thefreeway on the way to their retirement community.Suddenly, Herman’s cell phone rang
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