Original subtitles

This used to be a neighborhood, a place for families, where the children were

saved.

They used to play stickball right down there.

And they'd trade baseball cards, and they used to shoot marbles.

Used to be a church on that corner, and a synagogue on that corner.

So what happened, Tess?

You hear that sound?

Around here, that's a lullaby.

And they don't shoot marbles no more.

They shoot bullets.

It didn't used to be like that.

Times were hard, but the children still had a chance.

This roof used to be where one little boy used to come and dream of finding a

way out.

New York City looks beautiful from up here.

Now that same little boy has a fancy apartment off Central Park.

He made a bundle in real estate.

Now he owns this building and a lot more just like it.

So he became a success?

Well, that depends on what you mean when you say success.

Jacob Weiss, you've been cited numerous times for serious code violations.

Failure to provide proper heat, plumbing, and electricity.

Is there any reason why I shouldn't throw the book at you?

He's a slumlord.

Quiet, please.

Your Honor, I grew up in that building.

My father owned it.

And he wasn't a rich man.

He wasn't a slumlord. He was a cantor at the local synagogue.

And the tenants respected him.

Because in those days, people weren't lazy, living off welfare. In those days,

Brooklyn was different.

He means it was white. He means it was Jewish.

This isn't about race or religion.

It's about the right to decent housing.

Your Honor, I'm not on welfare.

And my husband works hard.

Right now, he's in the hospital.

He got burned real bad when a fire broke out in our kitchen because this man

wouldn't fix the wiring.

But if he was living there, he'd fix it.

Mr. Wise, this young man makes an excellent point.

Perhaps you need some encouragement.

So I'm going to sentence you to serve 14 days under house arrest in your own run

-down, rat -infested tenement.

Your movements will be monitored, and hopefully your consciousness will be

raised.

Sentence to begin this Friday at 7 p .m. Next case?

He doesn't look like a slumlord. Well, maybe not on the outside.

But inside, his heart is just as run down as that building.

And just as close to falling apart.

Walk with you every time I tell you I'll walk.

Now, Sammy, you listen to me now. There's got to be a way around this.

find us a loophole.

Hold on.

No, don't.

Put me on hold.

Look, Ma, how many times have I told you you've got to check the peephole before

you open the door? Jacob, I feel very safe in this building.

You own it.

You can be a very good landlord when you want to be. Yeah.

You know, that judge is a moron. He thinks if I live in that dump for two

weeks... Things will change. I got news for them. I'm not lifting a finger.

Every time I try to fix something, those people steal it or they break it. Those

people?

Jacob, where did you get that?

Not from me or from your papa.

And it wasn't a dump when he owned it. No, it was a one -man charity.

Always lending money to deadbeats and letting the rent slide, spending a

on maintenance.

He was a good man.

Yeah, he was a lousy businessman.

I smell soup.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Not for dinner.

It's for Passover.

I invited Michael.

And Lisa.

Ma, I love you, you know that. But I don't want anything to do with Passover.

Or Lisa.

When it's over, it's over.

Jacob, listen to me.

Just because Lisa's filed doesn't mean she'll go through with it.

She still loves you.

She loves me. That's why she turns my son against me.

Michael. It's like he's ashamed of me.

Jacob.

What's happened to you?

We raised you to be a good husband and a good father, like your papa.

Yeah, and if I grew up like him, we'd still be stuck in that dump, praying to

God to provide. Look, I got news for you. God didn't get us out of Brooklyn.

did.

And I'm not going back.

Yeah, Sammy, listen.

No. No, no, no way, Sam. Now, you file a motion, you get a continuance or

something. I'm not spending 14 days in that building.

Hello.

Jacob White? Yeah. My name is Monica. I'm the code enforcement supervisor.

Oh. What code are you for? Is it code?

Area code? Morse code?

Sense of humor.

I like that.

Yeah, well, I'm a likable guy.

Not according to your tenants at 12750 Flatbush Avenue.

Sit down.

Thank you.

I have a list here.

Of over 500 violations, and it's my job to ensure that you correct all of them.

Yeah, and it's all my fault, right?

Um, Mr.

Sanchez in 5E is disabled, and he has not been able to get out of the

building since the elevator stopped working.

Yeah, well, the last time he sent a repair truck there, it got broken into

Can I help it if they don't want to come back?

How about Yvette Washington?

She was bitten by a rat.

Yeah, well, maybe she should get off a button and set some rat traps.

She's two years of age. She was bitten in her crib.

You know, Mr. Weiss, our records show that your father was a wonderful

Heart of gold.

Far be it from him to grow it in. Anybody didn't pay the rent.

That's why the building was mortgaged up the wazoo.

And when he died, he left us holding a bag.

I was 13.

I'm sorry, I didn't know that.

Yeah.

Well, I...

Learned about money at an early age.

So, what's it going to take to get you off my back?

I'll make this out to cash. You can just give me a number.

You don't know who you're dealing with, but I'll give you an opportunity to put

that away.

Michael, it's my son.

Michael, this is Monica.

She was just leaving.

Ian Brooklyn, do I... Don't hold your breath.

I was

head

of the family at 30.

Then be head of the family now.

Come to Passover, Grandma.

Dad, it would really mean a lot to her.

And to Mom.

Mike, you know, your mother, me, Passover, it's not a good combination.

Well, if you change your mind, it's Friday night.

Friday night?

At sundown.

Wait a second.

I might be able to swing something.

This better be good.

I'll give you 30 seconds, Mr. Weiss.

Go. Thank you, Your Honor.

This Friday at sundown is Passover.

It's one of the holiest days in the life of a Jew.

And it's where we celebrate our deliverance from slavery in Egypt.

And it's not fair to be locking me up when I should be home celebrating

with my family.

That's very interesting, Mr. Weiss.

Because I'm Jewish, too.

But then you know.

In fact, I belong to the same synagogue that you do.

I've seen your wife there and your son, but I've never seen you.

Sentence stands.

You're fired.

Fired? Jake!

Jake!

That Jake is always firing somebody, pushing them away.

He's what you might call an equal opportunity offender.

He offends the people he hates and he offends the people he loves.

Every time I see the Sabbath candles, it feels as though Papa's in the room.

Jacob, you're going to wear a hole in that carpet.

Excuse me for not getting into the spirit of path over here, but they're

to get me any minute. My lawyer hasn't called.

I thought you fired your lawyer. No, I got a new one.

Save us the belief.

It's Chuck. The Wallachs. Why'd you invite the Wallachs? They're not Jewish.

Everyone's welcome at Passover.

You know that.

The Wallachs.

Hello, everyone.

Happy Passover, Elaine.

We brought you some wine. Oh, it's kosher, right?

Perfect. Welcome.

Come on in. Hello, Scott. Hello, Elaine.

How nice you all look.

Now, you remember my son, Jacob?

Jacob? Hi.

Your coats.

There.

Have you ever been to a Seder before?

No? Well, it's a very special dinner. A celebration.

Like Thanksgiving?

Yes. Yes. There certainly is a lot to be thankful for.

Oh. Excuse me.

What?

It's Michael and Lisa.

Hey, you guys.

Come on in.

Hi, Grandma.

Jacob, look who's here.

Hi, Dad.

Hi, Michael.

Lisa.

Jake.

I'll go help Grandma.

And that's why we have a shank bone on this plate to remind us how our children

were spared.

You see, God told the angel of death to pass over any house that had the blood

of a lamb on the door.

That's gross.

Oh, no.

No, it's beautiful.

Our ancestors had to trust God that everything would be all right.

New York Police Department.

We're here for Jacob White.

What are they doing, Tess?

That's an electronic monitor, baby.

He can't walk out of here without them knowing it.

He may look free, but he's a prisoner in here now.

That's a shame that he couldn't at least spend Passover with his family.

Don't worry about it, angel girl.

God has a special kind of Passover planned for Jake this year.

You're gonna have to fix that door.

What do you want?

You can call me Officer Tess.

This is a lovely place you have here.

Well, you people really enjoy being smug, don't you?

Which you people do you mean, Mr. Wise?

Excuse me. The cockroaches and I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. We had a

baby crying next door.

It's in me to death.

Uh -huh. Well, you better leave that thing alone.

Because it's a very sensitive instrument.

And if you go beyond 100 feet out of this building, or if you tamper with it

any way, it will send an electrical signal straight to the police

where you are being monitored by yours truly.

Any questions?

Yeah, how do I take a bath in this thing?

If I was you, I wouldn't.

What am I supposed to stop to that?

You're allowed to shop between noon and one o 'clock, not one minute longer.

Any other questions?

Good.

Hey!

I said open it!

Good morning, Jake.

I see you already know about the substandard ceiling.

See, this is the first problem you're going to need to handle. There are no

extinguishers. That's because the minute I put one in, it gets stolen.

I mean, you know how much those things cost?

People will blame me dry.

Mrs. Hernandez!

When are you going to pay your rent? When I get my disability.

Excuse me, ma 'am.

You going to help us with that rat problem?

I certainly hope so. Well, you can start with him.

Look, the neighborhood's full of punks like him. That's the problem around

Maybe not, Mr. White. Maybe it's people who don't care about punks like him or

the conditions that they grow up in.

Monica, if I tried to help everybody, I would end up like my father, in debt up

to here, unable to support my own family. Any better than the rest of

losers here? Now, I'm telling you, you want to solve this problem, you get rid

of the deadbeat tenants.

And they never move out. You can't get them out.

According to my list, there are only two vacant apartments. The one that you're

in, and one down the end of the hall.

Are you all right?

Did you hear that?

What?

I gotta take a break.

Tess, what's wrong?

What's wrong is Jake is beginning to remember what's right.

Bet you got a cell phone, too.

Why, the door ain't me, huh?

Why don't you just paint a big bull's eye on your back? I mean, everybody

here hates you.

How far did you think you was gonna get with all that?

Leave me alone, kid. I only got an hour.

What? What?

I feel like this.

You need protection, and I need capital.

Maybe we could work out some type of arrangement.

The name's Tyler.

Did good.

What do I owe you?

$2 ,000.

What? You said $1 ,000.

Yeah. $1 ,000 for the stuff, another for insurance.

What insurance?

The kind of insurance my father didn't have when the fire broke out in our

kitchen. Now I figure he's going to need some breathing room when he gets out,

and you should provide it. Yeah, well, all I got's $1 ,000.

Give me the watch.

What watch?

Left pocket.

You remind me of me when I was your age.

Hope not.

Don't want to end up like you when I get older.

Used to be my spot.

Mind if I join you?

It's your building.

I want to move out there someday.

Get my family out of this place.

You got my family out.

They'd seem to appreciate it.

Especially my son.

You got a son?

Yeah.

Michael. We don't communicate very well.

Well, you got a cell phone.

Why don't you use it?

Hello?

Michael.

It's Dad.

Dad?

Dad, are you there?

Yeah.

So? What's it like?

Jake! Coke Whip does a fire in your apartment!

Michael, I gotta call you back.

Wait, Dad!

Dad?

Extinguisher! I need a fire extinguisher! Wait a minute!

Let's hide together.

One, two, three, four.

Good thing you were here. Thanks for your help.

That's what I'm here for.

Look at this place. I can't stay here.

What about upstairs?

Am I going crazy?

No.

Jake, I'm Andrew.

You know who I am.

I saw you that night.

You took my father on Passover.

Yes.

Your father tried to leave you with a message that night.

A message for you to carry on.

But he didn't.

So I'm here.

I'm here because of his prayers.

I'm here to help you to remember.

Do you remember what your mother always said?

Every time she sees a Sabbath candle?

It's like Papa's in a room.

You were sick that night.

I don't know how to say it.

Mom sent me to the synagogue to get candles for Passover, and I

was supposed to be back before sundown.

I got into a fight.

You should go to bed.

I'm all right.

Should I call a doctor? Just a waste of money.

Jacob, you ruined your suit.

Your brand new suit.

I'm sorry, Mom.

The candles are broken.

Jacob, come here.

Were you fighting again?

Yes, Papa, but it wasn't... Jacob, there's no excuse for this.

It's Passover.

They saw me coming out of the synagogue, and they called me a kike.

Oh, my son.

Who was it this time?

Those black kids from Bed -Stuy. I hate them.

Jacob, tell me something.

You say they called you a name. Did you call them names as well?

Jacob, what does Passover mean to you?

When we were slaves in Egypt, God sent plagues. That's right.

So the Pharaoh would free us.

And the last plague, it was... Killing of the firstborn.

But the Jews made lamb's blood on their doors, so when the angel of death came,

he passed over their homes. That's right.

That's the history of Passover.

Do you know what the spirit is behind it?

It's freedom.

You see, we celebrate...

As if we ourselves had come out of bondage into freedom.

From sorrow to gladness.

From darkness to great light.

You know, Jacob, we weren't the only people in this country who were once

slaves.

When the black man was in chains, do you know what he sang?

When Israel was an Egypt land, let my people go.

Oppressed so hard they could not stand.

Let my people go.

You see, they identified with us just as we must identify with them.

We're all brothers, black and Jew, everyone.

That's why we set out this cup for Elijah, the messenger of peace.

That's why we sing the song, Eliyahu.

Eliyahu Hanavi.

Jacob,

what's the matter? Why aren't you singing?

Because I don't believe in Elijah, Papa.

Or this freedom you keep talking about.

Freedom is for rich people, and we don't even have enough money to pay for a

doctor. Jacob, we are rich in our faith.

But you give it away, and there's nothing left for us.

That's not true, son.

God has always provided for us.

What is the prayer we say every day?

Your prayer, not mine.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and

with all your might.

Teach these words to your children.

Write them upon the doorposts of your house.

Saul,

come to bed now.

Jacob,

get

the doctor quick. Your father just passed out.

Man, you okay?

Where is he?

What's going on here?

Must have had a bad dream.

I gotta get out of here.

Look, you know anyone that can remove that without setting it off? I could do

some checking around, but it's gonna cost you.

How much?

Another thousand.

All right.

I've got to make some phone calls, but I'll have it by tonight.

Man, that's awful fast.

Well, I can't spend another night in this place.

Come on, get out of here. Get in.

Hello.

Yeah, Lisa, thank God you're there. Jake?

I got to be back by 1, and my cell phone is dead. I'm on my last quarter in a

payphone. Now, listen, I need some money.

$1 ,000.

Is that why you called?

Because you need $1 ,000?

Look, please, you don't understand.

No, Jake.

That's the problem. I do understand, and I'm tired of understanding.

Is Michael Lance just put him on the phone?

No. No, Jake, you can't speak to your son.

Not until you figure out what it means to be a father. What do you got a

problem?

Your neck.

You want trouble? I'll give you some trouble.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

I hate to pull you away from your friend, but it's time to go back inside.

Now. Now.

Kind of makes you wonder how he lasted this long, doesn't it?

Every word out of that man's mouth is an invitation for trouble.

One of these days, somebody's going to take him up on it.

What are you doing here?

This is a dangerous neighborhood.

I heard Mom unfold you.

So I brought you the money.

A thousand dollars.

What'd you get there?

It's my bar mitzvah money.

I thought you were going to save that.

I know.

But if you really need it, you're going to use it to help these people, right?

What? Dad? Yeah.

All right, I'll be right down.

Look, I gotta go. I'll be right back.

You're going to use this money for something bad, aren't you?

Why can't you ever do the right thing, Dad?

Why can't you be more like Grandpa?

Look, your grandfather was a weak man.

People walked all over him. He died without a penny to his name.

Is that what you want to be like?

I'd rather be poor and live like Grandpa than be rich and live like you.

There's some things you just don't understand.

Look, just give me the money.

Some damn money.

Just wait here. I'll be right back.

You got some money?

He's got it.

You, uh,

deal with that?

Yeah, yeah, let's check that out.

You set me up. Look, man, I didn't know about this, honey.

Dad?

Wait, wait a minute. Dad? Look out!

With Tyler.

Where's my boy? Something happened to my boy.

Oh, no. It's the Tyler.

Tyler.

Fuckin' shit house!

He came because he loves you.

He was willing to make a sacrifice.

Monica, my son has been shot.

Yes, I know.

We've got to get him to the hospital. He's bleeding to death. You've got a

Phone!

Listen to me, Jake.

There's no hospital close enough.

No car fast enough. No phone capable of making the call that you need.

All you can do right now is to put your son in God's hands.

God!

That's right.

I am an angel.

I have been sent here by God.

Go away, go away, go away.

God wants me to stay.

He wants you to know that he loves you.

Tell him I hate him.

Ah, Jake.

Hate is not going to help your son.

In fact, hate is the reason why he's lying here bleeding his life away.

God's going to take my son, isn't he?

It's like he took my father in this room and passed over.

An angel of death is supposed to pass over the children of Israel, and he

pass over us.

Your father was a good man.

He was good and weak.

All those prayers.

All that charity.

It takes strength to humble yourself before God.

The kind of strength that your father had.

What are you talking about? He's dying! No one will help me! Do you think if

your father knocked on all these doors, the neighbors would turn their backs on

him? He would have reaped what he sowed.

Just as you are now reaping what you have sown.

Jake, you have nowhere else to turn.

Nowhere except to God.

What do I do?

Tell me what to do.

Do what your father would have done.

Do what the children of Israel did.

Trust in God.

Do you remember what your father always said to you? The last words he uttered.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.

with all your soul and with all your might.

Teach these words to your children.

Write them upon the doorposts of your house.

I shall love the Lord thy God

with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy might.

Teach these words to your children.

Write them upon the doorposts of your house.

You saved the children of Israel.

Please, God.

What do I do?

You put your son's life in God's hands, Dave. Now do the same with your own.

Eliyahu Adishbi

Eliyahu

Eliyahu Eliyahu

Agiladim Eliyahu

Eliyahu Eliyahu

Agiladim

Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu,

Agitadi.

Jake, God has heard your beautiful song.

And just as he spared the children of Israel so many thousands of years ago on

Passover, he will spare your son.

I love you.

I love you so much.

I'm going to change. I don't know how, but I'm going to try.

So help me, God.

He will.

He has.

When Israel was in Egypt.

Let my people go.

Oppressed so hard they could not stand.

Let my people go.

We need not always weep and mourn. Let my

people go.

Come on, baby.

Everything is going to be all right.

And bear the chains of...

Let my people go Go down,

Moses Way down in Egypt

land Tell old Pharaoh To let

my people go

To let my people go Go down

And tell old Pharaoh To let my

people go Go down