This film has probably already made the circuit of the Jewish film festivals and will continue to be screened in Jewish series in cinemateques, as it deals with the French Jewish environment and the tensions between the Jewish traditional life and the modern world. However, what may be a relatively new theme in the French cinema is already beaten track in the Israeli films. A few excellent films coming from Israel have dealt with similar subjects in the last few years. It is amusing to a certain extent to see as the relatively young Israeli cinema matures, the French cinema with its long tradition seems to repeat the mistakes of the older Israeli cinema - trying to tell too much in one movie, schematic and stereotype representation of the characters, temptation of folklorist approach when dealing with the Jewish customs, and too little characters development.<br /><br />To its merit I must mention that La Petite Jerusalem is quite accurate in rendering Jewish life, and that acting has quality, especially the actresses playing the two sisters whose story is in the center of the movie are attractive and sensible. The tension between the spiritual Jewish life and the temptation of sexuality deeply felt by the two sisters (one married and one not) and up to a certain extent the relationship between the younger sister and the Arab Muslim co-worker are depicted in a direct and quite effective style. It is the mix of too many parallel stories that are insufficiently developed and get too fast and easy solutions that gives the impression of superficiality. Then the relationship with the Arab boyfriend is too quickly expedited, and he depiction of the boy's family is surprisingly stereotype for a French film. The stories of the two sisters get unsatisfying solutions, one inconclusive, the other one too simplistic. Overall 'La Petite Jerusalem' is a sincere but not successful tentative in a genre that has produced better films.