JTA — For nearly three years, much of Jewish culture has been shaped by war, rising antisemitism and questions of identity under pressure. Rachel Israel’s latest movies head in a different direction.

In the space of a year, the New York filmmaker directed two unabashedly Jewish comedies — “The Floaters,” set at a Jewish summer camp, and “Influenced,” a satire of Manhattan influencer culture that culminates in a b’nai mitzvah celebration.

Both immerse themselves in Jewish identity, but instead of treating Jewishness as a problem to be solved or an identity under pressure, Jewishness serves as the backdrop for stories about friendship, family, ambition and belonging.

Reviewer Nell Minow wrote that “The Floaters” has “an appealing Jewish neshama (soul) that peeks out from under the surface,” and that the film offers “an exceptionally authentic movie portrayal of the way Jewish traditions and culture reflect and shape the Jewish worldview.”

In an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Israel discussed making two Jewish films back-to-back, why Jewish characters come naturally to her as a writer and director, and why, even after October 7, she believes audiences are ready for stories that celebrate Jewish community as much as they confront Jewish vulnerability.

“I didn’t set out and decide I’m only going to make Jewish content, and I don’t think I’m only going to make Jewish content,” she said. And yet, her two latest movies, plus the 2017 love story “Keep the Change,” all have what she calls a “strong Jewish element.”

“It’s just kind of rolled into being,” she said.

The films also rolled into being at a time when antisemitism is on the rise and anti-Israel fervor over the Gaza war has put Jews on the defensive. In interviews for “The Floaters,” the director agreed that she hoped to provide an alternative image of “Jewish joy.”

“The Floaters” is a comedy about a Jewish summer camp, starring Jackie Tohn, from the very Jewish Netflix hit “Nobody Wants This,” as a would-be rock star hired to supervise a group of misfit campers, the “floaters” of the title. “Influenced” is the story of a newly divorced Manhattan Jewish mother (Jill Kargman) who tries to climb the ranks of the Upper East Side influencer scene, while also helping her twin children prepare for their bar and bat mitzvah.

“The Floaters” was shot first, and “Influenced” second. “The Floaters” is currently in theaters, with a........

© The Times of Israel