photo/courtesy of jewish federation of the east bay

Not your everyday heroes

During the Holocaust, diplomats from around the world — including Germany and Japan — risked their lives to save tens of thousands of Jews. Many of them have received little attention, but now an award-winning documentary, “The Rescuers,” uncovers the story of 13 of these heroic diplomats. Sir Martin Gilbert, the 20th century and Holocaust historian, and Stephanie Nyombayire, a young anti-genocide activist who lost 100 members of her family in the Rwandan genocide of the 1990s, travel to 15 countries to retrace the past and draw lessons for the future.
7 p.m. Thursday, April 19 at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley. Free. www.jfed.org

saturday/14

“Got Balz?” Screening of documentary-in-progress on Mica Jarmel-Schneider of San Francisco, who collected and delivered baseball equipment to children in Cuba for his bar mitzvah project. With Cuban dance and food. At Sports Basement, 1590 Bryant St., S.F. 4 p.m. Free. www.facebook.com/gotbalz.

thursday/19

“Menachem and Fred.” Documentary on the reunion of two German Jewish brothers who separated after the Holocaust. At Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St., S.F. 6 p.m. Included with museum admission. www.thecjm.org.

Monterey Jewish Film Festival. Opens with “There Was Once” and Yom HaShoah reception at 6:30 p.m. (See Yom HaShoah listings, 8a). Also “Precious Life,” April 20 at 8:15 p.m., “Sixty-Six,” April 21 at 7 p.m., “Crime After Crime,” April 22 at 4 p.m., “Live and Become,” April 24 at 7 p.m., and “An Article of Hope,” April 26 at 7:15 p.m. At Congregation Beth Israel, 5716 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. 6:30 p.m. $5. www.carmelbethisrael.org.

saturday/21

“The Syrian Bride.” Drama about a Golan Heights woman who must marry a man in Syria and lose the diplomatic status she needs to return home. Discussion to follow screening. At Congregation Beth Israel Judea, 625 Brotherhood Way, S.F. 7 p.m. Free. www.bij.org.

tuesday/24

“Mosaic.” Interview program hosted by Rabbi Eric Weiss. 5 a.m. KPIX Channel 5.

wednesday/25

“Our Summer in Tehran.” Screening and discussion with Jewish director Justine Shapiro on her documentary about living in Iran with her son. At City College of San Francisco, Cloud Hall, 60 Phelan Ave., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. (415) 239-3580.

thursday/26

“Freilach.” Jewish music and cultural radio show for the Russian River area. KGGV 95.1 FM. 8 p.m. www.kggv.blogspot.com.