The Stronghold (HaMezach, המזח) is an epic war film following a company of Israeli soldiers trapped at an outpost along the Suez Canal during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It was first released as a feature film two months prior to the anniversary of the war. Running close to two-hours, an extended five-episode miniseries is currently in post-production.

Anyone familiar with the 1973 Yom Kippur War knows that Israel was caught by surprise in the Sinai Desert. It was an intelligence failure on the same level of October 7 and ultimately led to Prime Minister Golda Meir’s resignation. There are similar comparisons to October 7, 2023, fifty years later. The war itself lasted October 6-25, with mixed reaction on both sides. Arabs saw some victories and felt vindicated for their failure in 1967. Meanwhile, the question of Israeli military dominance was now up in the air. There was a shift in Israeli attitudes, starting with the 1978 Camp David Accords and the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. Efforts would start in trying to find peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

It’s not an understatement to say that the Israeli soldiers were overwhelmed. Dr. Nahum Werbin (Michael Aloni) is doing his best to treat the wounded but medical supplies are running out. While he’s treating soldiers, Lt. Shlomo Erdinast (Daniel Gad) leads the defensive operations. With things looking grim, they can either fight to the end or surrender to the Egyptians. If Lt. Erdinast has his way, surrender wouldn’t be an option. The son of Holocaust survivors, how would he be able to return home and look his father in the face? It’s one of the moral questions that come up during the conversation over what to do, especially after one rescue operation fails. No help is coming for the remaining 37 soldiers–five were killed in battle–in the company, at least none that the IDF can guarantee. Do they battle to the death or try to come out of it alive?

If they battle to the death, there’s no doubt that fallen soldiers would be coming home as heroes. But it’s the latter question that, again, causes thought for debate. What happens when they come home as former POWs? Will their fellow Israelis view them any differently, alone their parents? Dr. Werbin’s suggests surrendering but with conditions: they turn themselves over to the Red Cross and reporters must be on hand. Listen, I have my own thoughts on the Red Cross post-October 7 but I’ll save them for another time. Listening to them talk it over, you cannot help but think back to the siege of Masada. For readers who are unfamiliar, Masada is the location where Jews chose to kill themselves rather than surrender to the Romans. To face the Egyptians without any kind of a rescue or backup on the way is tantamount to a suicide mission.

Both Michael Aloni and Daniel Gad deliver captivating performances as soldiers with different views at the Pier Stronghold–the southernmost Israeli outpost along the Suez Canal. Their viewpoints serve as a reminder of the human cost of war. Well, not just that but the national Israeli ethoses–more in a moment. There’s a human side to war and we cannot forget this. For what it’s worth, film is based on true events and all the POWs came back alive after 40 days.

Filmmaker Lior Chefetz found himself drawn to telling this particular story because of his background as a medic. His father was a military doctor on the Sinai front during the Yom Kippur War. He heard the stories growing up as a kid and combined with his own experiences, it only made sense that he would be the filmmaker to bring it to the big screen. The resulting film is also a reminder of the values that Jews/Israelis hold dearly: the sanctity of life and fighting to the last bullet. Over fifty years later, the IDF instills the two ethoses in every soldier.

The Stronghold is an intense war film and certainly one that audiences should experience on the big screen.

DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER: Lior Chefetz
CAST: Michael Aloni, Daniel Gad, Tom Amsalem, Uri Blufarb, Amir Tesler, Aviv Pinkas, Daniel Moreshet

The Stronghold holds its Southeast US premiere at the 2025 Miami Jewish Film Festival. Grade: 4.5/5

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