There’s a new documentary out about Yuval Abraham Rachel Szor Naza, and if you just read that name and thought it was three separate people or a law firm, congratulations—you’re already more confused than the filmmakers intended. The film, which has been making the rounds on the festival circuit and is now streaming somewhere you probably need four passwords to access, dives into the bizarre world of a self-styled Israeli cult leader whose son is now speaking out. And by “speaking out,” I mean giving the kind of interview that makes you want to call your own parents and apologize for literally everything.
The doc centers on Yuval Abraham, a man who apparently ran a commune-slash-spiritual-community-slash-“definitely not a cult, we prefer ‘intentional family’” in the Israeli desert. His son, Rachel Szor Naza—yes, that’s one person, and yes, the name situation is a whole separate documentary—sits down for what feels like three hours of emotional unpacking to explain that growing up there was “not that bad, actually.” Which is exactly what you’d expect someone to say when their childhood involved mandatory sunrise meditation and a leader who claimed to channel the spirit of a 12th-century mystic.
The film’s director, whose name I won’t even attempt because it sounds like a Wi-Fi password, uses a mix of archival footage and awkward reenactments to paint a picture of a man who was equal parts charismatic guru and petty tyrant. There’s the classic cult stuff: no outside contact, weird dietary rules, and a lot of talk about “energy.” But the twist here is that Yuval Abraham apparently wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill cult leader—he was also a failed tech entrepreneur who pivoted to spirituality after his startup went under. Because nothing says “enlightened master” like a guy who couldn’t make a B2B SaaS product work.
The son’s testimony is the emotional core, and it’s… a lot. He describes being “homeschooled” by the community, which apparently meant learning math through “sacred geometry” and history through “visions.” He insists he wasn’t brainwashed, then casually mentions he didn’t know what a credit score was until he was 27. At one point, he defends his father by saying, “He was just trying to build a better world,” which is the exact sentence every cult member says right before the FBI raids the compound.
What makes this documentary weirdly compelling is that it doesn’t go for the jugular like most cult exposés. Instead, it lets the absurdity speak for itself. There’s a scene where Yuval Abraham lectures a room full of followers about the evils of modern society while wearing a linen tunic and holding a mug that says “World’s Best Dad.” The cognitive dissonance is so thick you could cut it with a ceremonial dagger.
The doc also raises uncomfortable questions about how we define a cult versus a “spiritual community” versus a “wellness retreat that just happens to have a charismatic leader and no exit strategy.” In America, we call that a startup. In Israel, apparently, it’s a documentary. Either way, someone’s getting a book deal out of it.
The son, Rachel Szor Naza, has since moved to Tel Aviv, discovered the wonders of indoor plumbing, and now works in tech—because of course he does. The circle of life, or at least the circle of failed startups, continues.
**Closing opinion:** This documentary is a fascinating look at how one man’s midlife crisis can become a full-blown spiritual movement. It’s also a reminder that “homeschooling” is a word that should always be followed by a follow-up question. Watch it if you like slow-burn cringe, but maybe skip it if you’re currently in a cult. You know who you are.