The ending of Spielberg's film Munich (spoilers)

Cafe Society
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Mossad assassin team leader Avner (Eric Bana) and his handler Ephraim (Geoffrey Rush) are talking in a New York City park. Ephraim urges Avner and his family to return to Israel; Avner refuses. Avner then, invoking Jewish hospitality, invites Ephraim to come to dinner at his house that night; Ephraim simply says “No,” and walks away. The camera pulls back and we see the NYC skyline including the World Trade Center towers. Fade to black.

OK, I get the 1972 Munich / 9-11 parallel.

My question is, why did Ephraim refuse the dinner invitation? Disappointment with Avner’s refusal to return to Israel? A mere tit-for-tat response? Was he saying that Avner was now damaged goods, or even a persona non grata? Was it a warning? Or something else?

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If Avner’s abandoning Israel, and over dinner would continue to argue that Israel’s actions were pointless to try to convince Ephraim to abandon Israel, too, Ephraim must turn away from him.

I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that.

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Posted with their consent - here are responses by my friends Dan and Steve. Dan wrote:

I interpreted the rejection as a delineation of what separates them. For some Israelis, there is only them, and the rest of the world. For example, many feel that American Jews literally have no right to judge them and Israeli behavior, and resent any effort to do so.

To put it more personally, Ephraim believes that he is struggling for the survival of Israel, and that Avner has chosen not to help in that struggle, and so Ephraim rejects Avner both because he is bitter about that rejection, and because Avner cannot pretend to be an Israeli without shouldering the burden of defending it.

I found it an upsetting ending, but an understandable one. I know that Steve feels closer to Israel than I do, even though I have relatives there and my relatives participated in the founding of the country – living in the region before Independence… Steve may disagree with this example, but not everyone who considers themselves a Jew can simply come to Israel; an orthodox rabbinim has taken control of a government group that determines who is Jewish and who isn’t, and if you cannot trace your ancestry to someone they deem sufficiently observant – No Jew for You!

My comparison with the film is that when Avner refused to return, he died to Ephraim and effectively ceased to be a Jew as far as Ephraim was concerned, and that is a very Israeli perspective. Of course, even though Israel would seem homogenous, it really is diverse in terms of not simply Muslims and Christians as well as Jews, but also Jewish refugees from Europe after the holocaust versus Jewish refugees from the Arab world. . . Orthodox versus non- might be a more important divide, and the population growth of the Orthodox may be more important than that of the Palestinians in terms of what Israel will look like in the future, but I’ve probably already gone way out of the scope of your question.

Steve responded:

It’s been a while, but I think it’s simpler than that, but then again so am I.

I think Eric Bana wants out, and when the handler realizes this he is simply ready to go home.

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The conversation at the end of the movie is everything and not just a desire to get back home. The exchange is a decision point that sums up the internal struggle within Avner. Ephraim comes to recruit Avner back into the war for Jewish survival, to do so is - in essence “Jewish”. When Avner declines to go back into battle, Ephraim no longer sees him as an authentic Jew and refuses to break bread with him - in the most understated form possible (his “no” reply floored me). One would think that after all Avner had done in the service of Israel, he had secured his place among Jews - that response proves otherwise. Avner no longer agrees with what it takes to stay Jewish choosing his family, humanity and mental health over the state. This is unforgivable to Ephraim. The real question of the movie (IMHO) is questioning the slight shift of humanity to being Jewish. Avner now has a problem with it, Ephraim does not. There are 2 questions one must yourself when it comes to your survival, what are you prepared to do about it, and can you live with it (either way). The second question ran over Avner like a Mack truck, therefore, to remain human, he chose to abandon Israel (in their eyes). {I’m not Jewish and this is my uninformed opinion}

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Very interesting - thanks, Lopan, and welcome to the SDMB!