“Matchmaking 2” is the delightful sequel to the amiable Israeli romantic comedy “Matchmaking.” The first comedy was a hit at last year’s St. Louis Jewish Film Festival, selling out two theaters, just as it was a hit elsewhere. This year’s follow-up returns with the same cast and characters, with Moti and Nechama having to cope with the culture clashes between his Ashkenazi parents and her Sephardic parents, while melancholy Baruch deals with his own dreams of love. 

In the original film, A-list Ashkenazi prospect Moti (Amit Rahav) is paired with other top-notch Ashkenazi young women by Orthodox matchmakers Malki (Irit Kaplan) and Baruch (Maor Schwietzer). But Moti has secretly fallen for his sister’s friend Nechama (Liana Ayoun), from a Sephardic Moroccan family, a match they will never make for him. Moti enlists the help of Baruch, a man whose heart was broken long ago when his family forced his to give up the woman he loved, win his heart’s desire.

In the sequel, the now-engaged Moti and Nechama have a whole new set of problems, as his Ashkenazi parents and her Moroccan ones clash over the wedding arrangements. The parents like each other but their traditions are so different, and they keep pressuring the young couple. Will the dishes at the wedding be spicy or mild? Will there be henna? Will there be klezmer music? There is plenty to argue over, and calling the whole thing off seems to loom.

Meanwhile, handsome, melancholy matchmaker Baruch continues his work but is now considering opening his long-ago broken heart. A chance meeting with the daughter of his matchmaking partner Malki, Shira (Omer Nudelman), who has just returned home from America, has Baruch thinking he may have met the one. But nothing is simple here, with hilarious, surprising results.

Again, Schwietzer steals hearts as heartbroken matchmaker Baruch, with his character’s shy sweetness and resourceful cleverness. The whole cast is as charming and funny as before, and the addition of new characters adds to the enjoyment, as well as getting to know the characters from the first one better. The whole film is deeply engaging, and the warmth of the film is balanced by many laugh-out-loud moments, often supplied by the couple’s culture-clashing parents, and some inevitable miscommunications. 

While seeing the original romantic comedy helps, it isn’t necessary to enjoy this warm and funny romp with love and finding “the one.”

‘Matchmaking 2’

Part of the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival

WHEN/WHERE: 3 p.m. on April 1 at B&B Theatres in Creve Coeur

HOW MUCH: Tickets are $16 or included with an All-Festival Pass (RSVP required to reserve space at the film)

MORE INFO:  Running time: 1:43; In Hebrew with English subtitles; for more information or for tickets, visit stljewishfilmfestival.org