Set in the Brooklyn of the 1940s, the film elucidates the friendship between two young Jews of differing factions. Danny is Hassidic, while Reuven is a Zionist. Though separated ideologically, the boys find a common bond through their love of stickball.. Based on a novel by Chaim Potok, The Chosen has become an annual Hannukah-season TV attraction in many cities; years after its release, the film served as the basis for a short-lived Broadway musical..