Three-part documentary that uses personal stories to explore what it means to be Jewish in America. The video is structured so that individual teachers can use any portion separately or view the three as a whole. Note: The individual segments are ideal for classroom use in exploring themes of Jewish identity – the middle segment is a good choice for discussions about interdating. A study guide is available.

46 min.  AGE:  12 to Adult

FAYE RUTH FISHER “I KNOW THIS PULL”

The second segment follows the personal story of a 23-year-old Jewish woman in Boston who feels torn between her Judaism and her love for a Catholic man. Faye Ruth has been dating John since their senior year in high school and never expected the relationship to become serious. Faye Ruth is also extremely close to her family. Her parents feel strongly about her marrying a Jew and her sister is engaged to a Jew. Faye Ruth’s parents and roommate express varying viewpoints on the situation. Viewers see Faye Ruth in a number of environments: her job (for a social action group), at shul, and with a Jewish group she’s involved with. The conclusion of this segment is open ended, with the viewer not knowing what Faye Ruth’s ultimate choice will be. Note: Her boyfriend is not part of this film, outside of a few photographs. The focus is on Faye Ruth’s dilemma and how she and those closest to her feel about it.

15 min.

The final segment focuses on Rachel, a Jewish woman in Baltimore, and her journey back into her Jewish faith. As a young person, Rachel was turned off by Judaism and dated non-Jews. Ultimately, she married a Jewish man, had children and she and her husband both started to re-explore their Judaism through shared Judaic classes. Slowly, they began to practice Jewish customs again. The video illustrates how Rachel and her family build a sukkah and celebrate Shabbat together. Both she and her husband describe the place Judaism holds in their lives.

15 min.

940.53

ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED  (1995)

Ann

Academy Award-winning documentary about Anne Frank’s life, featuring vintage newsreels and photographs. Interspersed throughout are interviews with people who knew Anne—family, friends and Miep Gies, the woman who hid Anne’s family. The film gives a sense of Anne’s life before the war and the type of child she was. Then it follows her life in hiding and after capture—through excerpts from her diary and interviews with those who knew her. Engages the viewer from the start without the stiltedness of many documentaries. Narrated by Kenneth Branagh, with sections of the diary read aloud by Glenn Close.

2 hrs. 37 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

940.53

THE ATTIC: THE HIDING OF ANNE FRANK  (1992)

Att

The story of Anne Frank as told by Miep Gies, the Dutch woman who hid the Frank family. The film begins with the German invasion of Holland, showing the buildup of persecution, hardship and terror in Amsterdam, and ends after the war’s end, with Mr. Frank returning as his family’s sole survivor. Based on the book Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies. Stars Mary Steenburgen and Paul Scofield.

1 hr. 35 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

F

AUTUMN SUN  (1996)

Aut

Delightful romantic drama from Argentina about Clara, a single Jewish woman in her 50’s who advertises for a Jewish companion when she learns that her brother in America (who thinks she is engaged) is coming for a visit. The suitor who answers her ad calls himself Saul—and she soon discovers that he is not Jewish and his real name is Raul. When Clara can find no one else suitable as a faux fiancé, she decides to tutor Raul in Jewish expression and custom, hoping they will be able to convince her brother that he is Jewish. What Clara hasn’t counted on, however, is that real romance may be entering her life.

In Spanish with subtitles. 1 hr. 48 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

Over forty female musicians from across Europe performed in the Auschwitz orchestra, beginning in 1943. This fascinating documentary includes interviews with eleven of these Holocaust survivors who were reunited fifty years after the war. Each tells her own story (in her own language) of how she became part of this orchestra, what she experienced, and how it has affected her life. Responses varied greatly; some tried to put the past behind them and live for the future, while others were haunted by their memories on daily basis. The orchestra was directed by Alma Rose, a descendant of Mahler, who did not survive the war. The women tell how they had to play each morning for the laborers to march to work; how they played for new arrivals to the camp; and how they played on command for the Nazis’ entertainment. Most difficult of all, they relate how they were forced to play music during the selection process, knowing innocent people were being sent to their deaths. One woman played while her own parents were sent to the crematoria. The orchestra members came from many countries, including France, Germany and Czechoslovakia. Note: Includes a few graphic images.

In French, Czech, German and Hebrew with subtitles.  1 hr. 45 min.  AGE:  14 to Adult

F

BUBBE MEISES  (Bubbe Stories)  (1995)

Bub

A grown granddaughter brings alive her two very different immigrant grandmothers through original songs, traditional music and richly woven tales. This Emmy Award-winning one woman show stars Ellen Gould, who acts the parts of both of her grandmothers as she sings and tells their stories—and learns about herself through the process.

1 hr. 5 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

781.7

CHAVA ALBERSTEIN IN SONG  (1987)

Cha

Israeli vocalist Chava Alberstein sings a beautiful mixture of songs including songs of love and yearning, a lullaby, and an homage to Edith Piaf. This is not a concert performance. Rather, each song is presented separately, with the backgrounds of different colorful sets including pantomimes, clowns and actors.

In Hebrew with subtitles. 36 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

F

CROSSING DELANCEY  (1988)

Cro

A bright, independent young Jewish woman becomes the subject of her grandmother's matchmaking. She struggles between staying the single, independent woman of the 1980’s and being drawn to the Jewish traditional values from her background. Stars Amy Irving, Peter Riegert and Reizl Bozyk.

1 hr. 37 min.  AGE: 13 to Adult

The true stories of three courageous teenage Jewish girls who resisted the Nazis during the Holocaust. Barbara Rodbell was born in Berlin until her family moved to Holland. She became a ballerina in Amsterdam and delivered underground newspapers for the Resistance, as well as helping to secure food and transportation for Jews in hiding. Shulamit Lack, born in Budapest, helped to acquire false papers and a safe haven for Jews trying to escape Hungary. Faye Schulman, born in Poland, became a photographer and partisan fighter in the forests of Poland. Includes photographs and documentary film footage.  Interspersed throughout are interviews in which all three women describe their experiences.  Note: A valuable classroom tool for showing students how young people – in this case, young women – can fight injustice and actively make a difference in the lives of others.  Study guide available.

Color/B&W.  55 min.  AGE:  12 to Adult

JHVC

940.53

Dear Kitty  (1987)

Dea

This video uses the story of Anne Frank's remarkable diary to teach preteens about the Holocaust. The film weaves a brief but thorough history of the Nazi era into the story of the Franks' life in Germany, their flight from the Nazis into Holland, their experiences hiding in an attic during the war, and Anne's eventual death in Bergen-Belsen. Anne's words in her diary, which she called "Kitty," allow young viewers to identify with her feelings of fear, confusion, and hope, and reflect on her fate and that of the many other Jewish children who perished in the war. Passages in the diary that describe Anne's desire to become a writer and the need she felt to record her experiences for posterity are highlighted, giving children a sense of the importance of personal history.

Color/B&W. 25 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

781.7

DEBBIE FRIEDMAN: LIVE AT THE DEL  (1990)

Deb

This video captures the 1990 live performance of America’s leading female composer and performer of Jewish music at the Hotel del Coronado near San Diego, California. Includes 22 of Debbie’s original songs.

1 hr. 25 min.  AGE: All Ages

940.53

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK  (1959)

Dia

The original black and white movie version of the story of Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl hidden with her family and others for two years in Nazi occupied Holland. The tension of two families cramped into close living quarters—constantly fearing for their lives—is well captured in this adaptation of her actual diary. The film won three Academy Awards and stars Millie Perkins and Shelley Winters.

B&W. 2 hrs. 31 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

296.444

THE EMPTY CHAIR  (1981)

Emp

Deals sensitively with conflicts facing a divorced, single-parent family celebrating Passover.

22 min.  AGE: 10 to Adult

JHVC

296.436

Esther  (1993)

Est

The story of Esther takes place later in time than any other biblical book and hundreds of miles from the Land of Israel. Which is exactly what makes it so relevant, says the narrator of People of the Book: Esther. In 586 BCE, the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Jews of Judea were dispersed. They became aliens in many countries, including Shushan in Persia (now Iran), where the Purim story unfolds. This entertaining video captures the pageantry of the Purim story, yet never neglects its deeper meaning. While the actors bring the intricate plot to life, the narrator puts the events in larger context, exploring the significance of this "tale of masks" for generations. Note: Format is somewhat confusing in spots, mixing dramatization with the history.

23 min.  AGE: 10 to Adult

Est

(DVD)

Summer Phoenix and Ian Holm star in this provocative film about a young Jewish woman living in London at the end of the 19^th century who discovers a passion for acting. Esther and her large immigrant family work in a sweatshop setting. Esther feels different and somewhat removed from her family. In fact, Esther seems totally devoid of feeling until she sees live theatre for the first time and something within her comes alive. A veteran actor (Ian Holm), takes Esther under his wing and teaches her acting, eventually leading her to the stage. A budding actress, Esther enters into a love affair with a playwright who treats her poorly, abandoning her on the night of her debut in “Hedda Gabler.” Esther must decide whether to be conquered by the pain in her life or whether she can overcome obstacles and succeed through the theatre. Note: This is a French film, although the language is English (with a little Yiddish in the beginning). It is a long, slow moving film that requires patience from its viewers. One particular scene – in which Esther actually eats glass – may be too horrific for some viewers. Although the lead character is Jewish, Jewish content or themes play a very minor role in this film – and mainly are found in the movie’s opening scenes.

2 hrs. 22 min.  AGE:  Adult

301.412

THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS: A CELEBRATION OF REMARKABLE JEWISH WOMEN

Fru

(1988)

Four Jewish women meet for a Friday night dinner and take the viewers on a journey to meet ten remarkable Jewish women from history. The four women alternate playing roles as Devorah, Beruriah, Gracia Mendesa, Gluckel Von Hameln, Emma Lazarus, Emma Goldman, Henrietta Szold, Chana Szenes, Ida Kaminska, Golda Meir, and the women of the sweatshop. Study guide available.

54 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

F

FUNNY GIRL  (1968)

Fun

Barbra Streisand won an Oscar for her performance in this musical about the early stage career of Jewish comedienne Fanny Brice. We see Brice’s theatrical beginnings as a roller-skating chorus girl in a music hall, when no one believed she could ever be a star as she didn’t have “classic” good looks. Within a year, Fanny becomes a hit in comic roles for Florenz Ziegfield in his Follies. She falls madly in love with a handsome non-Jewish gambler, Nick Arnstein, which leads to a tumultuous marriage. Memorable songs include “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

2 hrs. 35 min. Rated G.  AGE: 10 to Adult

301.421

GEFILTE FISH  (1987)

Gel

Three generations of women share their individual methods for making gefilte fish, while discussing family commitment and tradition and their place in contemporary society. Study guide available.

15 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

JHVC

921

Golda Meir  (1978)

Mei

Golda Meir's life was intertwined with the development of the State of Israel, from her involvement as a pioneer during the struggle for statehood, through her rise to lead the country as Prime Minister from 1969–1974. Born in Russia and raised in America, Golda moved to Palestine as a young woman and devoted herself to the creation of a Jewish homeland. Her political style was tenacious, yet she often brought to light the human issues behind the problems facing her country. Walter Cronkite hosts this CBS News Special Report on Golda Meir, which aired in December 1978 after her death at the age of eighty. Photos, news clips and segments from interviews illuminate her personal and professional history. Political leaders and officials including Jimmy Carter, Yitzhak Rabin, Henry Kissinger, and Abba Eban recall her contributions and comment on her career.

30 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

301.412

HALACHA AND THE JEWISH WOMAN  (1988)

Hal

A report from the first International Jerusalem Conference on Women in Judaism. The central issues discussed include women's roles in religious ritual and divorce.

12 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

JHVC

301.412

Half the Kingdom  (1990)

Hal

One of the most vital aspects of contemporary Jewish life is the reexamination of the role of women within a historically patriarchal religion. At a time when female rabbis and cantors have become increasingly visible within Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist Judaism, many Jewish women in all denominations seek greater inclusion in ritual and communal life. Half the Kingdom focuses on a group of Jewish women in North America and Israel who are committed to achieving a larger role in religious observance. The group includes a rabbi, a novelist, a professor of religion, a Jewish feminist scholar, a Hebrew School principal, a member of the Knesset, and a journalist. They explore the challenges of reconceiving rituals and ceremonies—such as saying kaddish and welcoming a new baby into the Jewish community. The film captures their struggle and the obstacles they face in attempting to reshape Judaism to include them.

59 min.  AGE: 13 to Adult

940.54

HANNA'S WAR  (1988)

Han

Dramatization of the story of Hanna Senesh, a Hungarian Jew living in Palestine who worked for the British on a mission in World War II to rescue English fliers downed in Eastern Europe. The account of one woman’s indomitable will in the face of torture in a Nazi prison, fear and despair. Stars Ellen Burstyn, Maruschka Detmers and Anthony Andrews.

2 hrs. 30 min. Rated PG-13, some violence.  AGE: 14 to Adult

Made for television mini-series based on the true story of Ruth Gruber, a U.S. government official and journalist who fought for haven for a shipload of Jewish European refugees reaching America in 1944. Natasha Richardson delivers a powerful performance as the 32-year-old Gruber, a woman determined to accompany nearly 1,000 Holocaust survivors on their trip from Europe to America aboard the U.S. military ship “Henry Gibbons.” This was the only time during the war that a group of Jewish immigrants was permitted to enter the U.S. – on the agreement that they would return to their native countries after the war. Gruber was allowed to accompany them, as she was a government official fluent in Russian, German and Yiddish. The mini-series chronicles the difficult passage of these refugees, as well as some of their individual tragic stories from the Holocaust. Focus of the film, however, is on the opposition from the U.S. State Department and Congress to aiding European Jews during the Holocaust, and their reluctance to help this group of refugees. The refugees were interned at the Oswego Refugee Camp during the war and would have been sent back to Europe at the war’s end had Gruber not fought for them. Eventually, they were given permission to apply for citizenship from President Truman and given true haven in the U.S. Note: Includes a few violent scenes and brief graphic Holocaust documentary footage.

Approx. 4 hrs.  AGE:  13 to Adult

F

HESTER STREET  (1975)

Hes

Gitl, a religious Jew from Russia, arrives in America to be reunited with her husband in New York in 1896. To her dismay, she learns that he has found another love and has rejected religious traditions. Through determination and perseverance, she adapts to American life and wins the love of a gentle scholar. Stars Carol Kane.

In English, but includes some Yiddish with subtitles

. B&W. 1 hr. 29 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult