THE FATHER (JV-417)
Max Von Sydow stars in this gripping family drama about a daughter's love for her father cast against his alleged Nazi past. Happily married, Anne's peaceful life is shattered when a survivor identifies her father as a Nazi war criminal. This emotional story forces Anne to question where loyalties end and conscience begins.
106min., color, 1990. E, S, A.FEDERATION GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONIES (JV-214)
Ceremonies of the September 1990 JCC MetroWest Campus Ground-Breaking. Dignitaries include Gov. Jim Florio, Sen. Bill Bradley, Peter Waldor, the Reisen family, Howard Charish.
82min., color, 1990. K, P, E, S, A.FEMINISM IN THE SYNAGOGUE (JV-213)
A 1992 Jewish Education Association symposium on Is There a Role for Feminism in the Synagogue: Should Women be Treated Equally, chaired by Dr. Bernard Ducoff, Director, JEA MetroWest. Panelists include Rabbi Bruce Dolin, Rabbi Ellen Lewis, Rabbi David Bateman, and Cantor Wolf.
108min., color, 1992, S, A.THE FESTIVAL OF PURIM IN ISRAEL (JV-74)
A variety of presentations describing Purim celebrations and observances in Israel. Scenes include a children's skit retelling the Purim story, a puppet show, the "ad-lo-yada" costume parade, and adults and children performing various mitzvot. Good for teaching ideas to help student prepare for the Purim holiday.
18min., color, 197?. English and Hebrew. E, S, A.FICTITIOUS MARRIAGE (Nisuim Fiktiveem) (JV-161)
A high school teacher from Jerusalem leaves his family, ostensibly for a vacation trip to New York. He finds himself in a mid-life crisis at the airport and never boards the airplane but instead takes a hotel room in Tel Aviv to ponder his life. His adventures begin when his flirtations with the hotel desk clerk leads to a fictitious marriage. The following morning in a nearby park, he is mistaken for an Arab laborer and asked to join an Arab work team at a suburban Tel Aviv construction site. The film provides a look at Israeli society, a piercing yet humorous interpretation of a country seeking to understand its identity.
90min., color, 1988. Hebrew w/English subtitles. A.FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (JV-11A, JV-11B)
Adapted from the Broadway play, this is Sholom Aleichem's story of tradition and love in the face of Czarist oppression. A poor milkman with five unmarried daughters to support in the village of Anatevka sometimes talks to God about his earthly troubles. It is the tradition of the Jewish people that helps keep Tevye strong when his existence is balanced as precariously as a Fiddler on the Roof. This is especially important when his daughters seek to break with tradition, when Czarist anti- Semitism disrupts village life, and when Tevye is forced to abandon his home and village because the Czar ordered all Jews to move from the region.
180min., color, 1971. K, P, E, S, A.FIELD OF DREAMS (JV-252)
If you believe the impossible, the incredible will come true. This is the theme of the magical and moving film. "If you build it, they will come." With these words, an Iowa farmer is inspired by a voice he can't ignore to persue a dream he can hardly believe. He begins the quest by turning his ordinary cornfield into a ballfield where dreams come true. All along the way, he meets the different characters who help him to fulfill the dream.
106min., color, 1995. E, S, A.FIEVEL GOES WEST: An American Tail (JV-552)
An animated feature film continues the adventure of Fievel, the brave young mouse from An American Tail who discovers that the streets of America are not paved with cheese and that living in a mouse tenement does not offer a hopeful life. Instead, he goes west to become a hero like Wylie Burp, a tough law dog.
75min., color, 1992. P, E. Animated.50 (FIFTY) YEARS WAR (JV-668A, JV-668B)
A five-hour BBC history program charting the half-century of enmity, mediation, and negotiations between Israel and its neighbors, including personal interviews with leading statesmen, military commanders, guerrilla leaders, heads of state, and government ministers who made the headlines in the bitter and enduring struggle.
300min., color, 1999. S, A.THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT (JV-739)
When Director Shimon Azulay's brother becomes religious, the delicate fabric that holds this family together begins to unravel. In spite of the tremendous gaps that now exist, this powerful study shows the Azulays' struggle to keep the family united.
45min., color, Hebrew w/English subtitles, 1999. S, AFIRST CHAPTER IN A NEW BOOK (JV-119)
Jewish farmers in America? Yes! In the 1880s, hundreds of thousands of Jews emigrated to the United States from Russia. Some 43 families settled in southern New Jersey and founded the Alliance, the first Jewish farming community in this country. In the 1890s, over 300 Jewish families were living in six nearby villages. This film interviews many of the descendants of the early settlers.
58min., color, 1982. E, S, A.FIXER (JV-308)
When a Jewish handyman is accused of savagely murdering a young boy, the full impact of anti-Semitism in turn-of-the-century Russia is dramatically illustrated.
132min., black & white, 1973. S, A.THE FIXER: A Children's Story (JV-387)
This is an animated program which tells the story of a man who fixes things. All goes well until he is discovered by the totally wicked local king who is only happy when everyone else in the kingdom is miserable. The two conflict with each other, without ever resorting to violence. The fixer drives the king from his kingdom and returns for a daily celebration of being alive.
9min., color, 1995. E, S. Guide. Animated.FLIEGEL'S FLIGHT (JV-227)
A birds-eye view of Jewish history. Join Fliegel, the cartoon bird, on a magical tour. A colorful and entertaining film appealing to children from all backgrounds. Original music and score based on traditional Jewish and Israeli melodies.
26min., color, 1988. K, P, E. Animated.FOLLOW ME: The Story of the Six Day War (JV-284)
Israel faced its darkest hour during six days in June 1967. Arab soldiers waited for the order to push the Jewish State into the sea. This is the story of those six days in which Israel, outnumbered in everything but courage, achieved one of the most miraculous victories in the annals of warfare.
95min., black & white, 1973. S, A.FOR GOODNESS SAKE (JV-393)
In a humorous way, and starring noted television personalities, this video presents a fresh and inspiring message of individual responsibility and integrity. It covers such topics as making goodness a value in your life, obstacles to goodness, goodness in action, and feeling good about being good.
29min., color, 1994. S, A. Guide.FOR OUT OF ZION: The Making of a Torah Scroll (JV-96)
Filmed on location in Israel, this is a sensitive documentary depicting the role of the Torah in Jewish life and tradition, with special attention paid to the painstaking task of a sofer at work, the making, ornamentation, and chanting of the Torah Scroll. Examples of Torah design, past and present, are included as well as the chanting of the Torah trope. It is beautifully photographed and scored with a fine, clear narration. There are a few inaccuracies, according to traditional views, although they do not occur in segments on the Torah Scroll.
15min., color. E, S, A.FORCED MARCH (JV-340)
A successful television actor would risk anything for a meaningful role. When he signs to play Miklos Radnoti, the Hungarian poet who fought for his life against the brutal oppression of the Holocaust, he is forced on an inward journey of unexpected and terrifying impact. As he gets ever deeper into his role, he loses himself to the character, falling in love with his co-star and blurring the boundaries between truth and illusion. His confidence and perhaps even his sanity begin to disintegrate as he must face inescapable truths about his own past.
104min., color, 1993. S, A.FOREST OF VALOR (JV-249)
This video documents the story of the Jewish Underground Fighters and Partisans who fought the German Army in the forests of Eastern Europe during World War II. The film takes the viewer deep into the Rudniki and Nalbuki Forests to explore Partisan secret hiding places and their central weapons caches, and the Ninth Forest, which served as a center for mass murder of Jews. Rare footage obtained from the restricted archives of the Soviet Military Museum illuminates the story.
52min., color, 1991. S, A.THE FORWARD: From Immigrants to Americans (JV-553)
A documentary portrait of the New York-based Yiddish newspaper, The Jewish Daily Forward. Founded in 1897 by Abraham Cahan, it was the most famous and influential Yiddish newspaper in America. It served as a guide to immigrant transition, helping Yiddish speakers to assimilate into the American mainstream by covering a wide range of topics. The Forward strongly supported labor unions, socialist candidates, and President Franklin Roosevelt. It published translations of classic literary works and the work of Yiddish notables. The film captures the journalistic enterprise from its founding in 1897, and its pivotal role to hundreds of immigrants during its heyday in the 1920s, to becoming a weekly newspaper in 1987.
58min., color, 1989. A.THE FOUR SONS: A Guide to Passover (JV-19)
From the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago comes this guide to Passover, an entertaining and instructional guide to one of Judaism's most important observances. "How can we make a Passover Seder if Mom and Dad can't help us this year?" ask three brothers over lunch in Manny's Delicatessen. With the help of Manny (Theodore Bikel) and his wife, they learn how to prepare a traditional Seder, how to conduct a Seder, and the significance of the holiday.
37min., color, 1988. E, S, A. Leader's Guide.FOUR STORIES OF HIDING AND RESCUE: Testimonies of Survivors Who Were Children During the Holocaust (JV-773)
Survivors who were children during the Holocaust tell their personal survival stories: hiding with a Polish village family; hiding at a convent; hiding in the forest; or constantly traveling on the road.
30min., color, 199?. E, S, A.FREE VOICE OF LABOR: The Jewish Anarchists (JV-573)
Anarchism, which rejected government in all its forms, was the largest radical movement among Jewish immigrants in the 1880s and 1890s, and continued to attract fervent support in the early decades of this century. In 1977, as the Jewish anarchist newspaper Freie Arbeiter Shtimme was about to close down after 87 years of publication, the filmmakers interviewed elderly anarchists about their experiences in the American movement, the conditions that led them to join, their fight to build trade unions, differences with the Communists, attitudes toward violence, Yiddish culture, and loyalty to one another. This video introduces the authentic voices of an era gone by.
57 min., color and black & white, 1980. A.A FRIENDSHIP IN VIENNA (JV-428)
The innocent friendship between schoolmates Inge and Lise creates tension between their Austrian families because Inge is Jewish and Lise is the daughter of a high-ranking Nazi. As persecution of the Jews increases, the girls' courage grows, and their special friendship triumphs over discrimination.
94min., color, 1988. E, S, A.THE FRISCO KID (JV-33)
This comedy film follows the crazy adventures of an 1850s 'schlemiel' Polish Rabbi as he travels across the Wild West to his future congregation in California. Losing all his money to con men on his first day in America, he teams up with a friendly outlaw and rides across the country, surviving life-threatening and faith-testing dangers along the way. The outlaw is impressed by the Rabbi's honesty and self-confidence. Although the Rabbi's religious practices in the film are not always consistent with Jewish law, his unshakeable commitment to God's will and love of Torah make him a wonderful role model. Mild profanity.
120min., color, 1979. S, A.FROM LIFE TO LIFE: Death and Mourning in the Jewish Tradition (JV-388)
This is a sensitive documentary, handled with care and feeling. Guided by Torah law, the film depicts the preparation for burial. The simple pine coffin, the muslin shroud, the Ritual of Taharah, the burial, the shiva, and the need for a tombstone. It is a realistic and illustrative undertaking with a strong human interest.
30min., color, 1979. A.FROM OUR TABLE TO YOURS: The Story of a Kosher Chicken (JV-377)
Produced and distributed by Empire Kosher Poultry, this video tells how a kosher chicken is processed from the time of hatching to the time it is ready to be shipped to the store.
17min., color, 1995. S, A.FROM TOLEDO TO JERUSALEM, Yehoram Ga'on (JV-135)
Audio and video cassette plus accompanying book provide detailed information about Jewish Sephardic heritage and its place in Israeli culture. It is a journey into the past as Yehoram Ga'on follows in the footsteps of the Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal, through breathtaking photography and Ladino music.
40min., color, 1993. E, S, A.FUN WITH THE ALEFBET (JV-418)
Learning the Hebrew alphabet is fun when taught by the ventriloquist Jonathan Geffner and his puppet partners. The whimsical puppets Schmendrick, Ezra, Yosi, Chippy and Aunt Sarah make this video into a fun-filled, one-of-a-kind learning experience for all ages.
40min., color, 1993. E, S, A.FUNNY GIRL (JV-46)
This film follows the early career of the stage comedienne Fanny Brice, from her origins on the Lower East Side of New York to stardom with the Ziegfield Follies shows. The Jewish themes are open and warm, even romanticized.
151min., color, 1968. S, A.FUNNY LADY (JV-202)
A sequel to Funny Girl, this feature opens a new chapter in Fanny Brice's career and love life. Now divorced from her first husband, she teams up with Billy Rose, a brash and unkempt showman who is bursting with enthusiasm and theatrical ambition. They make an unusual couple.
136min., color, 1974. S, A.GANENU: Alef (JV-750)
Jewish education for pre- and elementary-school-aged children is taught with lessons in Alef-Bet and primary concepts of Judaism taught through music and stories, puppets, and animation.
20min., color, 1990. P, E.GANENU: Bet (JV-751)
Jewish education for pre- and elementary-school-aged children is taught with lessons in Alef-Bet and primary concepts of Judaism taught through music and stories, puppets, and animation.
20min., color, 1990. P, E.THE GARDEN OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS (Il Gardino dei Finzi-Contini) (JV-6)
This film is a haunting story set amidst the beauty and turmoil of pre-World War II Italy. It is 1938 as the Fascist persecution of the Jews increases. The wealthy Finzi-Contini family welcomes other Jewish families to the lush gardens of their estate, as a refuge from outside oppression. Two young people renew a childhood acquaintance, but these doomed lovers are swept helplessly along, locked in a race against fate and time.
90min., color, 1972. Italian w/English subtitles. S, A..GEFILTE FISH (JV-76)
This humorous and 'heimische' film tenderly tackles the tough issue of displacement of cultural tradition by the availability of ready-made products. Three generations of women share their personal methods of making gefilte fish. Each succeeding generation invests less effort, time, and love in the process. The different opinions expressed concerning the erosion of a cooking tradition reflect on the various other cultural and religious traditions that have lost their value in contemporary society.
15min., color, 1984. E, S, A. Leaders' Guide and Recipe Book.A GENERATION (Pokolenie) (JV-346)
This movie is the first of a Polish trilogy about World War II made by filmmakers who fought for the Polish Resistance. It offers a non-sentimental appraisal of heroism in the tale of a cocky Polish youth who decides to fight the Nazis after he falls in love with a pretty Resistance leader. As their efforts become deadly serious, the innocence of a generation is lost under the grueling conditions of war.
85min., black & white, 1954. Polish w/English subtitles. S, A..GENESIS: A Living Conversation (JV-602, JV-603, JV-604, JV-605, JV-606)
This is a ten-part PBS series based on a discussion group led by Dr. Burton Visotzky at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Inspired by the group, moderator Bill Moyers assembled his own Genesis readers, Bible scholars, artists, writers, and philosophers, whose differing interpretations make for passionate discussion. Beginning with the Creation and continuing through Joseph's exile to Egypt, each two-part episode focuses on two different biblical themes. The discussions are as fresh and relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.Part I: IN GOD'S IMAGE; TEMPTATION (JV-602)
In God's Image deals with the very first story in the Book of Genesis, God's creation of the Earth and man. Introduction by Mandy Patinkin. Featuring Walter Brueggemann, Roberta Hestenes, John S. Kesselman, Hugh O'Donnell, Burton Visotzky, Renita J. Weems, Avivah Gottlieb Zomberg.
55min., color, 1996. A.Temptation: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden deals with their tasting the forbidden fruit and subsequent expulsion from Eden. Introduced by Alfre Woodward. Featuring Leon R. Kass, Stephen Mitchell, Elaine Pagels, Naomi H. Rosenblatt, Jean-Pierre Ruiz, Marianne Meyer Thompson, and Robin Darling Young.
55min., color, 1996. A.Part 2: THE FIRST MURDER; APOCALYPSE (JV-603)
The First Murder: Cain and Abel. Introduction by Mandy Patinkin. Featuring John Barth, Rebecca Goldstein, Mary Gordon, Oscar Hijules, Charles Johnson, Faye Kellerman, and Burton Visotzky.
55min., color, 1996. A.Apocalypse: Noah and the Flood. Introduction by Alfre Woodward. Featuring Karen Armstrong, Byron E. (Barney) Calame, Alexander A. Di Lella, Carol Gilligan, Blu Greenberg, Samuel D. Proctor, and Burton Visotzky.
55min., color, 1996. A.Part 3: CALL AND PROMISE;A FAMILY AFFAIR (JV-604)
Call and Promise: Abraham and Sarah. Introduction by Mandy Patinkin. Featuring Robert Alter, Aziah Y. AlHibri, Bharati Mukherjee, Eugene Rivers, Lewis B. Smedes, Elizabeth Swados, and Burton Visotzky.
55min., color, 1996. A.A Family Affair: Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. Introduction by Alfre Woodward. Featuring Robert Alter, Aziah Y. AlHibri, Bharati Mukherjee, Eugene Rivers, Lewis B. Smedes, Elizabeth Swados, and Burton Visotzky.
55min., color, 1996. A.Part 4: THE TEST; BLESSED DECEPTION (JV-605)
The Test: Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah deals with God's command that Abraham sacrifice his son Isaac. Introduction by Mandy Patinkin. Featuring Dianne Bergant, Phyllis Trible, Burton Visotzky, Norman J. Cohen, Francisco O. Garcia-Treto, P.K. McCary, and Seyyed Hossein Nasr.
55min., color, 1996. A.Blessed Deception: Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob. Introduction by Alfre Woodward. Featuring Leon R. Kass, Stephen Mitchell, Elaine Pagels, Naomi H. Rosenblatt, Jean-Pierre Ruiz, Marianne Meyer Thompson, and Robin Darling Young.
55min., color, 1996. A.Part 5: GOD WRESTLING; EXILE (JV-606)
God Wrestling: Jacob's Coming-of-Age. Introduction by Mandy Patinkin. Featuring Walter Brueggmann, Roberta Hestenes, John S. Kesselman, Hugh O'Donnell, Burton Visotzky, Renita J. Weems, and Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg.
55min., color, 1996. A.Exile: Joseph in Egypt. Introduction by Alfre Woodward. Featuring Dianne Bergant, Norman J. Cohen, Francisco O. Garcia-Teto, P.K. McCary, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Phyllis Trible, and Burton Visotzky.
55min., color, 1996. A.
GENGHIS COHN: Revenge Can Be Hilarious (JV-554)
A dark comedy about a two-bit Jewish comedian in prewar Europe who later dies in Dachau but comes back nineteen years later as a ghost to haunt his camp Commandant in a small Bavarian village. The film highlights the cool efficiency with which Germany assimilated war criminals back into mainstream society.
100min., color, 1994. S, A.GENOCIDE (JV-400)
Genocide is the story of man's inhumanity to man -- the story of the millions of men, women, and children who fell victim to Hitler's Final Solution. The multi-image documentary combines historical narrative with actual stories of ordinary people caught by the Nazi's reign of terror. Its purpose is to challenge and inspire so that never again will man stand by silently and allow such atrocity to occur.
83min., color, 1981. S, A.GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT (JV-271)
This 1947 film was a sensation during its time by tackling the subject of racial prejudice and anti-Semitism. It follows a journalist's search for an angle to use in discussing antisemitism, and his unusual approach of posing as a Jew.
118min., black & white, 1947. E, S, A.GET THEE OUT (Izydi!) (JV-555)
This film, inspired by Sholom Aleichem, focuses on a successful Jewish dairy farmer in a small Christian village during the late Czarist period. He fears the pogroms that sweep the countryside and is forced to choose between fighting or fleeing in the midst of his daughter's wedding to a local Christian boy.
90min., color, 1991. Russian w/English subtitles. A.GETTING JERUSALEM TOGETHER (JV-221)
An historical guide to Jerusalem throughout the ages - the sites and the events that have shaped modern history. An inspiring, full, and thrilling story of the world's most famous city.
30min., color, 1992. E, S, A.THE GEVATRON (JV-626)
18 singers of Gevatron, all sons and daughters of Kibbutz Geva, have been performing together almost since the founding of the State of Israel. The kibbutz is located on the hills facing the Gilboa Mountains, where King Saul and his son Jonathan died.ar. Singing has always been an expression of hardship and joy, toil and pleasure for the kibbutz members. Although their songs were originally steeped in Hasidic and Jewish tradition, Gevatron has enlarged their repertoire while keeping the unique style, freshness, and vitality of kibbutz life.
n., color, 1991. S, A.GILDA RADNER-IN HER OWN WORDS (JV-402)
moving tribute to Gilda Radner, told in her own words, is a celebration of her life, career, humor, and courage. You'll laugh at footage from "Saturday Night Live," and learn about her brave battle against cancer.
n., color, 1994. S, A.GIRLFRIENDS (JV-680)
Personal narrative documentary film by women whose friendship was formed in the pre-war Baltic town of Libau (Liepaya, Latvia) and endured the sudden assaults on civilian life, the ghetto experience, slave labor, and genocide. The film focuses on their deep friendship which helped the women to survive, preserve their self-respect, and rebuild their lives after the war in Israel.
n., color, 1994. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.GOD@HEAVEN: A Little Boy Sends an e-mail to God (JV-742)
n-year-old Adam rushes home to try out an e-mail address direct to Jerusalem's Western Wall and God. This contemporary film's mix of theology and technology addresses an age-old question in a new and innovative way.
n., color, 1998. P, E, S, A.GOLAN: The Future of the Golan (JV-312)
Golan Heights, annexed by Israel after the Six Day War, is a major bargaining point in the peace process between Israel and Syria. This video details the importance of the Golan to the security of Israel, and all the resources that the Golan supplies: water, power, recreation, and home to the Israeli settlers. The video was prepared by the supporters of keeping the Golan as part of Israel.
., color, 1993. S, A.GOLDA MEIR (JV-574)
Walter Cronkite hosts this CBS News Special Report on Golda Meir, aired after her death at the age of eighty. This memorial, commemorative documentary includes photos, news clips and segments from interviews with Israeli and American leaders who knew her and recall her contribution to the development of the State of Israel.
30min., color, 1978. S, A.THE GOLDEN AGE OF SECOND AVENUE (JV-347)
This loving chronicle of the Yiddish theater in America stars Herschel Bernardi and covers the theater from its beginnings at the turn of the century to its present place in folklore. Included are excerpts from a variety of classic Yiddish films (with subtitles in English).
68min., color and black & white, 1968. S, A.THE GOLDEN LAND ON THE SILVER SCREEN (JV-462)
Companion video to six American films (Hester Street, Jazz Singer, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Way We Were, The Heartbreak Kid, and The Frisco Kid) that reflect on the history of the Jew in twentieth century America, from the immigrant experience until the present, grappling with the issues of assimilation, acculturation, and Jewish identity. This video provides an introduction and after word commentary by various scholars on each film, and is accompanied by a viewer guide with discussion questions for use by teachers
60min., color, 1987. S, A. Guide.THE GOLEM (JV-429)
1920 silent film retelling the medieval story of the mystical Golem.
64min., black & white, 1920. A silent film. A.THE GOLEM (The Complete Version) (JV-717)
This NYFA video presents the complete 115 minute version of the original film. It tells the story of the Jewish inhabitants of an Eastern European Ghetto face persecution. Their Rabbi works for their salvation by conjuring up a spell to bring a human shaped clay figure to life as the mythical "Golem". This was the third time Paul Wegner filmed the ancient Jewish myth which is also one of the world's first robot stories. Of note are the decidedly expressionistic set, chiaroscuro photography and Gothic lighting that Wegner employed for the first time.
115min., black & white, 1920. A silent film. A.THE GOOD DEED (JV-278)
Noah awakes from a traumatic dream to find himself being pestered by his overbearing family on the morning of his Bar Mitzvah. He takes refuge in the bathroom, where he creates a special space and enacts his own symbolic ceremony. In an interesting and funny way, this video provokes meaningful discussion of what becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is about.
14min., black & white, 1991. S, A.GOOD EVENING, MR. WALLENBERG (God Afton Herr Wallenberg) (JV-403)
Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish businessman, saved thousands of Jews in Hungary from death by issuing false Swedish passports and intimidating German officials. After saving 65,000 Jews from the Budapest Ghetto, he was taken prisoner by the Russians and never released. What subsequently happened to him has never been discovered.
115min., color, 1990. Swedish, German, Hungarian w/enhanced English subtitles. S, A.GOOD MORNING MISS TOLIVER (JV-729)
Presidential Awardee, Kay Toliver, combines math and communications arts skills to inspire and motivate her students in New York City's East Harlem. This behind-the-scenes look at her classroom show how well she succeeds.
27min., color, 1993. P, E, S, A.GOODBYE, COLUMBUS (JV-53)
Based on a novella by Philip Roth, this video brings together two classic stereotypes of American Jews who meet and have a very funny, albeit short and unsatisfactory, affair. The girl is rich, intelligent, young, and beautiful but indulged by her family. The boy is bright, poor, brooding, alienated and working as a librarian while figuring out what to do.
102min., color, 1969. S, A.THE GOVERNESS (JV-699)
A sensual romance, The Governess stars Minnie Driver as a high-spirited young woman forced to forsake her heritage after her father's murder. Her employer is an isolated gentleman whose only passion is for his work. But as he begins to teach her the pioneering art of photography, she teaches him the power of passion.
115min., color, 1997. S, A.GRANDMA DIDN'T WAVE BACK (JV-77)
Debbie's relationship with her grandmother has begun to weaken under the strain of the elderly woman's increasing memory lapses. The film poignantly evokes Debbie's fear of aging and death while sketching the difficulties encountered by her family in caring for the grandmother. The inevitable need for Grandma's institutionalization is ultimately accepted by the entire family, including Debbie, who first opposed it.
24min., color. E, S, A.GRANDPA'S TREE (JV-87)
Jonathan, a Jewish-American musician, flies to Israel with two objectives: to perform in a Tu BiShevat concert, and to find the tree his grandfather planted in 1926. The second mission takes him through the countryside to the house of Alexander Zaid, Israel's first Forest Ranger and to Kibbutz Yavneh's Tu BiShevat celebration. Jonathan not only finds his grandfather's tree, he also plants his own tree and gains an appreciation for the land and its history. Fast-moving, entertaining and informative.
24min., color, 199? Hebrew w/English voice-over translation. S, A.THE GREAT DICTATOR (JV-54)
This classic Charlie Chaplin movie was made in spite of substantial opposition to the film by isolationists in America and the Nazi Government in Germany. Chaplin, in this his first 'talkie,' plays both the Jewish barber facing persecution and the anti-Semitic dictator of "Tomania." Full of slapstick, satire and political commentary, the film holds the distinction of being the first Hollywood film to squarely confront German anti-Semitism and to speak out clearly against Nazi policies.
126min., black & white, 1940. E, S, A.GREAT FIGURES OF THE BIBLE
(JV-311A, JV-311B, JV-311C, JV-311D, JV-311E, JV-311F)
Nobel Peace Prize winner, Elie Wiesel, explores the human condition as revealed by the extraordinary tales of key biblical figures. With the presence of a master storyteller and the keen insights of a noted historian, Wiesel brings a fresh relevance to these stories -- tales that recall Jewish heritage and apply lessons to the challenges of contemporary times. The series includes portraits by Rembrandt, illuminated manuscripts from centuries-old Hagaddahs and Persian art from the 11th century.Part 1. ADAM AND EVE: The Story of Temptation (JV-311A)
50min., color, 1994. S, A.Part 2. CAIN AND ABEL: The First Murder (JV-311B)
32min., color, 1994. S, A.Part 3. ABRAHAM AND ISAAC: About Fathers and Sons (JV-311C)
50min., color, 1994. S, A.Part 4. JOB: Suffering and Sacrifice (JV-311D)
47min., color, 1994. S, A.Part 5. MOSES: The Agony of Power (JV-311E)
47min., color, 1994. S, A.Part 6. DAVID: Greatness and Passion (JV-311F)
45min., color, 1994. S, A.GREEN ANIMATION (JV-366)
This is a compilation of short, fresh animated films which deal with environmental issues. Animators and musicians, some student and some professional, combine talents to prompt laughter, anger, indignation and action for an ecologically sound future. In this simple, concise series of presentations, many basic truths are revealed in a provocative manner.
28min., color. Animation, 1993. P, E, S, A. Study guide.HALF THE KINGDOM (JV-556) 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 Knesset, and a journalist. They explore the challenges of reconceiving rituals and ceremonies, such as saying Kaddish and welcoming a baby into the Jewish community. The film captures their struggle and the obstacles they faced in attempting to reshape Judaism so as to include them. It addresses one of the most vital aspects of contemporary Jewish life and reexamines the role of women within a historically patriarchal religion.
59min., color, 1990. A.HAMSIN (Eastern Wind) (JV-162)
Hamsin is the hot desert wind which blows through the Middle East, sending temperatures and tempers soaring to explosive heights. In Israel, where two traditions meet head-on, the seemingly eternal problem of Jewish-Arab relations is portrayed in this powerful story of a Jewish landowner and his Arab worker. These two men work side by side to build a dream ranch in the Galilee. When it is learned that some Arab lands in the area are to be confiscated by the government, tensions flair up between Jews and Arabs. An effort toward reconciliation is made, but it seems futile as the "Hamsin" sends the tempers soaring.
90min., color, 1983. Hebrew w/English subtitles. A.HANNA K. (JV-193)
The story of a woman's attempt to assert her identity in strife-torn Israel. As a defense attorney and pregnant as a result of an affair with the zealous District Attorney of Jerusalem, she finds herself on the opposite side when she attempts to exonerate an accused Palestinian terrorist.
111min., color, 1983. A.HANNA'S WAR: A True Story (JV-21)
The British desperately sought commandos to rescue English fliers downed in Eastern Europe during World War II. They found a group of Hungarian Jews who had emigrated to Palestine, several brave men and a young woman named Hanna Senesh, whose individual courage was tested not only in combat, but also in a Nazi prison. This stirring account of one woman's indomitable will in the face of torture, fear, and despair is a tribute to all who defy tyranny.
148min., color, 1988. S, A.A HANUKKAH CELEBRATION: Candle Unto Candle (JV-325)
This delightfully informative and entertaining video provides a wonderful introduction to the Festival of Lights. Both educational and entertaining, the holiday is presented through puppets, songs and games, and food preparation.
25min., color. Hebrew w/English subtitles. K, P, A.THE HARMONISTS (Comedian Harmonists) (JV-767)
A sextet vocal singing group, consisting of five Christians and one Jewish member, become an overnight sensation in Germany until their success collides with Nazi Germany's changing political life,
115min., color, 1997. German w/English subtitles. S, A.HARRY WEINBERG'S NOTEBOOK (JV-276)
Based on Leslea Neuman's short story, A Letter to Harvey Milk, this tender and thought-provoking film examines sensitive issues as a Jewish man explores stories of his past in a creative writing class.
27min., color. S, A.HATE ON TRIAL (JV-242C, JV-242D)
This last in the three-part public television series on hate with Bill Moyers focuses on the 1990 trial of White Aryan Resistance (WAR) leaders charged with inciting the murder by skinheads of a young Ethiopian man in Portland, Oregon. Includes documentary trial footage and pauses for a panel of lawyers, activists, and journalists discussing the issues of hate and free speech limits.
80min., 60min., color, 1992. S, A. Guide.HAVANA NAGILA: The Jews in Cuba (JV-733)
This eye-opening documentary traces the history and presence of the Jewish community that remained in Cuba after the 1959 Revolution.
57min., color, 1995. E, S, A.THE HEARTBREAK KID (JV-45)
A young Jewish couple marry traditionally and head for their honeymoon in Miami Beach. Soon, however, the bridegroom discovers that he really does not love his new bride and bolts for a Gentile beauty. He leaves his Jewish life for the Gentile girl, but life in the new world for this Jew is not what it appeared it would be from the outside.
106min., color, 1983. S, A.HEBREW LESSONS 1, 2, 3, 4 (JV-216)
30-minute lesson series including a program text handbook on how to read Hebrew and love it, by Helen Ducoff.
120min., color, 1985. S, A.HEBREW LESSONS 5, 6, 7 (JV-217)
Continuation of 30-minute lesson series, including a program text handbook, on how to read Hebrew and love it, by Helen Ducoff.
90min., color, 1985. S, A.HEIL HITLER: Confessions of a Hitler Youth (JV-431) The true story of Alfons Heck, who, as a 10-year old, pledged his life to Adolf Hitler and became a high-ranking member of the Hitler Youth during World War II. Asked if it could happen today, Heck replied, "Of course."
30min., color, 1992. S, A.HELLO DOLLY (JV-163)
The famed plot concerns Dolly Levi, "...who arranges things...like furniture, daffodils, and lives." She is a young widow and professional matchmaker who sets her sights, and whatever else she can muster, on conquering the tight-fisted Yonkers merchant Horace Vandergeider. The result is a great musical plot.
146min., color, 1969. A.HERSHELE (JV-359)
Hershele, the grandson of Hershele of Ostropoli, comes to Israel as a new Oleh. We follow the trials and tribulations of Hershele the Russian immigrant in the new land, with new customs, finding his way among Jews from many countries, where East meets West, and how love conquers all. This musical comedy starring Mike Burstein is funny and heart warming.
90min., color, 1984.. Hebrew language only. E, S, A.HERZL (JV-791)
A biographical sketch of Theodore Herzl, his ideas for founding the state of Israel, and the early history of Zionism.
52min., color. S, A.HESTER STREET (JV-189)
Set in the Lower East Side of New York in 1896, Gitl and her son arrive to join her husband Jake. He has completely embraced America by getting a sweatshop job and an English-speaking girlfriend, while Gitl clings to her old country ways. Jake is soon embarrassed to be seen with her as he struggles to assimilate by trying to shed his ethnic identity.
89min., black & white, 1974. A.HIAS MEANS FREEDOM (JV-291)
HIAS stands for Hebrew Immigrants Aid Society. The video tells about the history of the organization, and the work it does in helping Jews all over the world to escape persecution and attain freedom. The organization gives a helping hand to the new immigrants to start a new life in the United States. Through the story of one family, new arrivals from the USSR, we learn about the way HIAS works. The emphasis is on the fact that HIAS is committed initially to help the Jewish immigrants; later the new Americans commit themselves to help HIAS.
15min., color, 1992. S, A.THE HIDDEN CITY OF PETRA (JV-410) With high-tech evidence, scientific analysis and the most recent discoveries, this video researches the Hidden City carved by the ancient Nabateans in a barren and remote place. Petra covers 35 square miles of temples, tombs, market streets, canal systems and cisterns, all left by a highly sophisticated, technologically superior people.
50min., color, 1995. S, A.HIDE AND SEEK (Machboim) (JV-326)
90min., color, 1980. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.HILL 24 DOESN'T ANSWER (Giv'a 24 Eina Ona) (JV-114)
In 1948 Israel is fighting not only for its independence but for its very existence. Jerusalem is under siege. Four soldiers, an Irishman, an American, a native-born Israeli, and a Yemenite woman, are assigned to defend strategic Hill 24 on the outskirts of Jerusalem in order to maintain an open road to the besieged city. Through the personal stories of the four defenders, we learn about the birth of the State of Israel and about the people who gave their lives to ensure Israel's survival. This film was the first major success of the young Israeli cinema. It is an uncommonly forthright and absorbing tribute to the valor of Israel's soldiers and to their dedication.
101min., black & white, 1955. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A. Guide.HIS PEOPLE (JV-316)
A highly specific feel for Manhattan's Lower East Side in the early years of this century provides "His People" with images so evocative one can almost hear the sounds of neighborhood and home. Director Edward Sloman explores the gap between sources of respect in the old world and paths to success in the new. Focusing on differences between two sons, Morris the lawyer and his prize-fighting brother Sammy, the film traces easy contrasts. Both stray from traditions cherished by their Russian-immigrant parents, but both generations learn to accept changing circumstances and desires in order to preserve the family as source of love and self-respect. A down-to-earth story that everyone understands.
91min., black & white, 1925. Close Captioned. A.HIS WIFE'S LOVER (Zayn Vaybs Lubovnik) (JV-660)
77min., black & white, 1931. Yiddish w/English subtitles. S, A.HISTORY UNDERCOVER: Diplomats for the Damned (JV-779)
This details the rescue efforts of four diplomats who were directly involved in helping Jewish refugees in France, Denmark, and Hungary escape the Holocaust.
45min., color, 2000. S, A.HITCHHIKERS (Trempistim) (JV-678)
On his way to Tel Aviv, Yehezkel picks up three hitchhikers--an Orthodox soldier, a free-spirited young woman, and an Israeli Arab. As the trip progresses, the complicated personal lives of each unfolds. Each traveler is representative of different segments of Israeli society. The film, written by talk-show host Dudu Topaz, captures the essence of contemporary Israeli society in a most poignant and humorous way.
47min., color, 1998. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.HITLER: Anatomy of a Dictatorship (JV-432)
After Hitler became legal head of the German government in 1933, he promised the depressed nation revenge against supposed enemies at home and abroad. Before the Allies finally defeated him, he was responsible for the deaths of over 35 million people, an unmatched record of dictatorial brutality.
22min., black & white. S, A. Guide.HOLLYWOOD: An Empire of Their Own (JV-622)
Based on Neal Gabler's 1988 book, An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood, this video tells three dramatic stories on the rise of American film, the personal sagas of the men who shaped it, and the origins of the values Hollywood embraces today. 100min., color, 1997. S, A.HOLLYWOOD VS. RELIGION: The Truth Behind Hollywood's Hostility Toward Religion (JV-489)
This video reviews Hollywood's depiction of western religions in films. Michael Medved suggests Hollywood decision-makers take a consistently hostile view of traditional religious doctrines, personalities and values. This video is a follow-up to the book with the same title.
56min., color, 1994. A.HOLOCAUST (JV-191A, JV-191B)
The story spans a decade, 1935 to 1945, and depicts the lives of two families living in Nazi Germany. Included are the tragedy and triumph, of the Weiss family, and the story of Erik Dorf, an impoverished lawyer who joins the SS and becomes a high official. In scope, in breadth, in impact Holocaust is a monumental drama. Starring Meryl Streep, Michael Moriarity and James Woods.
7hrs. and 30min., color, 1978. A.THE HOLOCAUST: A Documentary (JV-250)
A review of documents, original film clips, and photography of the Holocaust. Episodes of Jewish resistance to the Nazi regime are presented during a visit to Yad VaShem, the Jerusalem museum built to commemorate both the victims of the Holocaust and the heroes of the Ghetto resistance.
23min., black & white, 1991. A.THE HOLOCAUST: Seeds of the Holocaust (Module 1) (JV-443)
This documentary video covers the years 1933-1935, when Nazis' power rose in Germany and the seeds for the Holocaust were planted. The Nazis began to systematically persecute the Jews; they enacted laws against interaction between Jews and "Aryans," and banned many Jews from their traditional workplaces and businesses. The Nazi propaganda machine explained all this as a means to protect the Aryans from the influence and contamination by Jews.
16min., black & white, 1995. S, A. Guide.THE HOLOCAUST: The Death Camps, 1935-1945 (Module 2) (JV-473)
This documentary video follows the fate of the European Jews from 1935 to 1945. The Jews in Germany suffered systematic persecution, and some were sent to concentration camps. After the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, mass extermination of European Jews began. The Nazis forced the Jews from their homes into Ghettos. Many were rounded up by the Nazis, murdered and buried in mass graves. Finally, those who survived were shipped by the Nazis to concentration camps where they were used as slave laborers. Most of the prisoners of these camps died from the barbarous conditions. Many more, deemed unfit to work, were murdered and burned in the crematoria. This video tells the story of the death camps.
16min., color and black & white. 1995. S, A. Teacher's guide.THE HOLOCAUST: The Trial of Adolf Eichmann, 1961 (Module 3) (JV-474)
This documentary video concentrates on the trial of Adolf Eichmann, held in Jerusalem in 1961. Adolf Eichmann's role in the extermination of the European Jews was relatively little known to the public at large. But for the Jewish people, he was the greatest of the Nazi war criminals. Bringing him to justice became a number one priority for the State of Israel. The trial began with a legal battle between the Israeli prosecutor, Gideon Hausner, and Eichmann's defense lawyer, Robert Servatius, who argued that Israel had no right to try Eichmann. Many Holocaust survivors testified against Eichmann, and on December 11, 1961, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. The trials of Eichmann and other former Nazis continue to remind the world about the need to instill the lessons of personal responsibility and morality into all its citizens, to ensure that another Holocaust will never happen again.
16min., color and black & white, 1995. S, A. Teacher's guide.THE HOLOCAUST: PART 1: Without Pity; PART II: Dreams to Reality (JV-500)
A two-part narration about the deprivation experienced by the Jews in the Ghettos and concentration camps, through personal accounts, still photos, and historical events. Part II discusses the cultural background of Germany and the Nazis which led to the Holocaust.
35min., color and black & white. S,A.THE HOLOCAUST AND "YAD VASHEM" (JV-607A, JV-607B)
This two part video is a special co-production of Yad VaShem, Israel Film Service, and Doko Video. This painful but vital memoriam traces the history of Nazism from its earliest roots in Germany of 1918. Through a collection of miraculously precise and enlightening photographs and film footage, we are given a glimpse into the rich cultural, religious and social world of the Jews in Eastern Europe, destroyed forever in the fires of the Holocaust.The Holocaust (JV-607A)
This video is a remarkable and important film, for it captures not only the horrors of Kristallnacht, Babi Yar and the monstrous concentration camps, but also the heroism and bravery of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and the Jewish partisans who desperately tried to help their brethren. This testament is a significant educational tool, particularly when anti-Semitism is all too real and tangible.
30min., color and black & white, 1994. S, A.Displaced Persons (JV-607B)
Feeling lost in their own countries, many survivors liberated from the Nazi concentration camps had only one place they would ever feel safe again - the Land of Israel. This film follows the progress of an "illegal" immigrant ship, the SS FEARLESS, which set out from Italy to Palestine. The film presents interviews with brings surviving immigrants and with official. It shows the daunting difficulties they faced in running the British Mandate blockade, and their landing at their destination, the pre-state Israel.
50min., color and black & white, 1994. S, A.HOLOCAUST ON TRIAL (JV-782)
A reconstruction of the British court libel case in 2000 brought by American Holocaust scholar Deborah Lipstadt against British historian and author David Irving who claimed that Hitler never mandated mass extermination of Europe's Jews.
60min., color, 2000. S, A.HOLOCAUST RESOURCE CENTER: Oral History (JV-477)
An oral history account of John (Jack) B. Coulston's memories of encountering the Holocaust while liberating Ohrdruf Concentration Camp.
42min., color, 1987. A.HOMAGE TO CHAGALL: The Colors of Love (JV-558)
Throughout his life, painter Marc Chagall drew upon his Jewish roots for inspiration. Born in Tsarist Russia in 1887, Chagall derived much of his artistic sensibility from his shtetl childhood. In his 98 years, he painted hundreds of scenes from the Bible in a distinctive fairy-tale style--dreamy and unpretentious, with sublime color. Narrated by James Mason, the film celebrates Chagall's life and work, showing hundreds of examples of his work, from paintings to stained glass windows. An extensive interview with the artist and his wife at their home in Southern France reveals his deep affection for the poetry of the Bible and his faith in the Jewish people.
90min., color, 1987. S, A.HOMICIDE (JV-557)
Based on David Mamet's thriller, a police hostage negotiator confronts his long-buried Jewish identity as he searches for a criminal wanted for the murder of an elderly Jewish shopkeeper. Assigned to the case because he is Jewish, he grapples with his unformed Jewish side while he learns about the murdered woman and her circle of acquaintances. His encounters with others underscores the tension between his police work and his sense of Jewish identification. Confronting the tension of assimilation and anti-Semitism of his police work results in his personal transformation in establishing his Jewish self.
100min., color, 1992. A.HOT BAGELS: The Hole Story (JV-4)
The American Jewish experience as portrayed by Jerry Joffe and Steve Christiansen, who made this film. Take a guided tour through the bagel-making process, from its origins to contemporary methods. This video features a teenage bagel-maker, has an original score, and utilizes rare historic film footage.
12min., color, 1982. E, S, A.HOTEL TERMINUS (JV-10A, JV-10B)
A two-part documentary film spanning 70 years, three continents, and 120 hours of interviews as it explores the life and times of Klaus Barbie, known as the Butcher of Lyon. Barbie was implicated in 4,000 deaths and 7,000 deportations of Jews from occupied France before he disappeared at the end of World War II. Hotel Terminus explores the 40-year hunt for Barbie, who ironically was once employed as a paid informer for the U.S. in post-war Germany and was then smuggled out of Europe with alleged Vatican assistance. He took refuge and was harbored in South America at the same time his crimes were denounced. This video describes the complex web of political intrigue, collaboration, and deceit that safeguarded Barbie until his capture.
50min., color and black & white, 1988. S, A.HOUDINI: The Great Escape (JV-620)
Harry Houdini dazzled vaudeville audiences with his unique blend of showmanship, magic skills, and daring-do. In capitals throughout the world, police and security experts tried to outsmart him, but he could always escape from a submerged crate, walk through a brick wall, and even make an elephant disappear. However, his life-long fascination with the spiritual world presented his greatest challenge on Halloween, 1926. Interviews with magicians Penn & Teller, Harry Blackstone, Jr., the Amazing Randi, and members of the Houdini family shed new light on the biography of this remarkable man.
50min., color and black & white, 1994. S, A.THE HOUSE ON CARROLL STREET (JV-433)
This film addresses the subject of Nazi criminals smuggled into the United States under assumed names with the cooperation of government authorities. The heroine, who is being investigated for alleged connection to the Communist Party, refuses to testify and thereby loses her job as a journalist. In her new job, she observes some suspicious activity in the house next door. With the help of a police investigator, she manages to uncover the truth about this operation. The film contrasts investigating communism while ignoring the activities of ex-Nazis in the postwar years.
90min., color and black & white, 1988. S, A.THE HOUSE ON CHELOUCHE STREET (Ha Bayit B'Rechov Chelouche) (JV-57)
The moving story of a Jewish refugee family from Egypt who struggles to survive in Tel Aviv during the turmoil of the last days of British occupation and the birth of the Nation of Israel. Told from the perspective of the eldest son of a young widow, it captures the vigor of the Jewish State as it emerged from British control.
111min., color, 1973. Hebrew w/English subtitles. A.THE HOUSE ON GARIBALDI STREET (JV-9)
This exciting made-for-television movie recreates the kidnaping of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, when Israeli agents snatch him from his Buenos Aires hideaway. When the Germans step in, the movie becomes a tense adventure told in documentary style. Alfred Burke gives a fine performance as the emotionless Nazi.
98min., color, 1981. S, A.HOW IS THIS NIGHT DIFFERENT? (JV-150)
The Joint Distribution Committee, in April 1990, sponsored public Seders in 24 Soviet Union cities, conducted by 22 Israeli couples. For many Soviet Jews, this operation turned into an awakening of their long dormant Jewish identity. Each Seder had its own story. Azriel, JDC's partner in Israel, arranged for all the kosher food and other Seder artifacts to be flown from Israel by Aeroflot, the Russian air carrier. When the plane did not arrive on schedule, other arrangements were improvised. At the same time that Jews celebrated in the Soviet Union, other Soviet Jews were en route to Israel.
30min., color, 1990. E, S, A. Teacher and Leader GuideHOW ISRAEL WON THE WAR: CBS News Report (JV-532)
CBS News reporter Mike Wallace and retired American Brigadier General S.L.A. Marshall analyze the events of the June 1967 Six Day War through visits to battle locations, documentary film footage, and interviews with Arab and Israeli military leaders. The battles were waged simultaneously on three fronts, with Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Israel's victory was swift and impressive, and established Israel as the greatest military power in the Middle East.
52min., color, 1967. A.HOW TO READ HEBREW--AND LOVE IT (JV-342)
This two-hour program is designed for anyone who needs to read Hebrew, wants reinforcement of Hebrew reading skills, wants to build reading accuracy, or is preparing for Bar/Bat Mitzvah. The video includes exercises in every lesson as well as lively computer animation.
120min., color, 1994. S, A. Guide.HOW TO TRACE YOUR JEWISH ROOTS (JV-419)
Renowned Jewish genealogist Arthur Kurzweil goes on location to Ellis Island and other significant sites and shows how easy it is to search for immigrant origins.
33min., color, 1995. S, A.I LOVE YOU ROSA (Ani Ohev Otach Rosa) (JV-616)
Rosa, a young woman beautiful and proud, lives in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem at the end of the 19th century. Her husband died and she is left alone surrounded by hostile family members that blame her for the death. By biblical law, she cannot remarry unless it is to the late husband's brother. But what can she do if the brother is only 12 years old? Rosa takes care of him like a mother but he insists on considering her as his future bride. This is a heart-warming, exciting and unusual love story.
77min., color, 1972. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES (JV-40)
Jewish Poland, before its destruction, was the largest and most important center of Jewish culture and creativity. This documentary recreates the quality of Jewish life from the late 1800's until the 1930's through home movies, photographs, memorabilia, music, and interviews with survivors of the Holocaust. The broad scope of pluralistic Jewish life is examined in detail by viewing photographs of rural settings, urban centers, summer camps, political rallies, wooden synagogues, theaters, and clubs. These are augmented by personal recollections and stories in Yiddish, Polish, and English that add insight and warmth to a panorama of a vanished way of life.
90min., color and black & white, 1980. English, Yiddish, Polish w/voice over translations. S, A.IMAGES OF METROWEST (JV-258)
A historical overview based on archival pictures, Images of Metrowest, presented by Helen Ducoff, tells the story of life in Essex County. Helen Ducoff interviews Ruth Fien and Saul Schwarz.
25min., color, 1986. A.THE IMPORTED BRIDEGROOM (JV-281)
Asriel Stroon is a widowed landlord who has amassed a fortune in America, but fears that he won't be accepted to heaven. On a visit to the "old country," he discovers that many rich men are "bidding" for an awkward but brilliant student as a bridegroom for their daughters. Asriel decides to win him for his daughter, Flora, but she prefers an American doctor. The results are far more than the beleaguered father bargained for. With klez-inspired music and many surprise twists, the film is both humorous and endearing.
93min., color, 1989. S, A.IMPOSSIBLE SPY (JV-8)
The dramatic story of Israel's spy, Eli Cohen, who was recruited at age 35 from a quiet normal life and assigned to a mission that would change his life and the history of Israel. From Argentina, where he established a new identity as a wealthy Syrian businessman, he went to Damascus where, with guile and fluency in Arabic, he was able to climb to the upper echelons of the Syrian government and gain access to the country's most vital secrets. These he relayed to Israel before being captured and publicly hanged. The information proved to be crucial for Israel's victory in the 1967 Six Day War.
96min., color, 1987. S, A.IMPRESSIONS OF ISRAEL (JV-304)
A visual montage of the sites and sounds of contemporary Israel. This video relies on images rather than dialogue to paint a picture of contemporary Israel from every possible vantage point: the streets of Jerusalem, Judean Hills, the Dead Sea, and the Sea of Galilee.
28min., color, 1987. E, S, A.IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MENORAH (JV-67E, JV-67H)
The video is part of the Melton Israel Curriculum. An American youngster, in search of the ways the menorah is used in Israel as a national symbol, is magically transported there by a talking menorah from his synagogue. During a treasure hunt in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, he finds the menorah in many places: his passport, on coins, in front of the Israeli Knesset, and many other unexpected places. After his imaginary trip, he returns home with memories of his many encounters.
12min., color, 1995. Hebrew and English versions. E, S, A.IN HER OWN TIME: Barbara Myerhoff's Final Fieldwork (JV-559)
A documentary about noted anthropologist Barbara Myerhoff's search for solace in the spiritual community of religious observance after learning that she is dying of lung cancer. Myerhoff's life of individuality and independence, dedicated to the studies of community, documents her own journey through the pathways of Judaism while studying the life of an orthodox community in Los Angeles. Her quest for a place for her soul is the basis for this documentary as much as about life and tradition.
60min., color, 1985. A.IN THE PATH OF PRAYER (JV-234)
Israel's ancient synagogues tell the story of the unbroken Jewish presence in the Land of Israel. The symbols and decorations which adorn them demonstrate a yearning for Jerusalem. This film takes a look at synagogues uncovered in archaeological excavations at Masada, Qumran, Barom, Kfar Nahum, Kozarim, Beit Alfa, Tiberias, Safed, and Jerusalem.
24min., color, 1994. S, A.IN THE SYNAGOGUE (JV-352)
This imaginative video tells the story of 12-year-old Emily Rudin, who sets out with her camera to discover the meaning of the synagogue. She visits several synagogues where she meets congregants who pray, study, celebrate, and join together to perform acts of Zedakah. Through her photography, she captures the beauty of the synagogue as well as her own Jewish identity.
25min., color, 1994. E, S, A. Teacher's guide.IN THEIR OWN HANDS: The Hidden Story of the Jewish Brigade in World War II (JV-731)
Escapades of the British Jewish Brigade were little known. Their stories are told here as they fought the Nazis, helped engineer the rescue and clandestine movement of Holocaust survivors to Palestine, and later as veterans helped organize and lead the fledgling Israel Defense Forces during the War of Independence.
85min., color, 1998. S, A.INTERMARRIAGE: This Great Difference; When Love Meets Tradition (JV-283)
Two short films cover problems encountered by intermarried couples. This poignant film looks at challenges and problems when the mates come from different religious backgrounds and show how difficult it is to solve conflicts between devotion to individual religions and love for each other. Both films should be used with guidance and careful audience preparation.
45min., color, 1987. S, A. Teacher guide.INTIMATE PORTRAIT: BELLA ABZUG (JV-720)
A Lifeline television program depicting the life of the famous New York women's advocate and politician.
44min., color, 1999. S, A.INTIMATE STORY (Sipur Intima) (JV-272)
The story of a childless couple on a kibbutz and how their problems are treated by the kibbutz. As their marriage fails, the problems and benefits of kibbutz life are shown, both the warmth and concern as well as the exposure of private life within the closed community.
95min., color, 1981. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.ISAAC IN AMERICA (JV-560)
A close encounter with Isaac Bashevis Singer, narrated in part by Judd Hirsch, as the wry and self-deprecating author recalls his youth in pre-war Poland, his adjustment to America, and his struggle to publish in Jewish newspapers. This documentary looks at Singer's life and art, from his early days in Warsaw to his acceptance of the Nobel Prize. As the best-known Yiddish author in the United States, he positioned himself as a renegade standing apart from the "sentimental" tradition of Yiddish literature. He focuses on the great comedy and tragedy of the Jewish people.
58min., color, 1986. A.ISLAND OF HOPE - ISLAND OF TEARS (JV-141)
Video version of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum film shown to all visitors as an introduction and background to visiting the Museum. It tells the story of Ellis Island and the immigrants who were processed there. More than 12 million men, women, and children passed through the immigration station between 1890 and 1924. The film recreates the story of emigration to America from the time they left Europe to the moment Ellis Island offered the great promise of America.
30min., color and black & white, 1990. E, S, A. Information Booklet.ISRAEL: Birth of a Nation (JV-683)
A documentary film telling the story of Israel's War of Independence, told by historian Martin Gilbert and illustrated with archival footage and eyewitness interviews with key figures, detailing the stories of illegal Jewish immigration, the siege of Jerusalem, major battles, and the rise of the young state's warriors and statesmen.
90min., color, 1998. S, A.ISRAEL: A Nation is Born; Excerpts (JV-200)
A half hour of highlights from the five-hour series. See description below.
28min., color, 1992. S, A.ISRAEL: A Nation is Born, With Abba Eban, a Personal Witness >B>(JV-225A, JV-225B, JV-225C, JV-225D, JV-225E)
The five-part video series is presented by former Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban. It chronicles his recollections of, and his part in, the creation of the State of Israel. The series tells of the events leading to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the subsequent border conflicts, the 1967 Six Day War, the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty, and events of the last decade.ISRAEL: A Nation is Born: Part 1 (JV-225A)
This first video portrays the rise of Zionism and President Truman's mounting pressure for a Jewish state following the Holocaust and the continuing postwar plight of European Jewry. It moves through the struggle for independence, Proclamation of Independence, Operation Magic Carpet, providing an insight into events of the time.
55min., color, 1992. S, A. Guide.ISRAEL: A Nation is Born: Part II (JV-225B)
The Proclamation of Israeli Statehood on 14 May 1948 opens this video and follows the invasion of the new state by its Arab neighbors, the siege and fall of the Old Quarter of Jerusalem, and the initial peace process. It also covers the flood of immigrants to Israel and the development of the country during the 1950's.
55min., color, 1992. S, A. Guide.ISRAEL: A Nation is Born: Part III (JV-225C)
Abba Eban explains how Israel ended its isolation, culminating in the combined Anglo-French-Israeli Sinai Campaign in 1956. He then reveals his personal involvement in the plan to bring Adolf Eichmann to trial in Israel. This part concludes with Egyptian President Nasser plotting a maritime blockade and invasion of Israel as United Nations peace-keeping forces leave the border area. President Nixon gives a first-hand account of events of the time.
55min., color, 1992. S, A. Guide.ISRAEL: A Nation is Born: Part IV (JV-225D)
The Six Day War of June 1967 is discussed in full in Part IV. Abba Eban, now Israel's Foreign Minister, attempted to create an international maritime force to break Nasser's blockade of the Tiran Straits and prevent an Egyptian invasion. When this failed, the Israeli government was forced to face the war threat alone. The ensuing battles changed Israel beyond the scope of the actual conflict. Eban led diplomatic efforts at the United Nations resulting in UN Resolution 242. He tells how postwar attempts to achieve peace failed and a long-term war of attrition began.
n., color, 1992. S, A. Guide.ISRAEL: A Nation is Born: Part V (JV-225E)
final part opens with the 1973 surprise attack by Egypt and Syria which came to be known as the Yom Kippur War. It contains interviews with Egyptian leaders about preparations for war, and with President Nixon and then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger about the U.S. re-supply airlift and nuclear war alert. This part also covers the later Camp David Accord leading to a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, and the Palestinian Intifada uprisings. Abba Eban describes his personal communications with Jordanian King Hussein and other Arab leaders. Finally, he outlines the beginning of a new peace process through the Madrid Conference and beyond. n., color, 1992. S, A. Guide.ISRAEL: Never a Dull Moment (JV-90E)
English language version, taken from the archives of Israeli Television, this video highlights major events in the history of the nation since its establishment in 1948. It includes Ben Gurion's reading of the Proclamation of Independence; Operation Magic Carpet; Reclamation of the Negev; the capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann; the Six Day War; the rescue at Entebbe; Sadat's visit to Jerusalem, etc. These events, along with human interest stories, are but a few of the memorable moments captured on this video.
60min., color and black & white, 1988. E, S, A.ISRAEL: Never a Dull Moment (JV-351R)
Russian language version, taken from the archives of Israeli Television, this video highlights major events in the history of the nation since its establishment in 1948. It includes Ben Gurion's reading of the Proclamation of Independence; Operation Magic Carpet; Reclamation of the Negev; the capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann; the Six Day War; the rescue at Entebbe; Sadat's visit to Jerusalem, etc. These events, along with human interest stories, are but a few of the memorable moments captured on this video.
60min., color and black & white, 1988. Russian language only. E, S, A.ISRAEL DISCOVERY: The Summer of Your Lifetime (JV-412)
This description of Young Judea Israel Programs, sponsored by Hadassah, covers the activities for teens: extensive interaction with Israeli teens, an emphasis on Hebrew, a diversified itinerary and much more.
9min., color, 1996. S, A.ISRAEL: Take Heart In It All (JV-104)
A general tour of Israel, showing its diverse citizens, holy sites, archaeological excavations, business districts, restaurants, cultural centers, and tourist attractions. Jerusalem is presented as a city of contrasts and continuities that whet the appetite to visit Israel.
14min., color, 1994. S, A.ISRAELI DANCING THE EASY WAY WITH SHARON (JV-375)
Lessons in such Israeli dances as the Hallelujah, Ashira, Hora, Chai, Forshay Rock, Popcorn, Yavnah (in 3 variations), and Tefilla. (First 10 minutes taped-over by another program).
120min., color. S, A.ISRAELI WRITERS: A.B. Yehoshua (JV-47)
A.B. Yehoshua, the novelist, playwright, and professor is one of Israel's foremost authors. Here, he discusses his work in a wide-ranging interview.
60min., color, 1988. Hebrew language only. S, A.ISRAELI WRITERS: Crying--A Story by Aharon Megged (JV-247)
A drama portrays the misfit lives of a young boy and his father in a kibbutz during the early years of the Israeli State. The segment includes an interview with the author, Aharon Megged.
37min., color, 1988. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.ISRAELI WRITERS: Gershom Scholem on S. Y. Agnon (JV-48)
The literary works of S. Y. Agnon, a central figure in modern Hebrew fiction, are discussed by Gershom Scholem who was both a personal friend of Agnon and is himself Israel's leading scholar on Jewish mysticism.
105min., color, 1988. Hebrew language only. S, A.THE ISRAELIS (JV-533)
This CBS Special News Report, broadcast two weeks after the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, has journalist Amos Elon present his personal perspectives on the national characteristics and complexities of life in Israel. A rich selection of everyday scenes tells the story of the State of Israel 25 years after independence. By then it constituted a democracy characterized by a wide diversity of social and political views; unique internal challenges, including the absorption of dissimilar waves of immigrants, the incorporation of a growing Arab minority, and the constant threat to its security.
52min., color, 1973. A.IT COULD ONLY BE ISRAEL (JV-380)
A travelogue and love story tells the beauty of Israel, within the age-old story of "Boy Meets Girl," with a background of Israel's many religious sites, scenic wonders, museums, and shops.
15min., color. A.IT WAS NOTHING...IT WAS EVERYTHING (JV-795)
This is the story of the Greek Jews who managed to survive the Holocaust, some came back from the death camps, some fought as partisans, but most were helped by other Greek citizens who turned a deaf ear to the Nazi German and Bulgarian occupiers.
28min., color, 1997. S, A.ITAMAR METAYEL AL KIROT (Itamar Walks on the Walls) (JV-343)
Based on two stories by David Grossman, Itamar is afraid of the dark and of the scary animal. His father tells him a story and encourages Itamar to face his fears and realize that they are groundless.
45min., color. Hebrew language only. K, P. Animated.THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM (JV-561)
Two shows from Jack Benny's weekly television program. This video utilized Benny's timing and eccentric mannerisms to create a weekly masterpiece of situational humor. Benny's work and home life were the butt of the comedian's stinginess, vanity, and lack of violin virtuosity.
51min., black & white, 1985. S, A.JAKOB THE LIAR (JV-746)
A poor Jewish cafe owner in Nazi-occupied Poland, portrayed by Robin Williams, invents fictitious news bulletins about Allied advances to combat the depression that pervades the Ghetto.
120min., color, 1999. S, A.THE JAZZ SINGER (JV-317)
This classic movie was the first feature film with spoken dialogue. Al Jolson gives a show-stopping performance as the youth who wants to enter show business contrary to his rabbi father's desire to see him become a cantor. Some of the songs included are "Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye," "Blue Skies," and "Mammy."
89min., black & white, 1927. S, A.JDC (JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE) 75th ANNIVERSARY (JV-88)
An overview of the history of the JDC and its long tradition of good works and Zedakh. The JDC came into existence in 1914 in response to a crisis in Palestine and has been involved in saving and restoring lives in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Israel since then.
10min., color, 1989. E, S, A.JEA ANNUAL MEETING, JUNE 10, 1993 (JV-262)
In-house production.
10min., color, 1993. A.JEA: FROM RUSSIA WITH MUSIC CONCERT (JV-357)
A concert by new American artists. In-house production by the JEA Friends of the Library and Open Door Programs, March 5, 1995.
75min., color, 1995. A.JEA: KELLNER ARCHEOLOGY COLLECTION DEDICATION AND LAWRENCE SCHIFFMAN LECTURE (JV-413)
In-house production of lecture presented on Dead Sea Scrolls, Books, Libraries, and the Jewish Heritage, March 3, 1996.
90min., color, 1996. A.JEA TEACHER CENTER: 10th Anniversary Celebration (JV-212)
In-house production.Jeremiah (JV-788)
91min., color, 1998. S, A.JERUSALEM GATES OF TIME (JV-630)
The early squalor of Jerusalem presented a challenge to the Israelis. In 1967, they decided to institute a master plan for the Old City that would restore and renovate Jerusalem, starting with the Gates and then to the city itself. This video shows the results of that plan as it conducts a tour of the challenges, dilemmas, and solutions of construction in the Old City. The exciting changes are shown in the Jerusalem Cardo, the Restoration of the Jewish Quarter, as well as the Jaffa, Damascus, and St. Stephen's Gates.
27min., color, 1987. S, A.JERUSALEM IMAGE AND ART (JV-235)
Artists of all ages and from many lands have found artistic inspiration in the city of Jerusalem. They gave expression to their feeling through art. This film reviews mosaics and paintings found in ancient churches, mosques, and synagogues which tell the history of Jerusalem. Contemporary art of Jerusalem is explored as well.
25min., color, 1986. S, A.JERUSALEM IS ONE (JV-792)
A short description of unified Jerusalem and brief interviews with mayors Teddy Kollek and Ehud Olmert.
10min., color, 1992. S, A.JERUSALEM MOSAIC (JV-589)
Evangelical Christian TV-magazine travelogue touring through Jerusalem and the Old City gates. An interview with a Russian immigrant, and featuring the artist Uri Ramot who specializes in creating glass artifacts.
29min., color, 1996. S, A.JERUSALEM: Soul of a People (JV-327)
The colorful history of the City of Peace is presented in this unique historical collage. Utilizing animation, photographs, and documentary footage, viewers are led through Jerusalem's stirring past, its exciting present, and an even more promising future. Jerusalem has maintained a special place in the hearts, minds, and souls of the Jewish people since the days of the ancestors through today.
30min., color, 1999. S, A.JERUSALEM: Within These Walls (JV-288)
A National Geographic production describes Jerusalem's Old City as a tiny enclave, where some of history's greatest dramas have been enacted. Busy and colorful, it is the fountainhead of three major religions, the site of many of the world's most venerated shrines, and home to 26,000 people of profoundly different cultures who live side-by-side in a fragile peace. This video offers a kaleidoscopic view of the city and its people as they are today.
59min., color, 1986. E, S, A.
