The American Jewish Experience as Portrayed in Film
Sun Jan 19, 2025 2:00 PM - Sun Feb 9, 2025 4:00 PM MST
Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, 85224
Description
The American Jewish Experience as Portrayed in Film
Class dates: Sundays Jan 19, 26, Feb 2, Feb 9. 2:00-4:00 pm.
Location: Community Room
Cost: TBS-EV members: Free
Non-members: $36
Instructor: Steve Weissman
Two of the original three major film studies of the Twentieth Century were owned by Jews, so it’s no surprise that many of the most memorable films deal with the Jewish experience in the United States. Film making is a collaborative effort; what are some of the societal and personal influences on the film makers that are reflected in the final product? We will discuss the history of these film genres, and view excerpts from a sampling in the first and third two-hour sessions. In the second and fourth sessions, we will view and discuss two of the films in their entirety. We will also use a technique very similar to the ones we use to study Jewish texts and analyze these films to uncover some of the tricks of the film making trade. Warning: after taking this class, you may never watch a movie in quite the same way again. A syllabus and description of all the films will be provided. This course was originally developed for the Milton Graduate School of the Jewish Federation of Rochester, New York.
About the instructor
Steve Weissman recently retired after 18 years at the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office as a deputy assessor. Prior to that, he spent 20 years as a Jewish Educator and Synagogue Executive Director. He is a graduate of UCLA and has a master’s in education and MBA from American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He spends his free time studying Torah as well as square and round dancing with his wife of 49 years, Lisa. They recently moved to Mesa and have an eight-year-old grandson, Maverick, who lives with his parents (son, Eric and daughter-in-law, Rabbi Sarah) in Redwood City, California.
Send questions to Lynne adultedchair@tbsev.org
Location
Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, 85224