Three Jewish-themed documentary films produced in the United States and Germany will be shown on consecutive Monday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road beginning Nov. 30.
Refreshments are available at each screening. Individual tickets are $5 per person. Contact Ann Treadwell 493-0270 or atreadwell@jcfgc.com for additional information.
Nov. 30: Praying with Lior
2007, Director: Ilana Trachtman
Praying with Lior is a family story told with intimacy and humor. Lior (whose name means “light), is a boy with Down syndrome who is said to be closer to God. But he is also considered a burden, a best friend, an inspiration, and an embarrassment, depending on which family member is speaking. As he prepares for his Bar Mitzvah, the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony, the movie poses difficult questions about what constitutes a disability and who really talks to God. (English, 87 min.)
Dec. 7: Hollywoodisn: Jews, Movies and the American Dream
1998, Director: Simcha Jacobovici
An exploration of how major Hollywood films were influenced by the Eastern European Jewish culture that most of the major movie moguls shared. Using clips of various films, the filmmakers illustrate the dominant themes found in their films, such as life from an outsider’s view; strong American patriotism, and the underdog in society. (English, 98 min.)
Dec. 14: The Champagne Spy
2007, Director: Nadav Schirman
This film tells the real spy story of Ze’ev Gur-Arie, as told by his son. The father, a German-born Jew emigrated to Israel, where he worked for Haganah (Jewish defense) and as a spy for Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency. By the late 1950s, he divided his time between Paris, where his wife and son lived, and Cairo, where he assumed the identity of Wolfgang Lotz, a German millionaire and horse-breeder, and spied for Mossad. (Hebrew with English subtitles, 90 min.)
Programs at the Jewish Cultural Center are open to everyone regardless of religious affiliation.