Two Jewish-themed, award-winning documentary films will be screened on Saturdays, Dec. 5 and 19 at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road.
Individual tickets are $10 per person and include complimentary popcorn and a soft drink. Advanced ticket purchases are $18 for two tickets and $34 for four tickets and can be acquired by contacting the Jewish Federation at 493-0270 or rsvp@jewishchattanooga.com. Tickets may be used for one or both performances.
Description of the films:
Dec. 5, Rosenwald, 100 minutes, English
Franklin McCallie will introduce this film which is the fascinating story of Julius Rosenwald. Mr. Rosenwald was born in 1862 in Springfield, Il. and was inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s legacy. Mr. Rosenwald believed that the ill treatment of African Americans was America’s most serious problem. At age 33 Mr. Rosenwald bought into Sears-Roebuck and later with Richard Sears became sole owners. Inspired by Booker T. Washington’s friendship, he joined the Board of the Tuskeegee Institute in 1912. From 1917 – 1936 he, through the Julius Rosenwald Fund, partnered with black and white communities to build 5,337 schools housing one-third of all African American students in the South. Six of the Rosenwald Schools were in Hamilton County. A dessert reception will follow the screening. The screening of this film is sponsored in part by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, City of Chattanooga.
Dec. 19, Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Shalon Alecheim 75 minutes, English
Completed before Theodore Bikel’s death, this documentary is Mr. Bikel’s personal story as told by Alan Alda. Starting out in the 1950’s Mr. Bikel created some of the bestselling Jewish folk music in history. He is known for his theatrical and screen credentials which include Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof”, Captain von Trapp in the Broadway production of “The Sound of Music”, and the Hungarian language dialect expert in “My Fair Lady”. The documentary is packed with Mr. Bikel songs, anecdotes and interviews.