Last week, many of you joined us for our Wise Women Book Club and conversation with Helene Meyers, author of “Movie-Made Jews: An American Tradition.” In her book and in our conversation, Meyers moved beyond expressions of Jewish identity in conventionally-famous Jewish films like “Yentl” and “The Chosen.” She expanded her analysis to include dozens of other feature films, documentaries, and shows, exploring a wider variety of themes and questions. I left the class wholly inspired by the incredibly broad impact of Jews in the cinematic arts, which we might even sometimes take for granted as 21st century Jews living in Los Angeles.
The best Jewish-made films open up an opportunity for what my Hebrew Union College professor, Dr. Wendy Zierler, calls “reverse midrash.” Traditional (and the best) midrash starts with a Torah text, then leads into a moving story that helps us understand and apply that sacred text to the world, and how we experience and impact it. Reverse midrash begins with an epic story that shows us our world and then encourages us to see how we might connect that lived experience to our Torah and our Jewish heritage.
When we watch movies written, performed, and directed by Jews that explore meaningful questions about Jewish identity (from “93Queen” to Season 4 of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and beyond!), we can participate in a significant and ongoing conversation of Jewish circumstances, identity, and values.
What are your favorite Jewish films and TV shows? What makes them quintessentially Jewish?
— Cantor Emma Lutz