What do movies tell us about the lives of Jews in America and elsewhere? Beneath the particular stories, serious or humorous, are the issues of traditional values and modern complications, marriage expectations and realities, acceptance and prejudice, personal and communal ties, and the great question of Jewish identity. Students will receive prompts via email with questions in advance about the movies to be considered. Class will discuss the art, the storyline, and directorial choices.

The following films, available at local public libraries and through online streaming services, will be discussed in this sequence and must be viewed prior to class:

• The Fablemans (2022) and
• the Netflix mini-series Unorthodox (2020).