IMMIGRATION:
SENTIMENTAL AND UNSENTIMENTAL JOURNEYS
IN
AMERICA
These
four films focus on Jewish immigration to the United States in the
early part of the twentieth century--a period of conflict, transition,
assimilation, and a new need for self-definition.
His
People (1925)
This silent film tells the tale of an immigrant family whose tradition
and values are all but shattered by the encounter with the New World.
Hester
Street (1974)
The story of a turn-of-the-century immigrant on the Lower East Side
who sends for his wife, this film portrays the life of a community
in transition, where immigrants must reexamine their identities
as Jews in light of American opportunities and values.
The
Forward: From Immigrants to Americans (1989)
This film chronicles the great Yiddish newspaper, The Forward,
founded in 1897 by the Yiddish writer Abraham Cahan, and its important
role in guiding Yiddish-speakers to the American mainstream.
Avalon
(1990)
Writer/director Barry Levinson drew upon his immigrant heritage
to create this chronicle of Jewish family life in Baltimore, with
its themes of assimilation, ambition, and generational conflict
Immigration
Introduction
To
the Land of Israel
Discussion
Questions
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