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THE POWER OF TRADITION
SELECTED FILMS
The
Eighth Day (1985)
Against the backdrop of the Maccabean rebellion against the Greeks,
who had outlawed Jewish ritual observance in an effort to Hellenize
the Jews, a mother summons a Maccabee doctor to circumcise her son;
the father, a Hellenized Jew, forbids the ceremony. The two men
debate religious tradition till dawn, when the father must make
the crucial decision.
The
Journey (1989)
In the 1940s, a Jewish American engineer--who has paid little attention
to his religious background--meets a young Jewish boy on a Russian
train who knows even less than he. It is a day before the Russian's
thirteenth birthday, his bar mitzvah, and the American is challenged
to transmit what he can of their spiritual identity and heritage.
Ritual:
Three Portraits of Jewish Life (1989)
This film examines the nature of rituals in Judaism, exploring their
importance for continuity and identity as well as their meaning
for people at different stages of life. Its three segments depict
individuals and families as they follow the rituals of prayer, building
a sukkah, and the celebration of a brit-milah (circumcision).
Return
Trips (1995)
After a long period of determined assimilation, recent decades have
seen a resurgence of interest in Judaism on the part of many American
Jews. Through visits with families, communities, and leaders all
along the spectrum, this film explores the journeys of rediscovery
and renewed connection to Judaism that have been occurring in both
modern and traditional forms.
Tradition
Introduction
Discussion
Questions
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