1-2-1 (JV-781)
An Israeli fighter pilot tries to find his way back into his wife's and son's lives after returning from Syrian captivity.
29min., color, Hebrew w/English subtitles, 1998. S,A.1-2-3 MAGIC: Effective Discipline For Children (JV-760)
This two-hour program provides parenting techniques and easy-to-follow steps for disciplining children aged 2-12 without resorting to anger or spanking.
120min., color, 1990. A.AARON'S MAGIC VILLAGE (JV-769)
Aaron, a comic and dramatic 10-year-old, along with his faithful goat, try to stop an evil sorcerer from unleashing his monstrous Golem creation on the citizens of the Polish village of Chelm.
80min., color, 1995. P, E. Animated.ABRAHAM (Testament Series) (JV-685)
The story of Abraham, as God tells him that he and his wife Sarah would have a son even though Sarah was long past child-bearing age. He is overjoyed at the birth of Isaac, but horrified by the next command to offer him as a sacrifice in what becomes a test of love and faith.
30min., color, 1996. E, S, A. Animated.ABRAHAM AND HIS CHILDREN (JV-386)
Scholars from three religious traditions, Jewish, Islamic, and Christian, explain their interpretations of the importance of Abraham and his value in their own lives and their respective religions. Out of this discussion comes a Jewish-Moslem-Christian dialogue on covenant, faith, and family.
26min., color, 1991. S, A.ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL REMEMBERED (JV-297, JV-580)
An interview Heschel gave to correspondent Carl Stern shortly before his death in 1972. He discusses his philosophy of God, his involvement in social and political causes, the value of Bible study, the "abrasive" nature of prophets, and his thoughts on the hereafter. Heschel defines humanity's deepest passion as, "...a craving for the meaning of Existence."
55min., color, 1973. S, A.ABSENCE OF MALICE (JV-159)
Directed by Sydney Pollack. In America, can a man be guilty until proven innocent? Suppose you picked up the morning newspaper and found your life described on the front page, and everything written was accurate, but not true. This is the dilemma posed by this drama about the incredible power of the press as a legitimate businessman faces a relentless investigative reporter.
114min., color, 1981. A.ACT OF FAITH: The Rescue of the Danish Jews (JV-528)
From the CBS-TV series, Look Up and Live, this is the first of a multi-part documentary based on interviews with Danish survivors and helpers depicting how the risky and clandestine rescue of Jews was organized. This dramatic story of the heroic Danish resistance movement against Hitler was filmed in Denmark. It is a firsthand account of the role played by the Danish people in saving their Jewish countrymen from Nazi extermination.
29min., black & white, 1961. S, A.ACTOR: From Poverty to an Academy award - the Story of Paul Muni (JV-480)
Favel Weisenfreund performed songs and dances with his wife and sons throughout the Hungarian countryside. His dream of sailing to America came true, but work in New York City was unavailable except for their youngest son Muni. Muni Weisenfreund went from stage to films and became the renowned actor, Paul Muni, winner of the Academy Award in 1936.
105min., color, 1977. S, A.ADAM AND EVE: Lost Innocence (JV-595)
They were the world's first people; the first to live, the first to love, the first to yield to temptation. According to Genesis, God created Adam from the dust of the earth, then formed Eve from Adam's rib. Their simple story, of temptation and innocence lost, has endured and resonated in the hearts of mankind for thousands of years. As a creation legend, morality play, and love story, the tale of Adam and Eve has been a source of fascination. This A&E Biography program combines interviews, location footage, and rare paintings/artifacts to create a portrait of the two people who started it all.
50min., color, 1996. S, A.ADHD IN THE CLASSROOM: Strategies for Teachers (JV-727)
This four-step plan is designed to help teachers with their ADHD students by learning how to avoid problems and by incorporating social skills into the curriculum.
30min., color, 1994. A.HA'AFIKOMEN (JV-98)
Pesach pleasures are increased at the family Seder when the afikomen mysteriously disappears. This animated film, in easy-Hebrew, reinforces the joys of holiday observance. Other titles in the series are: Ha'Savivon Mehapess Haver and Ha'Ra'ashan.
11min., color, Hebrew. K, P, E. Teacher/Leader Guide. Animated.ALEF BET BLAST-OFF: You've Come to the Right Place, Episode One (JV-490A)
At the tender age of eight, David is troubled by the fact that Jews are "different" from everyone else. Why? Mitzvah Mouse takes David and his sister Rachel back in time to meet Abraham, the first Jew, and thereby restores the children's pride in their heritage.
30min., color, 1995. K, E.ALEF BET BLAST-OFF: Fixing the World, Episode Two (JV-490B)
When Grandpa Abe gives a job to a homeless man, David and Rachel are determined to do their bit to "fix the world." But all attempts seem futile until Mitzvah Mouse takes them to meet the great sage Maimonides (Ed Asner), and the kids learn the value of giving of themselves.
30min., color, 1995. K, E.ALEF BET BLAST-OFF: Light of Freedom, Episode Three (JV-490C)
A Passover story with puppets. David and Rachel, whisked back in time to meet some important people in Jewish history, discover how traditional Jewish values apply to modern life. This time they meet a young Russian immigrant, Tali, who tries to teach them about freedom.
30min., color, 1995. K, E.ALEF BET BLAST-OFF: One Big Family, Episode Four (JV-490D)
David and Rachel are helping their Mother prepare for the 25th reunion of her international Jewish youth group when disaster strikes. With the help of Mitzvah Mouse, Golda Meir is brought to inspire the kids and save the reunion.
30min., color, 1995. K, E.ALEF BET BLAST-OFF: A Chanukah Mitzvah, Episode Five (JV-490E)
The family is looking forward to another wonderful Chanukah--except for David who would rather play the part of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in the upcoming school play. But when their magical friend Mitzvah Mouse introduces them to Judah Maccabee, David and his sister Rachel join the Maccabee Army to make sure the light of Judaism is forever kindled.
30min., color, 1995. K, E.ALEF BET BLAST-OFF: A Whale of a Year, Episode Six (JV-490F)
David is always losing things. Though he tries to improve himself for Rosh Hashanah, he still manages to lose his sister Rachel's beloved goldfish. Rachel is so upset that she can't forgive David. Yet, thanks to Mitzvah Mouse, a trip to a whale's belly and a heart-to-heart talk with Jonah, David learns to accept responsibility, while Rachel learns to forgive.
30min., color, 1995. K, E.ALEF BET BLAST-OFF: A Light Unto the Nations, Episode Seven (JV-490G)
When a famous writer and champion of free speech comes to visit, David and Rachel do not want to give up their room and their freedom. Enter Mitzvah Mouse who whisks the kids away to the 1880s, where they meet Emma Lazarus, whose poem is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.
30min., color, 1998. K, E.ALEF BET BLAST-OFF: The Whole Megillah, Episode Eight (JV-490H)
David and Rachel aren't in the mood to celebrate Purim, until the find themselves in ancient Persia, face-to-face with the evil Haman. Mitzvah Mouse and brave Queen Esther save the day.
30min., color, 1998. K, E.ALL OF US TOGETHER (JV-669)
It is important that children, as part of the family, see how family members face life, the good and the bad. How families include children in the mourning process, what they can tell children when death occurs, and how they can prepare children for the service, the cemetery and shiva are all covered in this sensitive videotape.
16min., color, 1998. S, A.ALMONDS AND RAISINS: A History of Yiddish Cinema (JV-350)
From 1927, with the advent of The Jazz Singer, through 1940, Yiddish film makers made over 100 Yiddish films. In Almonds and Raisins, Orson Welles narrates the film history of this phenomenon with excerpts from the greatest films of that vanished era and remembrances by the actors, directors, and producers who created it.
90min., black & white, 1983. S, A.ALTALENA (JV-713)
This documentary, through archival film footage and personal participant interviews, examines the 1948 arms ship "Altalena" episode which brought refugees, military supplies, and fighters for the Irgun and Lehi organizations in contravention of the New Israeli government's directives, almost sparkinga civil war whose reverberations continue in current Israeli politics.
54min., color and black & white, 1994. English and Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.AMATZIA: The Bar Kochba Caves (JV-321)
This is a look at one of Israel's lesser known sites. During troubled times, the Jews of ancient Israel often dwelled in underground limestone caves. The Bar Kochba Revolt against Rome in 132 C.E. was largely waged from such places. The Amatzia Caves, located in the southern Lachish region of Israel, feature the only system of underground caves to have been completely excavated to date. This video goes below ground to an intricate complex of narrow passageways and tunnels, which connect to an olive press room, a mikvah, a huge water cistern, oil storage rooms, and more. This video can be used for Lag B'Omer.
12min., color, 1991. E, S, A.AMBULANCE (JV-229)
This classic video depicts the essence of the Holocaust in one single incident: the gassing of unsuspecting, innocent school children using an ambulance. The viewer enters the world of evil and watches the suffering of the children and their teachers. Unencumbered by dialogue, the video uses only the visual image to create a story of lasting impact.
9min., black & white. A.AMERICA AND THE HOLOCAUST: Deceit and Indifference (JV-336)
This video paints a troubling picture of the United States during a period beset by antisemitism and a government that, due to complex social and political factors, not only delayed action but also suppressed information and blocked efforts that could have resulted in the rescue of hundreds of thousands of people. This disturbing story follows the efforts of Kurt Klein to bring his parents to the US from Germany, and the role of Jewish activists to spotlight the situation. Eventually, these political pressures led to the creation of the War Refugee Board and the saving of 200,000 Jews.
90min., black & white, 1994. S, A.AMERICANER SCHADCHEN and I WANT TO BE A BOARDER (JV-535)
A two-part video of two Yiddish plays: Americaner Schadchen (Matchmaker), a 1940 musical, offers a hilarious picture of second-generation Jews in New York City and their search for love. It portrays the dilemma of attempting to live between rabbinic ways and modern notions. I Want To Be a Boarder, a 1937 comedy, depicts a husband and wife who seek release from their marital bickering and attempt a rekindling of courtship's excitement by pretending to be a landlady and tenant.
87min., 15min., black & white, 1940/1937. S, A.AN AMERICAN TAIL (JV-13)
Steven Spielberg's animated feature film follows the humorous and dramatic adventures of Fievel, a little boy mouse, who journeyed from Russia to America with his family at the end of the 19th century for a new life free from persecution. Fievel is lost at sea and washed ashore in New York harbor, where he tries to find his family while retaining his identity all alone in a hostile world.
81min., color, 1987. K, P, E, S, A. AnimatedANAT'S KIBBUTZ ADVENTURE (JV-173)
This videotape was created to introduce the kibbutz to young children learning about Israel. Anat, a young Israeli girl, introduces the kibbutz she lives on and shows us a variety of aspects of kibbutz life.
10min., color, 1991. K, P, E. Study guide in English.ANCIENT JERUSALEM: A Journey Back in Time (JV-727)
The Holy City of Jerusalem is revisited and its famous walls and gates and the many buried structures are explored.
50min., color, 1999. E, S, A.ANCIENT ROOTS: Archaeological Exploration in Israel (JV-379)
A look at the 1,700 year old secret caves where Jewish rebels hid from the Romans, and the discovery and restoration of a 2,000 year old boat that might have been used by Jesus or his disciples--these are just some of the stories in this exciting video that take audiences into the very heart of the Jewish and Christian history of Israel.
24min., color, 1987. E, S, A.ANIMAL CRACKERS (JV-358)
A classic 1937 Marx Brothers film comedy with famous routines. "The torch which was carried by Sholem Aleichem was passed on to the Marx Brothers," wrote critic James Yaffee. "Nothing could be more Jewish than their desperate, zany insults, designed to deflate their pompous enemies, but eventually making nothing but trouble for themselves." Animal Crackers is the Brothers' second movie, adapted from their Broadway hit. The plot is silly and the laughs plenty. Groucho is Captain Spaulding, the African explorer, just back from the jungle to visit the stately home of haughty Margaret Dumont. Chico and Harpo are on hand to chase blondes and help solve a stolen painting mystery.
97min., black & white, 1937. S, A.THE ANIMATED BOOK OF ESTHER: In the Days of Ahasuerus (JV-617)
This animated version of the Purim story is a video for the young and old. King Ahasuerus, Queen Esther, Mordecai, Haman, and "friends" are vividly brought to life through computer animation. The entire Purim story dramatically unfolds as the English narration is interspersed with the chanting of selected verses from the Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther). Producer Benzion Rubinson's sense of humor adds to the festive mood that this video evokes.
25min., color, 1991. K, P, E, S, A. AnimatedTHE ANIMATED HAGGADAH (JV-84)
The story of Exodus comes alive at the Seder table in this colorful and clever clay animation. Through the imagination of a child, we witness the bitterness of slavery, the ravages of the ten plagues and the hurried departure of the Israelites from Egypt. The Seder order is also illuminated as clay characters lead the viewer through its many parts. Although a bit confusing in its anachronism and transitions, the film illuminates concepts of the Haggadah by introducing figures from the historical past (e.g. Abraham) and the present (e.g. Soviet Jews). The Animated Haggadah Book is also available.
26min., color, 1977. S, A. AnimatedANNE FRANK: The Life of a Young Girl (JV-777)
Concealed for two years in the secret annex of an Amsterdam office building, Anne Frank keeps a diary. When the diary is found after the war, it recounts a poignant story of a childhood and coming of age af a teenager living with the horros of an anti-Semitic world, all this within the confines of a small space, and interrelating with a group of people, each with their own problems.
50min., color, 1999. E, S, A.ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED (JV-681)
Documentary footage features newsreels, photographs, and a rare home movie to look beyond the celebrated pages of Anne Frank's Diary.
120min., color, 1995. E, S, A.ANNIE HALL (JV-26)
Annie Hall, starring Woody Allen as the New York comedian and Diane Keaton as Annie, weaves flashbacks, flash-forwards, monologues, and Allen one-liners into a wistful comedy about an on-again, off-again interfaith romance between the two.
90min., color, 1977. S, A.ANTI-SEMITISM ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS (JV-424)
Produced by the Anti-Defamation League. Antisemitic incidents on the American campus are more than isolated events or statistics. They are a trauma for each student who has been affected and for the college community which must respond. This video was edited from a three-hour consultation sponsored by the ADL. Eleven students grapple with their reactions to anti-Semitism and search for appropriate responses and solutions.
30min., color. S, A.THE APPRENTICESHIP OF DUDDY KRAVITZ (JV-50)
The screenplay is by the Canadian-Jewish writer Mordecai Richler and is based on his novel by the same name. Richard Dreyfus plays a hustling young Jewish businessman in 1940s Montreal who exploits any and all to get to the top. A controversial depiction of Jewish life.
121min., color, 1974. S, A.THE APPRENTICESHIP OF MORDECAI RICHLER (JV-537)
This is a documentary about novelist Mordecai Richler, known for his award-winning novel, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. Richler examines Jewish identity, themes in his novels, and his own often difficult relationship to the Jewish community. Mordecai Richler is best known for his depiction of Jewish immigrant life in Montreal.
57min., color, 1986. S, A.ARAB AND JEW: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land (JV-536)
Based on the book by David K. Shipler, this 1989 two-part, two-hour PBS Special examines the tensions between Arabs and Jews living within the lands administered under the jurisdiction of the Israeli State, including the West Bank and Gaza.
120min., color, 1989. S, A.ARGUING THE WORLD (JV-768)
Four American political thinkers, Irving Howe, Daniel Bell, Nathan Glazer, and Irving Kristol, were young radicals in the 1930's. Their lives are traced into the present time as their political views changed and their friendships fractured during the Cold War.
109min., color and black & white, 1997. S, A.ARIK EINSTEIN - BEHIND THE GLASSES (JV-246)
One of Israel's most popular performers for more than 30 years, Arik Einstein performs a variety of his best songs. Behind the Glasses takes the audience into Einstein's recording studio and his home for a revealing interview about his life, work, and relationships with his colleagues. The video includes a scene from the popular Israeli television show, Lool, with Uri Zohar. Other performers are Miki Gavrielov, Yoni Rechter, and others.
51min., color, 1990. Hebrew w/English subtitles. E, S, A..ART OF CELEBRATION (JV-230)
The cycle of holidays intertwines with nature and phases of the moon in the Jewish religion. The Fall harvest (Sukkot), the counting of the Omer, and the first fruits of Summer (Shavuot) create a harmony between mankind and God. Art of Celebration demonstrates how this essential, organic outlook of Judaism pervades its thoughts and practice.
20min., color. E, S, A.THE ART OF HEBREW LETTERS: Calligraphy (JV-124)
A Taste of Honey series film with Helen Ducoff as host and Cecile Seiden as guest. Over 70 slides are used to illustrate the use of Hebrew calligraphy from biblical times to the present. Early alef-bet styles from the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Talmud are contrasted with illuminations from Spain and Italy. Micrography and colophons, as well as modern use of Hebrew, are presented. Cecile Seiden is a teacher of calligraphy and a designer of ketubot.
30min., color, 1990. E, S, A.ASHES TO RENEWAL: The Story of a Nation's Immortality (JV-481)
Based on the personal interviews with Holocaust survivors, this video features historical film footage of their lives before the Holocaust. Some of the stories are heart-breaking, but all of them rebuilt their lives in America with the help of the Aggudah organization and their rabbis - their spiritual leaders. The focus is on the Hasidic movement in America, and the effort to help the survivors. Interviews with Moshe Shere, Gitel Bergstein, Ben-Zion Fischoff, Fred Lang, Avraham Obstfeld, Pinchus Klein, George Klein, Joseph Friedenson, Pinchus Huberfeld, and Joseph Geliebter who all tell their personal experiences.
31min., color and black & white, 1995. A.ASHKENAZ (JV-631)
The Ashkenaz culture is examined through ceremonial art and artifacts of those Jews who settled in the Rhineland and German-speaking lands east of the Rhine River in Germany.
18min., color. S, A.ASHKENAZ: The Music of the Jews from Eastern Europe (JV-322)
A nostalgic look at the music of Eastern European Jewry, the Yiddish folk-songs, the liturgical music of the synagogue, Klezmer melodies, as well as Yiddish theater tunes. The video features are rare vintage archival footage of Jewish life in Eastern Europe as it existed prior to World War II, thus providing an understanding of the environment from which the music grew.
28min., color and black & white, 1993. S, A.ASSIGNMENT: Rescue (JV-643)
This is the biographical story (educational version) of Varian Fry who, during World War II, organized and operated a rescue network (the Emergency Rescue Committee) through Marseilles, France to assist blacklisted individuals escape from Nazi-occupied territory. Many of these people were Jewish intellectuals. He was the first American to be recognized as "Righteous Among the Nations" by Yad Vashem.
26min., color and black & white, 1997. S, A.THE ASSISI UNDERGROUND (JV-34)
The story of faith, courage, and friendship that sheds light on the work done by some members of the Roman Catholic Church and people of Assisi, Italy who rescued several hundred Italian Jews from the Nazis following the occupation of Italy in 1943.
115min., color, 1985. S, A.AT THE CROSSROADS: Jews in Eastern Europe Today (JV-541)
The documentary film, through interviews with people of Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, searches for the quality of Jewish life among the small number of Jews who remained in Eastern Europe after World War II. The filmmakers encountered musicians who continued to play Jewish music in performances and at a Budapest concert with American Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.
59min., color. S, A.AT ISSUE: Does Religion Have a Place in Education (JV-215)
An in-house discussion group production.
Color., 1992. S, A.ATALIA: War Widow (JV-270)
On the eve of war in 1973, two young men, Ofer and Mati, join the Israeli Army. Ofer's girlfriend "adopts" Atalia as her kibbutz mother, starting a cycle of interrelationships between the men of the kibbutz, Atalia, and the two young soldiers. Since Atalia's widowhood twenty years earlier, she has been used by the men of the kibbutz, breeding hatred among the kibbutz women. Mati, meanwhile, has been rejected by the Army. In their loneliness, Mati and Atalia find each other, the great age difference not a concern to them. Their life together enables them to ignore the scandal and hatred that flares around them.
90min., color, 1985. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A. Guide.THE ATTIC: The Hiding of Anne Frank (JV-338)
The incredible true story of Miep Gies, the woman who harbored Anne Frank and others during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. As the Nazis combed the streets to search homes and destroy lives, this woman decided to defy the new rules of order. Through persecution and pressure, Miep stands guard over the few Jewish families behind the bookcase in the small attic.
95min., color, 1992. E, S, A.AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS (Goodbye, Children) (JV-51)
This moving, autobiographical account by French film maker Louis Malle tells of a boy's first friendship and his discovery of Nazi-occupied France. It is from the time of Malle's own childhood, when his best friend, a Jew hidden as a gentile, was taken away by the Nazis.
103min., color, 1987. French w/English subtitles. S, A.AUDITIONS (Sahkanim) (JV-639)
Young actors and actresses in the suburbs of Tel Aviv are battling for survival as they struggle along different paths, and every day becomes a performance of a lifetime.
92min., color, 1995. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.AUSCHWITZ: If You Cried You Died (JV-434)
This video chronicles the journey of two Holocaust survivors as they revisited the hell they knew at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Through the heartfelt comments of the two men, combined with moving and sometimes shocking visuals, the viewer sees the truth of the Holocaust and becomes aware of the dangers inherent in the growth of prejudice.
28min., black & white, 1991. S, A. Teacher Guide.AVALON (JV-197)
A man and his extended family seek a dream called America, in a place called Avalon. His family faced the changing world, from poverty to prosperity, with humor and abiding love in this delicate comedy of the immigrant experience.
126min., color, 1991. S, A.AVANTI POPOLO (JV-370)
This feature film video (Best Israeli Film for 1987) presents the Israeli Six Day War though the eyes of two Egyptian soldiers, Hasen and Haled, who find themselves caught behind Israeli lines as the cease-fire comes into effect. They have but one wish, to get back to their home on the other side of the Suez Canal. As they walk through the desert, they encounter various persons: a dead UN soldier, an American television crew, and Israeli soldiers whom the two insist on joining. They go through surrealistic and comic situations as the audience experiences the absurdities of war and its tragic outcomes.
90min., color, 1986. Hebrew and Arabic w/Hebrew subtitles. A.BACH IN AUSCHWITZ (JV-752)
The Auschwitz Orchestra, directed by the brilliant violinist Alma Rose, survived the Holocaust because of their unique and terrifying position as musicians. The eleven who still survive met on the 50th anniversity of Auschwitz and recalled their story. The movie, Playing for Time, is based on their story.
105min., color, French, Dutch, German, Polish, Czech, and Hebrew w/English subtitles, 1999.BACK TO JERUSALEM (JV-793)
This is a short history of the 1967 recapture of Jerusalem as seen from the 20-year anniversary.
13min., color, 1987. S,A.THE BALTIC TRAGEDY (JV-425)
Hitler's war on Russia is graphically portrayed in 11 original German wartime newsreels, with emphasis on battles in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland. This is a true story of the captive nations whose lands became a killing ground for one of history's most brutal wars.
148min., black & white, 1940. German w/English subtitles. A.BAR MITZVAH (JV-740)
An Israeli and American teenager join together to tour Israel on the way to their Bar Mitzvah ceremonies.
37min., color, 1996. E, S, A.BASIC HEBREW: Part I (Lessons 1-8); Part 2 (Lessons 9-15) (JV-138A; JV-138B)
Basic Hebrew is an introductory course to the Hebrew language. This video program is designed to teach Hebrew as a second language. It is suitable for use by individuals, community organizations, universities, and schools. No previous knowledge of Hebrew is required. The curriculum was developed by two professors expert in the field of teaching Hebrew to English-speaking students. It uses live demonstrations, colorful illustrations, and phonetic titles, and was filmed on location in Israel. The two cassettes teach approximately 1,000 words and phrases.
81min., 60min., color, 1985. S, A. Study Booklet, Glossary, Guide."BECAUSE WE'RE JEWS": The Story of Hannaleh, a Jewish Child in the Ghetto, and How She Was Saved (JV-482)
Edward Jacobs tells the story of a little Jewish girl, Hannaleh, and her family from the time of her arrival in the Ghetto until she was smuggled out to safety. The story constitutes a first step in learning about the Holocaust, familiarizing children with the history of the period in a manner appropriate for their age.
25min., color, 1977. P, E.BEHIND THE MASK (JV-108)
Using artwork created by children and a script based on the perceptions of the world around them, this ADL-produced video explores the uniqueness of each individual and the similarities that unite us all. Designed for use with children in the early elementary grades, the video develops an understanding of the manifestations of prejudice while it teaches an appreciation of difference.
8min., color, 1987. E, A. Guide.BEING TORAH: A Teacher's Video Introduction (JV-585)
A 1994 CAJE Classroom Workshop (teachers' training) focusing on the use of the Being Torah textbook in the classroom.
35min., color, 1996. A.BEN HUR (JV-190A: JV-190B)
Ben Hur, a peace-loving prince of Judea, leads his nation against the wrath of the conquering Romans. His self-imposed destiny brings tragedy to his people as he learns how to fight, hate, and finally to love.
211min., color, 1959. A.BENJAMIN AND THE MIRACLE OF HANUKKAH (JV-540)
The animated film tells the Hanukkah story about the brave exploits of young Benjamin and his loyal donkey, Malka, as they are sent on a perilous mission by Judah Maccabee to bring back pure oil from Caesarea to Jerusalem, as they encounter bandits and wild animals.
24min., color, 1978. K, P, E. AnimatedBEST BOY (JV-139)
This is a loving portrait of a very special person, the producer and director's cousin Philly, a 52 year-old who is mentally retarded since birth. Aside from two years at an institution when he was twelve, Philly lived at home with his parents, now elderly. The film director, Ira Wohl, was instrumental in getting Philly out of his house to day-care help and thereby associating with other developmentally impaired persons. The film is a record of Philly's growing independence which changed his life and the life of his family.
105min., color, 1988. S, A.BEYOND HATE TRILOGY WITH BILL MOYERS.
See annotations:
Beyond Hate (JV-242A)
Elie Wiesel - Facing Hate ( JV-242B)
Hate on Trial (JV-242C, JV-242D)BEYOND HATE (JV-242A)
The first of a three-part Public Television Series on hate which investigates its many origins and manifestations. Moderator Bill Moyers listens to those gripped by it, victimized by it, and those determined to transcend it. Also featured are Jimmy Carter, Myrlie Evers, John Kenneth Galbraith, Nadine Gordimer, Vaclav Havel, Robert Jay Lifton, Maired Corrigan Maguire, Nelson Mandela, Romila Thapar, and Elie Wiesel.
90min., color, 1981. S, A. Guide.BEYOND THE HORIZON: A Journey From Heaven to Earth (JV-701)
A cinematic travelogue of Israel as seen from the vantage point of a helicopter, providing spectacular views and accompanying music (no dialogue).
35min., color, 1996. S, A.BEYOND THE WALL: A Children's Tour of the Second Beit HaMikdash (JV-147)
Children tour the Second Beit Hamikdash, a crafted model reconstruction, and see its fascinating dimensions. By studying how it looked, they will be prepared for the Third Beit Hamikdash which will be rebuilt when the Meschiach comes.
20min., color. P, E.THE BIBLE COLLECTION: Abraham (JV-463)
This is a powerful film based on the most dramatic and moving tale from the Bible, in which an ordinary shepherd is called upon by God to show his abiding faith in extraordinary ways. Abraham and his wife Sarah heed a divine command to leave their home and embark on a difficult journey to the Promised Land where Abraham would become father to countless future generations. Witness the endless trials and tribulations Abraham must overcome to keep his faith, including the ultimate one: God's command that Abraham sacrifice his beloved son Isaac.
150min., color, 1994. S, A.THE BIBLE COLLECTION: Jacob (JV-464)
The story of Jacob and Rachel, two young lovers willing to go through anything to be together. Director Peter Hall brings to the screen one of the most poignant romances of all time. Matthew Modine and Lara Flynn Boyle turn in heartfelt performances as the two young lovers. After tricking his older brother out of his birthright, Jacob leaves home in fear of his life. Upon seeing Rachel's beauty for the first time, he forgets his past and only dreams of his future with her. Jacob offers Rachel's father the only thing he can give for her hand in marriage--manual labor for seven years. But Uncle Laban is a treacherous and selfish man. On the wedding night of Jacob and Rachel, he orchestrates the ultimate deceit, and substitutes his older daughter Leah in place of Rachel at the marriage ceremony. Jacob is forced to work for an additional seven years in order to marry his beloved.
96min., color, 1995. S, A.THE BIBLE COLLECTION: Joseph (JV-465A, JV-465B)
A three-hour retelling of the story of Joseph, favorite son of Jacob, who survives the jealousy of his brothers. In one of the greatest dramas of all time, Joseph (Paul Mercurio), the favorite son of Jacob (Martin Landau), the object of his jealous brothers' hatred, is in danger of his life. The brothers sell Joseph as a slave; eventually he rises to the highest administrative position in Egypt. What starts as a tragedy ends in the greatest triumph of all in this powerful religious epic filled with stunning scenery and heart-rending romance.
185min., color, 1995. S, A.THE BIBLE COLLECTION: Moses (JV-466A, JV-466B)
Full-length movie with British cast headed by Ben Kingsley, Christopher Lee, and Frank Langella. Part I starts with Moses as a Prince of Egypt to the time of Exodus at the shores of the Red Sea. Part II completes the story through the life of this leader and the many miracles that followed the Jews and their journey to the Land of Canaan.
184min., color, 1996. S, A.BIBLE STORIES FOR CHILDREN: Creation; The Tree of Knowledge; Noah's Ark; Tower of Babel (JV-374)
These Biblical stories come to life in this series full of charm, humor, intelligence and unforgettable images. Parents and children will all enjoy these stories.
35min., color. K, P. Animated.BILINGUAL BABY (JV-783)
Teaching Hebrew to 1 to 5-year olds in a total immersion method gives your child a way to learn Hebrew at an early age.
45min., color. P, K, E.BILOXI BLUES (JV-539)
Biloxi Blues is the second of Neil Simon's trilogy of autobiographical plays which appeared on Broadway and the big screen. This comedy follows the story of Simon's alter ego, a young Jew from Brooklyn named Eugene Jerome, who enlists in the Army toward the end of World War II. While in boot-camp, Eugene discovers that many of the same soldiers who are eager to fight the Nazis are also antisemitic. In the steamy heat of Mississippi, budding writer Eugene (Matthew Broderick) encounters the absurdities of army life, including endless drills, dense bunkmates, and chipped beef on toast.
105min., color, 1988. S, A.BIRDMAN (JV-231)
A personal and moving portrait of Eitan Porat, a concentration camp survivor who keeps an aviary in Israel. Mr. Porat, featured in the award-winning documentary Dark Lullabies, evinces a deep aura of humanity in his love for people and birds. Visitors from all over the world come to his aviary and enjoy the beauty of the birds and to hear this truly remarkable man speak of his past experiences and hopes for the future.
12min., color. E, S, A.THE BIRTHDAY SHOFAR and THE SABBATH BRIDE (JV-576)
The Birthday Shofar tells of a mischievous monkey who frightens all the animals with her shiny new shofar. When a hungry snake appears on the scene, Rivki Monkey has a chance to save the day. Masks, playful puppets and a very special shofar add enchantment to this humorous tale. The Sabbath Bride is about Sarah who is always getting into her sister's things. When Sarah takes her sister's bride doll without permission, an awful thing happens. What should she do? Creative paper-cutting and special effects enhance this charming story told by Evi Reznick.
45min., color, 1996. K, E.BLACK TO THE PROMISED LAND (JV-581)
This video follows 11 African-American teenagers from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NY during a 3-month stay at Kibbutz Lehavot HaBashan, Israel. How do 10 weeks on a quiet Israeli kibbutz influence these youths with "bad habits and unrecognized potential" to help them to adjust to kibbutz life, to teach them about Jews who are different from the black-garbed Hasidim whose communities border their own? All they know about Israel are the headlines. This experience challenges the myths and stereotypes held in both the African-American and Israeli communities.
97min., color, 1991. S, A.BLAZING SADDLES (JV-542)
This bawdy comedy tackles the subject of prejudice in the Old West as directed by Mel Brooks, whose humor runs rampant throughout in the form of Gene Wilder's Waco Kid" and Madeline Kahn's "Lili Von Shtupp." The hero, Bart (Cleavon Little), as the black sheriff of a white town, the outsider, is hired for the job because the attorney general and the governor believe that he won't protest when they corrupt the town. But unexpectedly Bart cleans up the town and avoids the corrupt influences of the two schemers.
93min., color, 1974. S, A.THE BOAT IS FULL (JV-543)
A drama of five Jews who escape from Germany during World War II and attempt to elude deportation by posing as a family which would qualify them to stay in Switzerland. The Swiss declared in 1942 that it had more than enough refugees, and sent fleeing Jews back to Germany and Nazi persecution. The five are both protected and betrayed by a rural innkeeper and her husband, who respond to the strangers in their midst with a shifting mix of suspicion, resentment, humanity, compassion and doubt. The refugees' story ultimately unravels, and the small-minded Swiss bureaucrats carry out the letter of the law.
104min., color, 1981. German w/English subtitles. S, A.BORDER STREET (Ulica Graniczna) (JV-544)
One of the first post-war Polish films to depict the Holocaust, capturing the fervor and terror of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, as seen though the eyes of four youths, David and Jadzia the Jews and Bronek and Wladek the gentiles, who are intertwined in an emotional fury as they gallantly defend their lives.
122min., black & white, 1948. Polish w/English subtitles. S, A.THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (JV-15)
Ira Levin's thriller comes to the screen with Laurence Olivier and Gregory Peck in the leading roles. This story is enacted in there continents, where Nazi criminals are hiding and plotting. In South America the Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele (Peck) who has murdered countless Jews in his hideous "medical experiments" is hiding from avengers and still dreams of establishing a new Reich. To foil his dream of a new Reich and its threat to Israel, Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman (Olivier) stalks him around the world. Mengele's scheme is finally revealed and thwarted.
123min., color, 1978. A.BOYS TOWN JERUSALEM (JV-245)
This video tells the story of Boys Town Jerusalem. Since its establishment in 1948 to the present on the modern Ira Guilden Campus, it remains dedicated to welcoming and absorbing boys who came to Israel from many countries: Iran, Morocco, Yemen and Ethiopia. Boys Town Jerusalem is dedicated to providing a superb education in Torah studies and technology to its students. This becomes evident during visits to the different technology schools, the dormitories, and the recreational facilities. The graduates relate stories of the school and their contribution to the technology and security of Israel.
13min., color. E, S, A.BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS (JV-43)
Based on Neil Simon's play, Eugene Jerome and his family are fighting hard times and sometimes each other. The 15-year-old Eugene is trying to uncover life's mysteries, but his family keeps hiding the clues. A semi-autobiographical comedy about growing up Jewish in Brooklyn, NY during the 1930s, with many insights into family life.
110min., color, 1986. S, A.BROADWAY DANNY ROSE (JV-294)
Woody Allen is at his best in this story about a group of comics swapping stories about an infamous, lovable talent agent, Broadway Danny Rose (played by Allen). They focus on Rose's attempt to revive the career of an overweight, aging lounge singer who will only perform if his mistress/ girlfriend (Mia Farrow) is there on opening night. How Rose rounds her up makes for a hectic, funny story.
85min., color, 1984. S, A.BRYN MAWR: Mountain Retreat Conference Center (JV-196)
Promotional video describes the facilities available at Bryn Mawr, PA for business meetings, parties, seminars, organizational meetings, etc.
A.BUBBE'S BOARDING HOUSE: Chanuka at Bubbe's (JV-142)
Kids of all ages will find enjoyment celebrating Chanuka at Bubbe's. A joyful romp with colorful puppet characters. There is Aharon, the bully, who insists on having things his way; Rhino, who "horns" in before he understands the situation; Chester, who tries too hard to fit in; practical Zachary; adorable Muffin; and of course, Bubbe herself, everybody's beloved grandmother. While this group prepares for the holiday feast, Bubbe relates the past story of Chanuka, the fight between the Greeks and the Maccabees, the miracle of the burning oil, and the importance of religious freedom for all people.
45min., color, 1989. K, P, E, S, A.BUBBE'S BOARDING HOUSE: Passover at Bubbe's (JV-23)
A puppet cast and Bubbe herself help prepare the Seder and are surprised by a talking Haggadah. They all are whisked away back to Egypt during the time of the Pharaohs and experience the trials of slavery and ultimately escape to freedom. Original songs and traditional favorites.
30min., color, 1990. All Ages.BUBBEH LEE AND ME (JV-716)
A grandson videotapes his retired grandmother in Florida as she goes through daily routines living by herself and dispenses lifelong experience as modern advice.
35min.,color, 1996. K, P, E.BUT WHERE IS DANIEL WAX (Le'an Ne'elam Daniel Wax?) (JV-323)
After many years of separation, two men, one a successful doctor and the other a popular singing star who returns to Israel from abroad, meet at a high school reunion. Both fantasize about their youth and the hero worship they once shared for Daniel Wax, the popular hero of their school class. A telling commentary on Israeli society, told with humor and gentle irony.
95min., color, 1974. Hebrew/English subtitles. S, A..CABARET (JV-52)
Decadent pre-World War II Berlin is the setting for this musical-drama, with a subplot concerning Jewish lovers. While the music plays on, the rise of Nazism is seen and largely ignored by the characters. Starring Liza Minelli, Joel Gray, Michael York, and directed by Bob Fosse.
119min., color, 1972. S, A.CAMERA OF MY FAMILY: Four Generations in Germany, 1845-1945 (JV-109)
Produced by ADL, this video presents the family history of a Jewish family living in Germany and their fate during the years of Nazi power. Based on a book by Catherina Hanf Noren.
18min., black & white and color, 1978. S, A. Guide.CAMP S'DEI CHEMED INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER-MEMORIES: The Greatest Summer Ever (JV-598)
A promotional video for the Camp S'dei Chemed International in Israel promises the finest touring and the best camping. Provides a description of summer activities and travel in Israel for Orthodox teenage boys attending the camp.
35min., color, 1995. S, A.THE CANTOR: A Calling for Today (JV-790)
Cantor Michael Shochet takes us on a never-before-seen tour of the modern Cantorate, as practiced in the Reform Synagogue. There are scenes of cantors at such ceremonies as baby-namings, weddings, and in hospitals.
30min., color, 1994. S, A.CAST A GIANT SHADOW (JV-306)
With the legendary hero and American World War II Colonel Mickey Marcus as the focus of the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, this video covers the military, political, and personal story of Israel's great struggle. Told with humor and attention to military strategy, the story is cast with Kirk Douglas, Senta Berger, Angie Dickinson, and Luther Adler. Cameo performances by Frank Sinatra, Yul Brynner, and John Wayne.
142min., color, 1966. S, A.CASUALTIES OF WAR (JV-430)
Based on a true story of soldiers caught in the moral quagmire of wartime Vietnam, we watch a witness to a vile crime (Michael J. Fox) stand alone against a powerful commanding officer (Sean Penn). This is a tale of one man's quest for sanity and justice amidst the chaos of war.
120min., color, 1990. S, A.THE CENTER FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION (JV-261)
In-house production presented by Wendy Chesnov of the Jewish Education Association of MetroWest.
13min., color, 1993. A.CHAMPIONS OF WILDLIFE (JV-365)
Part of the "Conserving America" series, in this video you will meet a modern-day Noah in Oregon who spends his life as caretaker of a menagerie of creatures brought to him by police, wildlife officials and ordinary citizens. You'll also meet 84-year-old Ila Loetscher, known as "the turtle lady," who has become legendary for her work with sea turtles. These are ordinary people who are going to extraordinary lengths to preserve our wildlife and their home.
57min., color, 1989. E, S, A.CHANGE OF HEART (JV-232)
A poignant video about Purim. A man's love for his daughter helps him to develop a sense of responsibility for his fellow citizens as a present-day community conflict is portrayed against a background of the celebrated Purim play through the age-old story told in the Book of Esther.
14min., black & white, 196?. E, S.CHANUKAH AT THE NEW JERSEY STATE HOUSE (JV-713)
NJN, December 1996. Rabbi Grossman and Rabbi Friedman from Temple B'nai Abraham show children arts and crafts and light the menorah.
3min., color, 1996. A.CHARIOTS OF FIRE (JV-545)
This is the post-World War I story of British runners competing in the 1924 Paris Olympics where the son of a Lithuanian Jew seeks society's acceptance and a devoted Christian runs for the glory of God. F. Murray Abraham, the Jew, who can get everything except total acceptance, and Eric Liddel, the Scotsman, run the 100-meter race, each driven by personal passion. Liddel, a devout Christian, runs for the glory of God. Abraham runs in anger and defiance to prove that he is "as good an Englishman as any of them." Each ultimately finds his assumptions challenged as they prepare for the race of a lifetime. Based on a true story.
124min., color, 1981. S, A.CHARLIE GRANT'S WAR (JV-24)
Out of the flames of the Holocaust came an unsung hero, Charlie Grant, a Canadian Protestant. When more than six million Jews were slaughtered in Europe between 1933 and 1945, Charlie Grant helped more than 600 people escape to Canada. Despite countless pleas, Canada accepted fewer than 5,000 Jewish refugees. This film is in honor of a man who didn't have to get involved but did, and performed miracles to save his fellow man.
125min., color, 1984. S, A.CHICKEN SOUP (JV-422)
Do you know the secret recipe for making perfect chicken soup? This video traces an elderly Polish Jewish couple, step-by-step, through the painstaking preparation as well as the enjoyable part--the eating--of this true delicacy. One can genuinely appreciate why chicken soup has become the quintessential Jewish soul food.
14min., black & white, 1969. S, A.CHILDREN OF THE EXODUS (JV-233)
Filmed in Israel and narrated by Zero Mostel, this video chronicles the search made by the UJA, twenty years later, for a group of children who arrived in Israel in 1947. The story encompasses the drama of a modern saga, the nearly unbelievable pace of the twenty years that witnessed a people's passage from the gates of Auschwitz to the cherished Western Wall of Jerusalem.
28min., color, 1967. S, A.CHILDREN OF JERUSALEM: Asya (JV-671)
Twelve-year old Asya is a recent Jewish immigrant from Russia who now resides in the Western part of Jerusalem. When she is not in school, Asya assists a local veterinarian, is a frequent guest on a call-in radio program, and takes fencing lessons. Asya visits the Old City because she would like to know the Palestinian people better. She is happy in her new country and is helpful to her family in making the transition from their old lifestyle to their new life in Israel.
30min., color, 1995. E, S, A.CHILDREN OF JERUSALEM: Gesho (JV-672)
Gesho is one of 14,000 Ethiopian Jews who left Northeast Africa during a massive Israeli rescue operation in 1991 for a new life in Israel. Thirteen-year-old Gesho lives in a temporary community for new immigrants on the outskirts of Jerusalem. His older brother Benjamin, who arrived seven years earlier, tells Gesho of his hardships and loneliness during those years of separation from the family. Now that Benjamin is fully integrated into Israeli society, he is able to help Gesho pursue his dream of becoming a professional soccer player.
25min., color, 1996. E, S, A.CHILDREN OF JERUSALEM: Ibrahim (JV-673)
Eleven-year-old Ibrahim is a resident of Wadi Joz, a neighborhood located in East Jerusalem. Completely fluent in Arabic, English and Hebrew, he is not quite sure of his identity, describing himself as a "Palestinian-Arab Israeli." A student at the International Anglican School in West Jerusalem, Ibrahim blends his modern-day activities such as soccer and Nintendo with respect for the traditional ways of his grandfather in the Galilee and his former nanny who now resides in the Old City of Jerusalem.
23min., color, 1996. E, S, A.CHILDREN OF JERUSALEM: Neveen (JV-674)
Neveen studies hard and dreams of being a doctor. She knows, even at the young age of eleven, that it will take a lot of perseverance and dedication to achieve her goal. Along with her six siblings and her parents, Neveen lives in a small crowded house in the Shu'afat Refugee Camp. Erected by the United Nations after the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, Shu'afat is one of 28 refugee camps in the region, originally designed as temporary structures until a political settlement could be reached between the Arabs and Israelis. Neveen looks forward to the day when peace will bring her and her family a better future.
29min., color, 1995. E, S, ACHILDREN OF JERUSALEM: Tamar (JV-675)
A resident of West Jerusalem, ten-year-old Tamar has a very busy life. When she's not in school, you can find her playing the baritone horn in the Jerusalem Youth Orchestra, practicing gymnastics, taking an extracurricular science class or attending a Bnei Akiva (a religious Zionist Youth Organization) activity. Although her life appears very typical for a ten-year old, she worries about terrorist attacks when she goes to the market and expresses her anxiety when her father and brothers discuss the dangers of army life. Sirens, jets, and security checks are some of the special precautions children in Jerusalem must take.
28min., color, 1995. E, S, A.CHILDREN OF JERUSALEM: Yacoub (JV-676)
Nine-and-a-half-year old Yacoub lives in the Christian Quarter of the Old City. He studies French at the Freres Lasalle School and helps out at his uncle's falafel shop located in the heart of the Old City. When Yacoub and his brother play walkie-talkie on the roof of their house, pretending to be on the lookout for Israeli soldiers, their childish game takes on a chilling resonance. Deeply religious, Yacoub visits the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where he likes to pray, particularly for the welfare of his family as well as for a lasting peace.
27min., color, 1995. E, S, A.CHILDREN OF JERUSALEM: Yehuda (JV-677)
As the holiday of Sukkot approaches, ten-year-old Yehuda helps his family prepare for the festival with contagious joy and excitement. A resident of West Jerusalem, Yehuda is a proud member of the Hasidic community. As he shares his rituals, beliefs and enthusiasm with us, we cannot help but be inspired by this very exceptional youngster.
26min., color, 1995. E, S, A.THE CHILDREN'S STORY COLLECTION, VOL. 1 (JV-337)
A Torah Aura Production, including the stories, Why God Chose Mt. Sinai, If Not Higher, and Beryl the Tailor. These popular Hasidic stories bring to life through colorful animation a message of doing good deeds, of true faith.
18min., color, 1994. E, S, A. Animated.THE CHOSEN (JV-315)
Based on the book by Chaim Potok, this novel illuminates the eternal, powerful bonds of love and pain that join father and son, and the ways in which these bonds are and must be broken if the boy is to become a man. The story of two boys in Brooklyn in the 1940s: Danny Saunders, the moody, brilliant, restless son of an awesome Hasidic rabbi, destined to succeed him, and Reuven Malter, the gentle son of a gentle scholar.
107min., color, 1982. S, A.CHRONICLE OF A DISAPPEARANCE (Segell Ikhtifa)(JV-726)
An Israeli-Arab filmmaker, born in 1960 in Nazareth, returns to Israel after a 12-year self-imposed exile in New York in an attempt to re-establish his roots.
88min., color, 1996. Hebrew w/English subtitles. S, A.CITIZEN COHN (JV-345)
Roy Cohn (James Woods) was a brutal genius--an attorney with a future--and he knew it. He helped bring the Rosenbergs to trial as spies, ensuring they got the death penalty. He then destroyed lives as Senator Joe McCarthy's (Joe Don Baker) right-hand man during the 1950s witch hunt for Communists. Later, he stood against the Kennedys, fighting their support of civil rights while befriending FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and attempting to undermine the leadership of Martin Luther King. Roy Cohn could make or break the strongest men in America just for the thrill of the kill. Ruthless, destructive, power hungry and insatiable, to many he was a national hero and to many more, a national disgrace.
112min., color, 1992. S, A.CLEAR SKIES: The Story of the Israeli Air Force (I.A.F.) (JV-495)
Daring, sensational, professional - the Israeli Air Force. This video tells its story from 1948, when it came into being, until the present. The Sinai Campaign, the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur War, Lebanon, Entebbe, and the raid on the Iraqi atomic site. The peace time projects of building the "Lavi," and the pilotless aircraft are also described. All are vividly depicted along with detailed explanations about the different aircraft, weaponry and pilot-training which together form the incredible machine of the I. A. F.
58min., color, 1990. S, A.COMMISSAR (JV-546)
A human drama set against the Russian Civil War when a tough Red Army commander's military career is disrupted by an unwanted pregnancy and she is forced to stay with a poor Jewish family until the child is born. She comes face to face with a different culture and finds herself transported by the warmth and compassion of her hosts. Ultimately, she is forced to make a most difficult decision: to rejoin her troop or stay with her child. This movie was banned by the Soviet government for 21 years and was only released with the coming of Glasnost.
105min., black & white, 1988. Russian w/English subtitles. S, A.COMPULSION (JV-696)
In this riveting true story about the notorious 1924 Leopold-Loeb murder case, Orson Welles stars as the brilliant Clarence Darrow whose history-making defense against capital punishment saved two wealthy Chicago teenagers from a death sentence. Though names have been changed, this factual, fascinating character study based on news reporter Meyer Levin's bestseller focuses on the two boys --one bossy and intimidating, the other sensitive and introverted--who thought their superior intellect would enable them to execute "the perfect crime."
105min., black & white, 1959. S, A.CONFRONTING ANTI-SEMITISM: a Trigger Film (JV-80)
Teenagers re-enact incidents that focus on antisemitic graffiti, ethnic humor, stereotyping, and teacher-school administrator insensitivity. The stop-tape technique and on-screen questions promote discussion.
6min., color. S, A. Leader's Guide.A CONVERSATION WITH A. J. HESCHEL: Interview with Carl Stern (JV-580, JV-297)
Heschel, a refugee from Germany who became professor of Jewish ethics and mysticism at the Jewish Theological Seminary, combined deep scholarship with a strong moral passion which led him to march with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and oppose the Vietnam War. The film begins with a discussion by scholars Ismar Schorsch and Cornel West, who focus on Heschel's efforts regarding Black-Jewish relations. Following this is an interview Heschel gave to Carl Stern shortly before his death in 1972 in which he discusses his philosophy of God, his involvement in social and political causes, the value of Bible study, the "abrasive" nature of prophets, and his thoughts on the hereafter.
60min., color, 1973. S, A.CONVERSATION WITH ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER (JV-62)
The Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) presents documentary highlights from the life and times of this Nobel Prize winning Yiddish author; his early days in Poland and fame in America. Bashevis Singer discusses his craft, influences on his work, Jewish identity, and his belief in God.
28min., color, S, A.THE CORRIDOR (JV-738)
When a young girl injured in a car accident, dying, miraculously recovers, doctors are baffled by her insistance that she experienced something not quite of this world. This film explores the mysterious realm between life and death and triggers discussion about the traditional Jewish approach to the phenomena of death.
24min, color, 1989. S, A.THE COURAGE TO CARE: Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust (JV-149)
This video originated from the conference, "Faith in Humankind: Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust," and was sponsored by the United States Holocaust Memorial Council held September 1984. The documentary was nominated for an Academy Award, 1986 and is about the few but significant individuals who knowingly risked their lives to aid Jews. These people were those whose moral fiber held firm during the dark days, when terror reigned on the continent of Europe. Includes a commentary by Elie Wiesel.
30min., color and black & white, 1986. S, A. Leader and Teacher's Guide.CREATION AND THE FLOOD (Testament Series) (JV-684)
Noah's Ark and The Fall in the Garden of Eden are woven together in this animated version of two familiar stories. When the Flood comes, Noah and his family begin life in the Ark, and as the storm rages outside, Noah plays storyteller, weaving the story of Adam and Eve, God and the serpent, through the dark days on the water.
30min., color, 1996. S, A. Animated.CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (JV-251)
A film directed by Woody Allen about humanity: people's lives, their loves, their perceptions and ideals. It's about the choices people make, and how those choices affect them. The film offers an unflinching look at some of the most disturbing questions surrounding human nature with a tapestry of interwoven relationships played against a Manhattan setting.
104min., color, 1989. A.CRIMES OF HATE (JV-117)
Produced by ADL, this video contains three segments:
1. The case of anti-Semitism
2. The case of racism
3. The case of gay-bashing
The segments have this much in common: they are promulgated by bigots who promote hate and violence against others--the Jews, the non-whites and the gays. The video examines the ideology of the groups who promote crimes of hate, the crimes perpetrated by them, and the feelings of their victims, in order to understand these phenomena which seem to grow and spread. It also examines bigotry and the ways to educate against it.
30min., color. S, A.CROSSFIRE (Esh Tzolevet) (JV-635)
Based on a true love story set during the days leading to Israel's independence, a beautiful Jewish girl from Tel Aviv falls in love with an Arab from Jaffa. Both defy family and friends as they secretly carry on their romance and decide to flee the war-torn country.
90min., color, 1988. Hebrew and Arabic w/English subtitles. S,.A.CROSSFIRE (JV-641)
This mystery combines the drama of a murder with the blind hatred of anti-Semitism in postwar America. It includes a 10-minute trailer with Director Edward Dmytryk discussing making the film and the social atmosphere surrounding it.
86min., black & white, 1947. S, A.CROSSING DELANCY (JV-25)
Single, attractive, 30-something Isabelle (Izzy) Grossman has a rent-controlled apartment in Uptown Manhattan and a burgeoning career. Her tradition-minded grandmother hires a matchmaker who finds Izzy a marriage prospect--a man who runs a street-side pickle stand. Izzy is appalled, but will somehow end up "crossing Delancy," the street that divides her world from his, and find love.
97min., color, 1988. S, A.CUP FINAL (Gmar Gavi'a) (JV-547)
Cohen is an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinians during the second week of the 1982 Lebanon War, which just happens to coincide with the World Cup soccer tournament in Europe. Though sworn enemies, Cohen and Ziad, his Arab captor, share a love of soccer. This shared passion with his captor helps cut through barriers of ideology, nationalism, and bloody memories, creating an unlikely alliance between the two men.
107min., color, 1992. Hebrew and Arabic w/English subtitles. S, A.THE DANCING BEAR (JV-228)
Based on a Hasidic story and featuring The Small Wonder Puppet Theater, a Jewish prisoner languishes in the dungeon of a merciless nobleman 200 years ago. The only way out is to win the Bear Dance, but he is too weak to compete against Ivan the Cossack. The Shpoler Zaidey takes the place of the prisoner, wins the dance contest, and saves the prisoner.
25min., color, 1992. K, P, E.DANIEL (JV-548)
Based on E. L. Doctorow's novel, The Book of Daniel, this fictionalized story of the McCarthy-era Rosenbergs intertwines the story of their grown children who are haunted by the legacy of the parents. The daughter has taken the social activism of her parents to heart in a series of failed causes. The son is driven to learn the truth behind his parent's death. "Daniel" examines the importance of confronting the past, shows the political environment of both the Old and New Left, and quietly indicts American anti-Semitism.
130min., color, 1983. S, A.DANIEL (Testament Series) (JV-689)
The biblical story of Daniel, appointed governor by King Darius but provoking jealousy among the court advisers, who enters the lions' den with divine love and human resolve to emerge victorious.
30min., color, 1996. E, S, A. Animated.DANIEL'S STORY (JV-355)
This video is based on the experiences of real children who lived in the time of the Holocaust. The story of one boy from Germany illuminates the stories of many Jewish children during the Nazi regime: persecution, burning of books, burning the synagogues, the Yellow Stars worn by all Jews, eviction, the Ghetto, the concentration camp, and survival.
13min., black & white, 1993. E, S, A. Teachers' guide and pamphlet.DANZIG 1939 (JV530)
Based on the 1980 Jewish Museum (New York) exhibit of pre-war Danzig Judaica, this documentary depicts the city's liberal, mixed Jewish community forced to confront the hate brought on by Hitler. In July 1939, ten crates of ritual objects arrived at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. The sale of these objects, arranged by the League of Nations, enabled the Jews of Danzig to buy passage out of Germany. They were the only community to do so. Former and current residents of Danzig were interviewed for this documentary film.
29min., color, 1980. S, A.DARING TO RESIST: Three Women Face the Holocaust (JV-753)
Three women tell their stories of choosing resistance as teenagers rather than submission to the Nazis, despite losing their families to the Holocaust.
57min., color, 1999. S, A.DAVID (JV-747)
David is a young German Jewish teenager who is caught up in the Nazi regime's persecution, eventually losing his home and family to the Holocaust. He survives as a victim and witness in this poetic but brutal drama filmed in Germany.
106min., color, 1979. E, S, A.DAVID AND BATHSHEBA (JV-219)
A sprawling, action-packed epic tells the story of King David and his love for Bathsheba--love that violates the laws of men and God. David, once the chosen one, now risks God's wrath, his kingdom, and the life of Bathsheba, who may be stoned to death for David's sin. Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward play the leading roles.
116min., color, 1951. A.DAVID AND GOLIATH (JV-599)
An animated version of the story when the kingdom of Israel faces its greatest threat from the rampaging army of the Philistines marching across its borders. In the forefront of the invaders is the giant warrior Goliath. He issues a challenge to the Israelites: to meet in single combat with one of them. If Goliath is beaten, the Philistines will be servants of the Israelites, but if Goliath wins, the Israelites will be enslaved. For forty days Goliath repeats his challenge, and still no man steps forth to fight for his people's survival. But finally one boy does: David. Impressed by this display of courage, King Saul entrusts the defense of the kingdom to David, whom he knows only as the shepherd boy who sings psalms to him at court. Armed with nothing more than his sling and his faith in God, David walks out to meet his mighty foe.
30min., color, 1986. K, P. Animated.DAVID AND SAUL (Testament Series) (JV-692)
An animated biblical story of power and humility as the mighty King Saul becomes mentor to the humble shepherd boy David. But Saul's heart grows envious as David becomes a great warrior, and he tries to deny David's destiny of becoming King of Israel.
30min., color, 1996. E, S. A. Animated.DAVID BEN-GURION (JV-378)
Like a prophet of old, David Ben-Gurion had one mission in life: the founding of an independent state for the Jews and the growth and fortitude of the State of Israel when it came into being. This video is a portrait of a leader and his historic contribution.
8min., color, 1987. S, A.DAVID'S CITY (JV-385)
In a dramatic narrative, illustrated by photography, David traces a personal history of his beloved birthplace, Jerusalem, from the Six Day War and the city's reunification, to a tour of the Holy City with his family years later. He explores the archaeology of ancient Jerusalem, its diverse population, places of interest, and the continuity of its Jewish community today. Interwoven in his descriptions are concepts crucial to a thorough understanding of Jerusalem, such as it being the central unifying force for Jews and a place blessed with sanctity.
16min., color, 1977. E, S, A.DEAD SEA SCROLLS -I: The Secret of the Caves: Discoveries and Controversies (JV-296)
The Biblical Archaeology Society, dedicated to making the Dead Sea Scrolls accessible to a wide audience, presents this series of illustrated lectures by leading scholars. The first video, presented by Robert S. Hendel, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Culture, UCLA, discusses the dramatic story of the Scrolls' discovery by Bedouin shepherds and their subsequent acquisition by Israelis.
58min., color, 1993. S, A.DEAR KITTY (JV-579)
This video uses the story of Anne Frank's remarkable diary, which she called 'Kitty,' to teach pre-teens (10-14 years old) about the Holocaust. The film weaves a brief but thorough history of the Nazi era into the story of Anne Frank's life in Germany, the flight from the Nazis to Holland, their experience in hiding in the attic during the war, and Anne's eventual death in Bergen-Belsen. Anne's diary allows young viewers to identify with her feelings of fear, confusion, and hope, and reflect on her fate, and that of many other children who perished during the war.
25min., color, 1987. E, S.DELTA JEWS: Jews in the Land of the Blues (JV-770)
This documentary film traces the history of the Jewish community of the Mississippi Delta region, its relationship to white and black Christian neighbors, the social challenge of the Civil Rights Movement period, and the networks it built to reinforce Jewish identity.
57min., color, 1999. S, A.DER PURIMSHPILER (The Jester) (JV-661)
This Yiddish film is a romantic comedy about a drifter who wanders from shtetl to shtetl. He finds brief happiness when he falls in love with a shoemaker's daughter in a small town in Galicia. A likable fantasy about a man's quest for the unattainable.
90min., black & white, 1937. Yiddish w/English subtitles. S, A.THE DEVIL IS A GENTLEMAN (JV-571)
The CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes reviews Adolf Eichmann's career in the Nazi Party and subsequent Israeli trial in an attempt to examine the nature of his character. Eichmann was the administrator of the "Final Solution of the Jewish Problem." He was abducted by Israeli intelligence agents and put on trial in Jerusalem for his crimes against the Jewish people, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Drawing upon interviews with people who knew Eichmann, including a former SS colleague, a psychiatrist, and a Holocaust survivor, the program raises fundamental questions about judgment and responsibility.
12min., color, 1983. S, A.THE DEVIL'S ARITHMETIC (JV-703)
Sixteen-year-old Hanna Stern was a typical American teenager who ignored her family's heritage until a mystical Passover Seder takes her back in time to German-occupied Poland on an emotional journey of life, death, and survival. Transported to a dank and cold concentration camp, she experienceed the horrors of the Holocaust and for the first time undersood the grim reality of her people's fate. Fighting for survival, she kept everyone's spirits up by entertaining them with stories of the future, but she soon had to face a terrible sacrifice.
97min., color, 1999. S, A.DIANA SCHOR (JV-195)
An interview with Roumanian-born artist Diana Schor, discussing her work and how she met and learned from other prominent artists.
14min., color, 1992. A.THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (JV-5)
Written during the two years of desperate hiding from the Nazis in an Amsterdam attic, the real-life diary of a young Jewish girl was adapted into a best seller and successful stage play. This classic film version effectively conveys the tension, claustrophobia, and intense hardship suffered by the two fugitive families. For non-Holocaust use, portions of this film can be used for discussions about adolescence and family relationships.
151min., black & white, 1959. S, A.DIASPORA YESHIVA BAND (JV-121)
The Diaspora Yeshiva Band, nowadays called "Selah," was formed by five American Jews who studied at the Diaspora Yeshiva, Israel. They have been performing for more than ten years.
27min., color. All Ages.DIRTY DANCING (JV-549)
This film takes place at a fictional New York Catskills resort where conflicts in class and privilege are played out through the romantic relationship between a naive Jewish girl and a street-wise gentile dance instructor. The idealistic 17-year-old girl becomes spellbound with the resort's dance instructor who resents her at first but comes to appreciate her values.
105min., color, 1987. A.THE DISCOVERY (JV-280)
Twelve-year-old David prefers baseball to the preparations for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah. His uncertainties about his Jewish identity cause him to question his teachers, friends, and family members. Their answers help him to come to a better understanding of his Jewish heritage.
58min., color, 1988. E, S, A. Guide.DISPLACED PERSONS (JV-248)
Toward the end of 1947, the boat SS FEARLESS departed from the shores of Italy on the way to Palestine carrying several hundred "illegal" Jewish immigrants on board. The journey was filmed and brought to life in this moving documentary. It tells the story of Jewish immigration to Palestine during the British Mandate. These Holocaust survivors wandered all over Europe in an effort to reach their homeland. Authentic archive footage is mixed with rare interviews of British officers, Italian sailors and several refugees who succeeded in reaching their destination despite all odds.
48min., black & white and color, 1991. S, A.THIS DISPUTATION: A Theological Debate Between Christians and Jews (JV-426)
Public theological debates between Christians and Jews were a frequent feature of the Middle Ages. For Christianity in the Middle Ages, the only impediment to the Second Coming was the refusal of the Jews to accept Christ. "Disputations" were arranged by theologians to convince the Jews to convert. This program recreates one of the famous debates: the Barcelona Disputation of 1263 between the Monk Pablo Christani and Rabbi Moses ben Nachman. The program also shows the consequences of the debate, whose results had chilling counterparts in the 20th century.
65min., color, 1993. S, A.DISRAELI (JV-307)
George Arliss is Disraeli, the Jewish Prime Minister of England in the Court of Queen Victoria. The period covers England's attempt to secure the Suez Canal, and the characters are shown with humor, romance, and historical color.
87min., black & white, 1929. S, A.DIVINE FOOD: 100 Years in the Kosher Delicatessen Trade (JV-744)
The unique culture and flavor of the Jewish delicatessen is celebrated in this exploration of the kosher manufacturing process--especially the meats: pastrami, corned beef, salami and hot dogs.
46min., color, 1998. E, S, A.DR. RON WOLFSON (JV-207)
Lecture presentation to Jewish educators by Dr. Ron Wolfson, 26 October 1990, on Jewish family learning experiences and education.
100min., color, 1990. A.DR. SEUSS ON THE LOOSE: The Sneetches (JV-81)
Adapted by Dr. Seuss from a section of his book, this part deals with the Sneetches, ostrich-like beings who live on the beach. Some have stars on their bellies and think they're superior to their starless cousins. A stranger turns the Sneetch community topsy-turvy, making everyone truly equal, and providing a valuable lesson for reducing prejudice.
30min., color. K, P, E, S, A. Leaders' Guide.DRISHAT SHALOM (DASH): January 1991 Selections (JV-491)
A popular TV program produced on video that includes three segments: (1) Nature cartoon, Zhe Chai, a program for children about homing pigeons where children learn to use their senses; (2) Hopa Hay about a visit to the museum of trains in Haifa and the Hopa Hay Group in concert; (3) Sof Shavua featuring songs by Yehuda Poliker, comedian Shlomo Itzhak, and an interview with author Amos Oz.
120min., color, 1991. Hebrew w/English subtitles. E, S.DRISHAT SHALOM (DASH): June 1991 Selections (JV-493)
Five TV program segments: (1) It's Alive, a children's program from the Safari Park in Israel; (2) Story Time; (3) Ethiopian Children's Choir; (4) Operation Solomon, Ethiopian families reunited in Israel; (5) Israel Broadcasting Jerusalem Orchestra, music and ceremony honoring composer Moshe Wilensky.
105min, color, 1991. Hebrew w/English subtitles. E, S, A.DRIVING MISS DAISY (JV-550)
Providing an unusual view of bigotry in the Deep South, the film depicts the working relationship of a wealthy Jewish widow and her black chauffeur over a 25-year period as the Civil Rights Movement affects both of them. Miss Daisy is an aging Jewish woman from Atlanta, who can no longer safely drive her own car. When her son hires Hoke as her driver, she can barely contain her prejudice. But Hoke is a wise and patient man. As she ages, Miss Daisy comes to appreciate his capabilities and understand his quiet suffering as a black man in the Deep South.
99min., color, 1991. A.THE DUNERA BOYS (JV-220)
Thousands of Jews fled Vienna at the beginning of World War II and sought refuge from the Germans by going to England. Ironically, the British suspected them of being Nazi informers and had them shipped off to an Australian prison camp on the ship, HMT DUNERA. The film tells about the inhumane treatment the refugees received from their English captors, the horrible conditions in the Australian Outback, and the life they created with the help of some prison guards who realized the prisoners were harmless victims of British bureaucracy. After one year, the mistake was realized,and the refugees were recruited for the King's Army.
150min., color, 1985. A.THE DYBBUK (JV-131)
The 1937 Yiddish film classic, based on S. Anksy's stage play, was one of the most popular of all Jewish productions, as it deals with love and exorcism. Khannan and Leah, betrothed by their fathers before their births, are tragically barred from marrying. Khannan dies of sorrow, but returns as a Dybbuk, a wandering spirit, to possess Leah as she is about to marry someone else.
108min., black & white, 1937. Yiddish w/English subtitles. S, A..EAST AND WEST (Ost Und West) (JV-551)
This restored 1923 Yiddish film, with a new musical score, depicts a wealthy American daughter and her father returning to his Polish hometown for a family wedding. The daughter finds her Old World relatives old-fashioned, while they are shocked by her modern, carefree ways. Her rebellious pranks are climaxed by a mock wedding in which she becomes married for real to a devout yeshiva student. The deed, it turns out, is not as easily undone.
85min., black & white, 1929. Yiddish w/English subtitles. A.ECHOES OF CONFLICT (Seret Layla; No Te Mas; and HaKruv) (JV-646)
These three short Israeli films deal with the struggles between Palestinian and Israelis after the Intifada began in 1987. The first film, Night Movie (Seret Layla) depicts an Israeli on reserve duty who wanders through nighttime Tel Aviv with his temporary captive, an Arab youth. The second film, Don't Get Involved (No Te Mas), focuses on an Argentinean who moved to Israel after being imprisoned for political activity in his homeland's Terror Regime, only to be confronted by a similar chain of events in Israel. The third, The Cage (Ha Kruv), tells of an Israeli bartender who is called to reserve duty because of the Palestinian Uprising, only to discover that his co-worker is secretly involved in the revolution.
91min., color, 1990. Hebrew w/English subtitles S, A.ECHOES THAT REMAIN (JV- 401)
This is a poignant study of Jewish shtetl life before the Holocaust. Combining rare and previously unseen film footage and photos, live-action sequences were shot on location at former Jewish communities in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania.
60min., color, 1991. E, S, A.EDUCATING INATTENTIVE CHILDREN (JV-759)
This cassette presents a program to familiarize teachers with attention-deficit disorder issues in the classroom and provides explanations concerning student evaluation, medical, and non-medical treatment choices. It also helps teachers learn what they can do to manage ADD behavior in the classroom.
120min., color, 1990. S, A.EENIE'S KITCHEN: Hanukkah (JV-301)
Chef Eenie Frost introduces traditional Jewish foods for Hanukkah. She prepares latkes (potato pancakes prepared in Ashkenazi homes) and sufganiot (doughnuts eaten in Israel and in Sephardic homes). Eenie not only shows how the food is prepared, but also explains their Jewish significance.
29min., color, 1983. E, S, A.EENIE'S KITCHEN: Passover (JV-302)
Chef Eenie Frost prepares traditional Passover foods such as haroset, matza kugel, Latvian beet relish, and jam nut-filled cookies while explaining their Jewish significance.
29min., color, 1983. E, S, A.EGYPT AND ISRAEL (JV-572)
Taken from the CBS Television program, See It Now, and filmed during Spring 1956 but prior to the 1956 Suez Crisis, the film tours Egypt and Israel to give a detailed account of the countries, the leaders, and their opposing political and ideological positions. Concludes with two at-length interviews with Nasser and Ben-Gurion.
87min., black & white, 1956. S, A.EHUD MANOR: Ron Arad's Song (JV-356)
This video was created to promote the release of the Israeli Air Force officer, the forgotten hostage, held by the Hizbullah group, supported by Iran.
10min., color, 1994. Hebrew and English. S, A..THE EIGHTH DAY (JV-37)
This is an historical drama set in the time of the Maccabees, over 2,000 years ago. The conflict between the Greeks and the Maccabees is at its peak. A young Jewish couple is faced with the decision of whether or not to circumcise their new-born son. Will the child's life be spared by breaking with the tradition of his forefathers? This account not only portrays an important moment in Jewish history, but also raises a variety of questions relevant to contemporary life. The production was sponsored by, among others, the Joint Program for Jewish Education of the State of Israel.
23min., color, 1989. S, A.THE EIGHTY-FIRST BLOW (Ha-Makah Hashmonim V'Ehad) (JV-324)
An historical documentary made from film footage and photography stills shot by the Nazis compiling testimony from witnesses who appeared at the Eichmann Trial in Jerusalem. The film's title refers to the story of a Jewish boy in one of the ghettos who was struck with 80 blows. He survived the Holocaust and emigrated to Israel, where he found that no one believed his story. That was the 81st blow for him.
115min., black & white, 1974. Hebrew and Yiddish w/English subtitles. S, A.EILAT (JV-695)
This exciting video cassette captures all the excitement of this city at the tip of the Red Sea, showing water sports, nightlife, wildlife, native Bedouin nomads, and the fantastic underwater display of corals and marine life.
25min., color, 1986. No dialogue; just music. S, A.ELI, ELI (JV-36)
A musical tale of a family divided by misfortune but reunited by Providence.
85min., black & white, 1940. Yiddish w/English subtitles. A.ELIE WIESEL: Facing Hate (JV-242B)
The second of a three-part Public Television series on hate where moderator Bill Moyers probes the logic of hatred as expressed in books, religion, history, and personal experience. Eli Wiesel discusses the death of his father in Auschwitz, his anger towards the Allies for not acting in time to save the doomed occupants of the death camps, and the hatred he felt within the DP camp from the anti-Semites. Although Wiesel admits, "...the more I read, the less I understand...," he does hold out hope for the future.
60min., color, 1991. S, A. Guide.ELIJAH (Testament Series) (JV-690)
The animated biblical story of Elijah who incurred the wrath of Queen Jezebel and King Ahab by trying to bring the people to the true God and proving the prophets of Baal false. His work was not finished, however, until he found someone who would carry on his work and who would also be willing to preach the true faith even while persecuted by the people and King.
30min., color, 1996. Animated. E, S, A.THE ENCHANTING TRAVELS OF BENJAMIN OF TUDELA (JV-201)
An animated story of the life and travels of Benjamin as he traveled the Jewish world eight centuries ago. Sailing from Tudela, Spain during the second half of the 12th century, Benjamin visited Mediterranean countries, as well as the Near East, all the while recording his encounters in his Book of Travels.
9min., color, 1989. Animated. E, S, A.ENEMIES: A Love Story (JV-339)
A man is beset by problems, not the least of which is being simultaneously married to three women. His first wife, played by Angelica Houston, was believed killed in a concentration camp, but resurfaces in America and finds her husband Herman married to the couple's ex-servant. To complicate things further, Herman has taken on a mistress (Lena Olin) whom he also intends to marry when she becomes pregnant.
121min., color, 1989. S, A.ENOUGH ALREADY (JV-483)
An animated musical adventure for the entire family featuring Rabbi Joe Black. The beloved Yiddish folktale about a poor farmer in a crowded house who goes to the Rebbe to seek advice on how to alleviate his crowded situation. The Rebbe gives him a clever and hilarious solution for his predicament. The video presents a poignant lesson for all about being thankful for what we have. Narrated by Liv Lerner, introducing three lively original songs.
26min., color, 1996. Animated. All Ages.ESCAPE FROM SOBIBOR (JV-451)
A true story of the largest escape from a Nazi concentration camp. This story was one the Nazis couldn't hide. When Lieutenant Sasha Pechersky, a Russian Army officer, was captured and sent to the extermination camp Sobibor, he confronted the horrors of the Holocaust. With his know-how and support, he rallied the prisoners' will to resist and staged the spectacular escape.
120min., color, 1987. S, A.ESTHER AND THE KING (JV-610)
From India to Ethiopia, Persia's King Ahasuerus is the mightiest of the mighty. But now someone shares the power of his throne. She is Esther, a Jewish maiden chosen from among the beauties of the kingdom to be his bride. Esther promises her uncle Mordecai to help the Jewish people suffering under the King's malevolent First Minister, Haman. Soon she faces a severe test: she and all other Jews will be killed if they do not renounce their faith. Inspired by the Book of Esther and filled with pomp and pageantry of an ancient realm, this biblical epic salutes the faith, courage, and triumph commemorated in observance of the Purim holiday.
110min., color, 1960. A.THE ETERNAL JEW (JV-427)
This wartime footage film was intended to incite its viewers to racial hatred. A visit to the Lodz Ghetto in Nazi-occupied Poland was combined with archival footage and newsreels to portray Jews as swindlers and parasites. The Eternal Jew is being made available to provide insight into this tragic era.
62min., black & white, 1988. German w/English subtitles. S, A.EUROPA, EUROPA: A True Story (JV-157)
Based on the true story of Solomon Powel, a courageous German-Jewish teenager who survived World War II by concealing his true identity and living as a Nazi for seven years and in three countries. His sister was killed by rampaging Nazis on the eve of his Bar Mitzvah. Knowing their days in Hitler's Germany were numbered, his family moved to Poland for safety. From there, the young Jewish boy escapes from a Polish ghetto, lives in a communist orphanage, hides out in an elite school for Hitler Youths, and fights as a Nazi soldier without the Germans knowing the hidden truth. His adventure is portrayed in a combination of realistic drama and ironic humor.
115min., color, 1991. German and Russian w/English subtitles. S, A..THE EVERLASTING FLAME (JV-398)
The music and lyrics for The Everlasting Flame were composed by 17-year-old Shayna Levine of Miami, Florida who was inspired by her experiences while participating with The March of the Living, 1995. The song is sung with a background of still photography, mostly from the collection of Holocaust photographer Roman Vishniac.
14min., color, 1995. S, A.EXODUS (JV-160A, JV-160B)
Based on the book by Leon Uris, this two-part action movie tells of a Jewish resistance fighter who challenges British authority in Palestine and works to bring more refugees to the Land of Israel. It is, in part, the story of the illegal immigration, Aliyah Bet, to Palestine.
308min., color, 1960. A.
