SPECIAL EVENTS

The 38th Annual Jewish Book & Arts Fair  presents Films at the Fair.

Schedule of Films:

Sunday, Oct 31 • 1:30 PM
Sharon
Director: Dror Moreh
Israel, 2007, 90 minutes, Hebrew, English subtitles

Who is Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon? What were his thoughts as he made historic decisions that would lead to a possible peace agreement? Director Dror Moreh, one of the new generation of independent filmmakers in Israel, started with 70 hours of exclusive footage to introduce us to this very private man—farmer, husband, warrior, and father of the settlers’ movement who turned into a strategic statesmen. Committing himself to peace in the Middle East, and with eyes wide open, he single-mindedly destroyed his life’s work.

More than just a political documentary, Sharon is a classic tragedy with Moreh and his camera struggling to get to the heart of the puzzle that was Sharon in his later years.

Free to Series Pass Holders • $8 JCC Member • $10 Public

Friday, Nov 5 • 1:00 PM
Ahead of Time
Director: Robert Richman USA/Israel, 2009, 73 minutes, English, Hebrew with subtitles

This poignant documentary about Ruth Gruber, the youngest person in the world to receive a Ph.D., covers seven decades of her life as a photojournalist and foreign correspondent. Gruber entered the Soviet Arctic in 1935 as the first journalist to do so, escorted Holocaust refugees to America in 1944, covered the Nuremburg Trials in 1946, and documented the Haganah ship Exodus in 1947.

Using never-seen-before archival footage, we witness how her relationships with world leaders provided her unique access and insight into the modern history of the Jewish people.

Gruber, presently a lively 98 year old, has been a much beloved speaker at the JCC Jewish Book & Arts Fair. Ahead of Time is the directorial debut of award-winning cinematographer, Robert Richman (An Inconvenient Truth).

Free to Series Pass Holders • $8 JCC Member • $10 Public

Saturday, Nov 6 • 8:00 PM
The Little Traitor
Director: Lynn Roth Israel/USA, 2007, 88 minutes, English, Hebrew wth subtitles

Based in Palestine in 1947, a few months before Israel became a state, The Little Traitor is about the unlikely friendship of a young boy and a British Sergeant. Militant but sensitive, twelve year old Proffy Liebowitz (Ido Port, Dear Mr. Waldman) is seized by British Sergeant Dunlop (Alfred Molina, Law & Order Los Angeles) for being out past curfew, but instead of turning him in, Dunlop takes him home.

As Dunlop becomes a father figure, Liebowitz’s friends find their friendship problematic and call him a traitor leading to a trial that will change Liebowitz’s life forever.

Based on the novel Panther in the Basement by Amos Oz, director Lynn Roth seamlessly blends the touching tale of friendship, trust and betrayal against the larger backdrop of the last days of the British occupation of Palestine.

Free to Series Pass Holders • $8 JCC Member • $10 Public

Sunday, Nov 14 • 1:30 PM
The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground
Director: Erik Greenberg Anjou USA, 2009, 106 minutes, English

Houstonians will remember filmmaker Erik Greenberg Anjou’s intimate look at Cantor Jack Mendelsohn in the film, A Cantor’s Tale. Once again, Anjou delves deep into the lives of extraordinary musicians as individuals and together as the 2006 Grammy Award Winning New York based band, The Klezmatics.

Although best known for klezmer music, a vibrant genre that mixes Yiddish culture with folk beats, their Grammy was awarded for Best World Music for their first English language album, Wonder Wheel: Lyrics by Woody Guthrie. On Holy Ground documents the band’s journey to become a global sensation.

The film shows how they redefined Jewish music for over two decades and follows the ups and downs of live shows. It highlights stories of the band members’ lives unrelated to music – battling middle age, raising families while working, and getting along with bandmates.

Talk back follows the screening with Director Erik Anjou and Klezmatics members Paul Morrissett and Lorin Sklamberg.

Free to Series Pass Holders $8 JCC Member $10 Public