SD Jewish Film Fest

This week is the San Diego Jewish Film Festival. I decided to evade the grading of papers and go see one of the showings. First, all three of the films I saw tonight were wonderful. All three were very comical, with serious messages, and all three are definitely worth seeing. Although the two short films, "Advice and Dissent" and "The Kiss" were great; the feature documentary was wonderful. Read below for clear description. For me, it was wonderful to hear the language of my grandparents and the generations before them. There were a couple moments where I was suprised at the tears I had. Strange how a long lost connection can stir emotion.


Mame-Loshn Kinder-Loshn
After the Holocaust, "Yiddish police" patrolled the streets of Israel, pouncing on those they heard speaking the "language of the ghetto." This fascinating documentary takes a look at the history of Yiddish, a language that was once spoken by 12 million people. A rising worldwide interest in Yiddish inspired Directors Avi Lehrer and Tony Schwarcz to talk to writers and artists, including a female Yiddish rapper, about the revival of this almost forgotten language.

The Kiss
A moving Yiddish-language short about a young girl who seeks a kiss from her father, but her father is too preoccupied with his religion to notice her.

Advice And Dissent
Jeffrey Goldman (John Pankow of Mad About You) no longer wants to be married to his wife (Rebecca Pigeon), but fears the economic woes of divorce. When he asks a Rabbi (Eli Wallach) to put a curse on her, the Rabbi suggests he "do away with her." What ensues is a series of comical twists and turns that keep the audience yearning for more.