Exploring Jewish History Through Film: ANU Museum’s Cinematic Collection and Annual Content Series
ANU’s film collection includes rare documentaries and amateur films from the 1920s onwards, alongside contemporary films produced in Israel and worldwide. These films document and preserve Jewish life in various times and places. Through them, one can explore old and new worlds, tradition and modernity, understand the spirit of the era in which they were created, and recognize the close connection between cinema, history, identity, and memory.
Throughout the academic year, cinema meetings were held as standalone events and as part of the museum’s broader activities, including guided tours and its annual content series.
This series aligns with the museum’s programs and features a variety of events such as lectures, visual presentations, performances, and film screenings. Here are some of the series that have been presented in the past, and are continuing to be presented on an occasional basis:
From East and West, North and South?”
The series focused on synagogues worldwide as centers of community life. It examined the following aspects: history, architecture, archaeology, art, music, and specific synagogues.
A Documentary series about Jewish and Israeli identity (in collaboration with the New Fund for Cinema and Television). The rich and fascinating mosaic, full of tensions and contrasts of Jewish and Israeli society, is reflected in documentary cinema. This series features high-quality films from the New Fund for Cinema and Television, many of which have been showcased at prestigious film festivals worldwide. It also includes rare and newly produced documentaries from the Museum’s Visual Documentation Center, offering unique insights into contemporary Jewish and Israeli life.
Views on the Jewish Town (in collaboration with Shalom Aleichem House)
This series explores a world that once was—a vibrant and captivating world filled with characters, bustling markets, diverse occupations, synagogues, cheder children, yeshiva students, and a rich tapestry of traditions, from weddings to tragedies. The series also explored the contrasts between past and present, highlighting both the historical legacy and the current reality of these communities.
Maghreb
Views on North African Jews
The series focused on the Jews of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya during the 19th and 20th centuries, exploring a wide range of fields including history, art, literature, cinema, philosophy, music, and culinary traditions.
Future series and screening events will be publicized on the Anu Museum Website as they approach.
