Project Four: The Jewish World

• Films: Golden Age of Second Avenue / Dybbuk / The Chosen
• Projects: Choose ONE of the following!
  • A. Please watch both film versions of The Dybbuk that are streamed from the library. Next, do a bit more digging on the play by S. Ansky. Find out what this play was about…why did he do the research and write it? Why has it become the signature production of Israel’s Habima Theatre? Why does it resonate so deeply with Jews? And…any more questions you’d like to ask. 2-3 page essay.
  • B. Watch The Chosen or, if you can find a copy, Yentl. Each story has powerful resonance for Jews: in The Chosen we find two boys growing up, on orthodox Hassid and the other a Haskaleh enlightenment kid, though still observant; Yentl presents a problem found in both Jewish and Muslim cultures—why can’t women be scholars and rabbis or work out on their own? Tough issue…what to do? Consider and write about it.
  • C. Find out more about how the Jews founded Hollywood and/or Broadway theatre and stand-up comedy. Let your own interests guide you, then decide how you’d like to present your thoughts: considering the work of one or two moguls or directors or Broadway producers or playwrights or comedians…get the idea? Plenty to illustrate this topic with, no? 2-3 pages, etc.
• Guidelines
  • All projects should be submitted as an email attachment in Word.
  • Double-spaced text of 750 words or more (3 pages).
  • Inserted pictures should be in addition to the required length.
  • In all cases, be creative and try to reflect what you learned from the chapter and films to inform your project. Ask questions: What’s worth knowing about this subject? What’s interesting about this culture? How does this culture reflect the greater world community? How does religious faith influence the culture and its theatre and drama? What more would you like to know? Explore and find out and share with me!
  • If you have questions or are confused about anything, please ask me!