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HaSHIUR
Nisan/Iyar 5767
April 2007
Volume 3 No. 3
Learnings
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Jewish Moguls Influence on
Early American Film Industry
Michael Lesser
Cecile B. DeMille, “The
Ten Commandments”
and Me
Jerome Pickman
Film Picks by
Central
Synagogue’s Staff
Our Youth
Group’s Response
to “Borat”
Sophie Kainen and Brent Palmer
HaSHIUR
Learnings
NISAN/IYAR 5767
APRIL 2007
VOLUME 3 NO. 3
C o n t e n t s
1
2
3
4
5
7
Jewish Lessons from “Drumline”
Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein
Discovering Ourselves in the Other
Rabbi Sarah H. Reines
“The Jazz Singer”
The Search for Balance in our Lives
Rabbi Jeffrey S. Saxe
“The Princess Bride”
and the Power of Love
Cantor Angela Warnick Buchdahl
Maurice Sendak: The Nurturer of
Children’s Imaginations
Susan Alpert
A Few of the Many Wonderful
Jewish Film Actors
A Quiz by Marilyn Bernard
8
10
12
15
Jewish Moguls Influence on Early
American Film Industry
Michael Lesser
“Ushpizin”
A review by Daniel Nadelmann
Cecile B. DeMille, “The Ten
Commandments” and Me
Jerome Pickman
Our Youth Group’s Response
to “Borat”
Sophie Kainen and Brent Palmer
Sarah Merians Photography & Company
Jewish Lessons
from “Drumline”
Editor’s Note: “Drumline” was directed by Charles Stone III and released in 2002. Nick Cannon who played Devon Miles
was nominated for the Best Male Breakthrough Performance by MTV Movie Awards in 2003.
“
D
rumline,” my choice for this year’s Clergy Film Series, ostensibly has nothing
to do with Judaism or Jewish life. In fact, in every apparent way, it has nothing
to do with us.
“Drumline” is the story of Devon, a young, naturally
talented, African-American drummer, who receives a
college scholarship to Atlantic A&T, a university with a
predominantly African-American population and a worldclass marching band. The film chronicles Devon’s
relationship with his family, his art, the culture of the
band, and the school he attends, and, most poignantly, his
relationship with Sean, the leader of the drumline, and
Dr.Lee, the faculty bandmaster. And, of course, there is
Laila, his girlfriend.
“…the underlying
messages of the film
are startlingly
intrinsically Jewish.”
INHERENT JEWISH VALUES
These are not circumstances to which most of us can
immediately relate. So, as one of my Confirmation class
students opined, “The movie has nothing to do with
Judaism” …except that I believe the underlying messages of
the film are startlingly intrinsically Jewish.
message that reverberates in the band’s mantra, “One band,
one sound.” A core teaching of Jewish history is that the
collective pre-empts the individual. We should be involved
in the healing of society, a focus that occupies us beyond
our personal benefit.
The film also mirrors lessons about atonement
(Devon’s relationship with his father and Sean); leadership
(the difference between the bandleaders of rival bands and
Dr. Lee’s guidance of both Sean and Devon); decency,
integrity and the pursuit of learning (as more important
than winning); adherence to tradition, and the belief in
character, honor and discipline. Every one of these
messages is couched in transparent conversations to which
we easily relate.
INTEGRATING THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT
As much as this film resonates with exceptional Jewish
values and the thrust of Jewish life, it also is an affirmation
of the purpose of Reform Judaism. In the story,
accommodation is made to honor the past and accept the
present to create music that is relevant and vital. That is,
after all, the core presumption of Reform Judaism: that
there is a way for the past to integrate with our present
circumstances and challenges.
I really love this movie. Besides it has great drumming.
Take for instance Sean’s reprimand of Devon’s
pompous display of his natural ability: “You’re the best but
on the field no one hears you—they hear the band.” It is a
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
1
Discovering
Ourselves in
the Other
Editor’s Note: “Smoke Signals” was directed by Chris Eyre, a Cheyenne/Arapaho Indian. The film won the Audience Award and
Filmmakers Trophy at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.
“
S
moke Signals” is a fresh take on a classic cinematic plot: journey, confrontation, resolution.
Two Native American young men, living on an Indian reservation in Idaho, are forever
connected due to a shared tragedy from their infancy. Victor is a macho pragmatist, and
Thomas is a nerdy storyteller. Victor receives news that his estranged, alcoholic father has died
while living in a trailer in the desert outside Phoenix. In order to claim his father’s belongings, he is
forced to borrow money for his bus ticket from Thomas, who insists on traveling with him to Phoenix.
The road trip becomes a pilgrimage, where Victor—with the help of various players—confronts his past
and frees himself to move forward.
I first saw “Smoke Signals”—the first feature film
written, directed and acted by Native Americans—when it
was released in the summer of 1998, and found myself
engrossed by this tender, funny and deeply provocative
movie. It provides a window into an overlooked corner of
our own nation’s backyard, but its success among critics
and audiences is evidence of the movie’s compelling
universality. Its themes also resonate with those of Jewish
tradition: the struggle of love and hate between
generations, sibling dependency and rivalry, the search for
home, existing within reality and myth.
This resonance is driven home in the last scene of the
movie. Here the film’s quiet emotionality surges forth.
The narrative plot ends, leaving the viewer with a gently
powerful cinematic image and a voiceover reading of a
poem. I found the words of the poem, “Forgiving Our
Fathers,” so compelling that I saw the movie again so that I
could copy them down. Later, I did some research and
was both surprised and validated to discover that the poet,
Dick Lourie, is Jewish.
“Smoke Signals” is based upon a book of short stories
by a Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Indian novelist and poet,
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Sherman Alexie, who also wrote its screenplay. Curious to
understand why Alexie, a published poet, would look
beyond his own tradition in choosing a coda for this film, I
decided to learn more about him and read some of his
stories and poetry. It is clear from Alexie’s work that he is
moved and inspired by the Jewish story. He wrote “Inside
Dachau,” a poem composed in seven parts, after he visited
this concentration camp. A leading character in “The
Business of Fancydancing,” a later film, is the daughter of a
second-generation Russian Jew and a Spokane Native
American. The part was written for an actress, Michelle St.
John, who is the daughter of a Jew and a Native American.
I loved this movie because it was so different from my
own experience and life circumstance and at the same time
it felt very familiar. It is a subtle but powerful example of
how different cultures can teach from their own tradition
but at the same time borrow from one another and find
commonalities. I highly recommend this film. It is evocative
and humorous and the acting is superb. And, if you weren’t
able to come to the screening and discussion on March 14, I
would be happy to talk about it with you anytime!
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE AND ITS ACTIVITIES C ALL
212.838.5122
“The Jazz Singer”
The Search for
Balance in our Lives
Editor’s Note: “The Jazz Singer” (1980) was directed by Richard Fleischer and was
nominated for two Golden Globe awards and for a Grammy Award.
“
T
he Jazz Singer” was first made into a film in 1927 and starred Al Jolson. Twenty-five
years later, Michael Curtis directed a remake of “The Jazz Singer” with Danny Thomas
in the lead role. On April 11, we will view and discuss the most recent version of this
compelling story. Released in 1980, the film stars Neil Diamond who also performs
many of his hit songs in the film.
him away from his tradition without leaving that tradition,
or his community behind.
Supplied by ADH-Globe Photos, Inc. © 2007
Neil Diamond in “The Jazz Singer”
The themes of “The Jazz Singer” are just as relevant
today as they were in 1927 and 1952. Set in the 1970s,
this newer version shows us the two worlds in which Yussel
Rabinowitz lives. One is the comfortable, insulated world
of his New York City Orthodox community, where he is in
line to succeed his father as cantor. The other is the very
unorthodox and uncertain world of rock music. Yussel
secretly defies his father by performing in nightclubs under
the name of Jess Robin. His tale is the story of an
American Jew who struggles to pursue dreams that draw
As Yussel/Jess moves back and forth from one part of
his life to the other, he encounters the limitations of others
who cannot understand or accept who he is–both a
committed Jew and a performer of his own music. His wife
tells him, “You’ve got too much talent to waste on music
that doesn’t mean anything,” and his music producer
wishes him a “Happy Yom Kippur.” Caught between two
worlds, he searches for where he belongs.
“…modern reality
constantly presents us
with choices..”
As Jews, we constantly negotiate the competing pulls
of our Jewish tradition and everything else in our lives.
Even without the pressures of living in an Orthodox
community, modern reality constantly presents us with
choices about who we are and how we express our identity.
How do we find that balance? Please join me for a great
movie and discussion.
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
3
“The Princess Bride”
and the Power of Love
Cantor Angela Warnick Buchdahl
Editor’s Note: Released in 1987, “The Princess Bride” was directed by Rob Reiner. The film was nominated for an Academy Award and
won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
T
his cult comedy classic of my youth has one overriding theme: the power of love. It
portrays the love of a son for a father and the romantic love between a man and a woman
that conquers all—even death. Slightly less well known is that the overriding theme of
Jewish theology is also the power of love. Our relationship with God and even the
Covenant with God at Sinai is cloaked in the language of love.
Take for example the main creed of our faith—the
Sh’ma prayer. This prayer in our service is surrounded by
“love,” with the V’ahavta prayer before and the Ahavat
Olam prayer following it. Both of these prayers share the
Hebrew root of ahava, love. The first prayer, the V’ahavta,
speaks of the ways that Israelites show love for God
through actions (teaching our children, putting up
mezuzot, etc.). The Ahavat Olam prayer speaks of how
God shows love for Israel by giving us the Torah. Our
covenantal relationship with God includes language of
“betrothal” and shares the wording of our wedding
ceremonies. In the “Song of Songs,” the love poetry of the
Bible, God’s relationship with Israel is analogous to a King
and His Lover. Our ideal relationship with God is to have
the same passion and faithfulness of this kind of romantic
love.
Admittedly, this movie did not directly connect with
these larger theological issues within Judaism, but if you
haven’t seen it, it is worth watching. Laughter has
sustained Jews for centuries (and Billy Crystal and Mandy
Patinkin are brilliant)! And perhaps be reminded of the
everlasting power of love between people, which mirrors
the great love that Israel has with God.
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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE AND ITS ACTIVITIES VISIT
w w w. c e n t r a l s y n a g o g u e . o r g
Maurice Sendak:
The Nurturer of
Children’s Imaginations
Susan Alpert
Editor’s Note: Susan Alpert is the Early Childhood Director of Central Synagogue’s May Family Nursery School.
“
D
id you read the book?” “No, I saw the movie!” Movies have always been a love of mine,
though I have found that very few movies are a replacement for a good book, where our
imaginations are free to capture the look of a character or how the costuming or setting
may appear. Still, movies do offer an escape, a hearty laugh or cathartic cry, great
cinematography, strong acting performances, or places we may never visit, and, of course, there is the
popcorn and little snow-caps.
One of our most prolific and renowned children’s
author, known not only for his books and illustrations, but
also for his opera sets and ballet costumes, has also
contributed to the film industry as both a producer and
writer of children’s animated films and television series. In
recognition of his remarkable talents, the National
Endowment of the Arts awarded Maurice Sendak the
American National Medal of the Arts in 1996.
the same reason—escape. Sendak was born in 1928, the
youngest of three, to Polish Jewish immigrant parents,
spending his youth growing up in Brooklyn and moving in
his teens to rural Connecticut. When he was 13, Sendak
learned that his maternal grandfather, aunts, uncles, and
cousins had perished in the Holocaust. The realization that
children his age could die was a great shock to Sendak and
it became a preoccupation in much of the work he created.
During his 50-year career, this beloved
author/illustrator has written more than 80 books,
including such favorites as “The Sign on Rosie’s Door”
(1960), “Where the Wild Things Are” (1963; 1964
Caldecott Medal for most distinguished book of the year),
“In the Night Kitchen” (1970), “Brundibar”
(2003), et al.—classics that most children and
parents cherish and hand down from one generation
to another. His film and television credits include
“Nutcracker: The Motion Picture” (1986), “George
and Martha” (1999), “Seven Little Monsters”
(2000), and “The Little Bear” (2001). “Where the
Wild Things Are” is scheduled for release in 2008.
The Sendak children’s love of books and stories were
nurtured by their father who often told imaginative stories
to them, which made a lasting impression on all of them,
especially Maurice. Sendak’s abilities were obvious from an
early age. As a teenager, he illustrated his first book, “Peter
SENDAK’S EARLY YEARS
While we may read or go to the movies as an
escape, Maurice Sendak composed and illustrated for
“[Sendak’s] works are
characterized by a
constant push and pull
between horror and beauty,
good and evil…”
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
5
and the Wolf,” created a comic strip for the high school
newspaper, Pinky Carr, and provided a number of
illustrations for another comic strip, Mutt and Jeff, and a
physics textbook. After high school, he worked as a
window dresser for F.A.O. Schwartz. (Sixty years later,
F.A.O. Schwartz would be selling life-sized wild things
from his most popular book.) Around this same time,
Sendak was introduced to Ursula Nordstrom, a wellknown children’s editor, who was greatly impressed with
his work. As the saying goes, the rest is history.
Jewish diva who screams, “Oy Vey!”
Sendak loved New York and pined for city life when
he moved to Connecticut. In his book, “In the Night
Kitchen,” written as a tribute to his many excursions to
Manhattan, he captured the dazzling night skyline. In
1993, Sendak illustrated “We Are All in the Dumps with
Jack and Guy.” Critics deemed the style brutally honest by
critics, because it spoke of a city that is menacing and scary
for homeless children living in a hostile adult world.
HONORING THE HEROISM OF CHILDREN
SENDAK’S BÊTE NOIR
Writing in complete silence, Sendak’s creative genius
flows from his pen, however, when he illustrates, he does
so listening to his favorite art form, music. Yet, whether in
silence or with music, Sendak’s creative source remains the
same: “My great curiosity [is] about childhood as a state of
being, and how all children manage to get through
childhood from one day to the next, how they defeat
boredom, fear, pain and anxiety and find joy. It is a
constant miracle to me that children manage to grow
up.”(Lanes 1980) His works are characterized by a
constant push and pull between horror and beauty, good
and evil, and are marked by his ever-present urge to find a
way to deal with the Holocaust, to acknowledge those wild
things that ultimately remained untamed.
Writer, illustrator, and animated film producer,
Maurice Sendak found a vehicle for his talents and
personal struggles, which touch the chord of humor, hope
and fear in all of us. In tribute to the children for whom
he writes, he once said, “I am obsessed with childhood and
with the extraordinary heroism of children.”
Ironically, this beloved children’s author never had
children of his own and lives a secluded life pursuing his
art in Connecticut.
In “Where the Wild Things Are,” Sendak poked fun at
those he grew-up with: his maternal aunts and uncles who
visited his Brooklyn home every Sunday, pinching his
cheeks and eating all the food. The heroine of “The
Sign on Rosie’s Door” was Rosie, a bubbly, ten-year
old Italian girl from Brooklyn whom Sendak
constantly watched from his window.
Sketching Rosie, the free-spirited child,
represented to Sendak the opposite of his
childhood: frail and ill, growing up in an
over-protected household haunted by the
Holocaust. In subsequent writings and in
the film, Rosie became an American-
Sources:
The Jewish Museum, press release, April 2, 2005
Lanes, Selma G. The Art of Maurice Sendak. NY: Abradale Press/Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1980
http://www.biography.com
http://www.imdb.com
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212.838.5122
A Few of the Many
Wonderful Jewish
Film Actors
A Quiz by Marilyn Bernard
Editor’s Note: Marilyn Bernard is a member of Central Synagogue since 1987 and works as an actress in theatre, film, television,
commercials, and commercial print.
Go on, have a go—who is the film actor/actress and in which film did he/she star?
1. She was a nice Jewish girl or was she?
(Clue: Her real name was Theodosia Burr Goodman.)
2. Who was Sholem Aleichem’s original dairyman?
(Clue: non-musical)
3. She fell in love with a man in a white uniform.
4. Was a teacher who said, “It’s not about the direction you
take, it’s about the direction you give.”
5. Plotted revenge on her two-timing husband.
6. Was a smarmy press agent in cahoots with a ruthless
columnist.
7. Her real name was Marion Levy and she starred with
and married “the little tramp.”
8. Was a U.S. president look-alike and charmed the nation.
9. Was a socially malfunctioning math genius.
10. Said, “Hi Curly, killed anyone today?”
11. Joined the army and found self-worth.
15. Was an irreverent surgeon in a hot country who
complained, “I wish they wouldn’t land those things
here while we’re playing golf.”
16. Had a constant, but unscheduled, appointment with Kato.
17. Bicycled through London searching for the meaning
of true love.
18. Who was Emanuel Goldberg? In a role, he said, “You
want me, you’re gonna have to get me.”
19. Always the elegant and sometimes “elusive” gentleman.
(Clue: “They seek him here, they seek him there….”)
20. Made over 80 films and in one of them led the slaves’
revolution.
21. Was a maid in the house of a famous painter.
22. Had a major problem wearing shoes.
23. Said to her daughter, “Go to your closet and pray.”
24. Said, “Of course, when they bring the maple syrup
after the pancakes, it’ll definitely be too late.”
12. Obeying his mommy became a dangerous pastime.
13. The gorgeous femme fatal who fell for HB.
14. Said, “You and your ‘big numbers’. If you don’t watch
out, you’ll be wearing one across your chest!”
Find the answers on page 17. But, I must run now
because my phone is ringing. Who knows, it might be
Steven Spielberg! Have fun!
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
7
Jewish Moguls
Influence on Early
American Film Industry
Michael Lesser
Editor’s Note: Congregant Michael Lesser practiced psychiatry for many years and is now in the independent film business.
F
rom the Nickelodeon era of the early 20th century until today, Jews have had a profound
influence on American movies. And Jewish involvement in the film industry in turn shaped
the place that Jews had in the larger American society at a time when Jewish immigrants were
first trying to get their footing in the New World.
The early film moguls, as they were called—among
them William Fox, Samuel Goldwyn, Louis B. Mayer, and
Adolf Zucker—were all Jewish, of similar Eastern
European background. Together, these men were formative
giants, building an industry that would quickly become a
dominant force in American popular culture.
It’s a role that has been remarked upon and analyzed
since the earliest days of the silent era. Among some in the
mainstream, it elicited admiration for the Jewish
businessmen behind the silver screen. But too often their
success was the inspiration for anti-Semitic propaganda
that played on time-worn stereotypes. Two excellent books,
“Entertaining America: Jews, Movies, and Broadcasting,” by
J. Hoberman and Jeffrey Shandler, and “An Empire of
Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood” by Neal
Gabler, examine the remarkable phenomenon of Jewish
success in the movie business and untangle its many
ramifications. This essay owes much to their analysis.
THE LURE OF HOLLYWOOD
Why were Jews attracted to, and so successful in, early
Hollywood? As Gabler writes in his book, one needed no
social credentials to get a leg up in this brand-new
industry. Initial financial investments could be relatively
8
modest. The early
film moguls were
making it up as
they went along.
Men like
Goldwyn and
Mayer also brought
with them certain
skills that uniquely
equipped them for
success in this
rough-and-tumble
world. As Gabler
notes, thanks to
their backgrounds
Luis B. Mayer
in the clothing and
retail businesses,
they were keenly aware of how to read the market and the
fickle tastes of the public. They also had a taste for tough
competition.
THE SPECTER OF ANTI-SEMITISM
As the industry flourished, the Jews came to be
perceived as a force that could destabilize and corrupt
212.838.5122
Congress and the Catholic Church to “rescue the
motion pictures from the hands of the devil and 500
un-Christian Jews.”
But the moguls were not eager to give up control of
the lucrative empires they had built. And so, with federal
regulation looming, the studios made a preemptive move—
recruiting United States postmaster Will Hays, a solidly
Protestant Republican, to start policing Hollywood. He
soon brought Catholics into his office to complete
Christian oversight of the film business.
A UNIQUELY AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP
The result was, as historian Francis G. Couvares put it,
“an industry largely financed by Protestant bankers,
operated by Jewish studio executives, and policed by
Catholic bureaucrats, all the while claming to represent
grass-roots America.”
William Fox
American culture through the enormously popular
medium of film. As Hoberman and Shandler point out,
even before the movie business was created, political leaders
and intellectuals in Europe and America were wondering
whether Jews could become part of the larger culture, and
even if they could be loyal citizens. These “orientals” were
not only of a different religion, but also of a different race,
argued those who feared them. They were frequently tied
In other words, the Jewish moguls had, in their effort
to outwit their enemies, created an industry that embodied
the nation’s melting-pot. Theirs is a uniquely American
success story.
“…these men were formative
giants, building an industry
that would quickly become a
dominant force in
American popular culture.”
to Communism as well. In December 1920, the Methodist
minister Rev. Wilbur Fisk Crafts—a demagogic crusader
against immorality—appealed to the United States
Samuel Goldwyn
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
9
“Ushpizin”
A review by Daniel Nadelmann
Editor’s Note: Daniel Nadelmann is Central Synagogue’s Director of Development.
I
n the midst of celebrating the festival of Sukkot this past October, I was looking for a movie to
put me in a similarly festive mood. On an impulse, I decided to see the new Israeli film,
“Ushpizin”, a charming comedy/drama about a young Breslover Chasidic couple living in Israel
and trying their best to celebrate Sukkot. The film, which won the Israeli Critics Best Picture
Award, provides a fascinating, sympathetic and tender glimpse of Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox Jews,
unlike many other recent Israeli films that have depicted the ultra-Orthodox in a more negative light.
The movie was a collaborative effort of secular and
ultra-Orthodox Israelis and was filmed in the ultraOrthodox Jerusalem enclave of Meah Shearim. The lead
actor and writer, Shuli Rand, who won the Best Actor
award from the Israeli Film Academy for his portrayal in
this film, was once a prominent secular Israeli
actor. When Rand became ultra-Orthodox, he
gave up his acting career—a hiatus that lasted for
eight years. He took on the lead role in
“Ushpizin” only after he received permission from
his rabbi. The rabbi told him, “Talent is a gift from
God, it is part of the world and it can used to form
bonds between religious and nonreligious Jews.”
PRELUDE TO A FILM: ULTRA-ORTHODOX
RESTRICTIONS
“Talent is a gift from
God…and can used
to form bonds between
religious and
nonreligious Jews.”
Rand teamed up with a director with whom
he had worked frequently in his prior life, Gidi
Dar. He insisted that his real life wife, Michal,
play the role of his wife in the film. (UltraOrthodox religious strictures forbade him from performing
with a woman other than his wife.) For a non-actor,
Michal gives an excellent performance. She is depicted as a
strong partner (reflecting her own character) in a loving
relationship with her husband.
10
Rand also insisted on a number of other restrictions.
No filming was allowed on Saturday. Kashrut had to be
observed on the set. Only ba’alei teshuvah (Jews who have
recently become religious) could be hired for the speaking
parts, and non-speaking roles had to be played by others
from the ultra-Orthodox community. Moreover, no female
and male actors could touch each other. There was even a
provision that the movie would not be shown in Israeli
cinemas on Shabbat.
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THE TRAVAILS OF MOSHE AND MALLI
The movie begins with the protagonists, Moshe and
Malli, struggling with their personal anguish as they try to
cope with hardships. Malli has tried for years to become
pregnant to no avail, and Moshe and Malli each blame
themselves for this failure. They also are having serious
financial problems. Now, with Sukkot imminently
approaching, they can afford neither a sukkah nor the food to
prepare lavish meals for the seven days of the holiday. And,
even if they had their own sukkah, they could not welcome
any ushpizin (roughly translated from Aramaic as “holy
guests”) in fulfillment of God’s commandment.
The rest of the movie unfolds with a mixture of laughter
and drama as it tugs in a variety of ways at the levers of the
human condition. The relationship between Moshe and Malli
is very sweet and touching, and it’s interesting to observe
them and the other supporting characters as they go about
their everyday lives in this tight knit ultra-Orthodox
community.
Devoutly religious, both Moshe and Malli pray with
great intensity for a miracle. Their prayers are answered when
a local Yeshiva randomly selects them to receive $1,000 as a
gift for the holiday and a friend of Moshe gives them a
beautiful sukkah to use for the festival.
Just as unexpectedly, the couple is also graced with the
arrival of two ushpizin. One is an old friend of Moshe,
Eliyahu (from his earlier days before he became religious and
lived the life of a troublemaker). The other is Eliyahu’s goofy
sidekick Yosef. What the couple does not know is that the two
of them are on the lam from a prison day-release program.
Moshe and Malli welcome their guests into their sukkah.
Their guests behave in the most unbelievably slovenly manner
–eating all of the couple’s food, drinking all of their wine, and
treating the couple with complete and utter disdain. Moshe
and his wife see their visit as a test from God. They believe
that, if they pass the test by showing hospitality to their
despicable guests, despite all of the provocations to insult and
injury that they must endure, God will reward them and
grant them a son.
FROM BLESSING TO MISFORTUNE TO BLESSING
As the story unfolds, every blessing the couple receives is
accompanied by misfortune, but each misfortune (presumably
because of the couple’s faith in God) leads to an even greater
blessing.
Just as with “Fiddler on the Roof,” this movie provides a
refreshingly positive and comic depiction of the deeply human
trials that confront us all as we seek to reaffirm our faith in
God. It’s a heartwarming film that I highly recommend.
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
11
Cecile B. DeMille,
“The Ten Commandments”
and Me
Jerome Pickman
Editor’s Note: Congregant Jerome Pickman is a Hollywood legend. One of the most
outstanding and innovative marketing/distribution executives in the motion picture industry,
Pickman was the worldwide of head of marketing for Paramount Pictures and later became
responsible for overall sales and advertising during Paramount’s heyday. Among the many
films on which he worked were Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” “To Catch A Thief ” and “Rear
Window” and Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments,” “The Greatest Show On Earth” and “Samson and Delilah.” Pickman also
helped launch the careers of several Hollywood greats, including Audrey Hepburn, Shirley Booth and Grace Kelly. During an interview at
Central Synagogue, he shared his experience of working with Cecil B. DeMille on “The Ten Commandments.”
I
grew up a Jewish kid of immigrant parents in the downtown Borough Hall district of Brooklyn
where you had to use your wits, and occasionally your feet, to get ahead and stay ahead. By the
time I was ten, I got a job at the famed newspaper, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, as a gofer and copy
boy—before, after and sometimes during school. Eventually, I moved up to become a staff
reporter. In the thirties, I switched careers and became a road manager and advance man for several
top “name” bands, including the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with Frank Sinatra as the band’s male
vocalist. At the outbreak of World War II and the start of Selective Service, I oversaw and operated
four Camel Caravan units, which were the forerunners of the USO Camp Shows. The troupes played
at military and naval bases throughout the U.S. to thousands of servicemen and women. We often did
five or six performances a day on the large installations.
After my own military service, I joined 20th CenturyFox Films in New York and began my more than halfcentury career in the motion picture business. It has been
a fantastic sixty years, doing the work I love and working
with many, many talented and amazing individuals,
foremost of whom, in my estimation, is the famed
producer/director, Cecil B. DeMille.
I first met DeMille during the production of “Samson
and Delilah,” which starred Hedy Lamarr and Victor
Mature. DeMille was a pioneer in the in the motion
picture business. In 1913 he teamed up with Jesse L. Lasky
and Sam Goldwyn to produce “one and two reelers.” They
later joined Adolph Zukor’s Paramount Pictures film
company. DeMille was the one who successfully argued
12
that the future of the business was full, feature-length
movies. He prevailed and, obviously, he was correct.
DeMille loved the big epic/spectacle film. A tough,
demanding director, he involved himself in the smallest
details. He was a perfectionist and set high—some would
say impossible—standards for everyone who worked for
and with him. But he believed deeply in every project he
undertook.
I had joined Paramount Pictures in 1950 and was
responsible for the worldwide marketing of the company’s
productions and for DeMille’s final three films: “Samson and
Delilah,” “The Greatest Show on Earth” and “The Ten
Commandments.” Over the years, I established a strong
business relationship with “Mr. DeMille” (the name by which
I always called him). We became good personal friends and
spent considerable time together away from the studio.
THE MAKING OF “THE TEN COMMANDMENTS”
Many people forget, or never realized, that DeMille
produced two versions of “The Ten Commandments.”
The first version was made in 1923. It was a silent, black
and white motion picture that was considered precedentbreaking in its size, scope and storytelling, as well as in its
worldwide box office success, and is considered a classic. In
the early 1950s, DeMille proposed making a modern
version of “The Ten Commandments.” The executives at
Paramount were hesitant. There was a lot of discussion
of whether or not a remake was a valid production
project. DeMille insisted that it was commercially
worthwhile, meaningful and timely. Aldoph Zuckor,
who was in his 90s and still actively involved in decisionmaking at Paramount, supported his old friend and long
time associate, and DeMille was given the go-ahead.
than people in Biblical times: the invention of airplanes,
television, the wireless, and scores of other remarkable
things.” Suffice it to say, he was right. The presentation of
miracles in the film was never questioned.
Some time after the film was completed, DeMille
presented me and several other executives at Paramount
with personalized, leather-bound copies of the final, edited
shooting script with references from the Bible carefully
annotated on the facing page. Each portion of the Torah
was carefully noted against the script. The notes even
DeMille wanted to film the exteriors of the picture
in Egypt. Nasser was President of Egypt and he was no
friend of the U.S., but when DeMille sought permission
to film there, he was given carte blanche. It seems that
the Egyptians loved DeMille’s film, “The Crusades”
(1935). They believed it was one of the few films that
treated Arabs fairly. Getting me into Egypt proved to be
a bit more difficult. I made it a point to visit the
location or studio set of every major movie with which I
would be associated so I could get a feel for it. But Jews
were barred from entering Egypt. Not to be daunted,
DeMille contacted the U.S. State Department, and,
before I knew it, I was flying to Egypt with a Diplomatic
passport. I ended up spending several weeks with
DeMille at various locations in Egypt, while based in
Cairo with the cast and production group.
One evening, as DeMille and I were viewing some
rough footage, I remarked that it was conceivable that
movie audiences might find it hard to accept the miracles
as portrayed in the film, even if they believed what they
read in the Bible or were taught by religious leaders.
DeMille turned to me and said, “Jerry, don’t question
miracles. You’ve seen more miracles in your lifetime
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
13
described differences between the Jewish, Protestant and
Catholic versions whenever they occurred. It was just one
more example of DeMille’s careful attention to detail. He
was determined to get it right, and he did.
Photoreporters/Globe Photos. Inc. © 2007.
Charlton Heston in the Ten Commandments
DeMille wasn’t ready to give up. He told me to keep
my team in Berlin for a few more days while he would
check to see what steps could be taken to favorably
influence the mind of the German ministry. In typical
DeMille fashion, contact was made with the leading
Catholic cleric in Los Angeles, Cardinal James Francis
MacIntyre. The Cardinal agreed to support DeMille and
contacted his counterpart in Germany. Two days later, the
ministry did a complete turn-around and granted “The
Ten Commandments” the equivalent of a PG rating.
ALWAYS A GOOD FRIEND
That was Cecil B. DeMille: larger than life; heralded
a genius by many, denounced as a reactionary by others,
but to me and others who knew him, a creator, an artist, a
businessman, and above all always a good friend.
I have many mementos, photos and other reminders of
those wonderful years.
One that I cherish is an autographed photograph from
Mr. DeMille with the message:
TROUBLE WITH GERMANY
After the widely successful release of the film in the
U.S., I oversaw its presentation worldwide. Ratings were
as important back then as they are now, and we ran into
trouble with the West German authorities. The Germans
wanted to give the film an “adults only” rating, which, of
course, would severely limit its viewing audience as well as
diminish the revenue flow. Paramount management sent
me to Berlin with several lawyers and others to help our
local executives. Together, we hoped to convince the
Germans to reconsider and give the film an overall
“general” audience classification. During our meetings, the
Germans told us that they objected to the glorification of
Moses, scenes that showed partial nudity, etc. No matter
how we argued, the Germans would not relent. I finally
had to call DeMille and advise him of the situation and
our lack of success.
“To Jerry PickmanIn appreciation of what you have done for me and my work.”
Cecil B. deMille
To me, the film industry is one of the few—maybe the
only–truly authentic national art forms. Jews were a
major force in creating and promulgating American films.
I was one of the lucky ones who got to play a part in its
growth and contribution to art and civilization. And, as
could only happen in America, a young “flack” of Hebrew
origin from Brooklyn and an erudite Episcopalian from
Massachusetts could work together to insure that one of
the greatest motion pictures ever made would be seen
around the world by more people than had ever viewed a
motion picture at the time.
Postscript: “The Ten Commandments” was produced at a cost of $13 million dollars and included 14,000 extras and 15,000 animals. It
remains among the top three of the ten all-time top grossing films ever made. Curiously, though DeMille always signed his name with a
lower-case “d” (deMille), Hollywood executives printed his name with an upper-case “D”; thus he is known as Cecil B. DeMille.
14
212.838.5122
A Response
to “Borat”
By Brent Palmer
Editor’s Note: Brent Palmer is a member Central Synagogue’s Youth Group.
A
midst all the controversy around the movie “Borat,” the first thing that we should all
recognize is that “Borat” is just a movie about a foreigner trying to understand our
country. We need to take the movie for what it is, and making any more out of the
film is unnecessary.
Personally, I found the movie quite entertaining. Sasha
Baron Cohen, the star of the film, throws himself into the
role of the whimsical character he has created; the viewer
almost starts to believe that Borat actually exists.
“[The film] is
almost as scary
as it is funny.”
From watching his television show and looking closely
at his movie, we see that Borat does not hate the American
people. He does, of course, hate the people of Uzbekistan
who, “He must crush!” However, Borat makes it clear
throughout his movie and the segments on his show
that he loves our country and wants to learn our
“wonderful” ways.
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SOCIETY
What poor Borat observes, he does not understand,
and with shock and awe we watch as a man with a
childlike comprehension of the world shines a big bright
spotlight on the worst and most illogical aspects of our
society. The scariest part of all of this is that the people in
the movie are not acting. In fact, most of the other
participants are suing Cohen for a host of legal allegations.
I guess he hit a little too close to home.
In the end, “Borat” is almost as scary as it is funny.
Cinematic confirmation that our country has people who
actually think and act this way is hard to watch. What
most people can brush off amidst a chuckle and some
racial slurs, muttered under their breath, is just a defense
mechanism to get around the larger problem. How can we
understand this little about each other?
Postscript: Released in 2006 and directed by Larry Charles, “Borat” received the 2006 Best Actor Award from the Los Angeles Film
Critics Association Award and the 2007 Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture.
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
15
“Borat” – Revealing
America’s Hidden
Anti-Semitism
Sophie Kainen
Editor’s Note: Sophie is a member of Central Synagogue’s Youth Group.
I
was apprehensive about seeing “Borat.” Feeling offended by anti-Semitic jokes could mean that I
take myself too seriously, and laughing at them might make me feel guilty. The movie certainly
opened with a bang: the scene where Borat reports on “the running of the Jew,” an annual
Kazakh tradition in which people dressed as Jews chase after young men in the style of the
running of the bulls. The scene made me extremely uncomfortable. It didn’t feel fake enough. I could
almost picture it actually happening, appearing on the news sandwiched between a report on the
recent Iranian Holocaust conference and another on the appearance of swastikas around France.
But as the movie went on, I became more comfortable
with Borat’s blatant anti-Semitism. When Borat realized
that the owners of the inn in which he was staying were
Jewish, I laughed. When Borat attempted to purchase the
best gun to go Jew hunting, I laughed harder. It helped to
know that Sacha Baron Cohen, the man who created and
plays the absurd Kazakh journalist, is an Orthodox Jew who
has lived on a Kibbutz, observes Shabbat, and keeps kosher.
absurdity of American culture. Take, for example, the scene
where Borat is saved at a Pentecostal Church. Cohen pokes
shameless fun at the people who surround Borat, believing
that his gibberish is Jesus saving his soul. From my point of
view, I would have been more offended to see the movie
had I been Pentecostal than I was as a Jew. But perspective
is a powerful thing, and I live in the largest Jewish city
outside of Israel. The jokes that I saw as absurd to the point
where they lost their sting might be hurtful to
others who are more sensitive to Jewish stereotypes.
“Where mockery would
have been downright
unacceptable, self-mockery
was hilarious.”
Where mockery would have been downright unacceptable,
self-mockery was hilarious.
The comedy in “Borat” is not quite as dumb as it may
originally seem. Yes, there is the infamous naked wrestling
scene, but much of the comedy is derived from the
16
As much as I loved the movie, it brings to light
the existence of a different type of anti-Semitism
than that which we see on the news. The man in the
gun shop, who, without showing surprise or
emotion, offered suggestions as to which gun best
kills a Jew, represents a hidden anti-Semitism. Many
Americans have never met Jews and have been raised
to believe a plethora of untruths about us. Though
they will never make news headlines, they are just as
dangerous as the anti-Semites who do. Despite what others
think, I find that Cohen has done a wonderful thing for
American Jews by exposing this.
Theda Bara
Paulette Goddard
ANSWERS TO QUIZ FROM PAGE 7
1. Theda Bara known as ‘the Vamp’ in “A Fool There Was” (1914)
2. Maurice Schwartz in “Tevye” (1939)
3. Debra Winger in “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982)
4. Richard Dreyfuss in “Mr. Holland’s Opus” (1995)
5. Bette Midler in “First Wives Club” (2006)*
6. Tony Curtis in “Sweet Smell of Success” (1957)
Judy Holiday in Born Yesterday
7. Paulette Goddard in “Modern Times” (1936)
8. Kevin Kline in “Dave” (1993)
9. Gwyneth Paltrow in “Proof ” (2005)
10. Billy Crystal in “City Slickers” (1991)
11. Goldie Hawn in “Private Benjamin” (1980)
12. Liev Schreiber in “Manchurian Candidate” (2004)*
13. Lauren Bacall in “The Big Sleep” (1946)
14. Judy Holliday in “Born Yesterday” (1950)
15. Elliott Gould in “M.A.S.H” “1970)
16. Peter Sellers in “Pink Panther” (1964)
Peter Sellers from the Pink Panther
17. Lisa Gornick in “Do I Love You?” (2003)
18. Edward G. Robinson in “Little Caesar” (1931)
19. Leslie Howard in “Scarlet Pimpernel” (1934)
20. Kirk Douglas in “Spartacus” (1960)
21. Scarlett Johansson in “Girl with the Pearl Earring” (2003)
22. Hank Azaria in “Birdcage” (1996)
23. Piper Laurie in “Carrie” (1976)
24. Dustin Hoffman in “Rainman” (1988)
*I was in these films.
HaSHIUR / LEARNINGS
APRIL 2007
17
123 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022-3566
Officers
Board of Trustees
Clergy
President
Howard F. Sharfstein
Alan M. Ades
Karen Chaikin
Daniel Crown
Janet H. Felleman
Richard A. Friedman
Amy S. Goldberger
John A. Golieb
Alan R. Grossman
Marni Gutkin
Carol Kalikow
Cary A. Koplin
Juliana May
David L. Moore
Nancy Rankin
Richard G. Ruben
Bruce D. Schlechter
Irving Schneider
Wendy Siegel
Stephanie Stiefel
Kent Swig
Marc Weingarten
Andrew Zalasin
David Zale
Rabbi Ruth A. Zlotnick
Cantor Angela Warnick
Buchdahl
Cantor Richard Botton
Emeritus
Vice-President
Linda Gordon
Vice-President
Kenneth H. Heitner
Vice President
Phillip M. Satow
Vice-President
Laura J. Rothschild
Treasurer
Neil Mitchell
Secretary
David B. Edelson
Honorary Presidents
Honorary Trustees
Samuel Brodsky
Martin I. Klein
Samuel M. Wasserman
Michael J. Weinberger
Alfred D. Youngwood
Samuel Brodsky
Martin I. Klein
Samuel M. Wasserman
Michael J. Weinberger
"Open my heart to your Torah."
B. Berachot 17a
Executive Director
Livia D. Thompson, FTA
Director of Lifelong
Learning
Rabbi Ruth A. Zlotnick
HaShiur, A Publication for Learning,
is published three times a year by
Central Synagogue
123 East 55th Street, New York, NY,
all rights reserved.
Editor:Terry Jennings
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