What is the relationship between Jewish ritual and American pop culture? What roles do Judaism, Jewishness, and Jewish ritual have in cultural representations of Jewish life? What is more important in a representation of Jewish ritual: accuracy or authenticity? Tradition or adaptability?
This class will explore these questions in detail, looking at examples of films and television series that feature Jewish holidays, rituals, and lifecycle events, some that attempt to translate Judaism “as it is” for non-Jewish viewers, some that aim to connect to Jewish viewers through nostalgia, humor, sentimentality, or satire, and still others that emphasize a Judaism of one’s own making, somewhat removed from halakha but still imbued with deep personal significance.
Together, we’ll discuss what the value is of translating Judaism and Jewish ritual to the big (and small) screens, and what constitutes a successful representation of Jewish life. Examples of series/films we’ll consider include “The Jazz Singer,” “The Goldbergs,” “The Nanny,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Transparent,” and “Between the Temples,” among others.
Samantha Pickette, Ph.D., is the assistant director of Brandeis University Hillel and a lecturer in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University. She has a Ph.D. in American Studies from Boston University. Her research focuses on Jewish-American culture, with a particular emphasis on representations and stereotypes of Jewish women in American literature, film, television, and comedy. She has taught courses at Boston University, Brandeis, Smith College, UT Austin, where she served as assistant director of the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies, and Boston College, where she served as the inaugural visiting fellow in Jewish Studies. She is a research associate at the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute. Her work has been published in Shofar, Studies in American Jewish Literature, and The Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, among others. Her first monograph, Peak TV’s “Unapologetic Jewish Woman: Exploring Jewish Female Representation in Contemporary Television Comedy,” was released by Lexington Books in 2022.
+ More... - Less...425 Washington St
Somerville, MA 02143
CJP provides the above links concerning third-party events for your convenience only. CJP has no control over the content of the linked-to websites or events they describe, and accepts no responsibility for the websites, including any advertising or products or services on or available from such sites, or for any loss or damage that may arise from your attending, or registering to attend, the described events. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to below, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites and event attendance. CJP is not responsible or liable to you or any third party for the content or accuracy of any materials provided by any third parties. All statements and/or opinions expressed in the linked-to materials or at the described events, and all commentary, articles and other content provided at the third-party websites or at the events, are solely the opinions and the responsibility of the persons or entities operating the linked-to websites and events. The inclusion of any link on this website does not imply that CJP endorses the described event, or the linked-to website or its operator. MORE
