Jewish Holidays & Festivals
The High Holy Days
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
All Videos $19.95 each
CHOOSE LIFE - 14 Minutes
The late world-renowned cellist, Gregor Piatigorsky, is featured playing
“Kol Nidre” on Yom Kippur eve, 1973, the day the Yom Kippur
War was launched by the Arab nations’ attack on Israel. The video
shows the significance and modern relevance of the Yom Kippur service
and ends with a prayer for peace.
THE FAST I HAVE CHOSEN - 28 Minutes
This video explores the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty, the
framework of the Yom Kippur liturgy.
DAYS OF AWE - 30 Minutes
Based on the book by the Nobel Prize Winning author S.Y. Agnon, the video
presents some of the legends, stories and insights from the body of literature
woven around the High Holy Days.
SIN OF VIRTUE - 30 Minutes
A dramatic story about Rabbi Israel Salanter and how he convinced the
surviving members of the Jewish community of Vilna, during a plague, to
break the fast on Yom Kippur so that their lives might be saved.
THE KADDISH OF LEVI YITZCHOK - 30 Minutes
The story of the well-known and compassionate Hasidic rebbe, Levi Yitzchok
of Berditchev, whose deep feelings for the Jewish people and their sufferings
moved him to compose his famous Kaddish.
WITH ALL THY HEART - 14 Minutes
A man who has had a grudge with his cousin takes moral inventory on Rosh
Hashanah, and before his family, his congregation and God, promises to
improve himself. He resolves his grudge, and on Yom Kippur, the Day of
Atonement, he is worthy of the love and respect of his family.
Sukkoth
SUKKOTH - 15 Minutes
Historical and religious background of the holiday and its modern celebration
in Israel.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS - 14 Minutes
A tender and humorous video interpreting the vital meaning of the festival
of Sukkoth in a modern home environment. Background of the holiday of
Thanksgiving in the Jewish festival of Sukkoth is shown.
Hanukkah
HANUKKAH - 15 Minutes
Shows how Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated in Israel, including
the historical background of the holiday.
A TIME FOR VALOR - 14 Minutes
The story of Hanukkah with its struggle for freedom of worship is discussed
by two boys who become closer by understanding the universal values of
the holiday in the present-day family observances of Hanukkah.
BY THE LIGHT OF THE CANDLES - 18 Minutes
This video brings to life the story of the Maccabean struggle. It shows
a young boy in the storeroom of the Bezalel National Art Museum in Jerusalem,
gazing at the hanukkiot on display. As the boy meditates about the hanukkiot,
we hear the voice of Judah Maccabee relating his story, which is visualized
by means of original artistic illustrations.
THE LEGATE - 30 Minutes
The video takes in Jerusalem in the middle of the second century B.C.E.
A legate is sent by Rome to conclude a treaty with the victorious Jewish
leader, Simon Maccabeus, and to report on the ways of the Jews. The struggle
for religious freedom, led by the Maccabees, is commemorated by the festival
of Hanukkah.
OIL FOR BUT ONE DAY - 30 Minutes
A program of drama and songs celebrating Hanukkah. Featuring Theodore
Bikel, it dramatizes the faith and will of men in every land and in every
century to sustain the light of freedom.
CRY A WARNING - 30 Minutes
This Hanukkah story takes place in the year 166 B.C.E., in the time of
the Maccabees. It tells of a twelve-year-old Jewish boy who, brought up
and educated in the Greek tradition, joins the Jews in their fight for
freedom.
A CUP OF LIGHT - 30 Minutes
A dramatization celebrating the festival of Hanukkah. The video deals
with the history of several lamps, some dating back to the fourth century.
Features Tom Bosley as narrator, and includes selections by Yaffa Yarkoni.
A LIGHT IN DARKNESS - 30 Minutes
A contemporary retelling of the Hanukkah story and miraculous defeat of
the vast Greco-Syrian forces by the Maccabees and their followers. A grandfather
recounts for his grandson (via flashbacks) Mattathias’ refusal to
forsake the Torah for the idolatrous practices commanded by King Antiochus.
THE FIVE SONS - 30 Minutes
A rehearsal of a traditional Hanukkah play is portrayed as a means of
dramatizing the eternal values embodied in the story of the holiday. The
meaning to a father of sending his son off to war (now, or 2000 years
ago) is conveyed by having the actors question and discuss the motivations
of the characters of the play in rehearsal.
Purim
PURIM - 15 Minutes
Shows how the festival of Purim is celebrated in Israel. The video includes
shots of children in costumes, and the reading of the Megillah.
CHANGE OF HEART - 14 Minutes
In this poignant video about Purim, a man’ love for his daughter
helps him to develop a sense of responsibility to his fellow citizens.
A present-day community relations conflict is portrayed against a background
of the age-old story told in the book of Esther from the Bible.
Passover
PASSOVER - 15 Minutes
Shows the many ways that Passover is observed in Israel. Featured is the
“Festival of Spring” aspect of the holiday.
PASSOVER WITH JAN PEERCE - 30 Minutes
The late world famous tenor and cantor Jan Peerce celebrates the Passover
Seder in this historic broadcast from the 1950’.
THE PASSOVER OF REMBRANDT VAN RIJN - 30 Minutes
The story of the great Dutch artist Rembrandt’ search for a model
for Moses in the streets of Amsterdam. He finds his inspiration in the
face of a poor bread-seller, and becomes deeply imbued with the spirit
of Judaism while taking part in a Passover Seder.
EXODUS IS A PERSONAL THING - 30 Minutes
Theodore Bikel invites you to join his family for a joyous Seder celebrating
the holiday of Passover. Share the beauty of the prayers and songs of
the Jewish holiday of freedom.
FREEDOM RINGS - 14 Minutes
A Christian boy attends the Seder dinner of a Jewish family on Passover
and learns that this holiday and America's Liberty Bell have much in common.
This award winning film strikes a parallel between Moses leading his people
from Pharaoh’ bondage and a grandfather’ modern exodus from
Hitler’ tyranny. A dramatic climax expresses the hope that man’
continued love of liberty will liberate the world from cruelty, oppression
and war.
Shavuoth
SHAVUOTH - 15 Minutes
Shows how the festival of Shavuoth, a holiday related to the harvest and
the Ten Commandments, is celebrated in Israel. The video ends with scenes
of the “Bikurim” ceremony.
FESTIVAL OF FAITH - 14 Minutes
A teenager’ father and her rabbi talk honestly about the girl’
doubts in terms of the validity of her religious teachings, and help her
to strengthen her faith. An excellent scene of the confirmation service
portrays the Ten Commandments as the civilizing force of modern society,
and comes to grips with the problem of doubt.