Jewish Film Series

Directed by Jacob Goldwasser I 90 min I Narrative I Israel I 2018

Nominated for eight Ophir Awards (Israeli Academy Awards) including Best Film, Shoelaces is a wholly engaging, tender family dramedy about the knotty relationship between an aging, irascible mechanic and the exuberant special-needs son he abandoned long before.

Shoelaces tells the story of a complicated relationship between an aging father (Reuben) and his special-needs son (Gadi), whom he abandoned while he was still a young boy. Reuben's kidneys are failing and his son Gadi wants to donate one of his own kidneys to help save his father's life. However, the transplant committee objects to the procedure claiming that Rueben, acting as Gadi's sole legal guardian, does not have the right to authorize such an invasive procedure.

Through the film's portrayal of a relationship full of love, rejection and co-dependency, it manages to shed some light and question the importance of human life, human connection and if life is even possible without it either one of them.

Presented by The Arenstein Family

Directed by Hilary Helstein I 70 min I Documentary I USA I 2008

As Maya Angelou narrates this powerful documentary, she reveals the story of a brave group of people who fought Hitler with the only weapons they had: charcoal, pencil stubs, shreds of paper and memories etched in their minds. These artists took their fate into their own hands to make a compelling statement about the human spirit, enduring against unimaginable odds.

Immediately following the film, Elizabeth Hlavek, will discuss her photography exhibition, Making Meaning Through Making Art, and share learnings from personal interviews with Holocaust survivors and artists, many of whom are featured in the film.  This exhibit, part of her doctorate dissertation, is comprised of reproductions of artwork created by individuals from all over Europe, including those interred in such concentration camps as Auschwitz, Dachau, Gurs and Terezin. As an art therapist, Hlavek hopes people will walk away from this exhibition recognizing the “individual within the masses” and how art can play a role in healing and surviving.

Presented by The Arenstein Family

Yom Hashoah program co-hosted with the Virginia Holocaust Museum