I ANN ARBOR)

LABOR ZIONIST ALLIANCE, NA'AMAT USA,
LABOR ZIONIST INSTITUTE AND HISTADRUT
PRESENTS A

**POLITICAL FORUM**

"JEWISH ISSUES IN THE
1988 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION"

Featuring:

Irving Bluestone, Moderator

Retired First Vice President of the United Auto Workers

Hal Kwalwasser

Constituency Director of the Dukakis Campaign in Michigan
and

AR'

Jim Alexander

Statewide Chairman, Jews for Bush

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1988 2:00 P.M.
TEMPLE EMANU-EL

Community Invited

14450 W. 10 MILE ROAD
OAK PARK

No Charge

Ask The People Who Know

"c:-
.)

a_

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Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing. The Jewish woman
cannot successfully pursue her own interests and a man.

Jewish Women In Film:
A Menu Of Bad Choices

JUDITH L. ABRAMS

Special to The Jewish News

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92

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1988

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C Noose or die," a child-
hood game in which
players are forced to
pick the best choice from a
list of undesirable alter-
natives, "prepared women for
a world of narrow choices,
limited social roles and
Hollywood movies!'
This is the assessment of
Letty Cotin Pogrebin, editor
of Ms. magazine, who spoke
recently on "Jewish Women
in American Film!' Her lec-
ture was part of the series on
"Jews in American Film!'
Pogrebin's speech focused
on the stereotypes of Jewish
women presented and
perpetuated in films of
thelast 30 years.
One characterization, a
variation of the White Man's
Burden is the Jewish Man's
Burden. "Viewed as
underdeveloped and primitive
by their husbands, these
women refuse to assimilate,"
Pogrebin said.
In Hester Street, Gittel
clings to her heritage and
loses her husband. As
reminders of the old country,
these women stand between
their men and the American
Dream. "Their crime is that
they are too Jewish,"
Pogrebin said.
Hollywood's portrayal of the
Jewish Mother covers a wide
range of characters. On the
one hand there is the nurtur-
ing and loving earth mother,
such as Sarah in The Jazz
Singer. Portnoy's Complaint,
however, offers a less-positive
image.
"Sophie Portnoy is a cross
and asexual creature who

by
herself
asserts
emasculating her husband
and enfantilizing her son.
"Philip Roth made it intellec-
tually fashionable to scorn
Jewish women," Pogrebin.
said.
The Jewish American
Princess concerns herself
with men, money and
clothing — and not necessari-
ly in that order. "It all started
with Marjorie Morningstar,
said Pogrebin, who feels the
same stereotype prevails in
Private Benjamin. "The
quintessential JAP, Judy
Benjamin is a helpless dad-
dy's little girl," Pogrebin said.

In the end of the film, Judy
does manage to grow up.
After learning of her fiancee's
infidelity, she punches him
and leaves him at the altar.
Such a portrait suggests a
new-found strength but, says
Pogrebin, "It places her into
yet another stereotypical role,
the Jewish Big Mouth."
Barbra Streisand epitomiz-
ed the big mouth role in such
films as The Way We Were,
Funny Girl and Yentl. "This
character's greatest flaw is
that she wants to be a per-
son," Pogrebin said.
Fanny Brice's success out-
shines that of the man in her
life. She refuses to conform to
her assigned role of sub-
missive female, and in doing
so wins our heartfelt ap-
proval. Her fame, however, ex-
acts a dear price, the love of
a man, Pogrebin said.
In Dirty Dancing, Jennifer
Grey provides us with Baby, a
positive female role, Pogrebin
said. As her name states, she
is Daddy's little girl, but her
character is more complex
than just that: She wants to

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