making Jewish videos part of their repertoire. Direct Cinema Limit- ed has been a distributor of docu- mentary films for over 15 years. Two years ago, the Santa Monica- based firm sent out a four-page mailing touting 16 Jewish titles in its video library. "It took time to pull people in," Jewish Videos The creators of Jewish videos said Brian Sullivan, head of mar- know that it often takes a few keting for Direct Cinema. "But years for their products to gain a since then, the interest has been foothold in the market. Thus, in- pretty consistent." stead of speaking enthusiastical- Mr. Sullivan noted that Holo- ly about their latest releases, they caust and World War II films have take the long view. always done well for them. They Eric Goldman, president and released the controversial film, founder of Ergo Media, Inc., a sev- Liberators: Fighting on Two en-year-old mail-order video com- Fronts in World War II, about pany based in Teaneck, N.J., said, African-American battalions lib- "Jewish videos have a long life. erating concentration camps. A re- Our films sell better in their third cent release, From Hawaii to the Holocaust, tells the story of a and fourth years of life." Word-of-mouth, play on Public Japanese-American battalion that Broadcasting Stations and articles helped to liberate Dachau. Clas- usually stir up interest in the sic Yiddish films re-released on video are also gaining a foothold films, Mr. Goldman said. Videos about the Holocaust in the video market. Each year, continue to dominate the Jewish the National Center for Jewish video market. "It's a strange Film, located at Brandeis Univer- phenomenon that preceded sity, in Waltham, Mass., restores [the award-winning movie] "lost" Yiddish films to video tape. The center circulates a catalog Schindler's List," said Mr. Gold- man, who estimated that Holo- filled with documentaries, shorts . caust videos represent about 20 and feature films, according to ;--) percent of Ergo's video offerings. Miriam Krant, associate director "Around the time the Holocaust of the center. Museum opened in Washington, Like the music industry, the D.C., the interest really surged. I've children's segment of the video been flabbergasted by the number market is gaining strength. Ms. of individuals buying Holocaust Abelson of Contemporary Designs films for themselves," he said. said she sees a great deal of inter- Spurred by the interest in the est in videos for children and her museum, Atlas Video, a Maryland- firm is currently working on a based independent film produc- video version of David Sokoloffs er, released "For The Living," an "Ten Little Rabbis" book series.