`The Passion' Revisited Local reaction to Gibson's film varies among Jews and Christians. she said she hadn't thought of that. But there is a point to all the suf- Staff Writer fering, she said, "Christ is not asking us to do anything that he hasn't done uietly, the audience drifted himself. The film is a reminder of the into the theater. Ash violence and brutality that Christ Wednesday, Feb. 25, 3:30 paid out of deep love for us and for p.m. — the first day the our salvation." public is invited to see Mel When asked if she saw anti-Jewish Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. attitudes in the film, she said, "I real- Four days later, the New York Times ly don't see anything like that." reported that the film already made But former nun Jane Schaberg of $117.5 million. Though some front Detroit, a professor of religious stud- rows went empty at this showing, later ies at the University of Detroit, dis- theater-goers waited 90 minutes for agreed. She felt strongly that the film tickets. was anti-Semitic. About 15 Jewish community mem- "There will be anti-Semitic results bers, invited by the American Jewish in its subliminal messages," she. said. Committee's Detroit area chapter, met "I see so much of it in my classroom. to see the film and discuss it afterwards. It's difficult for Christians to recog- A few rows in front of them, 20 mem- nize anti-Semitism. They don't see it Meeting at the Midtown Cafe to discuss Gibson's film are Sharona Shapiro, local AJC bers — including two nuns — of Our in their attitudes or prayers [when it's executive director; Sheri Schiff of Birmingham; Brenda Rosenberg of Bloomfield Hills; Lady of Refuge Catholic Church in there]," said Schaberg-, who learned Ruth Beitner, AJC assistant director; and Jerry Rosenfeld of Southfield. . Orchard Lake, also gathered. her father was Jewish a decade ago. After talking to members of each "People have to be edu c ated about it group afterward, it seemed like they But Howard Rosenberg of Bloomfield Hills felt the just like they have to be educated about racism." hadn't seen the same two-hour movie. Jews were not the target. "The Roman guards were She added that people must understand that the Before the credits finished rolling, the Jewish group doing the beating," he said. "The film was more gospels are not eyewitness accounts, but written -for was on the move out of Birmingham's Uptown about man's inhumanity to man, not about the Jews." political reasons 35-65 years after the crucifixion. She Palladium theatre, ready to talk about the film. The Sala Wanetick of Southfield, 15, the only teen at said people must learn the political reasons, including Christian group, on the other hand, deeply the discussion, agreed. the way the writers toned down sections on the moved, was still seated — some holding each "I think the film shed a bad light Roman brutality, hoping the ruling Romans would other, others in tears. on the Jews, but I don't think it's accept the young Christian religion. One of the nuns, who asked her name her going to cause a big outburst — like "We have a tremendous need for rethinking and re- name not be used, said that the film deepened that 'Jews killed Christ,"' she said. "At educating people that the crucifixion is not about the her understanding of what Christ faced. "It's as Monday night [Hebrew] school, the Jews," Schaberg said. "That's what the Holocaust if we didn't know it all until seeing this film," rabbi talked about 'You're going to showed us," she said, noting that some believed then she said. But she was so shaken that she had to face trouble [because of the film],' but that the Jews were being eternally punished for cruci- continue the conversation over the phone sever- I'm sure I'm not going to," said fying Christ. Wanetick, a sophomore at Groves al days later. Yet, with all the articles and reviews that find the At Birmingham's Midtown Cafe,rhe discus- High School in Beverly Hills. Gibson film offensive, many still flock to see it. sion among the Jewish group was under way. Wan etick She said she's talked to non-Jewish Sharona Shapiro, executive director of the local "No question — the film is anti-Semitic," students who said they liked the AJC, attributes the film's popularity to people seeking said John Kovacs of Bloomfield Hills. movie and didn't think it was anti- a sacred haven amid the terrorist threats and media Sheri Schiff of Birmingham and an. AJC "- Semitic. warnings since Sept. 11. board member, agreed. "It's not an accurate "They're looking for a validation that their faith portrayal of anything I've ever read about the will lead them to a good future," Shapiro said. Nun's Perspective Passion," she said. "It's the gospel according to Hopefully, a good future includes engaging people Mel." "It wasn't the Jewish people who of different faiths, which may be one positive out- She explained Gibson's reversal of the power caused Jesus' death, but all of us," said come of this film, she said. relationship. He made Pontius Pilate — histori- the nun from Our Lady of Refuge. "As Pilate said in the film, 'We have very different cally known to be so brutal that Rome recalled When asked about the particular truths,"' said Brenda Rosenberg of Bloomfield Hills, Scha berg him because of his brutality — look sympa- brutality of the film, the nun said that local AJC's chair of interreligious affairs, who was also thetic and passive, while the Jewish leader, it caused a tremendous personal reaction. "It was an at the cafe discussion. • Caiaphas, is made to look powerful enough to push unforgettable encounter in my life," she said. "It was After seeing the movie, she said, her conversations for the crucifixion of Jesus. Historically, Schiff said, like I was there while the crucifixion happened." with her Christian friends have given her a better Caiaphas doesn't have that power. She said, however, that she had not seen violent understanding of what Christ means to them. "And Her concern is that when people who don't know films before. So when asked if perhaps she was react- they now have an understanding of my sensitivity as a Jews see this film, it would reinforce dangerous ing to the violence itself as well as the story of Christ, Jew to the Passion play," she said. stereotypes. SHARON LUCKERMAN Cli , ❑ 3/5 2004 18