feature: movies
p
Jewish
stereotypes
abound in
films
by Scott Scher
eople around the world already know
most Jewish stereotypes — hooked
noses, greedy, big beards, black hats,
the screen. Cohen was praised for his
gutsy performance as a Kazakhstan
reporter. But the film straddled the line
of just poking fun and being downright
offensive. Such moments include the
"Running of the Jew," the belief that
Jewish American Princesses and rich, to name
a few. You especially see these stereotypes
in the entertainment industry. Whether
it's just to poke fun or completely offend
Jews were behind the 9-11 attacks, and
the Jewish religion, these references are
Borat's uncontrollable fear as he stays
everywhere.
at a bed and breakfast run by a Jewish
When it comes from another Jew, In a particularly insensitive scene, Sascha Baron Cohen as Borat
couple. The irony of this whole movie:
reports on his country's annual "Running of the Jews."
however, somehow it makes the stereo-
Cohen is an observant Jew
type funnier and less offensive. Jewish director, producer,
In Keeping Up With The Steins, director Scott Marshall does not
writer and actor Mel Brooks is the master of using Jewish use stereotypes to poke fun, but uses them to show these stereotypes
stereotypes — you'll find them in all his films. Brooks' career in real life. The film is about a Jewish father who wants to give his
began when he became corporal of a special section of the son the biggest bar mitzvah party in history to out-do his rivals,
U.S. Army geared toward entertaining soldiers. He the Steins. While the dad believes the bigger party will bring him
was hooked after that.
joy, his son is a strong believer in family and the bonds that keep
Brooks Neon the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay
for The Producers, a film in which two Broadway producers
try to put on a huge flop, which they determined could make
more money than a hit. Here Brooks began to poke fun at his
own religion. The play the producers were putting on was a
musical called "Springtime for Hitler," complete with a pranc-
ing Hitler. In the film History of the World: Part I, Brooks creates
his own version of the Spanish Inquisition (a time when Jews
were forced to either convert to Christianity or forced into
exile). In Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Brooks plays a traveling
rabbi.
So which stereotypes make movies fun to watch, and which ones
make films unbearable?
Last year, the world was treated to one of the funniest and most
controversial characters in recent cinematic history. British come-
dian Sasha Baron Cohen brought one of his alter egos, Borat, to
it together.
In this same vein, other Jewish stereotypes play big roles in
Private Benjamin, with Goldie Hawn as a Jewish American Princess
in the military, and many Woody Allen movies, such as Annie Hall
and Hannah and Her Sisters, where he plays the angst-ridden Jewish
love interest dating a non-Jewish woman. To play
up the differences between the religions, Allen often
invokes the stereotype of Old World Orthodox Jews
to represent his family in daydream sequences.
Scott Scher, 17, attends North Farmington High School.
Your Turn
As a Jewish teen, how do you feel when you see a movie that
portrays Jews in a stereotypical way?
Send your response to Hadas Corey, T2T summer intern,
at hcorey@thejewishnews.com and you could see it in next month's edition.
slice of life
T2T torah: devarim
a T2T column — by Rachel Brown
July 21, 2007 — by Bridget Labe
exploring a love of Israel
moses and you
I have been going to Camp Stone in Sugar Grove, Pa., for four consecutive years; last year
Most of our teenage years revolve around large, occasionally nerve-wracking events that
was my last summer there. During the year, I considered applying for a job at the local Jewish
happen in a few places. The most important building, where we spend four years of our
Community Center or even just staying home, relaxing and catching up with my friends.
Although these summer plans seemed satisfactory, there was something that pulled me
towards Mach Hach Ba'Aretz, an Israel leadership summer program run through B'nei Akiva, a
religious Zionist youth movement in the U.S. and Canada.
I have always loved B'nei Akiva events and the Shabbatons that my friends and I would
attend. They brought so many teenagers together who wanted not only to have fun, but also to
share their love for Israel. Several of my friends were planning to go on Macach; I thought it
would be an amazing opportunity to tour Israel and visit my relatives in Holon as well.
I filled out an application and got an acceptance letter a few weeks later. From June 27-Aug.
lives, contains social and educational events that shape our futures. This place is known
as high school. We enter high school for the very first time as mere children and walk
out the doors as adults.
In this week's Torah portion, Devarim, Moses and the Israelites review the events
that occurred and the laws that were made over the course of their 40-year journey from
Egypt to Sinai to the Promised Land.
As Moses is addressing the Israelites, he reminds them that when they were at
Mount Sinai, God told them that they had stayed long enough at the mountain and it was
time to move on to Canaan. In a way, high school is the same. As June comes around,
6, I will be free of curfews, house rules and, most significantly, my parents. But those feelings
and we hand in our final exams and head out those high school doors till September, the
soon churned and turned in my stomach until I felt unsure.
closure is reminiscent of what Moses and the Israelites were going through. They had
Was I physically and mentally ready for such a great jump? I could only make the best of
it if I looked at the opportunity as optimistically as possible. Walking onto the airplane with
made it through a certain phase and were advancing on to the next challenge.
In a similar fashion, we age and advance throughout high school. Moses recalled
an enthusiastic and happy disposition would only obliterate these worries and
how the Israelites sent out spies. This is similar to how we pester our
enable me to have the most memorable summer of my life.
friends who took the biology final an hour before us to find out what lay
I know my parents will worry about me while I'm gone for these six weeks;
ahead. As Moses and the clan reflect on their previous adventures, high
but nonetheless, they were just as glad to send me to Israel where they know
school students do the same. Almost like never-ending books, the next
I will have an amazing journey. t
chapters of our life stories, as well as the Torah's, unfold before us.-' 1 1
By Rachel Brown, 16, attends Frankel Jewish Academy, West Bloomfield.
Bridget Labe, 14, attends West Bloomfield High School.