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FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2017

continued from page 29

AT THE HISTORIC DETROIT OPERA HOUSE
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knew the rabbi earlier than that. He was such a vivid personality that
his students from decades ago had dramatic stories to contribute to
the film.
Congregation Or Chadash in Oak Park, where Rabbi Cohen served
as rabbi for two decades, hosted a showing of the young filmmaker’s
documentary as did the Young Israel of Southfield, where the rabbi
taught a Talmud class for adults for even longer. Cappell also has
shown the film at the JCC in West Bloomfield, and he looks forward
to making the film available to the general public online in the near
future.

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tribute concert to David DiChiera.

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Christine Goerke, mezzo soprano Denyce Graves,
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Senator Carl Levin, and many more!

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or visit www.michiganopera.org

“All the interviews add up to a
compelling portrait of Rabbi Cohen.
I feel like, although I never met Rabbi
Cohen, I would like him.” — Beth Robinson

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“I must see 200 films a year,” said Beth Robinson, director of the JCC
Film Festival. “I like watching films, but not all of them; I can be eas-
ily bored. I wanted to watch Daniel’s film, but I thought, ‘A student
film — oh, well, I have to eat my vegetables.’
And then I saw the film. After the first few minutes, I was
intrigued. This is good. And then I was charmed, both by Rabbi
Cohen and by Cappell’s presentation of the material. This is good
storytelling, good journalism. All the interviews add up to a compel-
ling portrait of Rabbi Cohen. I feel like, although I never met Rabbi
Cohen, I would have liked him.
“Everyone interviewed on the film described an intelligent man,
passionate and deeply committed to what he did. He reminds me of
my own father,” Robinson said.
“The film festival schedule was set, but then an opening appeared.
I was so excited to be able to add this compelling film by a local tal-
ent. The film festival is dedicated, not just to enjoying quality films,
but also to encouraging creation of quality film. Daniel Cappell is a
real filmmaker.”

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Cappell, now 19, continues his film studies at OCC. He hopes eventu-
ally to continue studying film at Rutgers University, at the American
Film Institute or at director David Lynch’s film school. Ultimately,
he said, he would like “to keep making films and being involved in
filmmaking, both fiction and documentary. I hope to take whatever
opportunities come down the river, and it is my dream to turn film-
making into a career.”
A native of Edison, N.J., Cappell has lived in Southfield for nine
years. His father, Mitchell, is a gastroenterologist, and his mother,
Rosemary, has retired as a programmer analyst. He has two sisters,
Adina and Miriam, and one brother, David. Cappell attends the
Young Israel of Southfield.
Besides filmmaking, his other interests include film watching,
reading, fitness, yoga, attending the Redford Theatre and the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra.
He also does event videography and is involved in a comedy noir
film with a friend.
Cappell has another project related to Rabbi Cohen.
“I’ve slowly been making my way through Rabbi Cohen’s Jewish
News articles, of which I’ve painstakingly downloaded about 170 of
from the [Davidson Detroit Jewish History] archive. It’s a fascinating
read and each article is quintessentially him.” •

To learn about future showings, email rabbicohenvideo@gmail.com.

