Jews on Film: Exploring Jewish Stories & Themes in Cinema

This week on Jews on Film, hosts Harry and Daniel sit down with director and producer Simon Mendes (The Darkest Light, Dick Johnson Is Dead, Sabbath Queen) to talk about the Coen Brothers’ 2013 film Inside Llewyn Davis. Simon’s new documentary on Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, winner of the Best First Feature award at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, takes on his musical legacy and the allegations of abuse that followed it. That makes him a natural guest for a film about a folk singer in 1961 Greenwich Village.They discuss art vs. commerce, whether we can separate the art from the artist, and how Carlebach’s music lives on in synagogues today. Then they head into the Jewish stretches, from the Gorfeins to the seven-day shiva structure to the wandering Jew, and the cat. As always, they close out the episode by selecting their most Jewish scenes, debating if the movie is “good for the Jews,” and ranking the film’s “Jewishness” in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.Simon Mendes:The Darkest Light (SFJFF film page) - https://jfi.org/sfjff-2026/film-guide/the-darkest-lightSimone Mendes on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/simongmendes/Connect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Harry and Daniel welcome cartoonist and author Amy Kurzweil to talk about Spike Jonze’s Her (2013). Amy’s graphic memoir Artificial: A Love Story follows her father’s attempt to build a chatbot from her late grandfather’s writings, so she’s well placed to ask the big question: can a relationship with an operating system be real?They dig into why the film’s utopia feels a little dystopian, why the OSs leave, and what Samantha has to do with the Golem. As always, they close out the episode by selecting their most Jewish scenes, “stretches of the pod,” debating if the movie is “good for the Jews,” and ranking the film’s “Jewishness” in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.Amy Kurzweil Links: Website - https://www.amykurzweil.com Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/amykurzweil Artificial: A Love Story - https://bookshop.org/p/books/artificial-a-love-story-amy-kurzweil/ca42b0e11c088bdf Flying Couch: A Graphic Memoir - https://shop.yiddishbookcenter.org/products/flying-couch-a-graphic-memoirConnect with Jews on Film online: Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/products Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpod YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilm TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel and Harry are joined by novelist Melanie Anagnos to discuss Vittorio De Sica's 1970 Oscar winner The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, about an aristocratic Jewish family in Ferrara sealing themselves off from the world — and from Italy's 1938 racial laws — behind the walls of their estate.The trio digs into the film's tennis-club-turned-exile opening, the garden as an Edenic stand-in for both sanctuary and denial, and the bigger question the film keeps circling: who gets to decide whether you're an Italian Jew or a Jewish Italian. They also debate whether the family's insulated, aristocratic remove from the war closing in around them reads as denial or something closer to grace.As always, they close out with some stretch-of-the-pod theories — walls, gates, and Garden of Eden symbolism included — before rating the film's Jewishness on their 1 to 5 scale.Melanie's LinksCheck out Melanie's workCherchez La Femma - Melanie's SubstackBuy the "Nightswimming" AudiobookConnect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel and Harry are joined by Gila Pfeffer, author of Nearly Departed, to discuss Zach Braff's 2004 indie darling Garden State, directed by and starring Braff alongside Natalie Portman and Peter Sarsgaard.The trio debates whether the film is "actually" Jewish or just Jewish-coded, digging into Ian Holm's distant Jewish father, the humorous Doctor Cohn, and how two decades of over-prescribed lithium leave Andrew frozen in grief.They talk through the funeral and Shiva scenes as the real emotional catalyst of the film, Portman's Sam as a defining "manic pixie dream girl," and Gila's own perspective on Jewish mourning rituals as an Orthodox writer. As always, they close out with some stretch-of-the-pod theories — mikvah bathtubs and Holocaust reparations included — before rating the film's Jewishness on their 1 to 5 scale.Gila's LinksBuy Gila's Book Nearly DepartedFollow Gila on InstagramSubscribe to Gila's SubstackConnect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel and Harry are stuck in detention with Rachel Israel, director of The Floaters, so they figured they might as well record a podcast about the 1985 film The Breakfast Club, written and directed by John Hughes.Together, they revisit the iconic coming-of-age classic and its five high-school stereotypes—the brain, the athlete, the basket case, the princess, and the criminal—and ask whether those labels really tell us anything about who we are. They discuss the film's surprisingly earnest exploration of identity, friendship, family and parental pressure, why its 95-minute running time feels almost radical today, and how The Breakfast Club paved the way for generations of teen movies to come.They dig into the film's unexpected Jewish connections—from synchronized dancing and Jewish joy to the idea of detention as a kind of Shabbat or synagogue experience. They also discuss Rachel's own film The Floaters, Jewish summer camp, and the influence The Breakfast Club had on her filmmaking.Plus, it's our favorite question: How Jewish is The Breakfast Club? The answer may involve a little creative stretching—but that's never stopped us before.Rachel's LinksCheck out The Floaters in a city near youConnect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Returning guest and comedian Eli Leibowicz joins Harry and Daniel to discuss Bob Fosse's Lenny (1974), starring Dustin Hoffman as the groundbreaking—and deeply controversial—comedian Lenny Bruce. Together, they explore why Bruce remains one of the most influential figures in stand-up comedy, even decades after his death.The conversation dives into Bruce's Jewish identity, the role of Yiddish in shaping his voice, and how Jewish humor became a vehicle for challenging authority and exposing hypocrisy. Along the way, Harry, Daniel, and Eli compare Bruce's legacy to modern comedians, debate the changing boundaries of free speech, and ask whether comedy is at its best when it entertains an audience—or unsettles one. They also discuss Dustin Hoffman's acclaimed performance, Bob Fosse's striking filmmaking, and why Lenny remains a fascinating portrait of an artist who refused to stop asking uncomfortable questions.“Lenny” on ImDB - https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0071746/“Lenny” Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqvNOq8kGB8Eli's LinksFollow Eli Leibowicz on InstagramEli's WebsiteConnect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel and Harry are (almost) back for Season 7 of the podcast!In anticipation for the premiere in August, have a listen to an interview with Jackie Tohn, star of the new film "The Floaters", out now in limited release in theaters across the country.They cover Jackie's experience at Jewish summer camps growing up, her four favorite Jewish films, how a long tradition of Jewish humor helped inform her acting choices in "The Floaters", and touching on how the film depicts a wide range of Jewish backgrounds and traditions.Jackie's LinksFollow Jackie Tohn on InstagramCheck out The Floaters in a city near youConnect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Just in time for Passover, hosts Harry and Daniel are joined by Stephanie Butnick—creator of Golda, the Jewish culture guide—for a spirited conversation about The Prince of Egypt (1998), DreamWorks’ dazzling and dramatic take on the Exodus story.The trio dives into the film’s stunning animation, unforgettable music, and deeply Jewish themes, while also paying tribute to the late, great Val Kilmer—who voiced both Moses and God (talk about range!).Along the way, they unpack midrashic moments, sibling rivalry, and why this animated epic remains a Seder-season staple for so many Jewish households. Cue the plagues, and press play. This episode originally aired April 6 2025.The Prince of Egypt on IMDb - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120794/The Prince of Egypt Trailer - https://youtu.be/SsGcttNUi9cGolda Guide - https://www.goldaguide.com/Stephanie Butnick on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sbutnick/Connect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Harry and Daniel welcome back Pamela Lavitt, director of the Seattle Jewish Film Festival, to discuss Among Neighbors, the powerful documentary by Yoav Potash that uses animation to explore a haunting Holocaust story about survivors confronting the role their own neighbors played in wartime violence. Together, they examine how animation is reshaping Holocaust storytelling, the challenges of presenting difficult histories, and the film’s themes of memory, identity, and reconciliation.Along the way, the conversation expands to the evolving landscape of Jewish cinema, trends in animated documentaries, highlights from the Seattle Jewish Film Festival, and the enduring question: when films challenge uncomfortable truths, is that ultimately good for the Jews?Among Neighbors TrailerAmong Neighbors on IMDbPapillon Short Film on YouTubeSeattle Jewish Film FestivalConnect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

For their 100th (give or take) episode, Harry and Daniel celebrate a major milestone by revisiting where it all began—with their very first guest, Yuli Masinovsky. Together, they keep things loose, reflective, and a little bit meta as they dive into The 99 Year Old Man, the documentary from Judd Apatow chronicling the life and legacy of Mel Brooks.Along the way, the trio looks back on four years of podcasting—how the show has evolved from plot-heavy breakdowns to more thematic, free-flowing conversations—and what it means to build a creative project over time while balancing careers, families, and life changes. They revisit early Jews on Film staples like “the stretch,” the IMDb summary, and the ever-elusive perfect format.On the film side, the conversation explores Brooks as both a comedic pioneer and a complicated cultural figure: his role in shaping Jewish-American humor, his connection to figures like Sid Caesar, and the lineage of comedy that runs from the Borscht Belt to today. The group also digs into the documentary itself—its length, structure, and whether it reveals anything new about a performer who’s always “on.”Most provocatively, the episode wrestles with questions of Jewish identity in Brooks’ work: Is his humor a bridge to mainstream audiences or a performance for an in-group? Does the film sidestep deeper explorations of Judaism in favor of persona and mythmaking? And what does it mean for a Jewish artist to both embrace and satirize his own identity?It’s a celebratory, thoughtful, and occasionally heated conversation about comedy, legacy, assimilation, and storytelling—plus a few looks ahead to the next 100 episodes.Mazel tov to Jews on Film… and here’s to 100 more.The 99 Year Old Man Movie TrailerThe 99 Year Old Man on IMDbConnect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod