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A Newsletter of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore April 2010 Nisan/Iyar 5770
t h e Will i a m a nd Ire ne We i nb e rg Fa mi ly
Baltimore Jewish film festival April 8- May 17, 2010 Gordon Center For Performing Arts
Inside:
Baltimore premieres from around the world you won’t want to miss! All films are followed by eminent guest speakers.
Jewish Life 2 FYI 3
Eichmann Sunday, April 11; 3:00pm England/Hungary 2008 Director: Robert Young
Children & Youth 4 Teens 5 Maccabi 6 The Arts 7
Matter of Size
Adults 8 Fitness & Wellness 9-10 Aquatics 11 Staff News 12 Associated Corner 13
JCCs of North America
Film Festival 14-15
Thursday, April 8; 7:30pm Israel, Germany, France 2009 Directors: Sharon Maymon and Erez Tadmor
Herzl joins a diet club with his friends but is sacked after gaining 28lbs in 2 months! To make matters worse the overweight and lovable cook loses his job because of his looks. Determined to overcome their misfortunes, Herzl and his three hefty friends discover sumo wrestling, where being oversized is not only accepted but revered. They start training with a reluctant Zionist Japanese coach. Will they gain his respect and beat the odds? This film is a story of sheer love and unlikely heroes and the winner of four Ophir Awards Guest Speakers: Steve Luxenberg, a Washington Post Associate Editor & author of “Annie’s Ghost” and John Eisenberg, author & sports writer. Co-Sponsored by the Embassy of Israel Honored Guest: Sarit Arbel, Director of Cultural Affairs
For mature audiences Based on the actual transcripts, this spellbinding film uncovers the incredible power struggle that took place between Israeli interrogator Avner Less and Adolf Eichmann after his capture. It fell upon the young Avner to break the will of this formidable and cunning opponent, within the strict guidance of the law. Due to the lack of evidence and in order to assemble a winning case for the upcoming trial, the task was crucial. Avner faces an untenable situation that affects his emotional and personal life. Political and social pressures mount for him to extract Eichmann’s darkest secrets and an admission of guilt. You may be shocked by what led to the infallible evidence. This is not the Eichmann story you knew. The stellar cast includes Troy Garrity, Thomas Kretschmann and Stephen Fry. Guest Speaker: The Honorable Ben Cardin, United States Senator
The Gift To Stalin Tuesday, April 13; 7:30pm Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, Israel 2008 Director: Rustem Abdrashev
How does Sashka, a Jewish boy in 1949 obtain an audience with Stalin in the hope of being reunited with his family? What happens to the child as he crosses the Kazakh steppes with his grandfather after the ethnic purges is a wondrous and fascinating tale. The stubborn little fighter is rescued by an odd Muslim railroad worker named Kasym who renames the boy Sabyr. Kasym cares for him while preserving his Jewish identity. The welcoming Kazakh village has the poetic charm of distant beauty, a common thread in this unforgettable film. Sabyr encounters difficult times but knows who he is. When he learns about a contest for Stalin’s birthday he also knows what to do. Guest Speaker: Michael Scammell, author of “Koestler” Co-sponsored by the Embassy of Kazakhstan Film Festival continues on page 14