There are many movies that have Jewish characters and storylines, however only a handful depict Jewish characters rediscovering their roots, and non-Jews discovering how the deep heritage of the Jewish people is part of their very existence.
There are Yentl, Fiddler on the Roof, as well as many that are Holocaust-driven looks at the Jewish experience.
The following three films delve into the awakening, reawakening and discovery of what being Jewish is about and how the religion is more than just that.
It is very much a part of the characters' souls, and in many cases, the bedrock of their existences and indeed their hearts.
Crossing Delancey (1988, PG for some language)
In Crossing Delancey, a modern single young Jewish woman is set up with a nice Jewish man via a matchmaker sought out by her grandmother.
Isabelle (Amy Irving) has a career in the book business and is put off by the act of her grandmother’s interference and also by the fact that the man selected sells pickles. In many ways, she is a snob, but she is also devoted to her grandmother.
Sam (Peter Riegert) is enchanted by Isabelle and woos her. Their heritage is what ultimately brings them together.
Even though she is a modern woman, she is still a Jewish woman, and that tie is stronger than she had ever imagined. Her culture is inbred, as it is in many strong Jewish families, and is tough to dismiss.
This is truly a story of legacy bringing two people together. This rom-com is rooted in the Jewish culture but plays out against the backdrop of modern life.
According to Common Sense Media, “From the hallowed cubbies of one of the last independent book stores on the Upper West Side, with its poetry readings, self-absorbed writers, and eager young intellects, to the kosher kitchens, outspoken busybodies, and loving arms of an aging grandmother in a Lower East Side Jewish neighborhood, Izzy struggles to balance her own diversity.”
Exodus (1960)
The 1960 movie Exodus focuses on the birth of the state of Israel after the Holocaust and the dislocation of Jews from Europe.
A secondary aspect of the film is the awakening of one non-Jewish woman to the deep heritage and feelings within the Jewish people.
Kitty Fremont (Eva Marie Saint) became emotionally attached to Karen (Jill Haworth), one young girl who was fleeing the horrors of the war and who was dedicated to helping build the new country for the Jewish people.
Although Karen could have gone to the United States with Kitty, she opted to stay and work for her people and her new country.
This was somewhat baffling to Kitty, but she soon discovered the deep roots within the Jewish people that bound them together and to this little parcel of land that held their heritage.
Learning about the Jewish people and their hearts and souls, as well as how they felt they belonged together, was eye-opening, and soon she was among the settlers helping with the immigrants.
While the story ends on a sad note, it is interesting to speculate whether Kitty remained in Israel and became part of the Jewish community. Personally, I like to think she did.
The movie also highlights an incredible score and theme song that is still among the top movie tunes.
Remembrance of Love (1982, TV-14 for subject matter)
Kirk Douglas and Pam Dawber star in Remembrance of Love, a story of how the Holocaust affected survivors and their children. Not really a story about the Holocaust itself, this is more a story of how the Jewish faith is strong.
In Israel for a reunion of Holocaust survivors, Joe Rabin (Douglas) searches for his girlfriend, whom he has not seen since they were parted during that horrible time in world history.
His daughter Marcy (Dawber) is along with him to cover the story as a journalist. What ends up happening is that Marcy ultimately discovers how her Jewish roots and those of the others in the country are what make the people strong and resilient.
This is a story of love lost, love found, and faith resurrected in a woman who had previously taken her Jewishness for granted.
Seeing firsthand how history is part and parcel of what makes Jewishness in souls affirms Marcy’s deep-rooted culture within her that she had previously pushed to the side.
Bonus: The Ten Commandments (1956, G)
Director Cecil B. DeMille's lavish epic details the events of the Exodus, as Moses (Charlton Heston) leads the Hebrew people out of bondage in Ancient Egypt.
The film is respectful of its Biblical roots, while still offering a great cinematic spectacle.
ABC traditionally airs it the Saturday before Easter -- even though it's actually a Passover story -- but this year, it's on Saturday, April 1, at 7 p.m. ET.
That puts it a few days before Passover, which begins this year on April 5.
Image: Adobe Stock
Francine Brokaw is a longtime journalist, covering entertainment, product reviews and travel, and is the host of Beyond the Red Carpet on Village Television and YouTube.
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