JEWISH HERITAGE VIDEO COLLECTION

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Direct Cinema Limited

Produced in association with the Reform movement, this film explores the realities of a growing phenomenon in American Jewish life: Between 40 and 50 percent of Jews today marry non-Jews. The five couples in the film are participants in a program designed to provide a Jewish orientation for interfaith couples not closely affiliated with the Jewish community. Their real-life stories and struggles are profound.

The couples are shown during group sessions as well as at home with their families; several parents also speak out. Among the issues they grapple with are raising children, celebrating holidays and family milestones, and finding community. Viewers will see intermarriage close-up in this focused look at a major dilemma facing the American Jewish community, with far-reaching implications for the future.

The couples in Intermarriage were all participants in a program sponsored by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations called "The Times and the Seasons: A Jewish Perspective for Interfaith Couples." Led by a Rabbi, this course was designed to provide a Jewish orientation for couples who were not closely affiliated with the Jewish community. These men and women were filmed and interviewed over eight weeks as they examined their commitment to each other in the light of their commitment to different religions. The film shows them during group sessions as well as at home with their families.

Some of the issues confronting the people in Intermarriage are the same questions that face all young couples: establishing their own households, separating from their families and achieving a balance between the need for intimacy and the need for individuation. Other dilemmas - such as the religious identity of children and observance of particular customs, holidays and traditions and spiritual harmony in the home, are the specific result of the mix of religions in these relationships.

Intermarriage is intended to enable interfaith couples in synagogues and community groups to discuss the conflicts and concerns of their relationships. It is an essential film for the couples and their families and friends faced with the problems of integrating two religious beliefs into one marriage. Raising crucial issues about life-long beliefs and the personal and public expressions of faith, Intermarriage should be seen by everyone who cares about their commitment to their spouse, their family and their religion.

49 Minutes, Color, 1987

Reproduced from Intermarriage by permission of Direct Cinema Limited. To purchase a copy of this film, you may contact Direct Cinema Limited, P.O. Box 10003, Santa Monica, CA 90410-1003 or call (310) 636-8200 or e-mail dclvideo@aol.com.

Other Films of Possible Interest:

Annie Hall - From Woody Allen, here's the romance between the very Jewish Alvy Singer and Wisconsin-bred Annie Hall.

The Way We Were - This is the story of the attraction, marriage, and separation of a passionate, activist Jewish woman and a cool, privileged Gentile man.