Am I a Jewish Artist?

By Abe Fried-Tanzer
KOC Assistant Editor
New York University

I am currently enrolled in the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. I am in the cinema studies program, double-majoring in journalism, a department which falls within NYU's College of Arts and Sciences. I've never quite been satisfied with the classification of myself as an artist in traditional terms. Cinema studies seems to me by far the most academic program in all of Tisch, and unlike theatre or film production students, I don't participate in studio sessions three days a week which last eight hours. My classes are a bit shorter, usually clocking in at four hours, divided into a lengthy lecture and a related film screening. Altogether, it doesn't feel like what I'm doing should qualify me to be considered an artist.

I do love the movies, certainly as much as an artist who draws, or an actor who hones his skill loves his chosen field. I have a great appreciation for the large number of new films and television shows which arrive each year. They spark my interest like little else I encounter. Each year there's something new which comes out and, in one sense, it's the most reliable art form – every fall, new pilots premiere. Throughout the year, a number of movies are released, with less serious popcorn flicks coming out in the summer and the more remarkable art house fare usually being released in the late fall or early winter. It's a fresh start every single year, which makes it all the more thrilling. You never know what to expect.

It's particularly exciting because of the prevalence of Judaism, in so many forms, in cinema. A humorous quote from a deadpan Brad Garrett upon winning an Emmy a few years ago comes to mind: "I'm glad Jews can finally break into show business." Countless actors and actresses who star in major roles are Jewish, and a whole host of directors, screenwriters, and crew members are Jewish. But I'm speaking more specifically to plotlines and stories about Judaism and popular culture. Some directors use their own Judaism as background comic fare to their entire filmic universe, like Woody Allen. His characters don't necessarily embrace their religion or identity – the characters Allen himself plays use it as a humorous crutch to defend incessantly neurotic behavior. Martin Landau's Judah Rosenthal (one of Allen's subtly named Jewish characters) turns to memories of the Passover seder for comfort when he feels irreparable guilt in Crimes & Misdemeanors. Allen conjures up an image of himself as a Hassidic Jew in the eyes of an anti-Semitic future grandmother-in-law to illustrate the separation he often blames on his Jewish identity.

There's plenty of room for celebration of Jews at the movies as well – comedies like Christopher Guest's For Your Consideration serve up countless Jewish stereotypes but use them to their fullest and funniest for a non-offensive, amusing experience. Others go a bit far, like The Hebrew Hammer, bludgeoning audience members with repetitive, over-the-top jokes which just aren't really that funny. The first movie with sound, The Jazz Singer, tells the story of a young man torn between his love for music and his destined role as a cantor. Fiddler on the Roof is a fantastic story with great music, dancing, and a rich sense of Jewish culture. Popular sitcoms Friends and Seinfeld boast memorable Jewish characters whose secular Judaism often creates funny situations. Wherever you look, it's startlingly easy to find Jewish characters and Jewish themes in movies and on TV. It's delightful that Judaism is so prominent and, better yet, accessible, in so many of the classic movies and shows I love. I'd be hard-pressed to find another medium which is as rich and full with Jewish content as that of cinema. And that's just one of the reasons I love it.

[Posted 9/29/08]