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Ashkenaz (2007)

1hr 12min    Documentary  

Hebrew, English and Yiddish

Ashkenazim-Jews of European origin-are Israel's "white folks." Like most white folks in a multicultural society, they don't think of themselves in racial or ethnic terms because by now, "aren't we all Israeli?" Yiddish has been replaced with Hebrew, religion with secularism, exile with occupation, the shtetl with the kibbutz, old-fashioned irony with postmodern cynicism and pale girls with dark curls by bleached blonde with a suntan. But the paradox of whiteness in Israel is that Ashkenazim aren't exactly "white folks'' historically. A story that begins in the Rhineland and ends in the holy land (or is it the other way around?), ASHKENAZ looks at whiteness in Israel and wonders: How did the "Others" of Europe become the "Europe" of the others.

CREW

Written & Directed by: Rachel Leah Jones

Producer: Osnat Trabelsi

Director of Photography: Philippe Bellaiche

Editors: Eyal Sivan and Morris Ben Mayor

Sound by: Tully Chen

Original Music by: Habiluim, Oy Division

Broadcasters: Channel 8 Noga communication

Supported by: The Rabinovich Foundation for the Arts - Cinema Project

World Sales: Philippa Kowarsky, Cinephil

Festivals 

Boston Palestine Film Festival, USA, October, 2010

Olympia Film Festival, USA, November 2008

UK Jewish Film Festival, UK November 2008

International Documentary Film Festival, Turkey, November 2008

Krakow Jewish Culture Festival, Poland, July 2008

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, USA, July 2008

Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival, Israel, December 2007

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