The Assistant
Frank Alpine is a drifter, struggling for work during the Great Depression. He joins forces with a rough and seedy Ward Minogue and together they rob a small neighborhood grocery store. Frank is shaken when he sees from behind his mask the violent anti-Semitism that his partner unleashes on the elderly grocer. Plagued with remorse, Frank goes to work for the grocer, who is now recovering from the violent attack. Keeping his part in the robbery a dark secret, Frank dedicates himself to his job. Living in the store, working long, grueling hours, he is drawn to Morris’ beautiful and determined daughter, Helen. As a Gentile, Frank is viewed with suspicion by her mother, Ida Bober. A powerful story from Bernard Malamud, the author of "The Natural" and "The Fixer." Mature audiences. Directed by Daniel Petrie. Starring Gil Bellows, Kate Greenhouse, Armin Mueller-Stahl and Joan Plowright.

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ISBN 1-56082-253-8 
105 min., #445, Color, DVD, $39.95 

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITIES

Romance of a People:
The First 100 Years of Jewish Life in Chicago: 1833-1933 
Rare film footage, vintage photos, sound recordings, and informative interviews combine to tell the story of the building of Chicago's Jewish community and its impact on the "Windy City."  Highlighted is the role of the early German-Jewish settlers in the development of some of the city's major cultural institutions, the arrival of Jews from Eastern Europe and the founding in Chicago of several national Jewish organizations. One of the most moving segments is the actual film footage of the Jewish community's spectacular pageant, "Romance of a People," presented during the Century of Progress Exposition in 1933. Produced by the Chicago Jewish Historical Society, the video also features delightful musical selections performed by the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. Special commemorative booklet available for an additional $10.00

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With commemorative booklet 
30 min., #427B, Color and B&W, DVD, $39.95 

Meet Me at Brooklyn and Soto: Los Angeles 
Harold Gould narrates this nostalgic celebration of the Jewish community of Los Angeles from the 1920's to the 1950's, radiating from the lively corner of Brooklyn Avenue (now Cesar Chavez Avenue) and Soto Street, in East L.A.'s Boyle Heights neighborhood.  Utilizing archival film footage, vintage photos and interviews with former residents of the neighborhood, major landmarks such as the Breed Street shul, the Soto and Michigan Jewish Community Center, and the Old Jewish Home for the Aged in Boyle Heights, are fondly remembered.  In its heyday, the largest Jewish community west of Chicago was centered here. Sponsored by the Southern California Jewish Historical Society, this video is guaranteed to evoke nostalgia, even if you've never before heard of Boyle Heights! 

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ISBN 1-56082-204-X 
70 min., #426, Color, DVD, $29.95 
 

 




The Miracle of Intervale Avenue:
New York's Bronx 
This sensitive exploration searches for the secrets of a once thriving Jewish community in the South Bronx that somehow continues despite the decay that surrounds it.  The film provides a warm nostalgic sense of the vitality of what was the Jewish Bronx. What makes this film so moving is the cast of expressive, complex and moving characters.

"A fresh sensitivity at work in this film"-Cineaste

"Wonderfully inspiring"-The Village Voice  
      
Winner of the American Video Conference Award and the Grierson Award for Best Documentary

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ISBN 0-9622024-3-6
65 min., #430, Color, DVD, $29.95