Film and music courses for cinephiles and music lovers.
Film Classes
HIDDEN GEMS OF JEWISH CINEMA
Registration deadline: October 12
Taught by George Robinson
Mondays, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
6 Sessions, October 19-November 23
$169 ($149 for JxJ Donors of certain levels*)
We survey a half-dozen films on Jewish subjects, ranging from the Great Depression to the new millennium, from the medieval ghetto to upper-class Mexico City. What links these wonderful Jewish films is each is underrated and too-seldom seen.
Teacher: George Robinson recently finished 26 years as the film critic at The Jewish Week (NYC). An adjunct assistant professor of media arts and technology at Borough of Manhattan Community College, he has been writing about film for almost 50 years. He is also the author of Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs and Rituals (Simon and Schuster/Atria) and Essential Torah: A Complete Guide to the Five Books of Moses (Schocken).
BEHIND THE SCREEN: HOW MOVIES ARE MADE
Registration deadline: October 12
Taught by Ilya Tovbis
Tuesdays, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
4 Sessions, October 20 – November 17 (no class on November 3)
$125 ($105 for JxJ Donors of certain levels*)
Ever wonder why your favorite filmmaker takes so long to come out with new work? Why Hollywood is obsessed with sequels? How a film is birthed from the kernel of an idea, nurtured in the screenwriting process, made tangible during shooting, refined through editing, and eventually brought to the silver screen?
Teacher: Ilya Tovbis is the Artistic and Managing Director of JxJ, and for 8 years the Director of the Washington Jewish Film Festival. He has been a guest programmer at the Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) and the Virginia Film Festival (VAFF). His film reviews and industry breakdowns have been published in indieWire, Slant Magazine, and Flavorpill.
SHOAH ON SCREEN: THROUGH THE EYES OF CHILDREN
Registration deadline: October 12
Taught by Susan Rubin Suleiman
Wednesdays, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
6 Sessions, October 14 – November 18
$169 ($149for JxJ Donors of certain levels*)
Some of the most memorable films about the Holocaust have featured the experiences of children—here we examine six major international films that center on child and adolescent stories.
Teacher: Susan Rubin Suleiman is Professor Emerita of French Civilization and of Comparative Literature at Harvard University, where she taught for more than 35 years.
WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE? HOLLYWOOD’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH JEWISH HUMOR
Registration deadline: October 19
Taught by Peter L. Stein
Thursdays, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
4 Sessions, October 29 – November 19
$125 ($105 for JxJ Donors of certain levels*)
An entertaining 4-part class that examines—from the Marx Brothers to Judd Apatow—how the hallmarks of Jewish humor that have come to define American movie comedy.
Teacher: Peter L. Stein is a Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker and freelance film writer, programmer and presenter. For eight years he was Executive Director of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival and currently serves as Senior Programmer for Frameline, the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
Music Classes
THE JEWS OF TIN PAN ALLEY
Registration deadline: October 12
Taught by Seth Kibel
Wednesdays, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
5 Sessions, October 14 – November 11
$149 ($129 for JxJ Donors of certain levels*)
An exploration of the lives and music of celebrated Jewish songwriters, whose achievements would come to define “Great American Songbook.”
Teacher:Winner of 28 Washington Area Music Awards, Seth Kibel is a highly acclaimed clarinet, saxophone, and flute player (The Kleztet, Bay Jazz Project, Music Pilgrim Trio, The Natty Beaux). Kibel also lectures on music history at Johns Hopkins and Towson Universities.
Previous Classes
18 Aliyot: Israeli Folklore and Music of the Diaspora
Behind the Screen: How Movies are Made
The Jews of American Jazz
Klezmer, American Music
Masterworks of the New Israeli Cinema
Discounts & Policies
*The following JxJ Donors are eligible for class discounts:
- JxJ 2020 Donors, Patron Level ($1,100) and Above
- Fan Level ($175) and above donors renewing their donations for the 2020/2021 Season (gifts received after July 1, 2020).
- New Donors at the Fan Level ($175) or Above
Use the email address attached to your JxJ account and your donor discount will automatically be taken in your cart. If you have questions, call 202.777.3210 and we will be happy to help you complete your transaction.
Policies
It is preferred that participants log in via computers (with microphones and speakers), but if need be they can call in by phone. Registrants will receive detailed instructions from JxJ within a few days of registering.
Each individual in a household must register separately.
All students MUST register for class. It is easiest to do this online, but can also be done over the phone if necessary.
JxJ reserves the right to cancel classes that do not have the minimum required number of students. Students may request a full refund for the cancelled class or apply the money toward future JxJ classes. JxJ can refund tuition up to 10 days prior to the class starting. Students may only apply one discount per class per registration period.
Please feel free to contact JxJ at 202.777.3210 or boxoffice@jxjdc.org with any questions or concerns.
JxJ is not responsible for providing make-ups or issuing credit or refunds for programs missed as a result of personal scheduling conflicts, illnesses, emergencies, or other circumstances beyond JxJ’s control. If you are unable to attend a program for any of these reasons, we encourage you to consider your registration fee a form of support, helping JxJ sustain our programs.