From WALL•E and Noah’s ark to X-Men and Chanukah, mainstream movies are replete with biblical themes and Jewish ideas. Learning some methods of rabbinic midrash opens up a well of thinking that enables us to unpack the layers of meaning in these films. Did James Bond have a Jewish M? Was Gladiator channeling Moses? What do Star Wars and Yom Kippur have in common? These are some of the examples Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum will explore through clips and texts as he shares what the sages can teach us about cinema. You will never look at the silver screen in the same way again.

Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum is the Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) and was recently appointed as the Rabbi Sacks Chair of Modern Jewish Thought, established by the Zandan family.
This event is presented by the JCC in partnership with Congregation Beth Israel, Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation, Touro Synagogue, Limmud New Orleans, and the London School of Jewish Studies, with special thanks to Vivian and Richard Cahn and Peter and Lonnie Zandan.

Admission is free and open to the community. A reservation is requested.