How Federation Makes an IMPACT: Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival

Through the Opportunity Fund, Federation makes one-time grants available to encourage creativity, innovation, and provide seed funding to address needs and opportunities not otherwise being met.

TCJFFOne such opportunity was for the Jewish Community Center of Greater St. Paul/Sabes Jewish Community Center—to support the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival that was held October/November 2015. One of the goals of this was to support collaborative, meaningful partnerships between the St. Paul JCC and the Sabes JCC in Jewish cultural arts offerings.

This past event marked its 22nd year, and included 13 movies – 7 of which were making their Midwest & Minnesota premieres! Below is a list of the films that were shown, in case you missed them.

Diplomacy – watch the trailer here

The Age of Love – watch the trailer here

To Life (A La Vie) – watch the trailer here

Is That You? – learn more about the film here

Sabena – watch the trailer here

Fauda – watch the trailer here

"Iris" (2015) - Directed by Albert Maysles

“Iris” (2015) – Directed by Albert Maysles

Are You Joking? – watch the trailer here

Iris – watch the trailer here. This movie is currently streaming on Netflix (as of 12/7/15).

Crossing the Line 2: The New Face of Anti-Semitism on Campus – watch the film in its entirety on YouTube here

Of Many – watch the trailer here

His Wife’s Lover – learn about the film here

Jerusalem – watch the trailer here

At Federation, one of our core priorities is strengthening our connection to Israel and Jewish Peoplehood. By engaging the local community here as well as our neighbors across the river, it’s our hope that supporting events such as the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival help us work towards accomplishing that mission.

We encourage you to subscribe to our blog to continue to learn about how the Minneapolis Jewish Federation makes an IMPACT in our community – both locally and abroad. And as always, we couldn’t do what we do without your support. If events such as the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival are important to you, please consider making a donation to Federation today so we can continue to provide support to events just like it in the Twin Cities.

Summer Arts Workshops for Adults

The reviews are in, and they are terrific.

“One of my favorite days off ever!”

“Informative, engaging, and FUN!!!”

Rimon: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council and the Sabes JCC teamed up in July and August of 2015 to produce a series of four summer arts workshops for adults. The playgrounds were the banks of the Mississippi River, the shady gardens of The Landscape Arboretum, the avenues of Minneapolis’ North Side, and The Marsh in Minnetonka.

Each workshop explored an encounter with nature, one or two art forms—from drawing and cooking to collage and photography—and an exploration of personal belief.

In the words of Laura French, writing for the American Jewish World: “Why should kids have all the summer fun? This year grown-ups can enjoy the creativity, camaraderie and natural beauty of a summer day-camp experience.” The thirty participants came from an unusually broad spectrum of backgrounds; their ages spanned early-20s to mid-80s.

“The Spices of Life” launched the series with interactive visits to three cultural institutions on the North Side—Homewood Studios on Plymouth Avenue and Cookie Cart and Appetite for Change on Broadway. Whether the subject was painting, cookie dough, or a great beet soup, each of these cornerstone organizations showed how all the arts enrich the community in which they thrive and can empower individuals to live a more balanced, healthier life.

“One with Nature” put pencils and brushes in the hands of its participants. Masterfully guided by teacher Lynda Monick-Isenberg, the participants learned to look more acutely, to pay attention to their bodies through simple yoga poses, and to let their hands connect with their observational skills. A gorgeous Minnesota summer day in the gardens of The Arboretum gave everyone plenty to look at and draw.

“Mysteries of the Mississippi” combined preservationist Aaron Rubenstein’s intriguing stories of the social history of the river in downtown Minneapolis with artistic opportunities to capture the colorful natural landscape and wildlife which live on the water’s shores. Cameras, pens, torn paper, and collage were all used—under the guidance of artist Susan Armington–to evoke the watery passage of St. Anthony Falls, the secluded backwaters of the river’s small tributaries, and the Mill City Ruins.

The series concluded at The Marsh with “Skin & Bones and Everything in Between,” led by palliative care physician, artist, and storyteller Joel Carter and textile artist Beth Barron. Using personal experience as a starting point for discovery, the participants found unexpected ways to tell their individual stories using found objects, beads, paint, wood, and fabric.

Did you miss the workshops? The full list of past events is below.

We can’t wait to bring you more information about Rimon’s next arts workshops. Until then, visit rimonmn.org to keep up with how this Federation initiative is promoting and enhancing Jewish identity through art of all kinds.