Toronto Jewish Film Festival Screenings

Building History: The Story of Benjamin Brown
Canada 2016, 8 min.
Director: Martin Edralin

Sun. May 15, 2016, 4:30pm
Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St W, Toronto

The Toronto Jewish Film Festival recently screened the Ontario Jewish Archives' short film, produced for the exhbition Benjamin Brown: Architect. Although we pass his buildings regularly—the Hermant Building in Dundas Square, the Balfour Building on Spadina, U of T’s Faculty Club, Beth Jacob Synagogue—little is known about the Jewish architect who designed them.

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Shtetl in the City: Memories of Toronto's Jewish Community
Canada, 2016, 77 min.
Directors: Aaron Mandel, Igal Hecht

Sun., May 8, 2016, 1:00pm
Cineplex Cinemas Empress Walk 9, 5095 Yonge Street, Toronto

A great intergenerational day out! A must-see film for anyone who grew up in Toronto or is interested in Toronto’s Jewish history. This lovely and well-made documentary is the culmination of the JCC’s Intergenerational Oral History Program. As part of their Grade 9 Jewish History class, students from both CHAT and CHAR interviewed seniors about their memories of growing up in Toronto. These interviews form the basis of this documentary. A treasure trove of photographs supplied by the Ontario Jewish Archives brings these stories to life. Interviews with academics Cyril Troster and Dr. Jack Lipinsky provide historical background and context for the film.

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